Chaenomeles speciosa

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Chaenomeles speciosa
Flowers of C. speciosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Chaenomeles
Species: C. speciosa
Binomial name
Chaenomeles speciosa
(Sweet) Nak.
Synonyms[1]
  • Chaenomeles lagenaria (Loisel.) Koidz.
  • Cydonia lagenaria Loisel.
  • Cydonia speciosa Sweet
  • Pyrus japonica Sims. non Thunb.[citation needed]

Chaenomeles speciosa (commonly known as flowering quince or Japanese quince[2] or as mugua[citation needed] in traditional Chinese medicine[3]) is a thorny deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub native to eastern Asia. It is taller than another commonly cultivated species, C. japonica, usually growing to about 2 m (6 ft 7 in).[2] The flowers are usually red, but may be white or pink, and the fruit is a fragrant but hard pome that resembles a quince.[2]

Cultivation

This plant is widely cultivated in temperate regions for its twining habit and its showy flowers which appear early in the season - occasionally even in midwinter. It is frequently used as an informal low hedge. Numerous cultivars with flowers in shades of white, pink and red have been selected. The following cultivars and hybrids have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:-

  • 'Geisha Girl'[4]
  • 'Moorloosei'[5]
  • 'Crimson and Gold'[6]
  • 'Knap Hill Scarlet'[7]
  • 'Nicoline'[8]
  • 'Pink Lady'[9]

Ethnomedical uses

The fruit has been part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for thousands of years, used to treat arthritis, leg edema, and cramping in the calf muscle.

Pharmacology

A constituent of its extract has been found to be an effective and selective dopamine reuptake inhibitor.[10]

See also

  • Pseudocydonia (Chaenomeles sinensis), also called mugua
  • Papaya, a tropical fruit that shares the name mugua

References and external links

  1. ↑ "The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species". 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Bailey, L.H.; Bailey, E.Z.; the staff of the Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third: A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada. Macmillan, New York.
  3. ↑ Subhuti Dharmananda 2005. "Chaenomeles: A relaxing and strengthening fruit" in Institute for Traditional Medicine database
  4. ↑ http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=376
  5. ↑ http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=377
  6. ↑ http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=378
  7. ↑ http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=379
  8. ↑ http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=2304
  9. ↑ http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=2305
  10. ↑ Zhao G, Jiang ZH, Zheng XW, Zang SY, Guo LH (2008). "Dopamine transporter inhibitory and antiparkinsonian effect of common flowering quince extract.". Pharmacol Biochem Behav 90 (3): 363–71. doi:10.1016/j.pbb.2008.03.014. PMID 18485464. 
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