Scalesia

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Scalesia
Scalesia pedunculata, character tree of the so-called Scalesiazone at a height of approx. 200 to 400 m

Scalesia pedunculata , character tree of the so-called Scalesiazone at a height of approx. 200 to 400 m

Systematics
Euasterids II
Order : Astern-like (Asterales)
Family : Daisy family (Asteraceae)
Subfamily : Asteroideae
Tribe : Heliantheae
Genre : Scalesia
Scientific name
Scalesia
Arn. in Lindl.

Scalesia is a genus of the Asteraceae family , tribe Heliantheae . The genus Scalesia consists of about 15 species, is endemic to the flora of the Galapagos Islands and is an example of adaptive radiation on islands. The generic name honors the Scottish naturalist and botanist William Alexander Stables (1810–1890). The namesake accidentally wrote 'Scales' instead of 'Stables'.

description

Most species form shrubs up to 3 m high. Scalesia microcephala grows as a small tree or shrub up to 4 m in height. Scalesia pedunculata forms trees that can reach heights of up to 20 m and form real forests on Santa Cruz , San Cristóbal , Floreana and James . It is the type of character of the so-called Scalesiazone.

Most species have simple, lanceolate to oval or heart-shaped leaves. Some species have lobed or even deeply divided leaves. The flower heads usually have tubular flowers and are white.

Many species of the genus are endangered, especially the Scalesia forests.

Systematics

Flowers and leaves of Scalesia pedunculata (illustration)
Scalesia affinis from Isabella Island

Wiggins and Porter (1971) list the following species (with details of their locations and localities):

Individual evidence

  1. U. Eliasson: The genus Scalesia as an example for speciation on the Galapagos Islands . In: Small Senckenberg range . No. 20 , 1994, ISBN 3-929907-14-3 , pp. 81-85 .
  2. a b Lotte Burkhardt: Directory of eponymic plant names . Extended Edition. Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin, Free University Berlin Berlin 2018. [1]
  3. A. Mauchamp, R. Atkinson: Rapid, recent and irreversible habitat loss: Scalesia forest on the Galapagos Islands . In: Galapagos Report . tape 2009-2010 , 2010, pp. 108-112 ( galapagos.org [PDF]).
  4. Ira L. Wiggins, Duncan M. Porter: Flora of the Galápagos Islands . Stanford University Press, Stanford, Calif. 1971, ISBN 0-8047-0732-4 , pp. 998 .

Web links

Commons : Scalesia  - collection of images, videos and audio files