BOTANY.cz

FITZROYA CUPRESSOIDES (Molina) I. M. Johnst.

Raul Conde — Fri, 04 May 2012 06:46:38 +0000

Syn.: Cupresstellata patagonica (Hook. f. ex Lindl.) J. Nelson, Fitzroya patagonica Hook. f. ex Lindl., Libocedrus cupressoides (Molina) Kuntze, Pinus cupressoides Molina
Family: Cupressaceae Bartl.

Distribution: Southwestern South America – Central Chile (Los Lagos region) and adjacent areas of Patagonia in Argentina (province of Chubut, Neuquen, Rio Negro). Monotypic genus.
Habitat: It grows in temperate rainforest with plenty of rainfall and mild winters, the minimum temperatures rarely reach frost point. The landscape is rugged, so Fitzroya grows in slopes from sea level at the coast of Chile to 1400 m high in the Andes. It forms pure stands.

Description: Monoecious, rarely dioecious, evergreen tree with conical to columnar crown up to 45(–60) m tall. The trunk is straight, with reddish bark peeling in strips, branches grow horizontally or even overhanging. The needles grow in whorls of three, are linear to narrowly lanceolate, protruding, 3.5 to 6 mm long, slightly curved, with 2 white bands. Male cones are single and grow from the axils of needles, the female inflorescence is cone-shaped with 9 scales arranged in 3 whorls of 3.
Threat and Protection: In the past this tree was intensely and irresponsibly logged. Today is protected by federal laws in Chile and several national and nature parks have been created. According to the IUCN red list, is classified as endangered (EN), it’s also shown in the list of plants protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Uses: Reddish-brown timber is lightweight, durable, easy to work. In the past has been used for furniture, shingles and masts. Dure to the rarity of the species, currently the timber is not industrially used.
Note: It’s the sole species in the genus Fitzroya. As other members of the cypress family (Cupressaceae), its size and longevity are quite remarkable. One individual was recorded to be 3622 years old, the second oldest in the world after Pinus longaeva. It is also the tallest tree in South America with an average height of 40–60 m, exceptionally 70 m.

These images were taken in culture.

ASARUM EUROPAEUM – Asarabacca

Ladislav Hoskovec — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 06:46:21 +0000

Syn.: Asarum lucidum Salisb., nom. inval., Asarum officinale Moench, Asarum renifolium Stokes, Asarum reniforme Gilib., Asarum rotundifolium St.-Lag.
Family: Aristolochiaceae Juss.

Distribution: An European species – almost all of Europe, Northern Turkey and Western Siberia.
Habitat: It grows in humid groves and among bushes, in open woodland and waterside thickets, from lowland to mountains. Flowers from March to May.
Description: A perennial evergreen herb with branched, scaly rhizome, 5–10 cm high. The stem is prostrate, the leaves are long-petiolate, reniform, entire. The flowers are bell-shaped with 3 lobes brownish outside, dark violet within and hidden by leaves.
Note: The Asarabacca is poisonous herb, the plant has a strong peppery taste and smell. In the literature is given as part of a snuff powders.

These images were taken in Czechia, Hranická propast and Prague (date: 28. 4. 2003 and 1. 3. 2008).

CUPRESSUS SEMPERVIRENS L. – Italian Cypress, Mediterranean Cypress

Ladislav Kovář — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:20:05 +0000

Family: Cupressaceae Bartl.

Distribution: An Mediterranean species. The Italian Cypress is probably only native to the eastern Mediterranean region through to Syria and Iran. Since of ancient times has been planted in the whole Mediterranean.
Habitat: Fragments of native cypress forests are preserved on the islands in the Aegean Sea, they are located at an altitude of 800 to 1500 m above sea level. Elsewhere we meet with Cypress mainly around human settlements, cemeteries, the olive groves, along the roads, etc.
Description: An evergreen tree up to 35 m high. The trunk is straight, the bark is grey-brown, shallow tissures and twisted, scaly ridges. The crown is a narrowly columnar with upright branches. The leaves are scale-like, paired in 4-ranks, 0.5–1 mm, blunt, dark green, hairless. The male and female cones on same tree, the cones are solitary, 2.5–4 cm, globular, reddish brown to yellowish grey. Flowers from March to May.
Use: The cypress wood is hard and impervious to rot, it was used by ancient peoples for carving and construction. The cones are used in traditional medicine. In ancient symbolism was associated with death, so it is often planted in cemeteries of the Mediterranean, but also appears as a decorative tree for houses and gardens, especially the columnar cultivar ‘Stricta’.

