Thesium

Linophyllon illustration as Thesium

The Leinblatt ( Thesium ) is a genus of the family of Sandelholzgewächse ( Santalaceae ). The name Leinblatt has received the genus, because the leaves of some species to those of flax or flax (Linum ) are similar.

Description

The Leinblatt species are perennial, rarely annual. Their stems are woody at the base often; rare form short runners. There are semi- parasites ( hemiparasite ) that tap into the roots of neighboring species by haustoria. The stems are prostrate or erect, simple or branchy. The leaves are alternate and mostly linear- lanceolate, entire, with one to five longitudinal nerves. The inflorescence is a panicle with few-flowered branches or an ear. The bracts are leaf-like foliage. Each flower has a bract and two bracteoles usually. The flowers are hermaphrodite, the tepals are usually inside white to yellow- green and green on the outside. The corolla is Roehrig or bell-shaped with four to five lobes, the flower contains four or five stamens. The ovary is inferior and surrounded by the flower tube. The fruits are nutlets.

System

The genus includes about 325 species, most of which occur in Africa. Next, there are numerous species in Europe and Asia, a few species in South America and Australia. The focus of the distribution lies in the temperate zones.

In Europe, the following species occur:

• Alpine Leinblatt ( Thesium alpinum L.)
• Ästiges Leinblatt ( Thesium arvense Horvátovsky; Syn: Thesium ramosum Hayne ); is restricted in Europe to the east, southeast and eastern Central Europe.
• Mountain Leinblatt or Bavarian Leinblatt ( Thesium bavarum cabinet )
• Thesium auriculatum Vandas, occurs only on the Balkan Peninsula.
• Thesium bergeri Zucc. ; comes in Europe in the Aegean and on the Balkan Peninsula.
• Thesium Brachyphyllum Boiss., Comes in Europe only in the Crimea.
• Thesium corsalpinum Hendrych, occurs only in Corsica.
• Saving Engined Leinblatt ( Thesium divaricatum January ex Mert & Koch. ); comes in Europe only in the south.
• Dolliner - Leinblatt ( Thesium dollineri Murb. ) Or Low Leinblatt, comes in Europe only in the eastern central Europe.
• Vorblattloses Leinblatt or cropping Leinblatt ( Thesium ebracteatum Hayne )
• Thesium hispanicum Hendrych, occurs only in northern Spain.
• Low- Lying Leinblatt ( Thesium humifusum DC. ), Occurs only in Western Europe.
• Thesium humile Vahl; comes in Europe only in the south.
• Thesium italicum A.DC., is found only in Sardinia.
• Thesium kernerianum Simonkai, occurs only in Romania.
• Thesium kyrnosum Hendrych, is found only in Corsica.
• Middle Leinblatt ( Thesium linophyllon L.)
• Thesium macedonicum Hendrych, occurs only in Macedonia.
• Thesium moesiacum Velen. (. moesiacum ( Velen. ) Stoj & Stefanov for Dolliner - Leinblatt ( Thesium dollineri ) is also provided as a subspecies ssp. ); comes in Europe only in Bulgaria.
• Thesium Parnassi A.DC., occurs only in Italy and the Balkan Peninsula.
• Thesium procumbens C. A. Meyer; comes in Europe in Ukraine and in Russia.
• Meadow Leinblatt ( Thesium pyrenaicum Pourret, Syn: Thesium pratense Ehrh ex Schrader. )
• Thesium refractum CAMeyer, comes in Europe only in the southern Urals.
• Geschnäbeltes Leinblatt ( Thesium rostratum Mert. & Koch ) or Schnabelfrüchtiges Leinblatt, occurs only in Central Europe.
• Thesium sommieri Hendrych, occurs only in northern Italy.
• Thesium vlachorum Aldén, is found only in northwestern Greece.