文章
Miss Chen
2018年01月07日
西兰花，又名绿菜花，为1-2年生草本植物，目前我国南北方均有栽培，已成为日常主要蔬菜之一。西兰花营养丰富，含蛋白质、糖、脂肪、维生素和胡萝卜素，营养成份位居同类蔬菜之首，被誉为“蔬菜皇冠”。
十字花科芸苔属甘蓝种中以绿色花球为产品的一个变种。原产欧洲地中海沿岸的意大利一带，光绪年间传入中国。
西兰花的药用价值
【性味】味甘，性平，无毒。
【归经】脾、肾、胃经。
【功效】补肾填精、健脑壮骨、补脾和胃，适宜癌症、久病体虚、肢体痿软、耳鸣健忘、脾胃虚弱、小儿发育迟缓等食用。
西兰花的营养价值
1、西兰花中的维生素K含量极高，维生素K能维护血管的韧性，使血管不易破裂。
2、西兰花的维生素C含量极高，不但有利于人的生长发育，更重要的是能提高人体免疫功能。
3、西兰花含有一种叫萝卜子素的营养成分，有提高致癌物解毒酶活性的作用。
4、西兰花中含有大量的硒，具有抗癌、抗老化、增强免疫力、促进儿童生长发育的功能。
5、西兰花含有丰富的抗坏血酸，能增强肝脏的解毒能力，提高机体免疫力。
西兰花的功效与作用
1、增强免疫：西兰花的维生素C含量极高，有利于人的生长发育，更重要的是能提高人体免疫功能，促进肝脏解毒，增强人的体质，增加抗病能力。
2、清热解渴：西兰花具有清热解渴的功效，在暑热之际、口干渴、小便呈金黄色、大便硬实或不畅通时用花椰菜30克煎汤频频饮服，有清热解渴、利尿通便的功效。
3、减缓衰老：西兰花含有丰富的维生素A、维生素C和胡萝卜素，能增强皮肤的抗损伤能力、有助于保持皮肤弹性，有很强的促进皮肤年轻化、保持青春不老的作用。
4、降压降血：西兰花含有一定量的类黄酮物质，对高血压、心脏病有调节和预防的作用。同时，西兰花是高纤维蔬菜，能有效降低肠胃对葡萄糖的吸收，能降低血糖。
5、减肥瘦身：西兰花的含水量高达90%以上而热量较低，每杯(240毫升)仅23～32千卡，因此对于希望减肥的人来说既可以填饱肚子，而又不会使人发胖。
6、帮助消化：西兰花中富含的胡萝卜素可促进身体胃肠的健康和消化，还富含丰富的膳食纤维、碳水化合物等营养元素，这些成分对帮助消化非常有效。
7、保护血管：西兰花中含有一种叫莱菔硫烷的化学物，能“启动”血管内的一种保护性蛋白质，形成自身的防卫系统，从而避免血管阻塞。
西兰花的食用禁忌
1、西兰花不能过度烹饪，比如炒得泛黄会让蔬菜带有强烈硫磺味且损失营养，最好通过蒸或微波炉来加热。
2、西兰花切好之后不能久放，切碎之后在室温空气中放置6小时，其抗癌成分的损失率可达75%之多。
3、西兰花与牛肝相克，牛肝中含有丰富的铜、铁离子，极易使维生素C氧化而失去原来的功能，所以两者不能搭配食用。
4、西兰花与黄瓜相克，因西兰花中含有丰富的维生素C，而黄瓜中含有维生素C分解酶，故不宜同食。
5、西兰花与洋地黄相克，如果在服用洋地黄时食用西兰花过多会造成药物药效降低。
西兰花的食用方法
1、清炒西兰花
【材料】西兰花，胡萝卜，植物油，调味品各适量。
【做法】①西兰花根稍微切掉点，随后掰成小朵，洗净。胡萝卜洗净切片备用。②锅中烧水，水开之后加点盐，并倒入西兰花过一下水，大概1分钟就可以了。③水再次开的时候倒入胡萝卜，过水一分钟捞起。④锅中底油，油热后倒入西兰花和胡萝卜，大火翻炒2分钟，然后加入调味料调味即可。
2、蒜蓉西兰花
【材料】西兰花，鲍鱼汁，五香粉，水淀粉，调味品各适量。
【做法】①西兰花切块焯水，蒜切末备用。②锅内放油，蒜末爆香，再放入盐、五香粉、糖、酱油炒香。③锅里放入开水和鲍鱼汁，放入西兰花翻炒，然后放入调味料调味。④调味后放入水淀粉，勾芡即可出锅。
3、凉拌西兰花
【材料】西兰花，木耳，葱花，调味品各适量。
【材料】①木耳提前泡发，西兰花切成小朵并用清水浸泡，胡萝卜洗净并用模具压出花形。②锅内入水，放西兰花和胡萝卜焯烫，再放入木耳也烫一下。③锅内入油，葱花爆香成葱油。④将葱油倒入西兰花中，加少许盐、鸡精调味即可。
0
0
文章
Miss Chen
2018年01月06日
Description: This wildflower is a summer annual about ½-2½' tall. A robust plant is unbranched below and abundantly branched above; the stems are light green and hairless (or nearly so). Abundant alternate leaves are located along these stems; they are widely spreading to ascending. Individual leaves are ½-3" and less than 1/8" across; they are simple (non-compound), linear-filiform, sessile, and smooth along their margins. Frequently, these narrow leaves often occur in short axillary clusters (making them appear whorled or palmately lobed); they are light to medium green or grayish blue, glandular-dotted, and hairless (or nearly so).
