Pulmonaria

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Pulmonaria
Pulmonaria officinalis 800.jpg
Pulmonaria officinalis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Boraginales
Family: Boraginaceae
Subfamily: Boraginoideae
Genus: Pulmonaria
L., 1753
Type species
Pulmonaria officinalis
L., 1753
Species

Pulmonaria (lungwort) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae, native to Europe and western Asia, with one species (P. mollissima) east to central Asia. According to various estimates there may be between 10 and 18 species found in the wild.

Contents

Description

Arrangement of flowers Lungwort-oliv.jpg
Arrangement of flowers
Detail of P. officinalis flowers Lungwort.jpg
Detail of P. officinalis flowers

Lungworts are evergreen or herbaceous [1] perennials that form clumps or rosettes. They are covered in hairs of varied length and stiffness, and sometimes also bear glands. The underground parts consist of a slowly creeping rhizome with adventitious roots. Flowering stems are unbranched, rough, covered with bristly hairs, usually not exceeding 30 cm (12 in), with a few exceptions ( P. mollis , P. vallarsae ). The stems are usually upright, or slightly spreading. The plants reach 15–25 cm (6–10 in) in height, spreading up to 60 cm (2.0 ft) wide. [2]

The leaves are arranged in rosettes. The blades are usually large, from narrowly lanceolate to oval, with the base ranging from heart shaped to very gradually narrowing, and can have a sharply pointed or blunt tip. The leaf margin is always entire, but in some species and forms can be rather wavy. Basal leaves are carried on stalks that can be short or longer than the leaf blade in various species. Stem leaves are smaller and often narrower, and are unstalked or clasping the stem. All leaves are covered with hairs that are usually bristly, or occasionally soft. The leaves are often prominently spotted in black and blue, or sometimes in pale green, or unspotted. The spots are due to the presence of foliage air pockets. These pockets, which cool the lower leaf surface, mask the presence of chlorophyll. [2]

The inflorescence is a terminal scorpioid cyme as a cymose corymb, with bracts, on short pedicels (stalks), reaching just above the foliage. [2] The flowers are heterostylous, with two distinct forms of flower within each species; those with short stamens and long styles ("pin" flowers) and those with long stamens and short styles ("thrum" flowers), with the former usually being larger and more showy. The calyx is hairy, 5-lobed, tubular or funnel-shaped, enlarging as the fruit ripens. The corolla is funnel-shaped and consists of a long, cylindrical tube and a limb with five shallow lobes. Within the corolla throat, five tufts of hairs alternate with the stamens to form a ring. The colour of the corolla varies from purple, violet or blue to shades of pink and red, or sometimes white. The colour of the flower in bud is often pink to violet when they first emerge, which then changes to blue as the flower matures. [2] The stamens and style are included within the corolla and not protruding.

The nutlets are smooth, egg-shaped, brownish, up to 4.5 mm (0.2 in) long and 3 mm (0.1 in) wide, each containing a single seed. Up to four nutlets per flower are produced, ripening mostly in summer.

Taxonomy

Pulmonaria is a genus in the Boraginoideae subfamily of Boraginaceae, consisting of approximately 18 species, although species delineation (speciation) has proved problematic. [3] Within the Boraginoideae, Pulmonaria is placed in the tribe Boragineae, where it is closely related to Borago . [4]

Etymology

The scientific name Pulmonaria is derived from Latin pulmo (lung). [5] In the times of sympathetic magic, the spotted oval leaves of P. officinalis were thought to symbolize diseased, ulcerated lungs, and so were used to treat pulmonary infections. The common name in many languages also refers to lungs, as in English "lungwort", German Lungenkraut, French herbe aux poumons, Serbian plućnjak... In some East European languages, the common name is derived from a word for honey, e.g. Russian medunitza, Polish miodunka, Serbian meduniče, Bulgarian "медуница".

Distribution and habitat

The species of the genus are distributed across Eurasia. [3]

Ecology

Pulmonaria is an early spring flowering deciduous perennial, retaining its leaves till late winter, just before the new growth emerges. [2]

Pests and diseases

Pulmonaria species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species. These include the case-bearer Coleophora pulmonariella , which feeds exclusively on P. saccharata, and the moth Ethmia pusiella , which has been recorded on P. officinalis.

