Silene acaulis

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Silene acaulis
Silene acaulis - Fjellsmelle.jpg
Silene acaulis in Svalbard, Norway
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Genus: Silene
Species:
S. acaulis
Binomial name
Silene acaulis

Silene acaulis, known as moss campion [2] or cushion pink, is a small mountain-dwelling wildflower that is common all over the high arctic and tundra and in high mountains of Eurasia and North America (Alps, Carpathians, southern Siberia, Pyrenees, British Isles, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Rocky Mountains). It is an evergreen perennial flowering plant in the carnation family Caryophyllaceae.

Contents

It is also called the compass plant, since the flowers appear first on the south side of the cushion. [3] (Various other plants also have this name.)

Description

Moss campion is a low, ground-hugging plant. It may seem densely matted and moss-like. [4] The dense cushions are up to a foot or more in diameter. The plants are usually about .6 metres (2 feet) tall but may be as high as 1.8 m (6 ft). The bright green leaves are narrow, arising from the base of the plant. The dead leaves from the previous season persist for years, and pink flowers are borne singly on short stalks that may be up to 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) long, but are usually much shorter. It usually has pink flowers, though very rarely they may be white. [4] The flowers are solitary and star-shaped. They are between 6–12 millimetres (1⁄4–1⁄2 in) wide, with hermaphrodite flowers being larger than the female ones. [5] Female flowers produce better quality seeds than hermaphrodites [6] and male flowers produce better quality pollen than hermaphrodites. [7] The cushions can change the gender of their flowers between years. [8] Gender frequencies change with altitude, the frequency of female flowers increasing with higher elevation. [5] They usually appear in June through August. [9] The flowers are held by a calyx which is rather firm and thick. [10] The flowers are female, male or hermaphrodites. [11]

The sepals are joined together into a tube that conceals the bases of the petals, which are entire. The 10 stamens and 3 styles extend well beyond the throat of the flower. [12] This genus, circumpolar in its distribution, is closely related to carnations. [9] The stems and leaves are very sticky and viscid, which may discourage ants and beetles from climbing on the plant. [10] The variety exscapa has shorter flowering stems. The other variety subacaulescens, from Wyoming and Colorado, has pale pink flowers all summer. [9]

Plants in Colorado have been estimated to reach 75 to 100 years in age, and Alaskan plants may reach 300 years. The oldest known Moss campion is 350 years old and has a diameter of two feet. [13]

Distribution and habitat

USDA North American distribution of Silene acaulis (L.) Jacq. DistributionUSDA.png
USDA North American distribution of Silene acaulis (L.) Jacq.

Common all over the high arctic and the higher mountains of Eurasia and North America, (south to the Alps, Carpathians, southern Siberia, Pyrenees, British Isles, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Rocky Mountains, ). In the United States it inhabits Colorado, the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming, the Wallowa Mountains of Oregon, the Olympics, the northern Cascades of Washington and Alaska. [9]

Range:

Alpine fellfield, on windswept rocky ridges and summits above treeline. It grows mainly in dry, gravelly localities, but also in damper places. With the cushions it produces its own, warmer climate with higher temperatures inside, when the sun shines. [13]

Ecology

In Maine it is possibly extirpated, [14] and in New Hampshire Silene acaulis var. exscapa is threatened. [14]

Experimental warming has been shown to start flowering substantially earlier than control cushions experiencing ambient temperature. Both the male and female phases developed faster in the OTCs and capsules (fruits) matured earlier, and the cushions produced more mature seeds and had a higher seed/ovule ratio contributing to an overall positive reproductive response. [15] However, a study on four populations across a latitudinal gradient in North America showed that southern populations of moss campion had lower survival and recruitment, but higher individual growth rates than more northern populations. Furthermore, vital rates such as growth, survival, and fruits per area were shown to increase in moderately warmer years yet declined in the very warmest years, suggesting that a change in climate into warmer conditions or more frequent unusually warm summers may eventually lead to negative impacts. [16] Another study showed that while the short term responses were positive, they turned negative on medium-term, suggestion that moss campion may be at risk in future global warming. [17] Projections produced under different climate scenarios suggest that S. acaulis will likely face climate-driven fast decline in suitable areas on the British Isles and across North America, and that upward and northward shifts to occupy new climatically suitable areas are improbable in the future. [18] [19]

Cultivation

The seeds should be sown early in the spring time. Put the seedlings into separate pots, and it is recommended to let them winter in the greenhouse for their first winter season. To clean them rub the capsules through a screen. It is advised to plant them in the late spring or early summer because division takes place in the spring. They should be grown in well-drained soil with full sun. The climate can be cool. [20]

Toxicity

There is no listing that moss campion is toxic, though it does have saponins which, though toxic, are hard to absorb in the body. They can be broken down by thorough cooking. Its advised to not consume large amounts of this plant.

