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Species Image Gallery (opens in a new window) |
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| THE HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY | |||||||||
| The honeysuckle family is found mainly
in temperate and subtropical areas of the Northern Hemisphere. In Saskatchewan
there are several examples, all of which are woody vines or shrubs. The
family can be identified by its opposite leaves and perfect, irregular flowers
that appear in pairs or clusters. Sometimes the upper leaves may be fused
together around the stem. These trees mainly produce berries as fruit types. The honeysuckle family is of little economic importance. Some species are used in gardens as ornamentals. Japanese honeysuckle, an introduced species, is considered a weed in some places. |
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| SWAMP FLY HONEYSUCKLE | |||||||||
| LATIN NAME: Lonicera oblongifolia var. oblongifolia | |||||||||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | |||||||||
| Swamp fly honeysuckle grows as tall as one metre. The bark of this shrub is greyish and smooth. The branches are filled with spongy tissue. The leaves are stalkless and are all opposite and separate from one another. The leaves are usually hairy, especially on the underside of the leaf. The flowers are in pairs in the axils of the leaves. The flower stalks are longer than the flowers. The flowers are yellowish to pinkish in color. The fruits are red to yellow-orange many-seeded berries. | |||||||||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | |||||||||
| Swamp fly honeysuckle grows in wet, shaded woods and muskegs. | |||||||||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | |||||||||
| There is only one population in Saskatchewan. It is in the middle of the province, near the Manitoba border. | |||||||||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | |||||||||
| Swamp fly honeysuckle is threatened in Saskatchewan because it is uncommon. This species is regionally restricted to two general regions of the province and most local populations are small. No immediate threats are known for this species. | |||||||||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY SWAMP FLY HONEYSUCKLE | |||||||||
| * Is the plant a woody shrub? * Are all of the leaves opposite and separate from one another? * Are the fruits reddish or yellow-orange berries? * Did you find it in eastern Saskatchewan? | |||||||||
| If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found swamp fly honeysuckle! | |||||||||
