Erodium maritimum

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Erodium maritimum
Erodium maritimum at Hothfield.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Geraniales
Family: Geraniaceae
Genus: Erodium
Species:
E. maritimum
Binomial name
Erodium maritimum
(L.) L'Hér.
Synonyms
  • Geranium maritimumL.
  • Erodium bocconeiViv.
  • Geranium littoreumCav.

Erodium maritimum, the sea stork's-bill, is a herbaceous perennial plant in the family Geraniaceae. It occurs on free-draining stony soils close to the sea and, very occasionally, in similar situations inland. Most of the world's population occurs in southern Britain and Brittany, but it is found in scattered locations around the coast of Europe as far as Corsica and Italy, and south to the Canary Isles.

Contents

Description

Sea stork's-bill is a perennial monoecious herb which typically grows in rosettes pressed flat to the ground, with a deep tap root that allows it to survive through the summer on dry soils. The leaves are all or mostly basal, but are arranged in opposite pairs if the stem elongates. The leaves are simple, oval in outline, up to 2 cm long, shallowly lobed and quite strongly toothed, with a petiole that can be as long, or longer, than the blade. The surface of the leaf is streaked with long, white, appressed hairs.

Detail of the leaves Erodium maritimum leaves.jpg
Detail of the leaves

The actinomorphic flowers are arranged singly (occasionally in pairs), arising from the middle of the rosette on short patent-hairy pedicels. The hermaphroditic flowers have five green, pointed, hairy sepals a few millimetres long and usually no petals at all, but sometimes small white petals about the same size as the sepals. If present, the petals fall soon after flowering. There are five stamens, and five carpels which develop into beaked mericarps that look like miniature storks bills, less than 1 cm long. The flowers are usually self pollinating. [1] [2] [3]

Flowering rosette of sea stork's-bill Erodium maritimum flower.jpg
Flowering rosette of sea stork's-bill

Identification

Sea stork's-bill can be separated from other stork's-bills in the areas where it grows by the division of the leaves: common stork's-bill and sticky stork's-bill are twice-pinnate, musk stork's-bill is 1-pinnate, whereas sea stork's bill has simple leaves. Soft stork's-bill and Mediterranean stork's-bill also have simple leaves but, like the other three, both have large, persistent petals, whereas sea stork's-bill usually has none.

For technical confirmation, the pit at the apex of the mericarp is hidden by long hairs in sea stork's-bill, whereas it is generally visible in the other species. [3] [4] [5]

Taxonomy

Erodium maritimum was originally named Geranium maritimum by Linnaeus in 1763 [6] but, together with several other similar species, it was transferred to the genus Erodium by the French botanist Charles Louis L'Héritier de Brutelle in Hortus Kewensis in 1789, on the basis that they only have 5 stamens, rather than the 10 of Geranium. A couple of other synonyms have been created over the years (i.e. similar plants were mistakenly thought to be new species) but they have never been widely used. [7]

Its chromosome number is 2n = 20. [3]

There are no currently accepted subspecies or varieties, although several have been suggested in the past, [8] and it is not known to hybridise with any other species. [9]

A 2012 study of the genetics of sea stork's-bill found that populations on the Atlantic coast of Europe lacked diversity, and plants throughout this area were all closely related to each other, as if long-distance dispersal events were frequent. However, no obvious mechanism for this dispersal was identified. The Sardinian population appeared to have a higher level of genetic variability, suggesting that this may be the ancestral population that has migrated west and north since the last Ice Age. The low levels of diversity might be due to founder effects, whereby a small number of individuals have given rise to the entire Atlantic seaboard population. [10]

Distribution and status

Sea stork's-bill is almost entirely restricted to western Europe, where it has a very Atlantic distribution, mainly in south-western Britain, [11] southern Ireland and Brittany. It extends to north-west Spain and the western Mediterranean to Italy. In north Africa it is found only in the Canary Islands (specifically, La Palma, Gran Canaria and Tenerife [12] ) and Tunisia (a specimen collected at Nabeul in 1884 is at the Paris Museum of Natural History) [7] [8] and it is known on the island of Zembra). [10] Some sources suggest that it has been introduced to Tasmania, [8] but a 2021 census of plants did not list it there. [13]

Sea stork's-bill in acid grassland on the Long Mynd Erodium maritimum Long Mynd.jpg
Sea stork's-bill in acid grassland on the Long Mynd

Its conservation status globally has not been assessed [14] but in Britain, where it is most common, it is listed as LC (least concern) and it is clearly increasing in the south-east and East Anglia. [15] [16] Similarly, in mainland France it is generally classified as LC. It is restricted to a short stretch of coastline from the Cotentin Peninsula through Brittany to the Pays de la Loire; but it is considered VU (vulnerable) in Normandy and the Loire. The isolated population in Corsica is similarly listed as LC. [17] By contrast it is considered to be Critically Endangered in Spain. [10]