Flowerheads about ¾" across occur individually on erect peduncles about 1-5" long. Each flowerhead has 5-10 ray florets surrounding numerous tiny disk florets (75 or more); both types of florets are yellow. The petal-like rays become wider toward their tips, where they are 3-toothed; their florets are pistillate and fertile. The disk florets have tubular corollas with 5 tiny teeth along their upper rims; they are perfect and fertile. At the base of each flowerhead, there are several linear-lanceolate bracts (phyllaries) that are light green; they extend downward while the flowerhead is blooming. The blooming period occurs from late summer into the fall and lasts 1½-3 months. Both the disk and ray florets are replaced by small achenes (about 1-1.25 mm. in length) that are reddish brown, oblanceoloid, angular,Distribution Map and hairy. Each achene has a crown of several awned scales at its apex. The root system consists of a short branching taproot. This wildflower spreads into new areas by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, dry-mesic to dry conditions, and barren ground containing gravel or sand. The lower leaves often wither away before the flowerheads bloom.
Range & Habitat: The native Bitterweed is occasional in southern Illinois, while in the rest of the state it is rare or absent. Habitats consist of upland prairies, rocky glades, gravelly areas along railroads, roadsides, pastures, and open sandy ground. Bitterweed is somewhat weedy, preferring disturbed areas. It is more common in the southeastern states.
Faunal Associations: The nectar and pollen of the flowerheads attract a wide variety of insect visitors, including long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, skippers, and beetles. The caterpillars of two moths, Papaipema impecuniosa (Aster Borer Moth) and Papaipema rigida (Rigid Sunflower Borer Moth), bore through the stems and roots of Helenium spp., while larvae of Smicronyx discoideus (Sneezeweed Weevil) feed on the florets and seeds. Two plant bugs, Lygus lineolaris (Tarnished Plant Bug) and Polymerus basalis (Red-spotted Aster Mirid), feed on Bitterweed. In prairies and other open areas, the Greater Prairie Chicken eats the seeds and/or dried seedheads. Because the foliage is bitter and toxic, it is usually avoided by mammalian herbivores. When dairy cows graze on the foliage of Bitterweed in overgrazed pastures, it provides their milk with a bitter taste. If the foliage is eaten in sufficient quantities, it can kill horses and other domesticated farm animals.
Photographic Location: A flower garden at the Arboretum of theUniversity of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is one of many wildflowers in the Aster family that produces showy yellow flowerheads during the summer and fall. Like other species in its genus, the flowerheads of Bitterweed have very distinctive petal-like rays with broad 3-toothed tips. Bitterweed is also distinguished by its very narrow leaves (less than 1/8" or 3 mm. across) that are nearly filiform; they often occur in short clusters along the stems. Other Helenium spp. in Illinois have wider leaves and they prefer habitats that are more damp.
Flowerheads about ¾" across occur individually on erect peduncles about 1-5" long. Each flowerhead has 5-10 ray florets surrounding numerous tiny disk florets (75 or more); both types of florets are yellow. The petal-like rays become wider toward their tips, where they are 3-toothed; their florets are pistillate and fertile. The disk florets have tubular corollas with 5 tiny teeth along their upper rims; they are perfect and fertile. At the base of each flowerhead, there are several linear-lanceolate bracts (phyllaries) that are light green; they extend downward while the flowerhead is blooming. The blooming period occurs from late summer into the fall and lasts 1½-3 months. Both the disk and ray florets are replaced by small achenes (about 1-1.25 mm. in length) that are reddish brown, oblanceoloid, angular,Distribution Map and hairy. Each achene has a crown of several awned scales at its apex. The root system consists of a short branching taproot. This wildflower spreads into new areas by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, dry-mesic to dry conditions, and barren ground containing gravel or sand. The lower leaves often wither away before the flowerheads bloom.
