Illecebrum

Coral necklace ( Illecebrum verticillatum )

The coral necklace ( Illecebrum verticillatum ), also called whirlwind cartilage chickweed, is the only species of the monotypic genus Illecebrum within the carnation family ( Caryophyllaceae ). It is native to Europe, Macaronesia and North Africa.

• 4.1 Notes and references
• 4.2 External links

Description

Vegetative characteristics

The coral necklace is an annual herbaceous plant. All plant parts are bare. The procumbent, simple or branched at the base stems are usually 5 to 30 (1 to 70) inches long, thin, square and mostly red.

The constantly against the stem arranged leaves are sessile. The simple leaf blade is obovate with a blunt upper end at a length of 2 to 5 millimeters. The stipules are small and trockenhäutig.

Generative features

Four to six flowers are borne ( winding ) in axillary balls. Per node ( wound dry ), there are two winding, which together form a Scheinquirl. Under each flower are two white-skinned, 1 mm long bracteoles.

The hermaphrodite flowers are radial symmetry and fünfzählig. The short flower cups hardens after flowering cartilaginous (leading to the naming) and envelops the capsule fruit. The five free sepals are 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters long, erect and tend together. At the top of the sepal is sitting on the back a 0.5 to 0.7 mm long awn. There are no petals present. The five stamens are in two circles. The Upper constant ovary is single chamber with a basal ovule. The style is short and has two scars. The flowering period extends from July to September. There is self-pollination.

The einfächerige capsule fruit is grooved. The seeds are brown and shining.

Occurrence and risk

The cartilage herb is native to Europe, Macaronesia and the Maghreb. Locations can be found on Madeira and Tenerife, in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, in Denmark, in southern England, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, France (including Corsica), Portugal, Spain, Italy (including Sardinia) and Greece.

The cartilage herb thrives in sandy fields and damp locations: nutrient-rich, calcium-poor, acidic and loamy sand soils. There is warmth and occurs only in oceanic -influenced areas.

The coral necklace applicable in Germany as endangered, in Austria it is an endangered species and is found only in Lower Austria's Waldviertel.

System

The genus Illecebrum in 1753 with the type species Illecebrum verticillatum by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum, 1, pp. 206 set up. A homonym is Illecebrum Spreng. ( in Kurt Sprengel: Guidance on the knowledge of plants, 2 ( 1), 1817, pp. 317).

Illecebrum verticillatum is the only species of the genus Illecebrum from the tribe Paronychieae in the subfamily within the family Caryophyllaceae Paronychioideae.

Sources and further information

• Coral necklace. In: FloraWeb.de.
• Siegmund Seybold (ed.): Schmeil Fitschen - interactive ( CD -Rom ), Quelle & Meyer, Wiebelsheim 2001/2002, ISBN 3-494-01327-6
• Johann Christoph Röhling, Franz Carl Mertens & Wilhelm Daniel Joseph Koch. Flora of Germany, Volume 2, Wilmans, 1826 limited preview in Google Book Search (Section Description )