Epilobium hirsutum
Great Willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum )
The Shaggy fireweed (Epilobium hirsutum ) is a flowering plant in the family of the evening primrose family ( Onagraceae ).
- 2.1 caterpillars
Description
Vegetative characteristics
The Shaggy Fireweed, also called Shaggy fireweed, grows as a perennial herbaceous plant, reaching heights of growth of about 50 to 150 centimeters. As Überdauerungsorgan a widely creeping, thick rhizome is formed, usually just the heyday drives fleshy stem axis, which are occupied by low- leaves. The upright, richly branched stem is hairy with long protruding hairs and top with short glandular hairs densely tomentose and soft to the touch and feels cool to the touch. The formation of the hair depends on the location. From the axillary buds of the lower parts of the stalk soon develop fleshy foothills of up to 30 centimeters in length.
The lower leaves are almost decussate, the remaining alternate arranged. The leaves are sessile and semi amplexicaul or slightly decurrent to the base of the stem. The almost bare to glandular- villous or tomentose hairy leaf blades are narrow - lanceolate with a length of 6 to 12 inches and a width of 1 to 2 centimeters. The leaf margins have strong teeth.
Generative features
The flowering period is between July and September. The hermaphrodite flowers are radial symmetry. Your purple petals are of a length and a diameter up to 2 cm. The scar is in four parts and their tip bow down to flourishing together.
Ecology
The flowers are ecologically vormännliche "funnel flowers " that are self- sterile. Unlike other Epilobium species the flowers are upright and open even in the rain. The seeds are lighter than water and can swim for several weeks.
Apart from seeds, the kind propagated vegetatively through the thick, whitish, occupied by low- leaves, widely creeping " rhizomes ". So they settled mown wet meadows before flowering. The cattle spurned the leaves and stems both fresh and in hay. The glandular hairs and needle crystals in the leaf cells act as a defense mechanism.
Caterpillars
The Shaggy fireweed is food plant of the caterpillars of the following butterflies: Average wine enthusiast, evening primrose moth, Schwertlilieneule, Bedstraw and Black White willowherb tensioner ( Spargania luctuata ).
Occurrence and use
The Shaggy fireweed grows in scattered herbaceous communities in streams, ditches, springs, and in the hem of willows. It loves clayey, slightly calcareous soils. After Ellenberg it is a half-light plant, a default heat pointer, intermediate - growing continental and after Oberdorfer a Verbandscharakterart the fence wind companies ( Convolvulion = Calystegion sepium ).
Occasionally, the Shaggy fireweed is cultivated as an ornamental plant. As such, it was also introduced in Australia and the USA and has been there at times been spreading since about 1990.
Pictures
Flower
Flower
Fruits