Uses

The plant used to be used for children with colic. [20] The raw root skin plants were consumed as a vegetable in Iceland and in Arctic regions. [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

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

Silene is a genus of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae. Containing nearly 900 species, it is the largest genus in the family. Common names include campion and catchfly. Many Silene species are widely distributed, particularly in the northern hemisphere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpine tundra</span> Biome found at high altitudes

Alpine tundra is a type of natural region or biome that does not contain trees because it is at high elevation, with an associated harsh climate. As the latitude of a location approaches the poles, the threshold elevation for alpine tundra gets lower until it reaches sea level, and alpine tundra merges with polar tundra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caryophyllaceae</span> Family of flowering plants

Caryophyllaceae, commonly called the pink family or carnation family, is a family of flowering plants. It is included in the dicotyledon order Caryophyllales in the APG III system, alongside 33 other families, including Amaranthaceae, Cactaceae, and Polygonaceae. It is a large family, with 81 genera and about 2,625 known species.

Campion may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Subshrub</span> Short woody plant

The term subshrub or undershrub refers to either a small shrub or a perennial that is largely herbaceous but slightly woody at the base. "Subshrub" is often used interchangeably with "bush".

<i>Oxyria digyna</i> Species of flowering plant

Oxyria digyna is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae). It is native to arctic regions and mountainous parts of the Northern Hemisphere.

There are over 190 vascular plant species on the Norwegian Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. This figure does not include algae, mosses, and lichens, which are non-vascular plants. For an island so far north, this number of species constitutes an astonishing variety of plant life. Because of the harsh climate and the short growing season, all the plants are slow growing. They seldom grow higher than 10 cm (4 in)

<i>Silene dioica</i> Species of flowering plant in the carnation family Caryophyllaceae

Silene dioica, known as red campion and red catchfly, is a herbaceous flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae, native to Europe and introduced to the Americas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arctic–alpine</span>

An Arctic–alpine taxon is one whose natural distribution includes the Arctic and more southerly mountain ranges, particularly the Alps. The presence of identical or similar taxa in both the tundra of the far north, and high mountain ranges much further south is testament to the similar environmental conditions found in the two locations. Arctic–alpine plants, for instance, must be adapted to the low temperatures, extremes of temperature, strong winds and short growing season; they are therefore typically low-growing and often form mats or cushions to reduce water loss through evapotranspiration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cushion plant</span> Plant life-form

A cushion plant is a compact, low-growing, mat-forming plant that is found in alpine, subalpine, arctic, or subarctic environments around the world. The term "cushion" is usually applied to woody plants that grow as spreading mats, are limited in height above the ground, have relatively large and deep tap roots, and have life histories adapted to slow growth in a nutrient-poor environment with delayed reproductivity and reproductive cycle adaptations. The plant form is an example of parallel or convergent evolution with species from many different plant families on different continents converging on the same evolutionary adaptations to endure the harsh environmental conditions.

<i>Donatia novae-zelandiae</i> Species of flowering plant

Donatia novae-zelandiae is a species of mat-forming cushion plant, found only in New Zealand and Tasmania. Common names can include New Zealand Cushion or Snow Cushion, however Snow Cushion also refers to Iberis sempervirens. Donatia novae-zelandiae forms dense spirals of thick, leathery leaves, creating a hardy plant that typically exists in alpine and subalpine bioclimatic zones.

<i>Silene scouleri</i> Species of flowering plant

Silene scouleri is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names simple campion and Scouler's catchfly.

<i>Silene verecunda</i> Species of flowering plant

Silene verecunda is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common name San Francisco campion.

<i>Astragalus molybdenus</i> Species of legume

Astragalus molybdenus is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common names Leadville milkvetch and molybdenum milkvetch. It is endemic to Colorado in the United States. If the separate species Astragalus shultziorum and Astragalus lackschewitzii are included in A. molybdenum the range expands into Wyoming and Montana.

Draba graminea is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common names Rocky Mountain draba and San Juan Whitlow-grass. It is endemic to the state of Colorado in the United States, where it is limited to the San Juan Mountains.

<i>Koenigia islandica</i> Species of flowering plant

Koenigia islandica is a species of annual flowering plant in the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae and is the type species of the genus Koenigia. It is a very small plant and is found growing on wet gravel and scree in arctic tundra and alpine meadows.

<i>Silene acutifolia</i> Species of plant native to Spain and Portugal

Silene acutifolia is a species of herb native to northwest Spain as well as central and northern Portugal. The species is polycarpic and usually grows in rocky environments.

<i>Ranunculus adoneus</i> Species of flowering plant

Ranunculus adoneus, the alpine buttercup or snow buttercup, is a species of flowering plant. It is an alpine buttercup from the family Ranunculaceae. This species is mainly found in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and Wyoming but can also be found in Idaho, northern Utah and eastern Nevada. Its typical habitat is short grass meadows near the edge of melting snow.

