ドンベヤは、紫陽花に似た花を咲かせて自家受粉しますが、なぜか花弁の基部に多くの蜜を湛えて芳香を放ち、多くの虫たちを引き寄せます。
Dombeya blooms flowers similar to hydrangeas and self-pollinates, but for some reason, the base of the petals is full of nectar and emits a fragrance that attracts many insects.
【仮名】ドンベヤ
【和名】–
【英名】Dombeya, Pink Ball
【学名】Dombeya
【誕生】11/ ??
【開花】01, 02, 03, 11, 12月
【花色】White, Pink, Red, Purple
ドンベヤ
ドンベヤの姿
ドンベヤはアオイ科の常緑樹です。原産地はアフリカで、名前は18世紀のフランスの植物学者ジョゼフ・ドンビーに由来。葉が桐に似ているものの、縁がギザギザで互生します。桐はキリ科の落葉樹で、葉が全縁で対生。日本でも温暖地なら地植えでき、紫陽花に似た花を咲かせます。
ドンベヤの花
ドンベヤの花は花弁が５枚で、雌しべの周りを長い雄しべと短い雄しべが囲みます。長い雄しべは短い雄しべから花粉を受け取り、雌しべに渡して自家受粉。このように他家受粉しないにもかかわらず、なぜか花弁の基部に多くの蜜を湛えて芳香を放ち、多くの虫たちを引き寄せます。
ドンベヤの鉢植え
ドンベヤの「ウォリッキー」種は冬の寒さに弱いため、日本では鉢植えで育てられます。原産地はアフリカ南東部沖のマダガスカル島で、種名はデンマークの植物学者ナサニエル・ウォーリッチに由来。花は濃い桃色で丸く密集して咲くため、「ピンクボール」などの英名があります。
ドンベヤの地植え
ドンベヤの「バージェシアエ」種は冬の寒さに強く、日本でも温暖地であれば屋外に地植えできます。原産地はアフリカの東部?南部で、種名は英国のバージェス婦人に由来。花は白色の花冠の真ん中が桃色で、丸く寄り集まって咲き、「ピンクワイルドペア」などの英名があります。
Dombeya
Shape of Dombeya
Dombeya is an evergreen tree of the Malvaceae family. It is native to Africa and named after the 18th-century French botanist Joseph Dombey. Although the leaves resemble those of paulownia, they are jagged edges and alternate. Paulownia is a deciduous tree of the Paulowniaceae family, and their leaves are entire edges and opposite. Even in Japan, it can be planted in the ground in warm areas, and blooms similar to hydrangeas.
Flower of Dombeya
The flower of Dombeya has five petals, and the pistil is surrounded by long and short stamens. Long stamens receive pollen from short stamens and pass it to pistils for self-pollination. Although it does not cross-pollinate in this way, for some reason, the base of the petals is full of nectar and emits a fragrance that attracts many insects.
Potted planting of Dombeya
“Dombeya wallichii” is vulnerable to winter cold, so it is grown in pots in Japan. The origin is Madagascar Island off the southeastern coast of Africa, and the species name comes from the Danish botanist Nathaniel Wallich. The flowers are dark pink, round and densely blooming, so there are English names such as “Pink Ball”.
Ground planting of Dombeya
“Dombeya burgesiae” is resistant to the cold of winter, and can be planted outdoors in warm climates even in Japan. It is native to eastern and southern Africa, and the species name comes from Miss Burgess of England. The flowers have a white corolla with pink in the center, and bloom in a round cluster.
