Geum vernum

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Geum vernum
Geum vernum NRCS-1.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Geum
Species:
G. vernum
Binomial name
Geum vernum
(Raf.) Torr. & A.Gray, 1840
Synonyms

Stylypus vernus Raf., 1825

Geum vernum, also known as spring avens, is a herbaceous perennial plant native to the northeastern part of the United States that grows in floodplains and rich woods in the late spring. [1] [2] [3] The species was used to study the fruit evolution in allopolyploid species of Geum and in the preparation of an antimicrobial substance in 1948. [4] [5]

Contents

Description

Geum vernum flowers in late spring, from May to June. [6] The species has a yellow flower and green foliage, a height of 1.6 feet at maturity and grows a single crown. It is a perennial plant with a two year life cycle. [2] It is from the Rosaceae family, meaning the G. vernum's simple rotate flower has five single petals, a sepal and stamens. [7] G. vernum grow in floodplains, along with Floerkea proserpinacoides, Glechoma hederacea, Laportea canadensis, Leersia virginica, Lilium canadense, Poa alsodes, and Viburnum acerifolium. [3] The species has been used in several studies to investigate the fruit evolution in allopolyploid species of Geum; it has also been tested for antimicrobial properties. [4] [5] The species was found to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus in the cream filling meant for various pastries in the mid 1940's. [5]

Taxonomy

Joseph Torrey, the former President of the University of Vermont, identified what is now known as G. vernum as Geum album in the mid 1960's. The plant was then labeled as Geum canadense until it was eventually reclassified based on the small mark of its calyx and the elongated stripe on its receptacle. [8]

Plant development

In the earlier stages of the Geum plant's fruit development, the ovary's joint is positioned in the same way in all lineages of Geum. G. vernum is in the hexaploid clade along with G. rivale, G. urbanum, G. montanum, G. triflorum, and G. reptans. The Geum plants in this clade develop a hook away from the base of the style causing a "fish hook" fruit, but although all Geum species in the clade develop this fruit, phylogenetic analysis of molecular data has concluded that G. vernum does not form it in the same way, even though the fruit appears similar to that of the other species at maturity. G. vernum's fruit development begins with a gynoecial primordia developing from the floral apex that then differentiates into the hypanthium and a gynophore that carries the gynocium. A furrow portion on the carpal then extends into what will be the style, while the carpal develops a tubular shape that connects to the ovary. The style and ovary develop hair and the style then curves into a hook shape, which matures when the style is less than one millimeter in length. [4] G. vernum develops this "fish hook" fruit from late June to the middle of August. [6] [2]

Related Research Articles

Fruit Seed-bearing part of a flowering plant

In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering.

Flowering plant Clade of seed plants that produce flowers

Flowering plants include multiple members of the clade Angiospermae, commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words angeion and sperma ('seed'), and refers to those plants that produce their seeds enclosed within a fruit. They are the most diverse group of land plants with 64 orders, 416 families, approximately 13,000 known genera and 300,000 known species. Angiosperms were formerly called Magnoliophyta.

Rosaceae Rose family of flowering plants

Rosaceae, the rose family, is a medium-sized family of flowering plants, including 4,828 known species in 91 genera.

Pome Fruit with apple-like features

In botany, a pome is a type of fruit produced by flowering plants in the subtribe Malinae of the family Rosaceae. Well-known pomes include the apple, pear, and quince.

<i>Geum</i> Genus of plants

Geum, commonly called avens, is a genus of about 50 species of rhizomatous perennial herbaceous plants in the rose family and its subfamily Rosoideae, widespread across Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa, and New Zealand. They are closely related to Potentilla and Fragaria. From a basal rosette of leaves, they produce flowers on wiry stalks, in shades of white, red, yellow, and orange, in midsummer. Geum species are evergreen except where winter temperatures drop below 0 °F (−18 °C). The cultivars 'Lady Stratheden', and 'Mrs J. Bradshaw' have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

<i>Dryas</i> (plant) Genus of flowering plants

Dryas is a genus of perennial cushion-forming evergreen dwarf shrubs in the family Rosaceae, native to the arctic and alpine regions of Europe, Asia and North America. The genus is named after the dryads, the tree nymphs of ancient Greek mythology. The classification of Dryas within the Rosaceae has been unclear. The genus was formerly placed in the subfamily Rosoideae, but is now placed in subfamily Dryadoideae.

Prodoxidae Family of moths

The Prodoxidae are a family of moths, generally small in size and nondescript in appearance. They include species of moderate pest status, such as the currant shoot borer, and others of considerable ecological and evolutionary interest, such as various species of "yucca moths".

<i>Geum urbanum</i> Species of flowering plant

Geum urbanum, also known as wood avens, herb Bennet, colewort and St. Benedict's herb, is a perennial plant in the rose family (Rosaceae), which grows in shady places in Europe and the Middle East. It has been introduced in North America, where it forms natural hybrids with Geum canadense.

Ovary (botany) Flowering plant reproductive part

In the flowering plants, an ovary is a part of the female reproductive organ of the flower or gynoecium. Specifically, it is the part of the pistil which holds the ovule(s) and is located above or below or at the point of connection with the base of the petals and sepals. The pistil may be made up of one carpel or of several fused carpels, and therefore the ovary can contain part of one carpel or parts of several fused carpels. Above the ovary is the style and the stigma, which is where the pollen lands and germinates to grow down through the style to the ovary, and, for each individual pollen grain, to fertilize one individual ovule. Some wind pollinated flowers have much reduced and modified ovaries.