Range & Habitat: The native Bitterweed is occasional in southern Illinois, while in the rest of the state it is rare or absent. Habitats consist of upland prairies, rocky glades, gravelly areas along railroads, roadsides, pastures, and open sandy ground. Bitterweed is somewhat weedy, preferring disturbed areas. It is more common in the southeastern states.
Faunal Associations: The nectar and pollen of the flowerheads attract a wide variety of insect visitors, including long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, skippers, and beetles. The caterpillars of two moths, Papaipema impecuniosa (Aster Borer Moth) and Papaipema rigida (Rigid Sunflower Borer Moth), bore through the stems and roots of Helenium spp., while larvae of Smicronyx discoideus (Sneezeweed Weevil) feed on the florets and seeds. Two plant bugs, Lygus lineolaris (Tarnished Plant Bug) and Polymerus basalis (Red-spotted Aster Mirid), feed on Bitterweed. In prairies and other open areas, the Greater Prairie Chicken eats the seeds and/or dried seedheads. Because the foliage is bitter and toxic, it is usually avoided by mammalian herbivores. When dairy cows graze on the foliage of Bitterweed in overgrazed pastures, it provides their milk with a bitter taste. If the foliage is eaten in sufficient quantities, it can kill horses and other domesticated farm animals.
Photographic Location: A flower garden at the Arboretum of theUniversity of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is one of many wildflowers in the Aster family that produces showy yellow flowerheads during the summer and fall. Like other species in its genus, the flowerheads of Bitterweed have very distinctive petal-like rays with broad 3-toothed tips. Bitterweed is also distinguished by its very narrow leaves (less than 1/8" or 3 mm. across) that are nearly filiform; they often occur in short clusters along the stems. Other Helenium spp. in Illinois have wider leaves and they prefer habitats that are more damp.
0
0
文章
Miss Chen
2018年01月06日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is ½–2' tall, often tillering at the base with multiple erect to sprawling stems. The stems are green to purplish green, terete, and hairy, branching occasionally. At intervals along the entire length of each stem, there are pairs of opposite leaves. The leaves are 1½–3" long and ¾–3" across, becoming more narrow and slightly shorter as they ascend the stems. The leaves are pinnatifid and ovate to lanceolate in outline; the lower leaves are often deeply divided (cleft) into 3 primary lobes (1 terminal lobe and 2 lateral lobes), while the upper leaves are shallowly to moderately divided (cleft) into 3 or more primary lobes. The primary lobes of these leaves, in turn, are shallowly divided (cleft) into smaller secondary lobes and coarse dentate teeth. The tips of these lobes are bluntly acute. The leaf margins are slightly ciliate. The upper leaf surface is medium green and sparsely short-pubescent, while the lower leaf surface is more hairy, especially along the lower sides of the veins. Leaf venation is pinnate; the upper leaf surface is slightly wrinkled along these veins. Upper stems terminate in individual spikes of flowers that are 1-6" long. Initially these floral spikes are quite short, but they become elongated with age. A dome-shaped cluster of 10-25 flowers up to 2½" across is produced at the apex of each spike, while the ascending calyces of withered flowers persist below.
Each flower is about ¾" long and ½" across, consisting of narrowly tubular corolla with 4-5 spreading lobes, a short-tubular calyx with 4-5 long narrow teeth, 4 stamens, and a pistil. The corollas are pink, rosy pink, lavender, or rarely white; their lobes are obovate to oblanceolate in shape and sometimes notched at their tips. The calyces are a little less than ½" long (including the teeth), medium green to reddish purple, and hairy; their teeth are linear-lanceolate in shape and ciliate. The erect to ascending peduncles of the floral spikes are 1-4" long, medium green to purplish green, terete, relatively stout, and hairy. The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer, lasting about 2 months. Some plants may bloom later and longer, but this is an exception to the rule. The flowers may, or may not, have a pleasant floral fragrance. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by nutlets (4 per flower). Mature nutlets are about 3 mm. long, narrowly angular-cylindrical in shape, and black. The root system consists of a woody caudex with fibrous roots. In addition, when they lie on moist ground, the lower nodes of the stems sometimes develop secondary plants with rootlets. As a result, clonal colonies of plants are produced.
Cultivation: The preference is full to partial sun and mesic to dry conditions. The soil can contain rocky material, gravel, sand, loam, or clay-loam, although less fertile soil is preferred in the wild as a result of reduced competition from other ground vegetation. Northern ecotypes of this plant are hardy to Zone 5, while southern ecotypes are more prone to winter die-off.