In some counties in Britain sea stork's-bill is considered to be an axiophyte, or species typical of valuable habitats. [18] These are mostly the ones in the west, such as Cardiganshire, where it is found on stony slopes and screes on south-facing hillsides such as Foel y Mwnt, although it is also sometimes found in less natural places, including the station platform at Borth. [19] Eastern counties, such as Kent, are less likely to consider it to be an axiophyte. [20]

Habitat and ecology

The native habitat of sea stork's-bill is generally on rocky, stony ground near the sea, with free-draining soil. It is mesotrophic, calcifugous and xerophilic. [5] In Britain it is considered to have an alternative habitat in short, acid grassland in inland places, but it has disappeared from most such situations. [21] [22] An exception is the Long Mynd in Shropshire, where it was found over 200 years ago by the Jamaican-English botanist Mary McGhie and is still present, in U1 sheep's sorrel grassland on a south-facing shale hillside, at an altitude of 220 m above sea level. [23] [24] [25] Secondary populations occasionally appear on roadsides, railway lines, walls, in quarries and car parks, but these tend not to persist. [26] [15] [16] In Corsica it occurs at all altitudes, from coastal dunes to over 1,500 m inland. [27]

Although it normally shuns alkaline soils, it is recorded as growing on limestone hills near Bristol. Where it does so is either "overlooking salt water... or in valleys that were once arms of the sea; never inland," [28] so it may be that the saline influence is more significant than the soil type.

Its Ellenberg values in Britain are L = 9, F = 4, R = 6, N = 6, and S = 3, which supports the conclusion that it favours brightly lit places with low moisture, circumneutral acidity, moderate fertility, and high salinity. [29]

While it is potentially a perennial, sea stork's-bill often behaves as a spring annual, becoming abundant in a wet year and sometimes disappearing above ground in a dry summer. [28] [2]

The only vegetation community listed for sea stork's-bill in the European Habitats System is N34 "Atlantic and Baltic soft sea cliffs", for which it is a diagnostic species. This habitat is subject to protection under the Bern Convention. [17] It is not mentioned in the British National Vegetation Classification. [30]

There are as yet no known associations between insects and sea stork's-bill. [31] It is commonly self-pollinating, but ants and flies are known to visit the flowers, although this apparently does not result in an increase in seed production. Seed dispersal is thought to be facilitated by endozoochory (specifically, being eaten but not digested by rabbits) and epizoochory (carried on the fur). Although it is sometimes described as occurring in gull colonies, [32] studies have shown no evidence that the seeds are carried by seabirds. [10]

History

The first British record (as Geranium Betonicae folio, the geranium with leaves like betony) was made around 1666 by Christopher Merret, who found it "over against Saint Vincent's Rocks... and at Bass Castle in Cornwall." [33]

Related Research Articles

<i>Geranium</i> Genus of flowering plants

Geranium is a genus of 422 species of annual, biennial, and perennial plants that are commonly known as geraniums or cranesbills. They are found throughout the temperate regions of the world and the mountains of the tropics, with the greatest diversity in the eastern part of the Mediterranean region.

<i>Eryngium maritimum</i> Species of flowering plant in the celery family Apiaceae

Eryngium maritimum, the sea holly or sea eryngo, or sea eryngium, is a perennial species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae and native to most European coastlines. It resembles a thistle in appearance because of its burr-shaped inflorescences. Despite its common name, it is not a true holly but an umbellifer.

British NVC community OV5 is an open habitat community in the British National Vegetation Classification system. It is one of six arable weed and track-side communities of light, less-fertile acid soils.

<i>Geranium sanguineum</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Geraniaceae

Geranium sanguineum, common names bloody crane's-bill or bloody geranium, is a species of hardy flowering herbaceous perennial plant in the cranesbill family Geraniaceae. It is the county flower of Northumberland.

<i>Erodium</i> Genus of flowering plants

Erodium is a genus of flowering plants in the botanical family Geraniaceae. The genus includes about 60 species, native to North Africa, Indomalaya, the Middle East, and Australia. They are perennials, annuals, or subshrubs, with five-petalled flowers in shades of white, pink, and purple, that strongly resemble the better-known Geranium (cranesbill). Cultivated plants are known as filarees or heron's bill in North America, whereas in the British Isles they are usually called storksbills.

<i>Erodium cicutarium</i> Species of flowering plant

Erodium cicutarium, also known as common stork's-bill, redstem filaree, redstem stork's bill or pinweed, is a herbaceous annual – or in warm climates, biennial – member of the family Geraniaceae of flowering plants. It is native to Macaronesia, temperate Eurasia and north and northeast Africa, and was introduced to North America in the eighteenth century, where it has since become naturalized, particularly of the deserts and arid grasslands of the southwestern United States.

