Gnaphalium
Marsh Cudweed ( Gnaphalium uliginosum ).
The Ruhr herbs ( Gnaphalium ) are a genus of plants from the sunflower family ( Asteraceae).
Description
In the genus of the Ruhr herbs are mostly found one, but also biennial or perennial herbaceous plants. You can reach heights of growth between a few and about 60 centimeters ( depending on how far one conceives the genus ). Most species are relatively small, they grow erect or protruding branches and thus wide and are hairy woolly.
The alternate, seated leaves are mostly undivided and entire, and in shape oblong oval, lanceolate or oblong spatulate.
The flower heads are sitting in terminal and axillary racemose or aged men total inflorescences that are often so compressed that flower clusters or crowded umbrella- emerge. The flower heads are cylindrical to oval and 2 mm to 4 mm wide. The flower heads contain few florets in the center and several rows of ray florets, the latter are more numerous but inconspicuous thready and hardly longer than the florets. The color is whitish to yellowish or brownish, and the bracts are often a little parchment-like translucent. The achenes are occupied with a simple pappus, which drops slightly.
Distribution and habitat requirements
The Ruhr herbs are cosmopolitan spread, where they occur mainly in the mountains in the tropics and subtropics.
Most species grow on sandy or stony wasteland, like in the vicinity of rivers or streams.
Systematics and species
The delimitation of the genus of the Ruhr herbs of closely related genera such as helichrysum ( Helichrysum ), Everlasting ( Antennaria ), Filzkräutern ( Filago ) and the Perlpfötchen ( anaphalis ) is still quite controversial. The genus of herbs Ruhr is polyphyletic with safety and must be divided into several classes actually. Many authors note the genre of Ruhr herbs ( Pseudognaphalium ) is separated from other genera in addition Euchiton, Gamochaeta and Omalotheca, which belong to the latter, many European species. So far, missing a revision of the Asian Ruhr herb species.
The above classes are separated as follows at the moment purely morphological:
- Pseudognaphalium: yellow with white to light yellow bracts and yellow flowers. ( For the other genera brownish- yellow to brownish or whitish bracts ). Flowers in panicles with extended lower branches. Inflorescences by trugdoldig.
- Gnaphalium: flower heads in axillary balls. Bracts 2-3 mm.
- Gamochaeta: flower heads in terminal, elongated inflorescences. Bracts 3-5 mm. Grown Pappushaare at the bottom and Pappus deciduous as a whole. Achenes smooth, long under 1 mm. An annual or biennial plant deeper locations.
- Omalotheca: flower heads also in terminal, elongated inflorescences. Bracts 5-7 mm. Achenes hairy bristly, greater than 1 mm. Perennial mountain plants.
Depending on the view, there is a genus of herbs from Ruhr therefore be between about 50 and 300 species.
In Central Europe come including the genus Omalotheca following types before:
- Hoppes Ruhr herb ( Gnaphalium hoppeanum = O. hoppeana )
- Norwegian Ruhr herb ( Gnaphalium norvegicum = O. norvegica )
- Dwarf -Ruhr herb ( Gnaphalium supinum = O. supina )
- Forest -Ruhr herb ( Gnaphalium sylvaticum = O. sylvatica)
- Marsh Cudweed ( Gnaphalium uliginosum )
In Japan, the kind Gnaphalium affine is part of the traditional meal for "Seven Herb Festival" ( Nanakusa no Sekku ).
Also known as the " Yellow White Ruhr herb" called Yellow White Slip Ruhr herb is here classified Pseudognaphalium in the genus.
Etymology
The scientific name Gnaphalium was derived from the Greek gnaphalon = wool streak and refers to the hair of the plants.
The German name indicates that the plant has been used previously to combat dysentery. However, the same word also sometimes referred finger herbs and species of helichrysum ( Helichrysum ).