BITTERSWEET
Bittersweet is the name attributed to two unrelated plants, belonging to different families, both fall-fruiting woody vines sometimes cultivated for their decorative scarlet berries. One, called also woody nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) belonging to the family Solanaceae. The twigs and stems are occasionally used medicinally for a narcotic poison similar to belladonna.
The more popular bittersweet however is Celastrus scandens, a plant of the family Celastraceae. An orange-yellow capsule surrounds its berry.
In the Victorian society the present of a bittersweet indicated a platonic affection and love in some situations, it represented truth as well.
Both bittersweets are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, of the class Magnoliopsida. S. dulcamara belongs to the order Polemoniales, family Solanaceae. C. scandens belongs to the order Celastrales, family Celastraceae.
Related Flowers : Amaryllis Flowers Anemones Flowers Ammi Flowers Antirhinnums Snapdraggons Flowers Anemone Flowers Appleblossoms Flowers Anigozanthos Flowers Asters Flowers Antirhinnums or Snapdraggons Flowers Basil Flowers Astrantias or Masterwarts Flowers
.gif)