<i>Geranium molle</i> Geranium molle

Geranium molle, the dove's-foot crane's-bill or dovesfoot geranium, is an annual herbaceous plant of the family Geraniaceae.

<i>Montia fontana</i> Species of flowering plant

Montia fontana, blinks is a herbaceous annual to perennial plant that grows in freshwater springs in upland regions, and in seasonally damp acid grassland in the lowlands. It is widespread throughout the world, except in southern Asia. It is rather variable in morphology, which is reflected in a complex history of taxonomy. Currently, there are three accepted subspecies which are defined largely by the appearance of the seedcoat. It is edible and consumed as a salad in some areas, but is otherwise of minimal economic impact. Because of its association with clean water habitats, it is often viewed as a species of conservation value.

<i>Erodium malacoides</i> Species of flowering plant

Erodium malacoides is a species of flowering plant in the geranium family known by the common names Mediterranean stork's bill, soft stork's-bill and oval heron's bill. This is an annual or biennial herb which is native to much of Eurasia and North Africa but can be found on most continents where it is an introduced species.

<i>Erodium botrys</i> Species of flowering plant

Erodium botrys is a species of flowering plant in the geranium family known by the common names longbeak stork's bill, Mediterranean stork's-bill and broadleaf filaree.

<i>Erodium moschatum</i> Species of flowering plant

Erodium moschatum is a species of flowering plant in the geranium family known by the common names musk stork's-bill and whitestem filaree. This is a weedy annual or biennial herb which is native to much of Eurasia and North Africa but can be found on most continents where it is an introduced species. The young plant starts with a flat rosette of compound leaves, each leaf up to 15 centimeters long with many oval-shaped highly lobed and toothed leaflets along a central vein which is hairy, white, and stemlike. The plant grows to a maximum of about half a meter in height with plentiful fuzzy green foliage. The small flowers have five sepals behind five purple or lavender petals, each petal just over a centimeter long. The filaree fruit has a small, glandular body with a long green style up to 4 centimeters in length.

Erodium brachycarpum is a species of flowering plant in the geranium family known by the common names hairy-pitted stork's-bill and shortfruit stork's bill. It is native to southern Europe but it is known elsewhere as an introduced species and often a weed, such as the west coast of the United States where it is widespread in California and Oregon.

<i>California macrophylla</i> Species of flowering plant

California macrophylla, commonly known as roundleaf stork's bill, is a species of flowering plant in the geranium family, Geraniaceae. It was formerly placed in the genus Erodium, but was later placed in a monotypic genus of its own named California.

<i>Geranium potentilloides</i> Species of flowering plant

Geranium potentilloides, belongs to the family Geraniaceae, and is a small prostrate perennial herb that can grow up to 60cm high. The species is commonly referred to as Soft Cranesbill or Cinquefoil geranium.

<i>Stellaria apetala</i> Species of flowering plant in the carnation family Caryophyllaceae

Stellaria apetala, lesser chickweed, is an annual herbaceous plant in the flowering plant family Caryophyllaceae. It occurs in short, sandy grassland by the sea and, less often, in similar habitat inland. It is native to Europe and is well established as an introduced species worldwide.

<i>Pelargonium capitatum</i> Species of plant

Pelargonium capitatum is one of several species known as rose geranium or rose-scented pelargonium in English. The popular names refer to the scent of the essential oils extracted from glandular tissue, not the flowers, which have hardly any scent to speak of. Some of the species are known as kusmalva in Afrikaans.

<i>Geranium columbinum</i> Species of flowering plant

Geranium columbinum, common name long-stalked crane's-bill or longstalk cranesbill, is a herbaceous annual plant in the family Geraniaceae.

<i>Geranium nodosum</i> Species of flowering plant

Geranium nodosum, the knotted crane's-bill, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Geraniaceae.

<i>Oenanthe aquatica</i> Species of flowering plant

Oenanthe aquatica, fine-leaved water-dropwort, is an aquatic flowering plant in the carrot family. It is widely distributed from the Atlantic coast of Europe to central Asia.

<i>Ranunculus baudotii</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae

Ranunculus baudotii, brackish water-crowfoot, is a flowering plant in the Ranunculaceae. As the name suggests, it tends to grow near the sea, typically in pools and ditches in coastal marshes that are slightly salty due to sea spray. It can also be found inland where there is some saline influence. It is not edible and has economic uses, but it is generally valued as a plant of conservation interest and an indicator of less agriculturally improved habitat.

