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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Woy '06: Spicebush Provides A Salad Bar To Some Caterpillars, W. John Hayden
Woy '06: Spicebush Provides A Salad Bar To Some Caterpillars, W. John Hayden
Biology Faculty Publications
While many wildflower enthusiasts appreciate spicebush (Lindera benzoin), the 2006 Virginia Wildflower of the Year, for its subtle beauty, plant ecologists have found this humble shrub to be a fruitful subject for scientific inquiry. The notes that follow relay just a few of the interesting nuggets that can be gleaned from a cursory study of the scientific literature about this plant.
2006 Wildflower Of The Year: Spicebush, Lindera Benzoin, W. John Hayden
2006 Wildflower Of The Year: Spicebush, Lindera Benzoin, W. John Hayden
Biology Faculty Publications
Spicebush is a multistemmed deciduous shrub that grows to a height of one to three meters. Young stems are delicate and may be smooth or finely hairy. Leaves are alternate and simple, with an elliptic to obovate blade that tapers at both the base and apex and is bounded by a smooth margin. Examined closely, the margin will reveal a series of fine hairs that project directly out from the leaf edge. In size, leaves are neither remarkably large nor small; they range from one to six inches in length and up to about two and a half inches wide, …