These images were taken in Italy, Gargano, Mattinata and Peschici (date: 18. and 20. 4. 2008).

EUPHORBIA BALSAMIFERA Ait.

Ladislav Hoskovec — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:52:34 +0000

Syn.: Tithymalus balsamifer (Ait.) Haw.
Family: Euphorbiaceae Juss.

Distribution: A Saharan-Arabian species, occurs from the Canary Islands across Northern Africa to Somalia, Saudi Arabia and Oman.
Habitat: It grows on dry rocks and stone slopes, common in coastal regions.

Description: A woody, succulent shrub, 20–200 cm high, a densely branched. The greyish stems with a terminal rosette of leaves, the leaves are oblong-spathulate, pale green to glaucous, obtuse to acute, up to 3.5 cm long. The inflorescences consisting of a single terminal flower, floral glands oval to rounded, more or less entire. Flowers from December to July. The capsules are solitary, globose.
Use: All parts of the plant contain a white, non-poisonous latex which has traditionally been used as chewing gum and as means of removing cysts and warts. This plant has a high ornamental value.
Threat and Protection: This species is a protected plant by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Note: Euphorbia balsamifera serves as a host plant for the beetle Deroplia schurmanni.

These images were taken in Spain, the Canary Islands, Tenerife, Malpaís de Güimar (by Ladislav Hoskovec, date 1. 4. 2006); the Canary Islands, Fuerteventura, Coralejo (by Naďa Gutzerová, February 2005).

EUPHORBIA ATROPURPUREA Brouss. ex Willd.

Ladislav Hoskovec — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 09:38:09 +0000

Syn.: Kanopikon atropurpureum (Brouss. ex Willd.) Raf., Tithymalus atropurpureus (Brouss. ex Willd.) Klotzsch et Garcke
Family: Euphorbiaceae Juss.

Distribution: An endemic species of the Canary Islands, occurs only on Tenerife (from the Teno Mts. to Güimar).
Habitat: It grows locally very common in the lower zone of the western and southern part of island, on rocks and stone slopes, from 300 to 1200 m above sea level.

Description: A shrub with succulent brown stems and branches, 50–150 cm high. The leaves are spathulate to oblong, glaucous, crowded towards the tips of stems, up to 15 cm long. The inflorescence is dark red-purple, 5–15-rayed, inflorescence bracts more than 1 cm across. Flowers from March to April. The capsules are dark-red to purple.
Threat and Protection: The species is protected by CITES.

These images were taken in Spain, the Canary Islands, Tenerife, the Teno Mts., Cruz de Gilda (date: 28. 3. 2006).

STACHYS ANNUA (L.) L. – Annual Hedgenettle

Jindřich Houska — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:42:42 +0000

Syn.: Stachys neglecta Klokov, Stachys micrantha C. Koch, Stachys betonica Crantz, Betonica annua L.
Family: Lamiaceae Lindl.

Distribution: Extends from France through Germany and Ukraine to the Urals in the north and in central Italy, central Greece, Anatolia to the Caspian Sea in the south. In Czechia it grows rarely in south Moravia.
Habitat: It grows mainly in fields, ruins, road verges and vineyards. Prefers neutral to alkaline soils.
Description: An annual, rarely perennial 10–40 cm tall plants. The stem is branched, slightly hairy. The leaves are petiolate, glabrous or shortly hairy, lamina is ovate to lanceolate, base is wedge-shaped, 2–6 cm long, 0.5–2 cm wide. The inflorescence is verticillastrate with 2–8 flowers. The flowers are shortly pedunculated, the calyx is slightly 2-lipped to almost regular, 6–9 mm long, the sepals triangular to lanceolate, softly hairy. The corrola is 1–1.5 cm long, on the outside shortly and softly hairy, the upper lip is flat, curved upwards, white-based with purple spots, the lower lip is pale creamy, triangular with middle lobe largest. The fruit is nutlet. It flowers from June to September.
Threat and Protection: The Annual Hedgenettle is an endangered species of the Czech flora (EN).

These images were taken in Slovakia, Tornaľa (date: 4. 7. 2006).

SEDUM OCHROLEUCUM Chaix

Mário Duchoň — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:11:37 +0000

Syn.: Petrosedum anopetalum (DC.) Grulich, Petrosedum rupestre subsp. anopetalum (DC.) Velayos, Sedum anopetalum DC., Sedum verlotii Jord.
Family: Crassulaceae DC.