Range & Habitat: Rose Vervain occurs in scattered counties of Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native to many areas of southern and central Illinois, but probably adventive elsewhere. Illinois lies along the northern range limit of this plant, where it is uncommon (outside of cultivation). Some local populations in the wild are undoubtedly plants that have escaped cultivation. Habitats include mesic to dry black soil prairies, sand prairies, hill prairies, pioneer cemeteries, thinly wooded slopes, openings in rocky upland woodlands, thinly wooded bluffs, limestone and sandstone glades, pastures, abandoned fields, and roadside embankments. Native populations of Rose Vervain in Illinois are usually found in high quality habitats, while adventive populations are more likely to be found in disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: The structure of the flowers indicates that they are designed to attract such pollinators as nectar-seeking long-tongued bees, butterflies, and skippers. Two aphids feed destructively on Rose Vervain. One aphid, Aphis aubletia, feeds on the above-ground parts of this plant, while the other aphid, Aphis middletonii (Erigeron Root Aphid), feeds on the roots (Patch, 1919; Blackman & Eastop, 2013). Mammalian herbivores are unlikely to consume this plant because of the bitterness of the leaves.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the Loda Cemetery Prairie in Iroquois County, Illinois.
Comments: This is a beautiful plant with flowers that are similar to those of phlox species (Phlox spp.). However, the ragged appearance of the leaves makes it easy to distinguish from these latter species. Because of the attractive and long-blooming flowers, several cultivars of Rose Vervain (Glandularia canadensis) have been introduced that offer a greater range of floral colors than what is normally encountered in the wild. Some of these cultivars are not winter-hardy in Illinois, however. Compared to the Verbena spp. in Illinois that are either native or naturalized, Rose Vervain has showier flowers that form dome-shaped clusters. There are other Glandularia spp. with some resemblance to Rose Vervain, however they don't occur in Illinois. Most of these species are found in the Great Plains and western regions of the United States, or they occur in Central and South America. An example is Dakota Mock Vervain (Glandularia bipinnatifida). The flowers of this latter species are very similar to those of Rose Vervain, but it has more narrowly lobed leaves that are bipinnatifid. An older scientific name of Rose Vervain is Verbena canadensis.
Each flower is about ¾" long and ½" across, consisting of narrowly tubular corolla with 4-5 spreading lobes, a short-tubular calyx with 4-5 long narrow teeth, 4 stamens, and a pistil. The corollas are pink, rosy pink, lavender, or rarely white; their lobes are obovate to oblanceolate in shape and sometimes notched at their tips. The calyces are a little less than ½" long (including the teeth), medium green to reddish purple, and hairy; their teeth are linear-lanceolate in shape and ciliate. The erect to ascending peduncles of the floral spikes are 1-4" long, medium green to purplish green, terete, relatively stout, and hairy. The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer, lasting about 2 months. Some plants may bloom later and longer, but this is an exception to the rule. The flowers may, or may not, have a pleasant floral fragrance. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by nutlets (4 per flower). Mature nutlets are about 3 mm. long, narrowly angular-cylindrical in shape, and black. The root system consists of a woody caudex with fibrous roots. In addition, when they lie on moist ground, the lower nodes of the stems sometimes develop secondary plants with rootlets. As a result, clonal colonies of plants are produced.
Cultivation: The preference is full to partial sun and mesic to dry conditions. The soil can contain rocky material, gravel, sand, loam, or clay-loam, although less fertile soil is preferred in the wild as a result of reduced competition from other ground vegetation. Northern ecotypes of this plant are hardy to Zone 5, while southern ecotypes are more prone to winter die-off.
Range & Habitat: Rose Vervain occurs in scattered counties of Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native to many areas of southern and central Illinois, but probably adventive elsewhere. Illinois lies along the northern range limit of this plant, where it is uncommon (outside of cultivation). Some local populations in the wild are undoubtedly plants that have escaped cultivation. Habitats include mesic to dry black soil prairies, sand prairies, hill prairies, pioneer cemeteries, thinly wooded slopes, openings in rocky upland woodlands, thinly wooded bluffs, limestone and sandstone glades, pastures, abandoned fields, and roadside embankments. Native populations of Rose Vervain in Illinois are usually found in high quality habitats, while adventive populations are more likely to be found in disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: The structure of the flowers indicates that they are designed to attract such pollinators as nectar-seeking long-tongued bees, butterflies, and skippers. Two aphids feed destructively on Rose Vervain. One aphid, Aphis aubletia, feeds on the above-ground parts of this plant, while the other aphid, Aphis middletonii (Erigeron Root Aphid), feeds on the roots (Patch, 1919; Blackman & Eastop, 2013). Mammalian herbivores are unlikely to consume this plant because of the bitterness of the leaves.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the Loda Cemetery Prairie in Iroquois County, Illinois.