<i>Geum rivale</i> Species of flowering plant

Geum rivale, the water avens, is a flowering plant of the family Rosaceae. Other names for the plant are nodding avens, drooping avens, cure-all, water flower and Indian chocolate. It is native to much of Europe, with the exception of Mediterranean areas, as well as some parts of Central Asia and North America. In North America, it is known as purple avens. It grows in bogs and damp meadows, and produces nodding red flowers from May to September.

Bur Seed or dry fruit or infructescence that has hooks or teeth

A bur is a seed or dry fruit or infructescence that has hooks or teeth. The main function of the bur is to spread the seeds of the bur plant, often through epizoochory. The hooks of the bur is used to catch on to for example fur or fabric, so that the bur, which contain seeds, then can be transported along with the thing it attached itself to. Another use for the spines and hooks are physical protection against herbivores. Their ability to stick to animals and fabrics has shaped their reputation as bothersome.

<i>Rhododendron</i> sect. <i>Rhodora</i>

Rhodora was a section of subgenus Pentanthera in the genus Rhododendron, that has since been discontinued. It comprised two species, both deciduous shrubs native to eastern North America:

<i>Geum quellyon</i> Species of flowering plant

Geum quellyon, commonly called scarlet avens, Chilean avens, Double Bloody Mary, or Grecian rose, is a perennial herb in the family Rosaceae. It is native to the central and southern regions of Chile. G. quellyon has been introduced to other countries including Belgium, Bolivia, and the United Kingdom, where it was first planted in 1826.

<i>Geum canadense</i> Species of flowering plant

Geum canadense, the white avens, is a plant in the rose family, Rosaceae. It is widespread across much of Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

<i>Amelanchier laevis</i> Species of tree

Amelanchier laevis, the smooth shadbush, smooth serviceberry or Allegheny serviceberry, is a North American species of tree in the rose family Rosaceae, growing up to 9 metres (30 ft) tall. It is native to eastern Canada and the eastern United States, from Newfoundland west to Ontario, Minnesota, and Iowa, south as far as Georgia and Alabama.

Fruit anatomy Internal makeup of fruits

Fruit anatomy is the plant anatomy of the internal structure of fruit. Fruits are the mature ovary or ovaries of one or more flowers. They are found in three main anatomical categories: aggregate fruits, multiple fruits, and simple fruits. Aggregate fruits are formed from a single compound flower and contain many ovaries or fruitlets. Examples include raspberries and blackberries. Multiple fruits are formed from the fused ovaries of multiple flowers or inflorescence. Examples include fig, mulberry, and pineapple.

Eupatorium leucolepis, commonly called justiceweed or white-bracted thoroughwort, is a herbaceous perennial plant in Asteraceae native from the eastern coastal United States, from New York to eastern Texas, with scattered populations inland as far as Kentucky and West Virginia.

<i>Geum coccineum</i> Species of flowering plant

Geum coccineum, common name dwarf orange avens or red avens, is a plant in the rose family, Rosaceae.

<i>Geum <span style="font-style:normal;">×</span> catlingii</i> Species of flowering plant

Geum × catlingii, or Catling's avens, is a plant in the rose family, Rosaceae. It is known from eastern Canada, where it arises from natural hybridization between the native G. canadenseJacq. and the introduced G. urbanumL. It is named after Paul M. Catling, the botanist who first observed the hybrid.

References

  1. Frost, Karro A.; Searcy, Karen B. (January 2009). "Geum vernum, Spring Avens (Rosaceae): A New, Potentially Weedy Species in Berkshire County, Massachusetts". Rhodora. 111 (945): 120–122. doi:10.3119/08-26.1. ISSN   0035-4902. S2CID   83753898.
  2. 1 2 3 "Geum vernum (Raf.) Torr. & A. GrayShow All spring avens". United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.
  3. 1 2 Holmes, Kathryn L.; Semko-Duncan, Marie; Goebel, P. Charles (2004). "Temporal Changes in Spring Ground-flora Communities Across Riparian Areas in a North-Central Ohio Old-Growth Forest". In: Yaussy, Daniel A.; Hix, David M.; Long, Robert P.; Goebel, P. Charles, Eds. Proceedings, 14th Central Hardwood Forest Conference; 2004 March 16–19; Wooster, OH. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-316. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station: 335-343.
  4. 1 2 3 Smedmark, Jenny E. E.; Eriksson, Torsten (2006). "Early Stages of Development Shed Light on Fruit Evolution in Allopolyploid Species of Geum (Rosaceae)". International Journal of Plant Sciences. 167 (4): 791–803. doi:10.1086/503819. ISSN   1058-5893. JSTOR   10.1086/503819. S2CID   64352938.
  5. 1 2 3 US 2550265,Jensen, Lloyd B.&Miller, William A.,"Preservation of food products",published 1951-04-24,issued 1948-12-27, assigned to Swift & Co.
  6. 1 2 Weldy (May 2004). "New York Natural Heritage Program Rare Plant Status List" (PDF). New York Natural Heritage Program: 105 via Google Scholar.
  7. Nakano, Michelle (2020-02-13), "Plant Family Characteristics", Red Seal Landscape Horticulturist Identify Plants and Plant Requirements (F2 - 1&2), Kwantlen Polytechnic University, retrieved 2020-12-14
  8. Seymour, Frank C. (1967). "Notes from the Pringle Herbarium, Ii". Rhodora. 69 (779): 377–380. ISSN   0035-4902. JSTOR   23311654.