Knollchen knotweed

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Knollchen knotweed
Knollchen knotweed (Bistorta vivipara)

Knollchen knotweed ( Bistorta vivipara )

Systematics
Eudicotyledons
Nuclear eudicotyledons
Order : Clove-like (Caryophyllales)
Family : Knotweed family (Polygonaceae)
Genre : Knot oak ( Bistorta )
Type : Knollchen knotweed
Scientific name
Bistorta vivipara
( L. ) Delarbre

The nodular knotweed ( Bistorta vivipara (L.) Delarb. , Basionym Polygonum viviparum L. , Syn . : Persicaria vivipara (L.) Ronse Decr. ) Belongs to the genus of the meadow knotweed ( Bistorta ). In Austria this species is also known as livebearer knotweed or Otterwurz . The epithet comes from the Latin viviparus ' viviparous '.

This species is a glacial relic , the fossils of which were found in the Ice Age deposits of the Dryas (silver arum clays).

Knollchen knotweed
Knöllchen knotweed on Svalbard

description

The perennial herbaceous plant reaches a height of 5 to 25 centimeters. The bare perennial has simple stems. The lower leaves are long stalked and lanceolate with a length of 1.5 to 5 centimeters and 0.5 to 2 centimeters wide. The upper leaves are linear-lanceolate and sessile, with an often rolled edge. The upper side of the leaf is dark green, the underside gray-green.

The five-fold flowers are white to light pink and many sit in a loosely-flowered pseudo-ear . In the lower part there are almost always red-brown or purple brood buds, which often develop small leaves. The fruit becomes 2.7 to 3 millimeters long, but is often missing.

Flowering time is from June to August.

The number of chromosomes is 2n = approx. 88, 100, 110 or 132.

Occurrence

The plant is widespread in Europe , Asia and North America (arctic-alpine) and occurs at an altitude of 1000 to 3000  m . In the Allgäu Alps, it rises in the Tyrolean part on the west ridge of the Biberkopf up to 2300  m .

This species prefers lawn, stone ground, pastures, snow valleys and moors as a location . In Central Europe it occurs in societies of the associations Caricion curvulae, Elynion or the orders Seslerietalia and Nardetalia.

ecology

The nodule knotweed has brood buds directly below the inflorescence , nodules filled with starch . Small leaves sprout from the nodules in summer, in autumn they fall to the ground as finished plants or are carried by the wind. The plant is considered to be the favorite food of the ptarmigan , which contributes to its spread via the crop. The plant is spurned by grazing cattle.

Although the common, adaptable plant is found in many types of lawn, it is fertilizer-hostile and disappears with heavy grazing.

Superstition

When the cows were bewitched and gave no milk, animal consumption of the Sennen (hence the name "Bring ma's back", "Wiederkumm" and "Lost-Kehrwieder") this herb and dried up milk flowed again.

literature

  • Manfred A. Fischer, Wolfgang Adler, Karl Oswald: Excursion flora for Austria, Liechtenstein and South Tyrol . 2nd, improved and enlarged edition. State of Upper Austria, Biology Center of the Upper Austrian State Museums, Linz 2005, ISBN 3-85474-140-5 .
  • Elfrune Wendelberger: Alpine plants - flowers, grasses, dwarf shrubs. BLV, Munich 1984, ISBN 3-405-12868-4 .
  • Xaver Finkenzeller, Jürke Grau: Alpine flowers. Recognize and determine (=  Steinbach's natural guide ). Mosaik, Munich 2002, ISBN 3-576-11482-3 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Erich Oberdorfer : Plant-sociological excursion flora for Germany and neighboring areas . 8th edition, page 336, Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-8001-3131-5 .
  2. ↑ Erhard Dörr, Wolfgang Lippert : Flora of the Allgäu and its surroundings. Volume 1, IHW, Eching 2001, ISBN 3-930167-50-6 , p. 449.

Web links

Commons : Knöllchen-Knöterich ( Bistorta vivipara )  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files