Gagea spathacea

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Gagea spathacea
Gagea spathacea kz1.jpg
Gagea spathacea kz2.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Subfamily: Lilioideae
Tribe: Lilieae
Genus: Gagea
Species:
G. spathacea
Binomial name
Gagea spathacea
Synonyms [1]
Synonymy
  • Gagea belgica(Lej.) Dumort.
  • Gagea spathacea var. transcarpaticaDomin
  • Ornithogalum belgicumLej.
  • Ornithogalum heyniiRoth
  • Ornithogalum spathaceumHayne
  • Ornithoxanthum spathaceum(Hayne) Link
  • Stellaster spathaceus(Hayne) Kuntze
Close-up of the spathe-shaped leaf Gagea spathacea blatt.jpeg
Close-up of the spathe-shaped leaf

Gagea spathacea, the Belgian gagea, is a European species of small bulbous perennial plants in the lily family. [1] [2] It is distinguished from other members of its genus by its large leaves and the lack of any surface ornamentation of its flower stalks and its leaves.

Contents

Description

Gagea spathacea is a bulbous perennial plant, usually 15 to 20 cm, up to 25 cm high. The two bulbs are inequal, ovoid, 10 to 18 mm long, 6 to 10 mm wide, and they are wrapped in a coriaceus bright-brown common tunic. Up to 54 small lateral bulbils [3] are present outside the tunic. From the bulbs arise a stem and two basal leaves. [4]

The stem is erect, solitary, unbranched and glabrous. The basal leaves are usually longer than inflorescence or rarely equal. They are fistular, glabrous, 15 to 20, up to 28 cm long, 1 to 1.5 mm wide. One cauline leaf, oblong-lanceolate, is cucullate and glabrous. There are two glabrous bracts. The lower one is spathulate, 40 to 80 mm long, 4 to 6 mm wide, with 8 to 13 veins. It is slightly longer than the inflorescence or almost equal. The upper bract is linear-lanceolate, with 3 to 5 veins. It is 15 to 25 mm long, 1 to 2 mm wide, 3 to 17 mm above the lower bract. [4]

The inflorescence, flowered in April–May, is an umbel composed of 1-5 flowers. Pedicels are 30 to 45 mm long, glabrous. Bracteoles, located at the base of the pedicels or slightly above, are linear, glabrous and 2 to 15 mm long. The perianth of 6 free segments 10 to 13 mm long, is linear-lanceolate, obtuse, yellow inside and greenish-yellow outside. The 6 stamens are inserted at the base of the perianth. Anthers are basifixed. Fruits are loculicidal subglobose capsules. [4]

Similar species

In the vegetative state, Gagea spathacea is distinguished by its fistular leaves from Gagea lutea or Hyacinthoides non-scripta, both of them having flat leaves above and a projecting median vein below. [5]

Gagea minima differs from Gagea spathacea by its unique, basal non-fistular leaf, and by its spathe-shape. [4]

Taxonomy

Among the subdivision of the genus Gagea into at least 14 sectional units, the section Spathaceae Levichev comprises a sole species, G. spathacea. [6] The English vernacular name is the Belgian Gagea. [7]

Friedrich Gottlob Hayne first described this species in 1797, and named it Ornithogalum spathaceum. The plant that allowed this first description came from a hardwood, named "Hindschenfelder", located at one mile of Hamburg. [8] The lectotype is hosted at Swedish Museum of Natural History. [9]

In 1806, criticizing the fact that Linnaeus imposed himself as a law to base its genera only on fruits, Richard Anthony Salisbury peak the need to take account of inflorescences. This led him to create a new genus of plants formerly classified as Ornithogalum but having a superior ovary. He named it in honour of the botanist Sir Thomas Gage (1781–1820), a collector and disseminator of rare European plants. [10] The specific epithet spathacea is derived from the spathe-shape leaf.

