Euonymus latifolius (L.) Mill. (S-Eur., N-Afr., SW-As.) – A very rare, locally naturalised escape from or relic of cultivation. Apparently not collected before 1979 (Sint-Pietersberg: Kanne, woodland of Caester). Known since 1982 from Plainevaux-Neupré (wood margin, near castle of Plainevaux). Furthermore discovered in Stockai in 1984 (woodland at the castle of Engimont) and in Esneux in 1985 (old park). Also seen in Tavier in an old parc (few specimens and probably not really naturalised). The naturalisation of Euonymus latifolius in Belgium is well-documented by Champluvier & Renard (1985) and Champluvier & Duvigneaud (1987). In all it is considered to be naturalised in at least four locations, all in Wallonia. Exceptionally seen elsewhere in Belgium, for instance in the surroundings of Oosterzele-Landskouter (Betsberg) in 1987 (Florabank) but this record requires confirmation. Possibly overlooked in old parks and private estates.
Euonymus latifolius always grows in shady or partly-shady habitats, preferably on calcareous soils (mainly wood margins).
Euonymus latifolius usually has 5-merous flowers but 4-merous flowers are sometimes noticed, for instance in the populations from the Sint-Pietersberg.
Euonymus planipes (Koehne) Koehne (syn.: E. latifolius var. planipes Koehne, E. sachalinensis (F. Schmidt) Maxim.) is a close relative from eastern Asia and should be looked for (see also Clement & Foster 1994). It has more acuminate leaf apices, its leaf margins are coarsely (not minutely) toothed and capsule wings are narrower (Vickery 1997). According to Ma (2001) its petals are reddish, purplish or brownish (versus greenish white) but this is not confirmed in horticultural literature. Hence, it is unknown whether or not cultivated “Eunonymus planipes” really represents the wild species.
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Euonymus latifolius |
Euonymus latifolius |
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Euonymus europaeus
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Euonymus europaeus |
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Euonymus latifolius |
Euonymus latifolius |
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Euonymus latifolius |
 Euonymus latifolius |
Selected literature
Champluvier D. & Duvigneaud J. (1987) Evonymus latifolius à Esneux (province de Liège, Belgique) et aux environs de Charleville-Mézières (département des Ardennes, France). Nat. Mosana 40(3): 81-85.
Champluvier D. & Renard R. (1985) Evonymus latifolius (L.) Mill. naturalisé en Belgique et dans les régions voisines. Lejeunia N.S. 116: 19 p.
Clement E.J. & Foster M.C. (1994) Alien plants of the British Isles. BSBI, London: XVIII + 590 p.
Ferrer Gallego P.P. & Laguna E. (2013) Lectotipificación de Euonymus latifolius (L.) Mill. (Celastraceae). Lectotypification of Euonymus latifolius (L.) Mill. (Celastraceae). Acta Botanica Malacitana 38: 168-170. [available online at: http://www.biolveg.uma.es/abm/Volumenes/vol38/38_Ferrer-Gallego_Lectotipification_Euonymus.pdf]
Hillesheim-Kimmel U. (1996) Ein Vorkommen des Breitblättrigen Pfaffenhütchens, Euonymus latifolius P. Mill., an der Nördlichen Bergstraße. Hess. Flor. Briefe 45(2): 28-29.
Ma J. S. (2001) A Revision of Euonymus (Celastraceae). Thaiszia 11: 1-264.
Pena Rivera A., Feliu Morte F.J., Lozano Terrazas J.L. & Garcia Cardo O. (2018) Contribución al conocimiento de la distribución y demografía de Euonymus latifolius (L.) Mill. (Celastraceae) en el Sistema Ibérico. Flora Montiberica 72: 8-16. [available online at: http://www.floramontiberica.org/entrada.htm]
Vickery A.R. (1997) Euonymus. In: Cullen J. & al. (eds.), The European Garden Flora, vol. 5. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: 174-178.