Mammoth leaf
| Mammoth leaf | ||||||||||||
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Mammoth leaf ( Gunnera manicata ), habitus |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Gunnera manicata | ||||||||||||
| Linden ex André |
The mammoth leaf ( Gunnera manicata ) is a species of the genus Gunnera within the order of the Gunnerales . It is also called giant rhubarb because its growth shape is similar to rhubarb ( Rheum rhabarbarum ), but it is not related to it. In the species that occur in Chile , however, the stem is peeled and eaten like rhubarb.
description
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Vegetative characteristics
Gunnera manicata grows as a deciduous, perennial herbaceous plant that can reach heights of up to 3 meters . The above-ground parts die off in autumn and sprout again in spring .
The foliage leaves , arranged at the base , are divided into a petiole and a leaf blade. The petiole is prickly .
Generative characteristics
The flowering period extends from July to August. The small and inconspicuous flowers sit in the thousands in the inflorescence up to 1 meter high .
Ecology and use
Gunnera manicata prefers moist locations. The mammoth leaf is often found as an ornamental plant in large parks . To overwinter outdoors, in Central Europe it must be protected from freezing with leaves, brushwood or the like . Due to the high percentage of tannic acid creeping are rhizomes in the home countries for tanning use. Gunnera manicata form a community ( symbiosis ) with blue-green algae . The blue-green algae colonize cells in the area of the base of the petiole. Here they form nitrogen for the plant and receive carbon in exchange .
Young drive
leaf
Leaf blade in detail
inflorescence
bud
Petiole
Size comparison
Habitus
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Occurrence
Gunnera manicata is native to the mountain swamps and subtropical cloud forests of the Serra do Mar in southern Brazil .
literature
- W. Berckholtz: Contributions to the knowledge of the morphology and anatomy of Gunnera manicata Linden. Theodor Fischer Verlag, Kassel 1891.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Rafaël Govaerts (ed.): Gunnera manicata. In: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP) - The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved September 23, 2019.
