Kingdom Plantae Clade Eudicots Order Ericales Scientific name Actinidia Rank Genus | Clade Angiosperms Clade Asterids Family Actinidiaceae Higher classification Actinidiaceae | |
Lower classifications Hardy kiwi, Actinidia deliciosa, Actinidia kolomikta, Actinidia chinensis, Actinidia polygama | ||
Actinidia /ˌæktᵻˈnɪdiə/ is a genus of woody and, with a few exceptions, dioecious plants native to temperate eastern Asia, occurring throughout most of China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan, and extending north to southeast Siberia and south into Indochina. The genus includes shrubs growing to 6 m (20 ft) tall, and vigorous, strong-growing vines, growing up to 30 m (98 ft) in tree canopies. They mostly tolerate temperatures down to around −15°C (5°F), and some are much hardier.
Contents
The leaves are alternate and simple, with a dentated margin and a long petiole. The flowers are solitary or in axillary cymes, usually white, with five small petals. Most of the species are dioecious with separate male and female plants, but some are monoecious. The fruit is a large berry containing numerous small seeds; in most species, the fruit is edible. In particular, this genus is known for the species Actinidia deliciosa, the kiwifruit or Chinese gooseberry, and for the hardy ornamental A. kolomikta.
Actinidia kiwi berry species varieties applications part 2
Fossil record
Actinidia macrofossils have been recovered from the late Zanclean stage of Pliocene sites in Pocapaglia, Italy.
Species
The 40–60 species of Actinidia include:
Uses
Kiwifruit is a cultivar group of A. deliciosa, and hardy kiwi is the species Actinidia arguta, which has small fruit weighing 10–15 g (0.35–0.53 oz), with green edible skins and green flesh; it is hardier than A. deliciosa. Some species are grown as ornamental plants, notably A. kolomikta.
In Japan, Actinidia polygama (silver vine) is noted for having an effect on cats much like that of catnip. It is mentioned in the saying 猫にまたたび、女郎に小判 (neko ni matatabi, jorō ni koban, "silver vine to a cat, a coin to a prostitute"), meaning to put someone in a good mood by providing that which they most desire.
A. kolomikta is the hardiest species (to about -40°), and has distinctive white- and pink-variegated foliage even on wild plants, an unusual phenomenon. Its fruit is very small, weighing 8 g (0.28 oz) or less.