Comments: This is a beautiful plant with flowers that are similar to those of phlox species (Phlox spp.). However, the ragged appearance of the leaves makes it easy to distinguish from these latter species. Because of the attractive and long-blooming flowers, several cultivars of Rose Vervain (Glandularia canadensis) have been introduced that offer a greater range of floral colors than what is normally encountered in the wild. Some of these cultivars are not winter-hardy in Illinois, however. Compared to the Verbena spp. in Illinois that are either native or naturalized, Rose Vervain has showier flowers that form dome-shaped clusters. There are other Glandularia spp. with some resemblance to Rose Vervain, however they don't occur in Illinois. Most of these species are found in the Great Plains and western regions of the United States, or they occur in Central and South America. An example is Dakota Mock Vervain (Glandularia bipinnatifida). The flowers of this latter species are very similar to those of Rose Vervain, but it has more narrowly lobed leaves that are bipinnatifid. An older scientific name of Rose Vervain is Verbena canadensis.
0
0
文章
Miss Chen
2018年01月05日
Description: This perennial plant is ½–2' tall, and is unbranched. The light green or reddish central stem is slender and smooth. The opposite leaves are narrowly ovate to elliptic and sessile. They have smooth margins, a prominent central vein, and are hairless. The leaves are up to 3½" long and 1½" across; their upper surfaces are medium to dark green and shiny.
In the upper part of the plant, 1-6 flowers develop from axils of the opposite leaves, with a greater number of flowers at the apex. These tubular flowers are pale blue to blue-violet, often with vertical streaks of purple, green, or white. They are about 1½" long and closed at the top (or nearly so). Each flower has five lobes, with each adjacent pair of lobes connected together by a lighter colored membrane. This membrane is the same length or slightly lower than the adjacent lobes, with an irregular pattern at the top; it is not readily perceptible unless the lobes of the flower are spread apart. Underneath the flowers, the lanceolate lobes of the calyx are erect, spreading only slightly outward; they are not recurved. The blooming period is late summer to fall, and lasts about a month. There is no noticeable fragrance to the flowers. The seed capsules split into 2 sections, releasing numerous small seeds that can be dispersed by wind or water. The root system consists of a long stout taproot.
Close-up of LeafCultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and moist to mesic soil. This gentian often grows in sandy soil, but will tolerate other kinds of soil, including fertile loam. Foliar disease is not a significant problem, although the leaves sometimes turn yellow in response to strong sunlight and dry weather. It is faster and easier to introduce gentians as transplants, rather them to start them by seed, which is difficult and slow.
Range & Habitat: The native Soapwort Gentian is an uncommon plant that occurs in NE Illinois and a few counties in southern Illinois (see Distribution Map). It can occur in other localities as a result of restoration activities, or as an escape from cultivation. Habitats include moist to mesic sandy Black Oak forests, sandy savannas, sand prairies, and sandy thickets. Less often, this gentian can be found in non-sandy habitats that are similar to those already mentioned. This conservative plant is rarely found in disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees are the primary pollinators; they are strong enough to force their way into the flowers, where they suck nectar. Sometimes tiny beetles sneak into the flowers to feed on the pollen, while some larger beetles, such as Epicauta pensylvanica (Black Blister Beetle), may knaw on the flowers themselves. The seeds are too small to be of any interest to birds, while the bitter foliage is too bitter deters most herbivores; however, deer sometimes chomp off the tops of the plants.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at Hooper Branch Savanna Nature Preserve in Iroquois County, Illinois. This plant was growing in a moist sand prairie.
Comments: Soapwort Gentian usually has pale to medium blue flowers, while Gentiana andrewsii (Bottle Gentian) often has deep blue flowers. Color alone, however, is not a reliable guide to species identification. The calyx lobes in flowers of Soapwort Gentian are fairly straight and upright, while the calyx lobes of Bottle Gentian often curl outward. In the flowers of Soapwort Gentian, the connecting membranes are a little lower than, or equal to, the lobes of the corolla, while they are higher than the lobes in the flowers of Bottle Gentian. There is also a tendency for Soapwort Gentian to have more slender leaves and stems than Bottle Gentian, but this distinction is not always reliable. Soapwort Gentian differs from Gentiana alba (Cream Gentian) with its bluer, less open flowers and sessile leaves, whereas the leaves of the latter strongly clasp the stem.
In the upper part of the plant, 1-6 flowers develop from axils of the opposite leaves, with a greater number of flowers at the apex. These tubular flowers are pale blue to blue-violet, often with vertical streaks of purple, green, or white. They are about 1½" long and closed at the top (or nearly so). Each flower has five lobes, with each adjacent pair of lobes connected together by a lighter colored membrane. This membrane is the same length or slightly lower than the adjacent lobes, with an irregular pattern at the top; it is not readily perceptible unless the lobes of the flower are spread apart. Underneath the flowers, the lanceolate lobes of the calyx are erect, spreading only slightly outward; they are not recurved. The blooming period is late summer to fall, and lasts about a month. There is no noticeable fragrance to the flowers. The seed capsules split into 2 sections, releasing numerous small seeds that can be dispersed by wind or water. The root system consists of a long stout taproot.
