Sand straw flower

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Sand straw flower
Sand straw flower (Helichrysum arenarium)

Sand straw flower ( Helichrysum arenarium )

Systematics
Order : Astern-like (Asterales)
Family : Daisy family (Asteraceae)
Subfamily : Asteroideae
Tribe : Gnaphalieae
Genre : Everlasting flowers ( helichrysum )
Type : Sand straw flower
Scientific name
Helichrysum arenarium
( L. ) Moench

The sand straw flower ( Helichrysum arenarium ) is a species of the sunflower family (Asteraceae).

description

illustration
Detail of the compound inflorescence
Sand straw flower ( Helichrysum arenarium )

The sand straw flower grows as a perennial herbaceous plant and usually reaches heights of between 10 and 30 cm. It has an aromatic scent. The stem grows ascending or upright. The leaves are hairy woolly and tomentose on both sides, but later they shed a little. The lower ones are oblong-egg-shaped and blunt, the upper ones are narrower and pointed. In the lower part they reach a width of up to 10 mm and a length of about 25 mm. The upper ones are usually not more than 3 to 4 mm wide.

Three to twenty cup-shaped partial inflorescences sit in a dense, terminal, umbelliferous total inflorescence . These flower heads are spherical in shape with a diameter of 6 to 7 mm and about the same height. The flower heads have up to 30 shiny bracts that are dry-skinned and golden or lemon yellow in color. In the flower heads there are many single flowers with radial symmetry ; these are golden yellow to orange tubular flowers . The ovaries are subordinate. The achenes are barely 1 mm long and have a simple, rough pappus .

The sand straw flower mainly blooms in the months of July to October.

The number of chromosomes is 2n = 28.

ecology

The sand straw flower is a deciduous hemicryptophyte and a half rosette plant with white woolly hair as protection against radiation and drying out. It has roots up to 70 cm deep.

The inflorescences are "cup flowers". The bracts are colored yellow by flavones , which here exceptionally are embedded in the cell wall . When fully grown, the bracts die off and then shine and serve as a display organ and, via hygroscopic movements, to protect the ripening fruit. The marginal flowers are female, the rest are male. Various insects act as pollinators . The flowering period extends from July to October.

The Ächänen spreads as "umbrella fliers"; in addition, Velcro spreads.

Occurrence and endangerment

The sand straw flower occurs from southern Scandinavia through central Europe to southeast and eastern Europe . To the east it penetrates into the Caucasus . It is a temperate continental floral element . It is only found widespread in parts of Central Europe.

In Germany, the straw flower is only quite common in East Germany. In addition, they are found scattered and mostly rare, especially in the northern Upper Rhine area. It is particularly protected according to the Federal Species Protection Ordinance and is considered to be endangered. In Austria they are rarely found in colline locations in Burgenland and Lower Austria. It is endangered there. It is completely absent in Switzerland.

It prefers dry, loose and at least superficially decalcified sandy soils and grows z. B. Sand corridors , sheep fescue -Triften, pine forests as well as grasslands , heaths and dunes . It is a character species of the Sedo-Scleranthetea class in Central Europe, but also occurs in societies of the Festuco-Brometea or Agropyretea class.

Traditional medicine

The sand- everlasting flower, called sticados citrinum in Latin like other everlasting flowers , contains some essential oil and flavonoids .

The Committee for Herbal Medicines (HMPC) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) names in its monograph Helichrysum arenarium the traditional use for digestive problems with bloating and flatulence.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c 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.  920 .
  2. ↑ Volker Zimmermann: The Heidelberg Pharmacopoeia Ysack Leuj. Contributions of Jewish Doctors to Medieval Medicine. Franz Steiner, Stuttgart 2018, ISBN 978-3-515-12174-3 , p. 62.
  3. ↑ E. Lemberkovics, E. Czinner, A. Balázs, E. Bihátsi-Karsai, G. Vitányi, L. Lelik, J. Bernáth, E. Szóke: New data on composition of esssential oil from inflorescence of everlasting (Helichrysum arenarium ( L.) Moench.). In: Acta pharmaceutica Hungarica. Volume 71, Number 2, August 2001, pp. 187-191. PMID 11862667 .
  4. Jump up ↑ E. Czinner, A. Kéry, K. Hagymási, A. Blázovics, A. Lugasi, E. Szöke, E. Lemberkovics: Biologically active compounds of Helichrysum arenarium (L.) Moench. In: European journal of drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics. Volume 24, Number 4, 1999 Oct-Dec, pp. 309-313. PMID 10892893 .
  5. ↑ European Union herbal monograph on Helichrysum arenarium (L.) Moench, flos

Web links

Commons : Sand Strohblume ( Helichrysum arenarium )  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files