References

  1. ↑ Rose, Francis (2006). The Wild Flower Key. London: Frederick Warne. ISBN   978-0-7232-5175-0.
  2. 1 2 Sell, Peter; Murrell, Gina (2009). Flora of Great Britain and Ireland, vol. 3. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  3. 1 2 3 Stace, C.A. (2019). New Flora of the British Isles (4th ed.). Suffolk: C&M Floristics. ISBN   978-1-5272-2630-2.
  4. ↑ Poland, John; Clement, Eric (2009). The Vegetative Key to the British Flora. Southampton: John Poland. ISBN   978-0-9560144-0-5.
  5. 1 2 Guillemot, Vincent (2023). Flore du Massif armoricain et ses marges (in French). Mèze: Editions Biotope. ISBN   978-2-36662-301-7.
  6. ↑ Linné, Carl von; Linné, Carl von; Salvius, Lars (1762). Caroli Linnaei ... Species plantarum :exhibentes plantas rite cognitas, ad genera relatas, cum differentiis specificis, nominibus trivialibus, synonymis selectis, locis natalibus, secundum systema sexuale digestas. Vol. v.2. Holmiae: Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii.
  7. 1 2 "Erodium maritimum (L.) L'Hér". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  8. 1 2 3 "Erodium maritimum L'Hér. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  9. ↑ Stace, C.A.; Preston, C.D.; Pearman, D.A. (2015). Hybrid Flora of the British Isles. Bristol: Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. ISBN   978-0-901158-48-2.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Alarcon, M.L.; Vargas, P.; Aldasoro, J.J. (2012). "Erodium maritimum (Geraniaceae), a species with an uneven and fragmented distribution along the Western Mediterranean and European Atlantic coasts, has a weak genetic structure". Plant Biology. 15: 186–194. doi:10.1111/j.1438-8677.2012.00621.x.
  11. ↑ Perring, F.H.; Walters, S.M. (1962). Atlas of the British Flora. Edinburgh: Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd.
  12. ↑ "Biota - Erodium maritimum (L.) L'Hér. in Aiton". www.biodiversidadcanarias.es. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  13. ↑ Salas, M.F.; Baker, M.L. (2021). A Census of the Vascular Plants of Tasmania, including Macquarie Island. Tasmanian Herbarium, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.
  14. ↑ "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species" . Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  15. 1 2 "PlantAtlas". plantatlas2020.org. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
  16. 1 2 Kitchener, G.D. (2023). "Erodium maritimum (L.) L'Hér. (Sea Stork's-bill)". Kent Rare Plant Register E: 45–47.
  17. 1 2 "Erodium maritime, Bec-de-grue maritime". Inventaire National du Patrimoine Naturel. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  18. ↑ "Axiophytes – Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland" . Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  19. ↑ Chater, A.O. (2010). Flora of Cardiganshire. Aberystwyth: A.O. Chater. ISBN   9-780956-575005.
  20. ↑ "Kent Axiophytes" (PDF). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  21. ↑ Preston, C.D.; Pearman, D.A.; Dines, T.D. (2002). New Atlas of the British and Irish Flora. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN   0-19-851067-5.
  22. ↑ Maskew, Roger (2014). The Flora of Worcestershire. Stoke Bliss: Roger Maskew. ISBN   978-0-9926693-0-0.
  23. ↑ Leighton, W.A. (1841). A Flora of Shropshire. London: John van Voorst.
  24. ↑ Sinker, C.A.; Packham, J.R.; Trueman, I.C; Oswald, P.H.; Perring, F.H.; Prestwood, W.V. (1985). Ecological Flora of the Shropshire Region. Shrewsbury: Shropshire Wildlife Trust. ISBN   0-95086-371-8.
  25. ↑ Lockton, Alex; Whild, Sarah (2015). The Flora and Vegetation of Shropshire. Montford Bridge: Shropshire Botanical Society. ISBN   978-0-9530937-2-4.
  26. ↑ "SEASIDE IN LITTLE COMBERTON OR ERODIUM MARITIMUM ON A VILLAGE DRIVEWAY". www.wbrc.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  27. ↑ "Portail français d'accès aux données d'observation sur les espèces" . Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  28. 1 2 White, J.W. (1912). The Bristol Flora. Bath: R.A. Blackwell & Partners.
  29. ↑ Hill, M.O.; Mountford, J.O.; Roy, D.B.; Bunce, R.G.H. (1999). Ellenberg's indicator values for British plants. ECOFACT Volume 2. Technical Annex (PDF). Institute of Terrestrial Ecology. ISBN   1870393481 . Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  30. ↑ Rodwell, J.S. (1991–2000). British Plant Communities, vols. 1-5. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  31. ↑ "BRC - Database of Insects and their Food Plants". dbif.brc.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-25.
  32. ↑ "PlantAtlas". plantatlas2020.org. Retrieved 2024-03-25.
  33. ↑ Clarke, W.A. (1900). First Records of British Flowering Plants. London: West, Newman & Co.
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