Distribution: It occurs from Spain to Greece and Turkey in the east. In the north to Switzerland, southern foothills of the Alps in Italy, Slovenia, Serbia and Romania. Often cultivated as an ornamental plant.
Habitat: It grows in rocky slopes and gravelly screes, on limestones and dolomites, up to 2000 m a. s. l.

Description: A perennial, glaucous herb. The flowering stems are 15–30 cm high, the leaves terete, linear-cylindrical, acuminate, distinctly spurred, suberect, loosely imbricate on the non-flowering shoots. The inflorescense is corymbose, erect in bud, flat in flowering time. The flowers are 5–8-merous, subsessile. The sepals 5–7 mm, triangular-lanceolate, acuminate, glandular-puberulent. The petals are 7–10 mm long. The follicles are greenish, erect. Flowers from June to July.

These images were taken in the Prokletije Mts. in Albania (date: 27. 6. 2010, 2. 7. 2011).

SEDUM MAGELLENSE Ten.

Mário Duchoň — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:05:31 +0000

Syn.: Oreosedum magellense (Ten.) Grulich, Sedum brutium N. Terracc., Sedum magellense subsp. olympicum (Boiss.) Greuter et Burdet, Sedum olympicum Boiss.
Family: Crassulaceae DC.

Distribution: It occurs in mountains of central Italy, the Balkans and southwestern Turkey.
Habitat: It grows in rock crevices and screes on limestones and dolomites, usually from 1500 to 2300 m above sea level.

Description: A perennial, glabrous, 6–15 cm high herb. The leaves are 6–10 mm long, alternate or opposite, obovate-oblong, flat, obtuse. The flowers are 5-merous, pedicellate, with a simple racemose inflorescence. The petals are lanceolate, acute, whitish, the stamens 10. The follicles are erect, obtuse, shortly mucronate. Flowers from June to July.

These images were taken in the Durmitor Mts. and in the Prokletije Mts. in Albania (date: 22. 6. 2010, 9. 7. 2011).

The Best Botanical Illustration Competition – final

Ladislav Hoskovec — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:22:04 +0000

The first round of the Best Botanical Illustration Competition ended at the last November midnight. This year we got the artworks of 26 authors to assess.
As in previous years, all the works will be evaluated by an independent jury. Its members include representatives of all institutions which co-organize the event. Together with members of the Natural History Society and online magazine BOTANY.cz there are also employees of the Institute of Experimental Botany of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Department of Experimental Plant Biology at the Charles University in Prague, Department of Philosophy and History of Science at the Charles University in Prague, Botanical Garden of Prague and Granit publishing house. Moreover, professional artists are also among the jurors. The work of the jury will not be easy, we will take great pains to choose the best works among so many interesting illustrations.

An exhibition of all illustrations from the competition will be held from 19th to 27th May 2012 in the Fata Morgana greenhouse of the Prague Botanic Garden.
The awards ceremony will take place in this garden on Sunday 27th May 2012.

We look forward to meeting you at the awards ceremony in Prague!

The participants of Competition for 2012:
Ludmila Businská (CZ)
Lenka Cycoňová (CZ)
Veronika Bartošová (CZ)
Kateřina Mášová (CZ)
Marcela Krystýnová (CZ)
Markéta Hanulíková (CZ)
Jana Táborská (HU)
Hilary Neil (GB)
Anna Nová Kučerová (CZ)
Zuzana Klagová (SK)
Hana Tůmová (CZ)
Václava Arnoštová (CZ)
Renata Grošaftová (CZ)
David Vojtuš (CZ)
Chiara Michelotto (I)
Michaela Malečková (CZ)
Veronika Daňková (CZ)
Jiří Polčák (CZ)
Svetozár Košický (SK)
Pavla Dvorská (CZ)
Mariana Felnerová (CZ)
Tereza Samková (CZ)
Lada Stará (CZ)
Markéta Petričáková (CZ)
Tomáš Figura (SK)
Jiří Zámečník (CZ)

The organizers and sponsors of the competition:

SEDUM CAESPITOSUM (Cav.) DC.

