Narthecium ossifragum
Inflorescence of the leg Brech ( Narthecium ossifragum )
The bog lily ( Narthecium ossifragum ), also bog asphodel, corn lily or Yellow bog lily, is a plant of the genus Narthecium. This species has a very small area of distribution and is in Germany by the Federal Wildlife Trade Regulation ( BArtSchV ) special protection. Narthecium ossifragum is flower of the year 2011.
Description
The bog lily is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches the stature heights of 10 to 30 cm. The sticky stem grows stiff and upright, he is underground further and there has a fiber tuft. It forms rhizomes than outlasting. The lower, deep-green, sword-shaped and sessile leaves have distinct longitudinal nerves and are up to 4 mm wide. In the lower part they are narrow V-shaped with abutting blade halves.
From July to August, forming terminal, lax, racemose inflorescences, which reach a length of 5 to 8 cm long and contain up to 25 flowers. The threefold flowers have a diameter of 1 to 1.5 cm. The six bracts are greenish yellow on the inside and on the outside. The six stamens have woolly hairy stamens and bright red anthers.
It can be formed thin-walled ovoid to lanceolate - ovate capsule fruits that are weakly divided into three segments. The bright yellow seeds are narrow - ellipsoid and bristles on both ends.
The chromosome number is 2n = 26
Ecology
The flowers are pollen flowers and subject to wind pollination. The hairy stamens collect first the pollen until it catches the wind. Insects visit is rare and occurs, for example, by bees; because of the floral scent is to be expected at least even with the visit of pollen eaters.
The fruits are loculicidal capsules with many winged seeds that spread as glider pilots and water Hafter.
Occurrence
The main distribution area of the bog lily is located in Atlantic climate regions of the accompanying coastal lowlands of Central Europe; under favorable conditions, to the north-west edge of the highlands. It grows on acid, peaty bog soils. This type needs high humidity. The asphodel is very rare and is often found only in small populations.
Asphodel and man
In sheep the consumption of the bog lily causes a disease known as " Alvelden " in Norway. A saponin contained in the plant, disturbs the liver of sheep. Thus, degradation products of chlorophyll may enter the blood and cause a sensitivity to light, which then leads to swelling and skin sores. Apparently only white sheep are susceptible to this disease.
Name
In the vernacular, the bog lily is also called a " leg breaker ". This name comes from the fact that the plant was blamed for broken bones when grazing livestock. The asphodel was formerly often in lean grassland. The lack of lime in the soil led to inadequate bone formation and thus often to bone fractures.
The scientific name is derived from the gr νάρθηξ narthex = rod and refers to the rod-shaped inflorescence. The Style epithet ossifragum derives from the Latin ós, Easterners for bones and Frango for break and also refers to the above-mentioned bone fragility.
Others
The Moor Lily was chosen by the Nature Conservation Foundation to the flower of the year 2011.