Indian snake root
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Medeola virginiana with ripe fruits |
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Medeola | ||||||||||||
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| Medeola virginiana | ||||||||||||
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The medeola ( Medeola virginiana ) is the only species of the genus Medeola within the family of the lily family (Liliaceae). It occurs only in eastern North America .
description
Appearance and leaves
Medeola virginiana grows as a deciduous, perennial herbaceous plant and reaches heights of 20 to 90 centimeters. A tuber-like, horizontal rhizome with a length of 3 to 8 centimeters and a diameter of about 1 centimeter is formed as a perennial organ , which narrows towards the end; it rots and is reformed every year. The slender, unbranched stem axis is initially hairy white woolly.
The leaves are arranged in two whorls , five to nine in the lower one, rarely up to twelve and in the upper one in three to rarely five. The leaves are short stalked or sessile. In the lower leaf whorl, the simple leaf blades are oblong-inverted-lanceolate with a length of 6 to 16 centimeters and a width of 1.5 to 5 centimeters; they narrow towards the base of the spread and have a pointed upper end and a smooth edge. In the upper leaf whorl, the simple, egg-shaped leaf blades with a length of 2.5 to 5 centimeters and a width of 1.5 to 4 centimeters have a rounded base and a pointed upper end. The leaf surfaces are mottled purple while the fruit is ripening. There is a parallel nerve.
Inflorescence and flower
The flowering time in North America is in late spring. Rarely two, mostly three to nine flowers are in a terminal, dold-like inflorescence . There are one to three non-durable bracts . The flower stalk is more or less spread out but is erect until the fruit is ripe.
The hermaphrodite flowers are radial symmetry and threefold. The six identical, free bracts are yellowish-green, 6 to 10 mm long, bent back and not durable. There are two circles with three stamens each. The elongated anthers are freely movable and curved outwards. The three carpels are fused to form an upper, three- chamber ovary. The three free styles are curved back and often purple in color.
Fruit and seeds
The purple to black when ripe berry is at a diameter of usually 8 to 10 mm (5 to 14) spherical and contains few seeds. The seeds are almost spherical with a diameter of 3 mm and have a shiny brown seed coat .
Chromosome number
The basic chromosome number is x = 7. There is diploidy with 2n = 14.
distribution
Medeola virginiana is widespread in eastern North America in Canada and the United States. It thrives on damp slopes and in forests at altitudes between 0 and 1600 meters.
Systematics
The first release of the genus Medeola and the type Medeola virginiana was carried out in 1753 by Linnaeus in Species Plantarum , 1, p 339. Synonyms for Medeola virginiana L. are: Medeola virginica Christm. , Medeola verticillifolia Stokes , Gyromia virginica (Christm.) Nutt. , Gyromia virginica var. Picta Nutt. , Gyromia acuminata Raf. , Gyromia cuneata Raf. A synonym for Medeola is Gyromia Nutt.
The generic name Medeola refers to Medea , a female figure from Greek mythology . The specific epithet virginiana refers to the native Virginia .
Medeola virginiana is the only species of the genus Medeola in the subfamily Lilioideae within the family Liliaceae . It was classified in the subfamily Medeoloideae or the families Convallariaceae and Medeolaceae.
use
The rhizome of Medeola virginiana has a cucumber-like smell and taste and can be eaten raw or cooked, hence the common name "Indian cucumber-root". The medical effects were examined.
swell
- Frederick H. Utech: Medeola , p. 150 and Medeola virginiana , p. 151 - online with the same text as the printed work , Flora of North America Editorial Committee (Ed.): Flora of North America. North of Mexico. Volume 26: Magnoliophyta: Liliidae: Liliales and Orchidales. Oxford University Press, New York NY et al. 2002, ISBN 0-19-515208-5 . (Sections Description, Distribution and Systematics).
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i Frederick H. Utech: Medeola , p. 150 and Medeola virginiana , p. 151 - text online with the same text as the printed work , Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.): Flora of North America. North of Mexico. Volume 26: Magnoliophyta: Liliidae: Liliales and Orchidales. Oxford University Press, New York NY et al. 2002, ISBN 0-19-515208-5 .
- ↑ First publication scanned at biodiversitylibrary.org.
- ^ Medeola virginiana at Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, accessed February 23, 2013.
- ↑ Rafaël Govaerts (ed.): Medeola virginiana. In: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP) - The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved February 23, 2013.
- ↑ Medeola virginiana in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
- ^ Medeola virginiana at Plants For A Future . Retrieved February 23, 2013.