Mário Duchoň — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 16:11:05 +0000

Syn.: Aithales caespitosa (Cav.) Webb et Berthel., Crassula caespitosa Cav., Crassula diffusa Lam., Crassula magnolii DC., Procrassula caespitosa (Cav.) Fourr., Procrassula magnolii Griseb., nom. illeg., Sedum deserti-hungarici Simonk., Sedum erythrocarpum Pau, Sedum rubrum (L.) Thell., nom. illeg., Tillaea rubra L.
Family: Crassulaceae DC.

Distribution: It occurs in the Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean area, from Portugal to Syria and Israel, including the most of islands. From the Balkans it extends to Hungary and Romania, it grows in Crimea and from Turkey it extends to western Iran. In Africa it is known only from Morocco.
Habitat: It grows in terophytic communities, in shallow, gravelly soils of rocky places or in disturbed places (roads, pastures etc.), mostly between 0–1000 m above sea level.

Description: An annual, glabrous, usually reddish, erect, 2–5 cm tall herb. The leaves are succulent, alternate, imbricate, subterete, broadly ovoid, 3–6 mm long. The flowers are 4- or 5-merous, sessile, in short cymes. The petals are mucronate, white tinged with pink or red, 3 mm long. The stamens 4 or 5. The fruit is a follicle, patent, glabrous.
Threat and Protection: Sedum caespitosum is a protected plant species in Hungary.

These images were taken in Macedonia, Lipkovo near Kumanovo (date: 3. 5. 2009).

CARDAMINE GLAUCA Spreng. ex DC.

Mário Duchoň — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 12:15:55 +0000

Syn.: Cardamine bergeriana Andrz. ex DC., Cardamine corydaloides Guss. ex Spreng., Cardamine croatica Schott, Nyman et Kotschy, Cardamine glauca f. pumila (O. E. Schulz) Jovan.-Dunj.
Family: Brassicaceae Burnett

Distribution: Mountains of the Balkans from Bulgaria (Rila, Pirin, Stara Planina) and northern Greece to the Velebit Mts. in Croatia. It also occurs in southern Italy (Calabria, Sicily) and rarely in the South Carpathians in Romania.
Habitat: It grows in rocky slopes, screes, rock crevices and in sparse grasslands, in gravelly, shallow soils. On limestones, dolomites and also on siliceous bedrock, between 1500–2600 m a. s. l.

Description: An annual or biennial, glabrous, glaucous, (5–)12–25 cm tall herb. The leaves are imparipinnate, the lowest with 0–1 pairs of lateral leaflets, terminal leaflet entire to 3-lobed. Upper leaves with 2–5(–7) pairs of lateral, linear to obovate leaflets. The sepals 2–3 mm long, the petals 5–8 mm long, deeply emarginate, white. The fruit is a siliqua, (10–)20–35 × (1–)1.5–1.8 mm large, secund.

Confusion: There are three similar species in the areal of Cardamine glauca – Cardamine carnosa Waldst. et Kit. with a hairy siliqua; Cardamine plumieri Vill. with rounded or slightly emarginate petals and not secund infructescense; Cardamine pancicii Hayek is endemic to the Kopaonik Mts. in Serbia, it is usually perennial and the lowest leaves have 2–5 small lateral leaflets.

These images were taken in Albania, the Prokletije Mts.: Shkëlzen, Maja e Zeze, Maja e Popljuces (date: 4. to 10. 7. 2011).

AEONIUM HAWORTHII Webb et Berthel. – Haworth’s Aeonium

Ladislav Hoskovec — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:40:16 +0000

Syn.: Sempervivum haworthii (Webb et Berthel.) Salm-Dyck ex Christ
Family: Crassulaceae DC.

Distribution: An endemic species of the Canary Islands. It occurs only on Tenerife, but is well established in California too (Orange County, San Diego County).
Habitat: It grows on rocks and slopes in the northwestern part of Tenerife, from sea coast to 500 m above sea level.
Description: A shrub closely dome-shaped, 15–25 cm high. The stems are branched, woody, the bark is rough-reticulate and fissured. The rosettes are lax, concave, 15–25-leaved, the blade is obovate, 3–6 cm, gray-green, often red-edged, marginal cilia curved forward. The cymes are lax, 5–15 cm, glabrous, the flowers are about 1 cm in diameter, the calyx is glabrous, the petals 7–9, cream.
Use: This evergreen succulent is cultivated in the European and American houses and gardens.
Note: Aeonium haworthii hybridizes with A. urbicum, this hybrid has been described as Aeonium ×mixtum P. V. Heath. With Aeonium pseudourbicum creates a hybrid Aeonium ×pseudohawbicum Bañares.