Close-up of LeafCultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and moist to mesic soil. This gentian often grows in sandy soil, but will tolerate other kinds of soil, including fertile loam. Foliar disease is not a significant problem, although the leaves sometimes turn yellow in response to strong sunlight and dry weather. It is faster and easier to introduce gentians as transplants, rather them to start them by seed, which is difficult and slow.
Range & Habitat: The native Soapwort Gentian is an uncommon plant that occurs in NE Illinois and a few counties in southern Illinois (see Distribution Map). It can occur in other localities as a result of restoration activities, or as an escape from cultivation. Habitats include moist to mesic sandy Black Oak forests, sandy savannas, sand prairies, and sandy thickets. Less often, this gentian can be found in non-sandy habitats that are similar to those already mentioned. This conservative plant is rarely found in disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees are the primary pollinators; they are strong enough to force their way into the flowers, where they suck nectar. Sometimes tiny beetles sneak into the flowers to feed on the pollen, while some larger beetles, such as Epicauta pensylvanica (Black Blister Beetle), may knaw on the flowers themselves. The seeds are too small to be of any interest to birds, while the bitter foliage is too bitter deters most herbivores; however, deer sometimes chomp off the tops of the plants.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at Hooper Branch Savanna Nature Preserve in Iroquois County, Illinois. This plant was growing in a moist sand prairie.
Comments: Soapwort Gentian usually has pale to medium blue flowers, while Gentiana andrewsii (Bottle Gentian) often has deep blue flowers. Color alone, however, is not a reliable guide to species identification. The calyx lobes in flowers of Soapwort Gentian are fairly straight and upright, while the calyx lobes of Bottle Gentian often curl outward. In the flowers of Soapwort Gentian, the connecting membranes are a little lower than, or equal to, the lobes of the corolla, while they are higher than the lobes in the flowers of Bottle Gentian. There is also a tendency for Soapwort Gentian to have more slender leaves and stems than Bottle Gentian, but this distinction is not always reliable. Soapwort Gentian differs from Gentiana alba (Cream Gentian) with its bluer, less open flowers and sessile leaves, whereas the leaves of the latter strongly clasp the stem.
0
0
文章
Miss Chen
2018年01月05日
Description: This herbaceous perennial wildflower is 1-2' tall. The central stem is light green to reddish green, terete, glabrous, and unbranched. Pairs of opposite leaves occur at intervals along this stem. Individual leaves are 2-4" long and 1-2" across; they are more or less ovate, smooth along their margins, parallel-veined, and sessile. Both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves are yellowish green, light green, or medium green; they are also glabrous.
The central stem terminates in a sessile cluster of several flowers that is located directly above the uppermost pair of leaves. There is often another sessile cluster of flowers that is located directly above the second uppermost pair of leaves. This second cluster of flowers, when it is present, is usually smaller than the uppermost cluster of flowers. Individual flowers are 1¼-1½" long, consisting of a stout tubular corolla that is pale blue-violet to blue-violet, a short greenish calyx with 5 lobes, 5 inserted stamens, and an inserted pistil. The corolla has 5 inconspicuous lobes that are joined together by membranous tissue; the tips of the corolla lobes extend a little above the upper surface of the membranous tissue. The apex of the corolla is usually closed or only slightly open, causing the reproductive organs to remain hidden from view. The calyx lobes are lanceolate-ovate and about ¼" in length. Underneath the calyx of each flower, there is a pair of leafy bracts of highly variable size (¼-2" in length). These bracts resemble the leaves, except they are smaller in size. The blooming period occurs from late summer to early fall, lasting about 1 month. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by one-celled seed capsules that are lanceoloid-ellipsoid in shape. Each seed capsule contains numerous small seeds. Individual seeds are oblongoid, somewhat flattened, and winged along their margins. The root system consists of a taproot.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, moist conditions, and soil containing loam or sand. This wildflower is rarely bothered by insects or disease organisms.
Range & Habitat: So far, the native Hybrid Bottle Gentian has been found only in Champaign County, Illinois (see Distribution Map), and it is quite rare within the state. This naturally occurring hybrid has also been reported from Wisconsin, Missouri, and a few other states, where it is also rare. Habitats include riverbottom prairies, restored prairies, woodland borders, low areas along water, and edges of marshes. Hybrid Bottle Gentian can occur where the ranges of its two parents, Gentiana andrewsii (Bottle Gentian) and Gentiana alba (White Gentian), overlap. It can also occur spontaneously in restored prairies wherever Bottle Gentian and White Gentian have been introduced together.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees occasionally force their way into the flowers to obtain the nectar. Even though the foliage of this gentian is bitter-tasting, White-Tailed Deer sometimes chomp off the upper half of individual plants. Overall, the value of this and other gentians (Gentiana spp.) to wildlife is low.