Gagea spathacea has two homotypic synonyms: Ornithoxanthum spathaceum and Stellaster spathaceus. Heinrich Friedrich Link proposed in 1829 to establish a genus Ornithoxanthum, but it is illegitimate because he gives in synonymy some basionyms of species belonging to the genus Ornithogalum formerly defined. [11] The name Stellaster spathaceus proposed by Otto Kuntze in 1891 is also illegitimate meanwhile he quotes Gagea spathacea Salisbury. [12]

There are also heterotypic synonyms, including Ornithogalum belgicum, described by Alexandre Louis Simon Lejeune in 1824 and renamed in Gagea belgica by Barthélemy Charles Joseph Dumortier in 1829. Another, Ornithogalum heynii was described in 1798 by Albrecht Wilhelm Roth. Finally the variety Gagea spathacea var. transcarpatica described by Karel Domin in 1931 is no longer recognized and is considered as a synonym of Gagea spathacea. [13]

Biology

Gagea spathacea reproduces by vegetative propagation. The plant invests more resources into creating bulbils rather than increasing the size of the main bulb, and that reduces the possibility of flowering. [n 1] Even when the plant flowers, the inflorescence only attracted 6.1% of nitrogen, against 18.3% for the bulbils: [16] Moreover, only 16.3 ± 22.8% of the pollen grains are viable. [17] The number of pollen grains per anther seems to be smaller, grains are often malformed and stick together. [18] Many populations don't develop seeds. [19] [20] Although no publication attests to sexual reproduction, it can not be totally excluded, since some grains pollen are viable. Finally, parthenogenesis or outcrossing with other gageas are possible, especially as the hybridization is observed in the genus, [21] however, not with Gagea spathacea as parent. [22]

A study of the European populations shows the exclusivity of vegetative reproduction. 138 samples from 52 populations covering most of the species’ distribution range: Netherlands (2), Belgium (1), Sweden (4), Italy (2), Russia (2) and Germany (41). [23] 136 of 138 samples were assigned to a single clone, the two deviating plants originated from one German population and from the Caucasus. [24]

This might be explained by either the high ploidy level (nonaploidy  : 9x=108) [18] [n 2] and/or the assumed hybridogeneous origin of this taxon. Both of them may do severe problems during meiosis.

However, this vegetative propagation is not a barrier to biological dispersal, as monoclonal population shows. In Sweden, a study proved that Gagea spathacea could colonize new woods connected to former ones by isolated individuals, with subsequent population increase filling in between them. [26] A short dispersal of bulbils may be only explained by translocation of substrate through tree falls, through digging or wallowing activities of animals. For larger dispersal distances, a transport with water streams is possible. [24]

Disease

Gagea spathacea may be infected by the smut fungus Vankya ornithogali (J.C. Schmidt & Kunze) Ershad. [23]

Distribution and habitat

This perennial bulb plant is distributed across northern, central, and eastern Europe. [27] It is most common in northern Germany and adjacent regions (southern Scandinavia, Poland). Large proportions of the world populations of G. spathacea are located in Germany (and especially in the federal state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania). It is more rare in the western and southern parts of the continent. [28] It has been reported from Denmark, Sweden, France, most of Central Europe, the former Yugoslavia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia including the northern Caucasus. [1] [2]

Bibliography

Names

Description

Biology and ecology

Notes and references

Notes

  1. ↑ The flowering begin when the bulb reaches a certain ratio of nutrient reserves. [14] Moreover, Gagea spathacea produces bulbils when the bulb reaches 2.43 mm and flowers at 5.34 mm. [15]
  2. ↑ Not only are chromosomes numerous, but they also are very long, which complicates the prophase. [25]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bulb</span> Short plant stem with fleshy leaves or leaf bases for food storage and water

In botany, a bulb is structurally a short stem with fleshy leaves or leaf bases that function as food storage organs during dormancy.

<i>Fritillaria</i> Genus of flowering plants in family Liliaceae

Fritillaria (fritillaries) is a genus of spring flowering herbaceous bulbous perennial plants in the lily family (Liliaceae). The type species, Fritillaria meleagris, was first described in Europe in 1571, while other species from the Middle East and Asia were also introduced to Europe at that time. The genus has about 130–140 species divided among eight subgenera. The flowers are usually solitary, nodding and bell-shaped with bulbs that have fleshy scales, resembling those of lilies. They are known for their large genome size and genetically are very closely related to lilies. They are native to the temperate regions of the Northern hemisphere, from the Mediterranean and North Africa through Eurasia and southwest Asia to western North America. Many are endangered due to enthusiastic picking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liliaceae</span> Family of flowering plants in order Liliales, including lilies

The lily family, Liliaceae, consists of about 15 genera and 610 species of flowering plants within the order Liliales. They are monocotyledonous, perennial, herbaceous, often bulbous geophytes. Plants in this family have evolved with a fair amount of morphological diversity despite genetic similarity. Common characteristics include large flowers with parts arranged in threes: with six colored or patterned petaloid tepals arranged in two whorls, six stamens and a superior ovary. The leaves are linear in shape, with their veins usually arranged parallel to the edges, single and arranged alternating on the stem, or in a rosette at the base. Most species are grown from bulbs, although some have rhizomes. First described in 1789, the lily family became a paraphyletic "catch-all" (wastebasket) group of lilioid monocots that did not fit into other families and included a great number of genera now included in other families and in some cases in other orders. Consequently, many sources and descriptions labelled "Liliaceae" deal with the broader sense of the family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scilloideae</span> Subfamily of bulbous monocot plants