Cultivation

Pulmonaria on stamp of USSR The Soviet Union 1988 CPA 5967 stamp (Deciduous forest flowers. Unspotted lungwort).jpg
Pulmonaria on stamp of USSR

Of the known species of Pulmonaria, only about eight are known in cultivation. [2] Pulmonaria are used as ornamental garden plants, particularly P. saccharata , P. angustifolia [1] and P. longifolia . Others include P. affinis. [2] They are especially valued as groundcover in damp shaded areas, producing their blue and/or pink flowers in late winter and early spring, accompanied by dense clusters of heart-shaped leaves that are often strikingly mottled and marbled, throughout summer.

The following cultivars, of mixed or uncertain parentage, have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:- [6]

Related Research Articles

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

Boraginaceae, the borage or forget-me-notfamily, includes about 2,000 species of shrubs, trees, and herbs in 146 to 156 genera with a worldwide distribution.

<i>Echium vulgare</i> Species of flowering plant

Echium vulgare, known as viper's bugloss and blueweed, is a species of flowering plant in the borage family Boraginaceae. It is native to most of Europe and western and central Asia and it occurs as an introduced species in north-eastern North America, south-western South America and the South and North Island of New Zealand. The plant root was used in ancient times as a treatment for snake or viper bites. If eaten, the plant is toxic to horses and cattle through the accumulation of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in the liver.

<i>Borago</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae

Borago, or borage, is a genus of five species of herbs native to the Mediterranean, with one species, Borago officinalis, cultivated and naturalized throughout the world.

<i>Salvia spathacea</i> Species of flowering plant

Salvia spathacea, the California hummingbird sage or pitcher sage, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to southern and central California growing from sea level to 610 m (2,001 ft). This fruity scented sage blooms in March to May with typically dark rose-lilac colored flowers. It is cultivated in gardens for its attractive flowering spikes and pleasant scent.

<i>Pulmonaria longifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Pulmonaria longifolia, the narrow-leaved lungwort, is a semi-evergreen clump-forming herbaceous perennial plant, native to western Europe, including Britain, France, Spain, Portugal. It grows in semi-shaded habitats, such as woodland and scrub, to 2000 m above sea level.

<i>Mertensia virginica</i> Species of flowering plant

Mertensia virginica is a spring ephemeral plant in the Boraginaceae (borage) family with bell-shaped sky-blue flowers, native to eastern North America.

<i>Pulmonaria officinalis</i> Species of flowering plant

Pulmonaria officinalis, common names lungwort, common lungwort, Mary's tears or Our Lady's milk drops, is a herbaceous rhizomatous evergreen perennial plant of the genus Pulmonaria, belonging to the family Boraginaceae.

<i>Myosotis sylvatica</i> Species of flowering plant in the borage family Boraginaceae

Myosotis sylvatica, the wood forget-me-not or woodland forget-me-not, is a species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae, native to Europe. This spring-flowering plant and its cultivars, typically with blue flowers, are the familiar forget-me-nots of gardens.

<i>Pentaglottis</i> Species of flowering plant in the borage family Boraginaceae

Pentaglottis is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae. It is represented by a single species, Pentaglottis sempervirens, commonly known as green alkanet or evergreen bugloss, and it is one of several related plants known as alkanet. It is a bristly, perennial plant native to southwestern Europe, in northwest Iberia and France.

<i>Phacelia campanularia</i> Species of plant

Phacelia campanularia is a species of flowering plant in the borage family, Boraginaceae, known by the common names desertbells, desert bluebells, California-bluebell, desert scorpionweed, and desert Canterbury bells. Its true native range is within the borders of California, in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts, but it is commonly cultivated as an ornamental plant and it can be found growing elsewhere as an introduced species.

<i>Lobelia erinus</i> Species of flowering plant

Lobelia erinus is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family Campanulaceae, native to southern Africa.