Photographic Location: A restored prairie at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Hybrid Bottle Gentian can be variable in appearance, sometimes resembling Gentiana andrewsii (Bottle Gentian) to a greater extent than Gentiana alba (White Gentian), and sometimes resembling the latter to a greater extent than the former. These genetic variations may be the result of the relative abundance of one parent species as compared to the other in the area where this hybrid gentian occurs, thereby influencing overall gene flow. When Hybrid Bottle Gentian more closely resembles Bottle Gentian than White Gentian, it can be difficult to distinguish from another species, Gentiana saponaria (Soapwort Gentian), which also occurs in Illinois. Generally, Hybrid Bottle Gentian has calyx lobes that are more wide than those of Soapwort Gentian, even though their flowers and leaves may closely resemble each other. Other common names of Gentiana × pallidocyanea include Hybrid Closed Gentian and Pale Blue Gentian.
The central stem terminates in a sessile cluster of several flowers that is located directly above the uppermost pair of leaves. There is often another sessile cluster of flowers that is located directly above the second uppermost pair of leaves. This second cluster of flowers, when it is present, is usually smaller than the uppermost cluster of flowers. Individual flowers are 1¼-1½" long, consisting of a stout tubular corolla that is pale blue-violet to blue-violet, a short greenish calyx with 5 lobes, 5 inserted stamens, and an inserted pistil. The corolla has 5 inconspicuous lobes that are joined together by membranous tissue; the tips of the corolla lobes extend a little above the upper surface of the membranous tissue. The apex of the corolla is usually closed or only slightly open, causing the reproductive organs to remain hidden from view. The calyx lobes are lanceolate-ovate and about ¼" in length. Underneath the calyx of each flower, there is a pair of leafy bracts of highly variable size (¼-2" in length). These bracts resemble the leaves, except they are smaller in size. The blooming period occurs from late summer to early fall, lasting about 1 month. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by one-celled seed capsules that are lanceoloid-ellipsoid in shape. Each seed capsule contains numerous small seeds. Individual seeds are oblongoid, somewhat flattened, and winged along their margins. The root system consists of a taproot.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, moist conditions, and soil containing loam or sand. This wildflower is rarely bothered by insects or disease organisms.
Range & Habitat: So far, the native Hybrid Bottle Gentian has been found only in Champaign County, Illinois (see Distribution Map), and it is quite rare within the state. This naturally occurring hybrid has also been reported from Wisconsin, Missouri, and a few other states, where it is also rare. Habitats include riverbottom prairies, restored prairies, woodland borders, low areas along water, and edges of marshes. Hybrid Bottle Gentian can occur where the ranges of its two parents, Gentiana andrewsii (Bottle Gentian) and Gentiana alba (White Gentian), overlap. It can also occur spontaneously in restored prairies wherever Bottle Gentian and White Gentian have been introduced together.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees occasionally force their way into the flowers to obtain the nectar. Even though the foliage of this gentian is bitter-tasting, White-Tailed Deer sometimes chomp off the upper half of individual plants. Overall, the value of this and other gentians (Gentiana spp.) to wildlife is low.
Photographic Location: A restored prairie at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Hybrid Bottle Gentian can be variable in appearance, sometimes resembling Gentiana andrewsii (Bottle Gentian) to a greater extent than Gentiana alba (White Gentian), and sometimes resembling the latter to a greater extent than the former. These genetic variations may be the result of the relative abundance of one parent species as compared to the other in the area where this hybrid gentian occurs, thereby influencing overall gene flow. When Hybrid Bottle Gentian more closely resembles Bottle Gentian than White Gentian, it can be difficult to distinguish from another species, Gentiana saponaria (Soapwort Gentian), which also occurs in Illinois. Generally, Hybrid Bottle Gentian has calyx lobes that are more wide than those of Soapwort Gentian, even though their flowers and leaves may closely resemble each other. Other common names of Gentiana × pallidocyanea include Hybrid Closed Gentian and Pale Blue Gentian.
0
0
文章
Miss Chen
2018年01月05日
Description: This perennial plant is 1-2' tall. Multiple stems can emerge from the taproot, otherwise this plant is unbranched. The central stem is round, hairless, and either light green or purple. The opposite leaves are up to 4½" long and 2" across, and sessile against the stem. They are broadly lanceolate or ovate, with smooth margins and parallel venation. The upper surface of each leaf is dark green and often shiny, while both the upper and lower surfaces are devoid of hairs. The uppermost tier of leaves is often whorled. The apex of the stem terminates in a cluster of flowers immediately above the whorled leaves, while smaller clusters of flowers may develop from the axils of the upper pairs of leaves. These flowers are bottle-shaped, looking like oversized flowerbuds even when mature, and they are 1–1½" long. The corollas are violet, and will assume different shades of this color depending on the maturity of each flower. There are longitudinal ridges along the outer edge of the corolla, providing it with a wrinkly appearance. The corolla remains closed at the top even when the flower is ready to receive pollinating insects. Inside, the reproductive structures of the flower are fused together to form a central column. The corolla usually has 5 lobes, but these are barely noticeable because of an interconnecting fringe that is even taller than the lobes. The green calyx is much smaller than the corolla, and divided into 5 lanceolate segments. These segments may curl outward away from the flower rather than remaining upright.