Scilloideae is a subfamily of bulbous plants within the family Asparagaceae. Scilloideae is sometimes treated as a separate family Hyacinthaceae, named after the genus Hyacinthus. Scilloideae or Hyacinthaceae include many familiar garden plants such as Hyacinthus (hyacinths), Hyacinthoides (bluebells), Muscari and Scilla and Puschkinia. Some are important as cut flowers.

<i>Ornithogalum</i> Genus of perennial bulbous plants in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae

Ornithogalum is a genus of perennial plants mostly native to southern Europe and southern Africa belonging to the family Asparagaceae. Some species are native to other areas such as the Caucasus. Growing from a bulb, species have linear basal leaves and a slender stalk, up to 30 cm tall, bearing clusters of typically white star-shaped flowers, often striped with green. The common name of the genus, star-of-Bethlehem, is based on its star-shaped flowers, after the Star of Bethlehem that appears in the biblical account of the birth of Jesus. The number of species has varied considerably, depending on authority, from 50 to 300.

<i>Gagea</i> Genus of flowering plants in the lily family Liliaceae

Gagea is a large genus of spring flowers in the lily family. It is found primarily in Eurasia with a few species extending into North Africa and one species in North America.

<i>Gagea lutea</i> Species of flowering plant in the lily family Liliaceae

Gagea lutea, known as the yellow star-of-Bethlehem, is a Eurasian flowering plant species in the family Liliaceae. It is widespread in central Europe with scattered populations in Great Britain, Spain, and Norway to Siberia and Japan.

<i>Galtonia</i> Genus of plants

Galtonia is a genus of plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. Native to Southern Africa, the genus is named after Sir Francis Galton. According to some authorities it has been subsumed into Ornithogalum as a subgenus, while others prefer to keep it as a separate genus.

<i>Gagea bohemica</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Liliaceae

Gagea bohemica, the early star-of-Bethlehem or Radnor lily, is a European and Mediterranean species of flowering plant in the lily family. It is sometimes referred to as the Welsh Star-of-Bethlehem.

<i>Ornithogalum umbellatum</i> Species of spring flowering bulb in family Asparagaceae

Ornithogalum umbellatum, the garden star-of-Bethlehem, grass lily, nap-at-noon, or eleven-o'clock lady, a species of the genus Ornithogalum, is a perennial bulbous flowering plant in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae). O. umbellatum is a relatively short plant, occurring in tufts of basal linear leaves, producing conspicuous white flowers, in a stellate pattern, in mid to late spring. The flowers open late in the day, but when closed have a green stripe on the outside. It is native throughout most of southern and central Europe, and north-western Africa. O. umbellatum is often grown as a garden ornamental, but in North America and other areas it has escaped cultivation and can be found in many areas, where it may become an invasive noxious weed. Parts of the plant are considered poisonous, but are used in some regional cuisines. Essences are also sold as patent remedies. O. umbellatum has been depicted in art by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, and folklore has suggested it originally grew from fragments of the star of Bethlehem, hence its horticultural name.

<i>Gagea minima</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Liliaceae

Gagea minima, known as the least gagea, is a Eurasian species of plants in the lily family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tulipeae</span> Tribe of flowering plants

The TulipeaeDuby is a tribe of monocotyledon perennial, herbaceous mainly bulbous flowering plants in the Liliaceae (lily) family. As originally conceived by Duby (1828), "Tulipaceae" was a tribe within Liliaceae, consisting of the genera Tulipa, Fritillaria and Lilium.

Gagea bulbifera is a Eurasian species of plants in the lily family, widespread from Romania to Xinjiang. It is native to Romania, Russia, South Caucasus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Turkey, Xinjiang, Western Himalayas.

Gagea olgae is an Asian species of plants in the lily family. It is native to Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Xinjiang.

Gagea kunawurensis is an Asian species of plants in the lily family. It is native to Central Asia, Xinjiang, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Western Himalayas, and South Caucasus.

Gagea tenera is an Asian species of flowering plants in the lily family. It is native to Xinjiang, Central Asia, the Western Himalayas, Iran, Turkey, and South Caucasus.

