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''Heptacodium miconioides'', commonly known as the Seven Sons plant, is a member of the Caprifoliaceae family, a cousin of the Honeysuckle, and sole member of the genus ''Heptacodium''. Endemic to China, this species was discovered in 1907 in Hubei province in central China by Ernest Wilson whilst collecting on behalf of the Arnold Arboretum. Considered rare even at that time, only nine populations are known to remain in the wild, all of them in Anhui and Zhejiang provinces and threatened by habitat loss. The species is now under second-class national protection in China. However, the Sino-American Botanical Expedition of 1980, () which rediscovered the plant, collected viable seeds and send them to the Arnold Arboretum where it was found to be easily cultivated. The plant is now widely grown as an ornamental around the world. ==Description== ''H. miconioides'' is a deciduous large shrub or small tree, typically growing to a height of between 4 and 8 m. The bark of the trunk is papery and thin, light tan in colour, and exfoliates in strips or sheets. The upright, spreading, quadrangular branches give the plant a rounded, often irregular shape. The dark - green cordate leaves are opposite, 8–10 cm long by 5–6 cm wide, with entire margins and deeply impressed venation running parallel to the margin.〔Koller, G. L. Seven-Son flower from Zhejiang: Introducing the versatile ornamental shrub ''Heptacodium jasminoides'' Airy Shaw. ''Arnoldia''. ()〕 In September, ''H. miconioides'' produces large shows of small fragrant white blooms attractive to butterflies, the flowers five-petalled, < 13 mm across.〔Stebbings, G. (2011). Autumn Glory - Late Developers. ''Garden Answers'', p. 48, September 2011. Bauer Media, London.〕 When the white corollas have fallen, the calyces develop into deep red expanded lobes which persist into November. Image: Heptacodium leaf.jpg|Leaf Image: Heptacodium miconiodes flowers.jpg|Flowers, close up Image: Heptacodium calyces 1.jpg|Calyces in late October 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Heptacodium miconioides」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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