Sedum acre

The Sharp Stonecrop ( Sedum acre ), also called Sharp Stonecrop heard within the family Crassulaceae ( Crassulaceae ) to the species of sedum (Sedum ).

Description

The Sharp stonecrop is a perennial herbaceous plant of low, grassy growing habit and reaches heights of growth of five to 15 centimeters. The egg-shaped, fleshy ( succulent ) leaves are four millimeters long and from two to four millimeters wide, the leaves are widest usually below the middle. The leaves taste usually sharp after some chewing, which also derives the common name.

The flower is fünfzählig arranged with star-shaped, bright golden yellow petals. The petals are pointed to acuminate and six to eight millimeters long. The main flowering period extends from June to August. The flower develop five follicles, which mature from July to August.

The species is diploid to hexaploid and occurs with the chromosome numbers 2n = 40, 60, 80, 100 or 120.

Distribution and location

The Sharp Stonecrop is widespread throughout Europe and occasionally penetrates to North Africa before. It also occurs in Western Siberia and the Caucasus countries and has run wild in North America. As the site preferably the plant walls, rock corridors, sunny pioneer grass and sandy waste places such as railway embankments, gravel roofs and gravel pits, but also dunes and dry, open woods. She is a Klassencharakterart the Sedo- Scleranthetea, but also occurs in Festuco - Brometea companies.

Ecology

The Sharp Stonecrop is a blattsukkulenter Chamaephyt, die whose flowering shoots after flowering. The leaves are amphistomatisch, that is, stomata located on the top and bottom; there are about 18 stomata per square millimeter available. The leaves have a central water storage tissue. The plant is drought- resistant and therefore continues to grow in the herbarium, if not previously, eg is callous. Like all sedums, it is characterized by an interesting physiological adaptation to their arid locations: they heard namely the typical CAM plants, operate the photosynthesis on the path of " acid metabolism of the Crassulaceae " = Crassulacean Acid Metabolism. The special feature here is that the stomata in water stress remain closed during the day, but at night are opened. The behavior of a normal plant is placed on the head. The nocturnal CO2 captured is stored in the vacuoles of the assimilation tissue in the form of malic acid. On the day it is transported back into the cytoplasm, where it is present as malate ( salt of malic acid). From this, the CO2 is removed and fed to the photosynthesis. This process can be interpreted as a whole, an effective and water-saving adaptation to an arid climate, so on sunny, hot days and cold nights.

The flowers Sharp Stonecrop are incomplete vormännliche " nectar leading disk flowers ". The stamens bend for dusting the center. The nectar is easily accessible. The flowers are mainly visited by flies and Hymenoptera. Spontaneous self-pollination is successful. The petals cover the side in the bud. The main flowering period extends from June to August

The fruits open when wet ( hydrochas ). The plant is a typical Regenballist, ie raindrops hurl the bargain span shaped seeds out, which are then spread further than Regenschwemmlinge. Even ants contribute to the dissemination of the seeds. Vegetative propagation is possible by slightly bewurzelnde stem parts. The fruits are Ästatiphore that is, they will give the necessary conditions even throughout the summer from seed. The seeds are light to germinate.

Use

The Sharp Stonecrop is an ornamental plant very suitable eg for roof greening and also recommended for wild plants gardens.

Already in 300 BC Sedum acre was used as a medicinal plant. To 70 AD, the Greek physician Dioscorides describes the use of irritating and corrosive juice of the plant. In the 16th century, the plant was mentioned in several books about herbs, among others Lonicerus, Matthiolus and Dodoneaus. In subsequent years, use famous physician such as Albrecht von Haller and Christoph William hoof the plant as a remedy. Through experiments of French toxicologists Mathieu Orfila toxicity of Sedum acre is demonstrated. Through animal experiments proves the pharmacologist Recently, in 1888, that the plant represents a pronounced toxic to the central nervous system. He isolated an alkaloid, which he called Sedin. 1945 succeeded the Canadian Marion, small amounts of nicotine and Sedamin to isolate the first Sedumalkaloid. After that many other alkaloids found in the plant. As a further active ingredient groups of sharp Stonecrop flavonoids and glycosides were discovered and demonstrated in the 20th century.