<i>Gagea chrysantha</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Liliaceae

Gagea chrysantha is a European species of plants in the lily family, found only in Sicily, Italy. Similar populations from the eastern Mediterranean have long been referred to G. chrysantha but recent evidence suggests that this group is actually a complex of several species rather than a single species.

Gagea dubia is a Mediterranean species of plants in the lily family. It is native to Morocco, Spain, France, Sardinia, Sicily, Greece including Crete, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Iran.

<i>Gagea lacaitae</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Liliaceae

Gagea lacaitae is a Mediterranean and Black Sea species of plants in the lily family. It is native to Spain incl. Balearic Islands, France incl. Corsica, Italy, Morocco, and Algeria.

<i>Ornithogalum broteroi</i> Species of spring flowering bulb in family Asparagaceae

Ornithogalum broteroi, a species of the genus Ornithogalum, is a perennial bulbous flowering plant in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae). It is classed in the Cathissa group of the genus. It bears white flowers and usually a single leaf. It is found in open woods and pastures in the western part of the Iberian Peninsula and also Morocco.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Gagea spathacea
  2. 1 2 Altervista Flora Italiana, Cipollaccio giallo involucrato, Gagea spathacea includes photos, drawing, European distribution map, etc.
  3. ↑ Schnittler, Martin; Pfeiffer, Tanja; Harter, David; Hamann, Anne (May 2009). "Bulbils contra seeds: reproductive investment in two species of Gagea (Liliaceae)". Plant Systematics and Evolution. 279 (1–4): 29–40. doi:10.1007/s00606-008-0143-7. ISSN   0378-2697.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Tomović, Gordana; Niketić, M. (2005). "Gagea spathacea (Hayne) Salisb. (Liliaceae) – A new species for the flora of Serbia" (PDF). Arch. Biol. Sci. 57 (4): 291–294. doi: 10.2298/abs0504291t . Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-09-27.
  5. ↑ Lambinon, Jacques; Delvosalle, Léon; Verloove, Filip (2004). Nouvelle flore de la Belgique, du Grand-Duché du Luxembourg, du nord de la France et des régions voisines[New flora of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the north of France and neighboring regions] (in French) (Fifth ed.). Éditions du Patrimoine du Jardin botanique national de Belgique. p. 969. ISBN   978-9072619587.
  6. ↑ Peruzzi, Lorenzo (2012). "Chromosome diversity and evolution in the genus Gagea (Liliaceae)" (PDF). Bocconea. 24: 147–158. ISSN   1120-4060.
  7. ↑ GreenPlantSwap 2013
  8. ↑ Hayne, Friedrich Gottlob (1797). Paul Usteri (ed.). "Ornithogalum spathaceum". Annalen der Botanik. (in Latin). 21: 11–14.
  9. ↑ Cuccuini, P.; Luccioli, E. (1995). "Tipificazione di Ornithogalum spathaceum Hayne (Liliaceae) e presenza di Gagea spathacea (Hayne) Salisb. nella flora italiana". Webbia (in Italian). 49 (2): 253–264. doi:10.1080/00837792.1995.10670586.
  10. ↑ Salisbury, Richard Anthony (1806). "On the Characters of a distinct Genus Hitherio confounded withOrnithogalum, and called Gagea". Annals of Botany. 2: 553–557.
  11. ↑ Kuntze, Otto (1891). Revisio generum plantarum (in German). Vol. 2. Leipzig: Arthur Felix.
  12. ↑ "Gagea spathacea (Hayne) Salisb". eMonocot. 8 February 2012.
  13. ↑ Pfeiffer et al. 2012, p. 377
  14. ↑ Schnittler et al. 2009, p. 33
  15. ↑ Schnittler et al. 2009 , p. 34
  16. ↑ Schnittler et al. 2009 , p. 35
  17. 1 2 Schnittler et al. 2009 , p. 38
  18. ↑ Schnittler et al. 2009 , p. 36
  19. ↑ Pfeiffer et al. 2011 , p. 190
  20. ↑ Pfeiffer et al. 2011 , p. 198
  21. ↑ Pfeiffer et al. 2011 , p. 199
  22. 1 2 Pfeiffer et al. 2012 , p. 373
  23. 1 2 Pfeiffer et al. 2012 , p. 376
  24. ↑ Westergård 1936, p. 441
  25. ↑ Brunet & Von Oheimb 2009
  26. ↑ Toussaint 2011
  27. ↑ Pfeiffer et al. 2011 , p. 191
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