References

  1. ↑ NatureServe (2024). "Silene acaulis". Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  2. ↑ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  3. ↑ "The terrestrial vegetation in Svalbard".
  4. 1 2 Weber, William A. (1987). Colorado Flora. Western Slope. Boulder, CO: Colorado Associated University Press. ISBN   9780870811678.
  5. 1 2 Alatalo, Juha M.; Molau, Ulf (July 1995). "Effect of altitude on the sex ratio in populations of Silene acaulis (Caryophyllaceae)". Nordic Journal of Botany. 15 (3): 251–256. doi:10.1111/j.1756-1051.1995.tb00150.x.
  6. ↑ Shykoff, Jacqui A. (1988). "Maintenance of gynodioecy in Silene acaulis (Caryophyllaceae): Stage specific fecundity and viability selection". American Journal of Botany. 75 (6): 844–850. doi:10.2307/2444003. JSTOR   2444003.
  7. ↑ Alatalo, Juha M.; Molau, Ulf (August 2001). "Pollen viability and limitation of seed production in a population of the circumpolar cushion plant, Silene acaulis (Caryophyllaceae)". Nordic Journal of Botany. 21 (4): 365–372. doi:10.1111/j.1756-1051.2001.tb00780.x.
  8. ↑ Alatalo, Juha M. (June 1997). "Gender lability in trioecious Silene acaulis (Caryophyllaceae)". Nordic Journal of Botany. 17 (2): 181–183. doi:10.1111/j.1756-1051.1997.tb00307.x.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Nicholls, Graham, and Rick Lupp. Alpine Plants of North America: an Encyclopedia of Mountain Flowers from the Rockies to Alaska. Portland: Timber, 2002.
  10. 1 2 Zwinger, Ann, and Beatrice E. Willard. Land above the Trees: a Guide to American Alpine Tundra. Boulder, CO: Johnson, 1996.
  11. ↑ Morris W, Doak D (June 1998). "Life history of the long-lived gynodioecious cushion plant Silene acaulis (Caryophyllaceae), inferred from size-based population projection matrices". American Journal of Botany. 85 (6): 784–793. doi: 10.2307/2446413 . JSTOR   2446413. PMID   21684962.
  12. ↑ Phillips, W (1999). Central Rocky Mountain Wildflowers: A Field Guide to Common Wildflowers, Shrubs, and Trees. Falcon Publishing, Inc.
  13. 1 2 Benedict, Audrey D. The Naturalist's Guide to the Southern Rockies: Colorado, Southern Wyoming, and Northern New Mexico. Golden, CO: Fulcrum Pub., 2008.
  14. 1 2 "Silene acaulis (L.) Jacq. – moss campion". PLANTS Profile. USDA. Archived from the original on 2006-05-11.
  15. ↑ Alatalo, J.M.; Totland, Ø. (December 1997). "Response to simulated climatic change in an alpine and subarctic pollen‐risk strategist, Silene acaulis". Global Change Biology. 3 (S1): 74–79. Bibcode:1997GCBio...3S..74A. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2486.1997.gcb133.x. S2CID   85793935.
  16. ↑ Doak, Daniel F.; Morris, William F. (October 2010). "Demographic compensation and tipping points in climate-induced range shifts". Nature. 467 (7318): 959–962. Bibcode:2010Natur.467..959D. doi:10.1038/nature09439. PMID   20962844. S2CID   4309240.
  17. ↑ Alatalo, Juha M.; Little, Chelsea J. (March 2014). "Simulated global change: contrasting short and medium term growth and reproductive responses of a common alpine/Arctic cushion plant to experimental warming and nutrient enhancement". SpringerPlus. 3 (1): 157. doi: 10.1186/2193-1801-3-157 . PMC   4000594 . PMID   24790813.
  18. ↑ Ferrarini, Alessandro; Alsafran, Mohammed H. S. A.; Dai, Junhu; Alatalo, Juha M. (2019). "Improving niche projections of plant species under climate change: Silene acaulis on the British Isles as a case study". Climate Dynamics. 52 (3–4): 1413–1423. Bibcode:2019ClDy...52.1413F. doi:10.1007/s00382-018-4200-9. ISSN   0930-7575. S2CID   133659980.
  19. ↑ Ferrarini, Alessandro; Dai, Junhu; Bai, Yang; Alatalo, Juha M. (2019). "Redefining the climate niche of plant species: A novel approach for realistic predictions of species distribution under climate change". Science of the Total Environment. 671: 1086–1093. Bibcode:2019ScTEn.671.1086F. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.353. ISSN   0048-9697. S2CID   109744378.
  20. 1 2 3 "Silene acaulis Moss Campion PFAF Plant Database".
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