<i>Symphytum officinale</i> Species of flowering plant in the borage family Boraginaceae

Symphytum officinale is a perennial flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae. Along with thirty four other species of Symphytum, it is known as comfrey. To differentiate it from other members of the genus Symphytum, this species is known as common comfrey or true comfrey. Other English names include boneset, knitbone, consound, and slippery-root. It is native to Europe, growing in damp, grassy places. It is locally frequent throughout Ireland and Britain on river banks and ditches. It occurs elsewhere, including North America, as an introduced species and sometimes a weed. The flowers are mostly visited by bumblebees. Internal or long-term topical use of comfrey is discouraged due to its strong potential to cause liver toxicity.

Plagiobothrys austiniae is a species of flowering plant in the borage family known by the common name Austin's popcornflower. It is native to California, where it can be found in the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada foothills. It is also known from southern Oregon.

<i>Mertensia paniculata</i> Species of shrub

Mertensia paniculata, also known as the tall lungwort, tall bluebells, or northern bluebells, is an herb or dwarf shrub with drooping, bright-blue, bell-shaped flowers. It is native to northwestern North America and the Great Lakes.

<i>Andersonglossum virginianum</i> Species of flowering plant

Andersonglossum virginianum, known as southern wild comfrey, is a flowering plant in the borage family native to North America. It is also sometimes called blue houndstongue.

<i>Pulmonaria saccharata</i> Species of flowering plant

Pulmonaria saccharata, the Bethlehem lungwort or Bethlehem sage, is a species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae, native to France and Italy. It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial which is closely related to the common lungwort. Growing to 10 cm (4 in) tall by 60 cm (24 in) wide, it has lance-shaped leaves with white confluent spots, and pink or white flowers in spring.

<i>Pulmonaria angustifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Pulmonaria angustifolia, the narrow-leaved lungwort or blue cowslip, is a species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae, native to central and north eastern Europe. Growing to 30 cm (12 in) tall by 45 cm (18 in) broad, it is an herbaceous perennial with hairy oval leaves and masses of bright blue flowers in spring. The subspecies azureus has brighter blue flowers.

<i>Pulmonaria obscura</i> Species of flowering plant

Pulmonaria obscura, common names unspotted lungwort or Suffolk lungwort, is a herbaceous evergreen perennial rhizomatous plant of the genus Pulmonaria, belonging to the family Boraginaceae. In Central Europe it is the most widely occurring member of the Boraginaceae.

<i>Andersonglossum boreale</i> Species of flowering plant

Andersonglossum boreale, known as northern wild comfrey or just wild comfrey, is a species of flowering plant in the borage family, Boraginaceae. It is native to boreal coniferous and mixed forests in North America, from Nova Scotia to British Columbia and Yukon in Canada, south to New Jersey and Indiana in the United States. It is often found in rocky or sandy soils. It is extirpated from many of the southern parts of its range.

<i>Mertensia sibirica</i> Species of flowering plant

Mertensia sibirica, commonly known as Japanese bluebells or Siberian bluebells, is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Boraginaceae. Originally discovered by Carolus Linnaeus, who named it Pulmonaria sibirica, this plant is found, as its name implies, in Eastern Siberia and northern China. After review of the plant's morphology, its taxonomic position was changed to Mertensia sibirica by botanist and plant collector George Don, who put forth the notion of the change, which was eventually accepted, most likely due to the striking resemblance to the related species in the Americas like Mertensia virginica, or Virginia bluebells.

References

  1. 1 2 RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN   978-1-4053-3296-5.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Avent 2012.
  3. 1 2 Meeus et al 2016.
  4. Chacon et al 2016.
  5. Coombes, Allen J. (2012). The A to Z of plant names . USA: Timber Press. pp.  312. ISBN   978-1-60469-196-2.
  6. "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 81. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  7. "RHS Plantfinder - Pulmonaria 'Blue Ensign'" . Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  8. "Pulmonaria 'Cotton Cool'". RHS. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  9. "RHS Plantfinder - Pulmonaria 'Diana Clare'" . Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  10. "RHS Plantfinder - Pulmonaria 'Lewis Palmer'" . Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  11. "Pulmonaria 'Little Star'". RHS. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  12. "PulmonariaOpal = 'Ocupol'". RHS. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  13. "RHS Plantfinder - Pulmonaria 'Sissinghurst White'" . Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  14. "Pulmonaria 'Trevi Fountain'". RHS. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  15. "RHS Plantfinder - Pulmonaria 'Vera May'" . Retrieved 23 September 2018.

Bibliography