Broad-leaved cotton grass

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Broad-leaved cotton grass
Broad-leaved cottongrass (Eriophorum latifolium)

Broad-leaved cottongrass ( Eriophorum latifolium )

Systematics
Monocots
Commelinids
Order : Sweet grass (Poales)
Family : Sourgrass family (Cyperaceae)
Genre : Cottongrass ( Eriophorum )
Type : Broad-leaved cotton grass
Scientific name
Eriophorum latifolium
Hoppe

The broad-leaved cottongrass ( Eriophorum latifolium ) is a plant species within the sour grass family (Cyperaceae). It is common in Eurasia .

description

Illustration from Flora Batava , Volume 16
Inflorescence in detail

Vegetative characteristics

Broad-leaved cottongrass is a hibernating green, perennial, herbaceous plant that reaches heights of 30 to 120 centimeters. It grows like a lawn and survives the winter with its rhizome that forms short subterranean runners . It has a triangular, blunt, but smooth stem that is often round at the base. The leaves are flat to weakly keeled, about 2 to 8 mm wide and often folded twice. The leaf sheaths are not inflated and often a little more pointed than that of the very similar narrow-leaved cottongrass .

Generative characteristics

The flowering period extends from April to June. The inflorescence contains four to twelve almost sessile up to 6 centimeters long stalked spikelets , the spikelet stalks are rough and densely covered with backward-facing bristles. Behind each glume there are three stamens and a stylus with three stigmas, which are, however, surrounded by bristles that lengthen to 3 to 4 centimeters after the anthesis . The long flower covering threads of the fruits form the characteristic white wool of the cotton grass ( Eriophorum ).

The number of chromosomes is 2n = 58, less often 72.

ecology

The broad-leaved cottongrass is a hemicryptophyte and helophyte . The inflorescences that bloom in early spring are female ( proterogynous ). The pollination is carried by the wind ( anemophily ). The diaspores spread through the wind ( anemochory ).

Occurrence

Broad-leaved cottongrass is widespread in Europe as far as the Caucasus , Mongolia and northern Korea. In Germany it is only scattered, here it is even rated as endangered on the 1996 Red List of Endangered Plant Species . Its holdings are decreasing more and more.

The broad-leaved cottongrass is mostly found in low and spring moors. It rarely appears in very wet, calcareous meadows. The broad-leaved cottongrass is one of the characteristic plants of the base-rich fens and swamp meadows. It is a character species of the Caricion davallianae association. In the Allgäu Alps in Vorarlberg near the Widdersteinhütte it rises up to 2015 meters above sea level.

use

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In the past, broad-leaved cotton grass was used in times of need as a cotton substitute or for filling pillows. However, it is useless as forage grass for farm animals.

literature

  • Dietmar Aichele, Heinz-Werner Schwegler: Our grasses. Sweet grasses, sour grasses, rushes . 11th edition. Kosmos, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3-440-07613-X .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Erich Oberdorfer : Plant-sociological excursion flora for Germany and neighboring areas . With the collaboration of Angelika Schwabe and Theo Müller. 8th, heavily revised and expanded edition. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 2001, ISBN 3-8001-3131-5 , pp.  158 .
  2. ↑ Rafaël Govaerts (Ed.): Eriophorum latifolium. In: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP) - The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved October 29, 2016.
  3. ↑ Erhard Dörr, Wolfgang Lippert : Flora of the Allgäu and its surroundings. Volume 1, IHW, Eching 2001, ISBN 3-930167-50-6 , p. 220.

Web links

Commons : Broad-leaved cottongrass ( Eriophorum latifolium )  - album with pictures, videos and audio files