Strelitzia

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Strelitzia
Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae)

Bird of Paradise ( Strelitzia reginae )

Systematics
Class : Bedecktsamer (Magnoliopsida)
Monocots
Commelinids
Order : Gingery (Zingiberales)
Family : Strelitziaceae (Strelitziaceae)
Genre : Strelitzia
Scientific name
Strelitzia
Aiton
Strelitzia nicolai inflorescence
Strelitzia from Funchal as a decorative plant
Black seeds of Strelitzia reginae about 7 mm in diameter and orange aril
Strelitzia reginae

The plant genus Strelitzia belongs to the Strelitzia family (Strelitziaceae). In 1773 the director of the Botanical Garden of London Joseph Banks received specimens of a species. Thereupon it was named in honor of the British Queen Sophie Charlotte , a princess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and wife of King George III. , named. This genus includes about five species that occur in southern Africa .

In the residential city of Neustrelitz, the only Strelitzia queen in Germany has represented at various events since 2011 . The city council chose the then Miss Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Romy Wibelitz, because she was born and lives there.

description

Strelitzia species are large, perennial herbaceous plants . All species form clumps with branched rhizomes, three species grow tree-like ( Strelitzia nicolai , Strelitzia alba and Strelitzia caudata ) and two species do not form a trunk. They rarely branch dichotomously. The alternate and two-lined leaves are divided into leaf sheath, petiole and leaf blade. The large and simple leaf blades are entire.

The inflorescence standing on the side on a more or less long inflorescence stem is partially enveloped by a boat-shaped bract . The hermaphrodite, zygomorphic flowers are threefold. There are three bracts in two circles . Of the three bracts of the outer circle, the middle one is smaller than the side ones. Two of the three inner bracts are large, brightly colored and fused like an arrow; they envelop styles and stamens. The third bract is small. There are five fertile stamens , the sixth originally missing. Three carpels have become an under constant ovary grown. There are two rows of ovules in each of the three ovary chambers .

Woody capsule fruits are formed. The seeds have an orange, woolly aril .

Systematics

The genus Strelitzia was first described in 1789 by William Aiton in Hort. Kew. , 1, p. 285.

The genus Strelitzia includes about five species:

  • Strelitzia ( Strelitzia Ait. ): With five species along the eastern coast of South Africa (main area of ​​distribution) to Mozambique and the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe:
    • White Strelitzia ( Strelitzia alba (L. f.) Skeels , Syn .: Strelitzia angusta Thunb. )
    • Mountain Strelitzia ( Strelitzia caudata R.A. Dyer )
    • Strelitzia juncea (Ker Gawl.) Link
    • Tree Strelitzia ( Strelitzia nicolai Regel & K. Koch ): Strelitzia nicolai takes many years to bloom.
    • Bird of Paradise or King Strelitzia ( Strelitzia reginae Banks , Syn .: Strelitzia parvifolia W.T. Aiton ): It is a popular ornamental plant in tropical gardens, as a container plant in non-tropical countries and as a long-lasting cut flower.

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Web links

Commons : Strelitzia ( Strelitzia )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The genus Strelitzia at the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) of the Smithsonian Institution .
  2. MAHyde, B. Wursten: Flora of Zimbabwe: Cultivated plants: Strelitzia, 2008, description of the genus there and the family ("Description as for family" also click on the link) Online. (engl.)
  3. Strelitzia , list of species in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.