Glaucidium palmatum

Glaucidium palmatum

Glaucidium palmatum is the only species of the genus Glaucidium and the subfamily Glaucidioideae in the family Ranunculaceae ( Ranunculaceae ). Because they strongly differs from all other members of this family, it is placed by some authors in a separate family, the Glaucidiaceae.

Features

Glaucidium palmatum is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches the plant height of 20 to 40 centimeters. It forms a rhizome. The stem bears two leaves and a terminal flower. The basal leaves are palmately lobed to split, have a more or less circular outline and a heart-shaped leaf blade at the base. Their petioles are 10 to 15 inches long.

The flowers have a diameter of 5 to 10 centimeters. The perianth is simple. The four bracts are light blue colored purple, rarely white. The two carpels are fused together at the base, vielsamig and fruit time like a bellows.

The flowering period extends from April to May

Occurrence

Glaucidium palmatum comes on Hokkaidō in Japan as well as North and Central Honshu in mountain forests.

System

Since Glaucidium palmatum be cytologically, embryological, biochemical, and differs from other species of the buttercup family in the mode of origin of the stamens and how open the fruits, this species is sometimes placed in its own monotypic family Glaucidiaceae.

Use

Glaucidium palmatum is rarely used as an ornamental plant for groups of trees. The cultivar ' Alba' has white flowers.

Documents

• Eckhart J. Hunter, Friedrich Ebel, Peter Hanelt, Gerd Müller, K. (ed.): Rothmaler Exkursionsflora of Germany. Volume 5: Herbaceous ornamental and useful plants. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg 2008, ISBN 978-3-8274-0918-8.