Ornithoglossum
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Ornithoglossum viride , illustration |
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The plant genus Ornithoglossum belongs to the timeless family (Colchicaceae). There are about eight species that are common in tropical and southern Africa .
description
Appearance and leaves
Ornithoglossum species grow as perennial herbaceous plants . As storage organs, these geophytes form underground, egg-shaped to almost spherical sprouts , which can be simple or multi-part and are covered by a parchment-like tunic. The above-ground parts of the plant are bare and often blue-green. Usually an upright, simple or branched, leafy stem is present.
The leaves wither in the dry season and are formed again in the rainy season. There are few to a few basal and / or alternate leaves arranged on the stem , which are divided into leaf sheath and leaf blade. The leaf sheaths encompass the stem. The simple leaf blades are linear to lanceolate and have parallel veins.
Inflorescences and flowers
The flowers together in several terminal, racemose inflorescences . The bracts are similar to foliage and gradually become smaller towards the top. The flowers are above the bracts, but they appear to be opposite the bracts because the lower part of the pedicels is fused with the inflorescence axis. The flowers are nodding on the free area of the thin flower stalks, which are sharply spread out.
The rarely fragrant ( Ornithoglossum undulatum ), hermaphrodite flowers are radial symmetry or rarely ( Ornithoglossum undulatum ) somewhat zygomorphic and threefold. The six identical, free bloom cladding sheets stand together in a star or cup shape and are narrowed or nailed in the lower area. Near the base of the bracts there is a channel, sack-like or pocket-like nectarium, depending on the species . The colors of the bracts range from green to cream to brown or purple; they are often two-tone. There are two circles with three stamens each. The free stamens inserted below the ovary are sometimes thickened near their center. Three carpels are a spherical, ovoid or elongated, upper permanent, dreikammerigen ovary grown. Each ovary chamber contains a few to many ovules . The mostly three thin branches of the style are usually sharply spread.
The pollination is effected by insects ( Entomophilie ). At least Ornithoglossum parviflorum with small, gloomy flowers is pollinated by real flies (Muscidae). In ornithoglossum undulatum eye-catching with relative, sweet-smelling flowers pollination occurs probably by long-tongued solitary bees (the tribe Anthophorini , Apidae ).
Fruits and seeds
The loculicidal capsule fruits contain many seeds. The more or less spherical seeds have a brown to black seed coat (testa).
Chromosome numbers and ingredients
The basic chromosome number is x = 12. There is diploidy , i.e. 2n = 24.
Like most species within the Colchicaceae family, the Ornithoglossum species also contain toxic alkaloids , the colchicines . Ornithoglossum species are poisonous, hence the common name Snake Lily. From ornithoglossum vulgare is known that it led to livestock losses.
Occurrence and endangerment
The genus Ornithoglossum is common in tropical (one species) and southern Africa (seven species). The northernmost occurrence is in Tanzania . There are about five species in the Capensis .
Ornithoglossum species thrive in arid areas. Most species thrive in winter rain areas in South Africa and Namibia . The only species, Ornithoglossum vulgare , that is widespread in tropical Africa is the most primal Ornithoglossum species; therefore it can be assumed that this genus originated in tropical Africa and spread southward into the arid areas.
In South Africa only one species, Ornithoglossum gracile , is rated as “Near Threatened”. "Vulnerable" = "endangered" .... The other species that occur in South Africa Ornithoglossum dinteri , Ornithoglossum parviflorum , Ornithoglossum undulatum , Ornithoglossum viride , Ornithoglossum vulgare and Ornithoglossum zeyheri are rated as "Least Concern" = "not endangered".
Systematics
The genus Ornithoglossum was founded in 1806 by the English botanist Richard Anthony Salisbury in Paradisus Londinensis: or Colored Figures of Plants Cultivated in the vicinity of the Metropolis. London , panel 54 put up. Type species is Ornithoglossum glaucum Salisb. , a synonym of Ornithoglossum viride (Lf) Dryand. ex WTAiton . The generic name Ornithoglossum is derived from the Greek words ornis for bird and glossum for lip; this relates to the shape of the flower. Synonyms for Ornithoglossum Salisb. are: Lichtensteinia Willd. , Cymation Spreng. and Cymatium Spreng. orth. var.
A revision was made by Bertil Nordenstam in A monograph of the genus Ornithoglossum (Liliaceae) in the Opera Botanica series , edition 64, 1982, 51 pages; also published in Nordic Journal of Botany , Volume 2, Issue 6, 1983, p. 640.
The genus Ornithoglossum belongs to the tribe Colchiceae within the family Colchicaceae ; it was formerly part of the Liliaceae family. The genus Ornithoglossum is most closely related to the monotypic genus Hexacyrtis , which occurs in Namibia and northern Namaqualand .
There are about nine species of ornithoglossum :
- Ornithoglossum calcicola K. Krause & Dinter : It is native to Namibia .
- Ornithoglossum dinteri K.Krause : It occurs in Namibia, Free State , North Cape and Northwest and is rated in South Africa as “Least Concern” = “not endangered”.
- Ornithoglossum gracile B. North. : In the North Cape and Western Cape it thrives in the fynbos and the succulent karoo on rocky, slate-covered mountain slopes. It is rated as "Near Threatened". About 30% of the original habitats have already been lost to agriculture and this development is continuing.
- Ornithoglossum parviflorum B.Nord. : It occurs with two varieties in Namibia, the North Cape and the Western Cape and is rated as “Least Concern” = “not endangered”.
- Ornithoglossum pulchrum Snijman, B.Nord. & Mannh. : The species first described in 2011 occurs in Namibia.
- Ornithoglossum undulatum Sweet : It occurs in Namibia, Eastern Cape , North Cape and Western Cape and is rated as "Least Concern" = "not endangered".
- Ornithoglossum viride (Lf) Dryand. ex WTAiton : It only occurs in the Western Cape. Its holdings are considered stable and are rated as “Least Concern” = “not at risk”.
- Ornithoglossum vulgare B. North. : It is widely distributed from Tanzania to the South African provinces of Free State, Gauteng , Limpopo and the North Cape. In South Africa it is rated as “Least Concern” = “not at risk”.
- Ornithoglossum zeyheri (Baker) B.Nord. : It occurs only in the North Cape and Western Cape. Its holdings are considered stable and are rated as “Least Concern” = “not at risk”.
use
Nothing is known about its use. The interestingly structured flowers of Ornithoglossum undulatum could be an incentive to cultivate this species.
literature
- John C. Manning, Peter Goldblatt & Dee Snijman: The color encyclopedia of Cape bulbs , Timber Press, Portland and Cambridge, 2002. ISBN 0-88192-547-0 : Wurmbea on pp. 409-412 (sections description, distribution and systematics )
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Rafaël Govaerts (Ed.): Ornithoglossum. In: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP) - The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved June 29, 2018.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m John C. Manning, Peter Goldblatt & Dee Snijman: The color encyclopedia of Cape bulbs , Timber Press, Portland and Cambridge, 2002. ISBN 0-88192-547-0 , Ornithoglossum pp. 325-327
- ↑ a b c d e f g h D. Raimondo, L. von Staden, W. Foden, JE Victor, NA Helme, RC Turner, DA Kamundi & PA Manyama, 2009: Entry in the Red List of South African Plants des South African National Biodiversity Institute = SANBI. last accessed on March 28, 2013
- ↑ Ornithoglossum at Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, accessed March 28, 2013.
- ^ A b Ornithoglossum in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
