Arnoseris

Lambs lettuce ( Arnoseris minima)

The lambs lettuce ( Arnoseris minima; arnos from the Greek for " lamb "), even Little lambs lettuce or lamb herb, is a nondescript, pale yellow to golden yellow flowering weed from the sunflower family ( Asteraceae). Here, it forms a monotypic genus. Lambs lettuce is one of the representatives of the daisy family, whose flower heads are composed only of yellow ray florets. As Ruderalstratege and pioneer plant it grows on open sandy and loamy soils.

Features

It is a one-year ( therophytische ), deciduous plant that is 5 to 25 inches high. It forms a basal rosette of wrong - wrong - ovate to spatulate, coarsely toothed leaves and leafless, reddish below crowded stems, which are thickened conspicuously clavate upwards. The diameter approximately one centimeter, to September appearing from June flower heads sit individually at the end of the stem and consist of pale to golden yellow ray florets. A pappus is lacking. Chromosome number: 2n = 18

Distribution and habitat requirements

Lambs lettuce is a subatlantisches (up to sub-Mediterranean ) Florenelement with a distribution area in Western Europe and the north-western Central Europe. The frost-sensitive species requires winter mild and humid climate records and is a Magerkeits and acidification pointer. It grows mainly due to calcium deficiency cohesive sandy soils or sandy loam soils or grusreichen, little nutrient-rich, low humus, moderately fresh locations. This may be winter cereal fields or wastelands, as a result of intensified agriculture with a high nitrogen fertilizer and herbicide use lambs lettuce but is now pushed back rather Saumbiotope and special sites such as roadsides, sand pits, pagans or mining landscapes.

The species is named for a phytosociological sublattice of Therophytenreichen Ackerbeikrautfluren nutrient-poor, acidic sandy soils called " Arnoseridenion minimae " to German " lambs lettuce fields ". In Central Europe it is only by association " Teesdalio - Arnoseridetum minimae " represent their character types in addition to the lambs lettuce nor the Bristlecone sweet vernal grass ( Anthoxanthum aristatum ) and the small-fruited arable lady's mantle are ( Aphanes inexpectata ). Prior to agricultural intensification, this was a typical side Society of rye fields and particularly in Northwest Germany. In southern Germany it is limited to the Palatinate Forest and the Upper Rhine area.

Central Europe Wide applies lambs lettuce as endangered in Germany IUCN nationwide as highly endangered species In some states, the risk rating is even higher ( = threatened with extinction ). Because of the relatively large share of the total area of Germany has a high responsibility for the protection of this plant.

Trivial names

In the German-speaking area or have been for this species, some only regionally, also more trivial names used: Small Ferklinkraut (Silesia ), Dogs Flowers ( Dithmar ), small crane herb ( Silesia), lamb cabbage and pork small salad. The German botanist Carl Jessen designated 1882 the now common names lambs lettuce, but also made the names of lamb herb and Little Pig salad as artificial.