Cochlearia danica
Drawing of the Danish spoon herb
The Danish scurvy grass ( Cochlearia danica ) is a plant from the family of cruciferous plants ( Brassicaceae). As the English spoonwort it is among the first plants to bloom in the harsh climate of the Watt banks and salt marshes in April or May.
- 5.1 Notes and references
- 5.2 External links
Description
The biennial herbaceous plant is quite small and compact with plant height of only 10 to 20 cm. The name has this genus by the form of their fleshy leaves. The triangular to heart- shaped, almost ganzrandigen basal leaves are about 1 cm long and as wide. Because of the short heyday, the basal leaves for determination are the most important feature. The lower to middle stem leaves are stalked and three to siebenlappig ( efeuähnlich ). The uppermost leaves are sitting without stalk comprehensive ears.
In the short flowering period in April and May, the hermaphrodite, fourfold flowers are clustered at the stem ends. The white petals are between 2.5 to 4.5 mm long.
There are ovate to roundish silicles formed with a size of 4 to 6 mm. In these mature no later than August seed and the plant dies.
But in September germinates approach a new generation, creating powerful leaf rosettes. Overwintering as nearly adult plant allowed the Danish scurvy grass the early flowering from April, when no grass is still high enough to make him the sunlight.
The chromosome number is n = 21.37
Ecology
The Danish scurvy grass is a Halophyt, ie, it increases as the salt content in the soil has a certain height. With more than 0.5 % salinity ( low to moderate ) in the soil, it provides a its growth. Its protection against excessive salinization is to throw off old salt-laden leaves. Therefore, the lower leaves its basal rosette are always yellowed and died.
Pollination is about self or insect pollination.
This species is light- loving and indicates moderate maritime climate. Your location suggests slightly permeable sandy or gritty, often flooded soils.
The spread of this species carried by animals (velcro spread ), about self- propagation and wind propagation.
Occurrence
Is native Danish scurvy grass on the coasts of North and Baltic Sea. From about 1980, made his way inland and was following the path of the highways. As salt- tolerant species, the Danish scurvy grass benefits from the winter road salt use, leading to salinization of soils on the roadway edges. Soaked in precisely these meltwater, often only a few tens of centimeters wide shoulders grows the way, and only in those special locations, the type with the native flora compete. Meanwhile, the Danish scurvy grass is not limited to highways, but also growing in many other roadsides. Preferred growth but places are still frequently used road sections where common salt is spread.
In the coastal area it usually grows on poor soils, giving him an advantage over other plants. Usually it grows on the banks watts and in the salt marshes, but you can also find on rock edges where the salty wind, the lack of flooding largely compensates.
Use
As ingredients of the Danish spoon herb known are bitter and highly vitamin C.
The leaves of the Danish spoon herb can be used raw or cooked as a flavoring in salads. It has a sharp mustard flavor which not everyone 's cup of tea. It should be superior to the rights scurvy grass. Spoon herb contains a lot of vitamin C and was therefore on sailing ships, where fresh vegetables were completely missing, corned used as protection against vitamin deficiency disease scurvy.
Pictures
Fourfold bloom.