The blooming period can occur from late summer to early fall, and usually lasts about a month. There is no noticeable floral scent. The small seeds can be transported by water or wind some distance from a mother plant. The root system consists of a stout taproot. Vegetative reproduction does not normally occur.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and moist rich soil. It is easier to start with potted plants rather than seed, as germination can be erratic and seedling mortality can be high. Mature plants are rarely bothered by foliar disease or leaf-chewing insects. The worst threat is droughty conditions, but appropriate placement of plants will mitigate this problem.
Range & Habitat: The native Bottle Gentian is occasional in the northern half of Illinois and uncommon in the rest of the state (see Distribution Map). However, populations of the plant are probably declining as a result of the destruction of wetlands. Habitats include moist black soil prairies, openings in floodplain forests, thickets, fens, and swampy areas near bodies of water. This plant often occurs in calcareous soil.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees are the primary pollinators of the flowers, as they are one of the few insects that can force their way past the closed corolla. This floral characteristic excludes smaller insects that are less efficient at pollination from robbing nectar and pollen from the bumblebees. Because the foliage and roots are bitter-tasting, mammalian herbivores usually don't use this plant as a food source. However, deer may chomp off the tender tops of the plants before they have a chance to flower. This can cause the central stem to form smaller side branches. The seeds are too small to be of much interest to birds. The ecological value of Bottle Gentian is low, notwithstanding the appeal of the flowers to humans.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken of plants growing in a mesic prairie at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Bottle Gentian is a wierd-looking plant with a striking appearance. The adorable flowers are often deep violet, although other shades also occur, even in the same cluster of flowers. The only other gentian that this species can be confused with (among those that occur in Illinois) is Gentiana saponaria (Soapwort Gentian). Usually, Soapwort Gentian is pale violet or greyish blue, while the interconnecting fringe of the corolla is shorter than, or equal to, the length of the lobes. This interconnecting fringe is always taller than the lobes in the corolla of the Bottle Gentian. Sometimes the segments of the calyx curve outward in the Bottle Gentian, while they remain reasonably upright in the Soapwort Gentian, but this is not always a reliable distinction.
The blooming period can occur from late summer to early fall, and usually lasts about a month. There is no noticeable floral scent. The small seeds can be transported by water or wind some distance from a mother plant. The root system consists of a stout taproot. Vegetative reproduction does not normally occur.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, and moist rich soil. It is easier to start with potted plants rather than seed, as germination can be erratic and seedling mortality can be high. Mature plants are rarely bothered by foliar disease or leaf-chewing insects. The worst threat is droughty conditions, but appropriate placement of plants will mitigate this problem.
Range & Habitat: The native Bottle Gentian is occasional in the northern half of Illinois and uncommon in the rest of the state (see Distribution Map). However, populations of the plant are probably declining as a result of the destruction of wetlands. Habitats include moist black soil prairies, openings in floodplain forests, thickets, fens, and swampy areas near bodies of water. This plant often occurs in calcareous soil.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees are the primary pollinators of the flowers, as they are one of the few insects that can force their way past the closed corolla. This floral characteristic excludes smaller insects that are less efficient at pollination from robbing nectar and pollen from the bumblebees. Because the foliage and roots are bitter-tasting, mammalian herbivores usually don't use this plant as a food source. However, deer may chomp off the tender tops of the plants before they have a chance to flower. This can cause the central stem to form smaller side branches. The seeds are too small to be of much interest to birds. The ecological value of Bottle Gentian is low, notwithstanding the appeal of the flowers to humans.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken of plants growing in a mesic prairie at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: Bottle Gentian is a wierd-looking plant with a striking appearance. The adorable flowers are often deep violet, although other shades also occur, even in the same cluster of flowers. The only other gentian that this species can be confused with (among those that occur in Illinois) is Gentiana saponaria (Soapwort Gentian). Usually, Soapwort Gentian is pale violet or greyish blue, while the interconnecting fringe of the corolla is shorter than, or equal to, the length of the lobes. This interconnecting fringe is always taller than the lobes in the corolla of the Bottle Gentian. Sometimes the segments of the calyx curve outward in the Bottle Gentian, while they remain reasonably upright in the Soapwort Gentian, but this is not always a reliable distinction.
0
0
