Monotropa hypopitys

Spruce asparagus ( Monotropa hypopitys )

The spruce asparagus ( Monotropa hypopitys ) belongs to the subfamily Monotropoideae in the family Ericaceae ( Ericaceae ). He is the only Central European chlorophyll Gefäßpflanzenart that are not parasitic lives and no orchid is.

It has long been an important object of investigation the type of mycorrhiza: On Spruce asparagus essential insights into the coexistence of plant roots were obtained with mushrooms. Bidartondo (2005) designated Monotropa as "the Sphinx of mycorrhizal research " ( "the sphinx of mycorrhizal research" ).

Description

The spruce asparagus is a loose leaf green, perennial herbaceous plant that develops a rhizome for persistence. The exact name for such a plant is Geophyt. This species is distinguished by the pale yellowish- brown color of the fleshy, waxy inflorescences of almost all other native vascular plants. Likelihood of confusion at best with the cons Beard ( Epipogium aphyllum ) or Neottia ( Neottia nidus avis ).

The leaves are reduced to scales. At the end of 10 to 30 cm long stem are in a nodding raceme 2-15 (or 1-30, depending on the type, see: systematics ) flowers. These are cruciform up to the terminal flower, this is mostly fünfzählig.

System

For Europe, two subspecies have been described ( which are managed by some authors as a separate species ):

• Monotropa hypopitys subsp. hypopitys: pen and anthers hairy, inside pubescent flowers, plants 10 to 15 - flowered, fruit capsule longer than wide; under spruce. Chromosome number: 2n = 48

• Monotropa hypopitys subsp. hypophegea ( "Book asparagus " ): Flower inside glabrous, plant 3 to 6 (10 ) - flowered, fruit globose; under beech. Chromosome number: 2n = 16

However, both clans are connected by transitional forms, often grow next to each other and can also be chorologisch and ecological- sociological not be clearly separated.

For Japan and East Asia, the subspecies Monotropa hypopitys subsp. japonica indicated subsp for North America. lanuginosa.

Distribution and habitat

The spruce asparagus is about the temperate zones of the entire northern hemisphere spread ( area formula: temperat ( - boreal ) / circumpolar ). In North America, the way goes south to Mexico, Asia to the Himalayas and northern Thailand. In Europe, it occurs mainly in the temperate region: north it reaches the middle Scandinavia, the Arctic Circle is exceeded only very occasionally. To the south it reached Italy and Greece, the Mediterranean region, where it grows in the mountains especially.

The plants colonize a wide range of habitats, from willow bushes in coastal dunes to mountain forests nobility. Typical habitat is moist shady deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests, and due to the heterotrophic nutrition (see below) also light poorest habitats can still be colonized. Also, the heat needs of the spruce asparagus is low, as the extreme vertical spread of the planar to the subalpine altitudinal zone and the occurrence show beyond the Arctic Circle. Almost always, the localities of the species, however, are characterized by high humidity, the quality may be replaced by a high total rainfall.

Diet

In contrast to green, autotrophic plants of spruce asparagus, the food necessary for its carbon compounds not build itself from inorganic substances ( assimilate ). Instead, he obtains them from fungi that with a dense hyphal mat weave around its roots ( mycorrhizae ): he is myco -heterotrophic. When the mushrooms are Tricholoma species ( genus Tricholoma ), which in turn are Ektomykorrhizapartner by trees. From this they obtain organic carbon compounds, in turn, provide the fungi with their tree partners of water and mineral nutrients. Thus trees are the source of the forwarded to the spruce asparagus on the common Hyphennetzwerk carbon.

This indirect form of parasitism could Björk man in 1960 demonstrated by experiments with radioactively labeled tracers. He coined the term " Epiparasitismus ". In the English-speaking world is also spoken by a " tripartite relationship" or " tripartite association". The spruce asparagus is therefore not a saprophyte, as incorrectly stated until the recent time and again.

Flowers and dispersal biology

The flowers are pollinated by insects ( bumblebees ), where nectar is offered as a reward. In addition, self -pollination ( autogamy ), the flowers are but probably capable, as last but not least is the very high, almost always full fruit set.

The perennial, dry stems is elastic, the numerous seeds are extremely small and light. The spruce asparagus belongs to the most semachoren plant species (wind and animal spreader ).

Phenology and population dynamics

Similar to the fungal fruiting bodies of their Mykorrhizapartner the inflorescences of spruce asparagus appear until late in the year, at the earliest June. The flowering period extends from late June to early August, but may also involve into September. It continuously new shoots are formed, while the older already bearing fruit. Another parallel to fungi is the enormous speed, can be formed with the new inflorescences. After flowering woody now upright inflorescences. They survive as a winter stayer until the next growing season, then where often the dried-up, last year's plants are seen in addition to this age group.

Since only flowering shoots are designed to provide annual counts of inflorescences population size well again. It may vary to a considerable extent ( for example, in a Finnish population during an eleven-year observation period by more than a hundredfold; Söyrinki 1985). In warm and dry weather conditions, the species seems to be sensitive, the plants appear then only in small numbers and may even be canceled altogether. In rainy years, they are developing well and can also occur at sites where they are not otherwise found.

Danger situation and protection

Although the spruce asparagus found only scattered, it is still relatively widespread. However, as many mykotrophe plant species he may be in decline. Ellenberg classified him in 1991 as " evanescent " field.

A hazard according to the Red List is not available at the federal level. In the city states of Hamburg and Berlin is the spruce asparagus " threatened with extinction " ( Red List Category 1). " Endangered " ( RL 2 ) he is in Saxony and Schleswig -Holstein. In North Rhine -Westphalia and Lower Saxony, he is considered "at risk" (RL 3). In most other German states ( Bavaria, Brandenburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg -Western Pomerania, Rhineland -Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony -Anhalt and Thuringia ), he is not listed as endangered. In Baden- Württemberg the data are not sufficient to make a classification in a hazard category.

Sources of risk are primarily pollutants from the air ( emissions ) as well as the widespread over-fertilization (eutrophication), which may adversely affect the Mykorrhizapartner. The type should therefore benefit from national measures for air pollution control. In addition, no active conservation measures at the local level are necessary. However, larger clearcuts because of the dependence of the spruce asparagus from the surrounding trees should be avoided. Careful management according to the principles more natural forestry endangered larger populations of the species, however, probably not. Optimal conditions for the spruce asparagus are given in total reservations to the protection target process protection ( forest reserves, national parks ).