These images were taken in Spain, the Canary Islands, Tenerife, the Teno Mts. (date: 28. 3. 2006).

HABENARIA TRIDACTYLITES Lindl.

Mário Duchoň — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:46:06 +0000

Syn.: Orchis tridactylites (Lindl.) Webb et Berthel.
Family: Orchidaceae Juss.

Distribution: An endemic species of the Canary Islands. It occurs mostly in western part of the archipelago, rarely grows in Lanzarote and it does not occur in Fuerteventura. The pantropic genus Habenaria comprises approximately 600 species.
Habitat: This species can be found in zone influenced by trade winds, which permanently brings clouds and moisture. It grows in shallow, acid soils on rocks, in rock crevices and also in old stone walls of the terraced fields, in places with enough of light, which are not exposed to direct sun (mostly northern exposition), up to 1400 m above sea level.

Description: A perennial, glabrous, 10–30(–60) cm tall herb. The bulbs 2(–3), the leaves oblong-lanceolate (1.5–)5–18 × (1–)1.5–7 cm large. The inflorescence is lax, cylindrical, with 2–12(–24) flowers, the bracts up to half of the ovary. The flowers green-yellow, the lateral tepals 5–7 × 1.5–2 large, the helmet 4–6 mm, the labellum three-lobed, 7–9 mm long. The fruit is a capsule. Flowers from November to February. Major pollinators of this orchid are night butterflies.
Threat and Protection: The species is protected by CITES. Many localities are endangered by expansion of human activities – construction, eutrophication of environment.

These images were taken in Spain, the Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Santa Brígida (date: 21. 12. 2011).

MARESIA NANA (DC.) Batt.

Mário Duchoň — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:33:13 +0000

Syn.: Hesperis confusissima Kuntze, Malcolmia binervis (C. A. Mey.) Boiss., Malcolmia confusa Boiss., Malcolmia nana (DC.) Boiss., Maresia binervis Pomel, Maresia nana var. nana (Bunge) Batt., Sisymbrium binerve C. A. Mey., Sisymbrium nanum DC., Wilckia confusa Halácsy
Family: Brassicaceae Burnett

Distribution: It occurs along shores of the Mediterranean Sea and of the Black Sea northwards to Bulgaria.
Habitat: It grows in sandy soils from 0 to 100(–500) m a. s. l., it is a typical species of sandy coastlines.

Description: An annual, 5–25 cm tall, shortly pubescent herb, the trichomes stellate. The leaves are oblong or linear-oblong, entire or sinuate-dentate on the margin. The sepals 2–2.5 mm, slightly saccate at the base, the petals 4–5.5 mm, violet to pink. The fruit is a siliqua, (15–)25–30 × 0.7–1 mm large, terete, torulose, the style distinct, 0.5–0.6 mm, the stigma capitate or emarginate. Flowers from February to May.

Confuse: It is often confused with very similar Malcolmia ramosissima (Desf.) Thell., which also grows in coastal dunes, but the stigma of this species is bilobate.

These images were taken in Spain, Mallorca, Es Trenc (date: 7. 4. 2011).

PHYSOPLEXIS COMOSA (L.) Schur – Devil’s Claw, Tufted Horned Rampion

Ladislav Hoskovec — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:41:55 +0000

Syn.: Phyteuma comosum L., Rapunculus comosus (L.) Mill., Synotoma comosum (L.) Rich.
Family: Campanulaceae Juss.

Distribution: An endemic species of the Southeastern Alps.
Habitat: It grows in limestone rock crevices on vertical walls, from mountains to subalpine zones, up to 2000 m above sea level.

Description: A perennial, hairless herb with an erect stem 5–15 cm high. The leaves are petiolate, ovate to lanceolate, strongly toothed, dark green, arranged in a basal rosette. The inflorescence is a clustered umbel of dark purple-tipped, lilac-pink flowers 2 cm in length. Flowers from July to August. The fruit is a capsule.
Threat and Protection: This species is strictly protected by law in Italy and Austria and by the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Berne Convention).
Note: Physoplexis comosa is interesting alpine plant for rock gardens, but problematic in the cultivation. The plant must be protected from full sun and permanent moisture, the soil should be limy, rich in humus and well drained.

These images were taken in Italy, the Dolomites, Tofana di Rozes (by Ladislav Hoskovec, date: 19. 6. and 6. 9. 2005), and in Slovenia, the Julian Alps (by Josef Ptáček: June 2007).