Aizoanthemum hispanicum | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Caryophyllales |
Family: | Aizoaceae |
Genus: | Aizoanthemum |
Species: | A. hispanicum |
Binomial name | |
Aizoanthemum hispanicum (L.) H.E.K.Hartmann | |
Synonyms | |
Aizoon hispanicum L. |
Aizoanthemum hispanicum, or Spanish aizoon, is a species of plant in the family Aizoaceae. It is native to northern Africa, the Mediterranean region and the Middle East where it grows on arid sandy plains, saline areas and in semi-arid habitats. It was first described as Aizoon hispanicum by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1753 and was in 2002 placed in the genus Aizoanthemum by the German botanist Heidrun Hartmann. [1]
A. hispanicum is a sprawling annual herbaceous plant 5 to 20 cm (2 to 8 in) high with opposite, papillose, succulent leaves. These are lanceolate with entire margins. The solitary flowers have five white tepals which are yellowish green on the outside, 5 to 15 stamens and an ovary with 5 locules giving a pentagonal fruit capsule containing 2 brown seeds in each locule. [2] [3]
The fruits have an unusual mechanism for dispersing the seeds. When it rains, the locules gradually fill with water. Near the centre of the capsule, the covering membranes are arranged in such a way that they form a nozzle, and when further rain drops fall on the capsule, a jet of water and seeds is propelled through this nozzle; this allows the plant to scatter its seeds much more widely than is the case in related species that lack this mechanism. [3]
A. hispanicum is native to Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Cyprus, Turkey, Iraq, Iran and the Arabian Peninsula where it grows in compacted sandy soil in desert plains, saline areas and semi-arid regions. [4] It also grows in the Mediterranean region and the Canary Islands. [5] [6]
It has been found that the seeds of A. hispanicum germinate poorly in the laboratory when placed on a filter paper in the dark at 30 °C (86 °F). The germination rate can be improved by placing some soil nearby, by covering the seeds for a few days and then uncovering them, or by placing some covered seeds nearby. This suggests that both soil and covered seeds give out some gas, possibly ethylene, which stimulates germination in nearby uncovered seeds. [7]
Capparis spinosa, the caper bush, also called Flinders rose, is a perennial plant that bears rounded, fleshy leaves and large white to pinkish-white flowers.
Drosophyllum is a genus of carnivorous plants containing the single species Drosophyllum lusitanicum, commonly known as Portuguese sundew or dewy pine. In appearance, it is similar to the related genus Drosera, and to the much more distantly related Byblis.
Anastatica is a monotypic genus of plants in the family Brassicaceae containing the single species Anastatica hierochuntica. The plant is a small gray annual herb that rarely grows above 15 centimetres (6 in) high, and bears minute white flowers. It is a tumbleweed capable of hygroscopic expansion and retraction. However, it is not a true resurrection plant, because the plant's dead tissues do not revive and turn green.
Atriplex semibaccata, commonly known as Australian saltbush, berry saltbush, or creeping saltbush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a perennial herb native to Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, but has been introduced into other states and to overseas countries. It flowers and fruits in spring, and propagates from seed when the fruit splits open. This species of saltbush is adapted to inconsistent rainfall, temperature and humidity extremes and to poor soil. It is used for rehabilitation, medicine, as a cover crop and for fodder. Its introduction to other countries has had an environmental and economic impact on them.
Schwalbea americana, commonly known as American chaffseed, is the sole species currently classified in the genus Schwalbea. It is an erect, hemiparasitic, perennial herb in the family Orobanchaceae. It is native to the southeastern United States where it is found in wet acidic grasslands. This species has declined tremendously from its historical range due to fire suppression, and it is currently listed as "Endangered" by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Byblis gigantea, commonly known as rainbow plant, is a carnivorous species of plant in the Byblidaceae family. It is endemic to Australia.
Mesembryanthemum crystallinum is a prostrate succulent plant native to Africa, Sinai and southern Europe, and naturalized in the New World. The plant is covered with large, glistening bladder cells or water vesicles, reflected in its common names of common ice plant, crystalline ice plant or ice plant.
Enchylaena tomentosa, commonly known as barrier saltbush or ruby saltbush, is a small native shrub of Australia.
A xerophyte is a species of plant that has adaptations to survive in an environment with little liquid water. Examples of xerophytes include cacti, pineapple and some gymnosperm plants. The morphology and physiology of xerophytes are adapted to conserve water during dry periods. Some species called resurrection plants can survive long periods of extreme dryness or desiccation of their tissues, during which their metabolic activity may effectively shut down. Plants with such morphological and physiological adaptations are said to be xeromorphic. Xerophytes such as cacti are capable of withstanding extended periods of dry conditions as they have deep-spreading roots and capacity to store water. Their waxy, thorny leaves prevent loss of moisture.
Eucalyptus salmonophloia, commonly known as salmon gum, wurak or weerluk or woonert or marrlinja. is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth bark, narrow lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between nine and thirteen, creamy white flowers and hemispherical fruit.
Ptilotus exaltatus, more commonly known as pink mulla mulla, is an erect annual herb endemic to large parts of arid and semi-arid Australia. It grows throughout most areas of Australia except the Nullarbor Plain, occurring geographically above a line drawn from Perth to Esperance. The species was first observed and described in 1810, and comprehensively catalogued in 1971.
Waitzia acuminata, commonly known as orange immortelle, is an annual forb in the family Asteraceae. It is native to Australia. Plants grow to between 10 and 60 cm in height and have leaves that are long and narrow. These are between 2 and 7 cm long and 2 to 5 mm in width. The yellow, orange or white flowers appear between July and January. Waitzia Acuminata occurs in all mainland states of Australia and is currently not considered rare or endangered. Its genus Waitzia is named after German botanist Karl Friedrich Waitz. Acuminata is a latin name describing things that are tapered to a point, named after the plants spindle like outer bracts.
Cornulaca monacantha is a species of flowering plant in the genus Cornulaca, that is now included in the family Amaranthaceae,. It is a desert plant found in the Middle East and the Sahara, and the southern end of its range is considered to delineate the edge of the desert. In Arabic it is known as had and djouri, and the Tuareg people call it tahara. It was first described in 1813 by the French botanist Alire Raffeneau Delile.
Suaeda fruticosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae. It is a small shrub, with very variable appearance over its wide range. It is a halophyte, and occurs in arid and semi-arid saltflats, salt marshes and similar habitats.
Tetraena qatarensis is a salt-tolerant dwarf shrub that grows in the Arabian Peninsula. It has small compact leaves that store water. The leaflets grow in pairs and the flowers have four or five petals.
Arthrocaulon macrostachyum, synonym Arthrocnemum macrostachyum, is a species of flowering plant in the amaranth family. It is native to coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea and parts of the Middle East, where it grows in coastal and inland salt marshes, alkali flats, and other habitats with saline soils.
Aeluropus lagopoides, sometimes called mangrove grass or rabbit-foot aeluropus, is a species of Eurasian and African plant in the grass family, found primarily in salty soils and waste places.
Reichardia tingitana is a species of plant in the family Asteraceae that is distributed primarily throughout Mediterranean and West Asia. It is known by the common name false sowthistle.
Atriplex holocarpa is a low-growing species of Atriplex (saltbush) found throughout arid regions of Australia. A. holocarpa is commonly known as pop saltbush, because its carpals pop when stepped upon.
Carpobrotus modestus, commonly known as inland pigface, is a succulent perennial of the family Aizoaceae, native to the coasts of Australia. It produces purple flowers which mature into fruits and is mainly used as a groundcover succulent or as a drought tolerant plant.