Спирея: описание рода и применение

Genus of plants

Spiraea /s//p//aɪ/'/r//iː//ə/, sometimes spelled spirea in common names, and commonly known as meadowsweets or steeplebushes, is a genus of about 80 to 100 species of shrubs in the family Rosaceae. They are native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere, with the greatest diversity in eastern Asia. The genus formerly included the herbaceous species now segregated into the genera Filipendula and Aruncus; recent genetic evidence has shown that Filipendula is only distantly related to Spiraea, belonging in the subfamily Rosoideae.

Spiraea plants are hardy, deciduous leaved shrubs. The leaves are simple and usually short stalked, and are arranged in a spiralling, alternate fashion. In most species, the leaves are lanceolate (narrowly oval) and about long. The leaf margins are usually toothed, occasionally cut or lobed, and rarely smooth. Stipules are absent. The many small flowers of Spiraea shrubs are clustered together in inflorescences, usually in dense panicles, umbrella like corymbs, or grape like clusters. The radial symmetry of each flower is fivefold, with the flowers usually bisexual, rarely unisexual. The flowers have five sepals and five white, pink, or reddish petals that are usually longer than the sepals. Each flower has many (15 to 60) stamens. The fruit is an aggregate of follicles.

Native Americans ate the species S. betulifolia.

Spiraea contain salicylates. Acetylsalicylic acid was first isolated from Filipendula ulmaria, a species at the time classified in the genus Spiraea. The word "aspirin" was coined by adding a (for acetylation) to spirin, from the German Spirsäure, a reference to Spiraea. Native American groups have various medicinal uses for local Spiraea species. S. betulifolia is used for abdominal pain and made into a tea. The Blackfoot use S. splendens root in an enema and to treat venereal conditions.

Native Americans found S. douglasii useful for making brooms and hanging seafood to cook.