Kalmia

Narrow Laurel Rose ( Kalmia angustifolia) cultivar ' Rubra '

The laurel roses ( Kalmia ) are a genus of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae ( Ericaceae ). They are mainly used in North America.

• 5.1 Notes and references

Description

Vegetative characteristics

Kalmia species usually grow as shrubs, Kalmia latifolia only rarely a tree. The branches are usually upright, but the branched Kalmia procumbens forms mats. The bark of the branches is bald hairy or glandular until fluffy. Most species are evergreen, but Kalmia cuneata is deciduous. The alternate, opposite or in whorls of three of the branches arranged leaves are divided into petiole and leaf blade. The simple leaf blade has a smooth margin.

Generative features

The flowers are sometimes individually or usually two to 40 in lateral or terminal, racemose, doldigen, aged men or frets then inflorescences. The hermaphrodite flowers are radial symmetry and fünfzählig double perianth ( perianth ). The rarely four, usually five green to greenish, most durable sepals are fused. The five petals are almost totally cup- to bell-shaped grown up free. There are usually two ( at Kalmia procumbens only one) circles, each with five stamens present, they do not project beyond the corolla. The stamens are usually hairy at their base. The anthers are usually purple. The mostly bare ovary are rare usually two to fünfkammerig. The straight or curved stylus does not project beyond the corolla, ending in a capitate or rarely five-lobed stigma.

Most fünfklappigen capsule fruits are more or less spherical and contain approximately 100 to 150 seeds. The elongated, egg-shaped or inverted ovoid seeds are often winged or bunked with a reticulate seed coat ( testa).

The basic chromosome number is x = 12

Toxins

Both main types contained in their leaves Acetylandromedol, causes irritation of the oral mucous membranes, allergic reactions, nausea, disorientation, sweating, and stomach and intestinal problems with diarrhea. In severe cases of intoxication slows the heartbeat and respiratory paralysis may result in death.

Systematics and distribution

From today about ten species are located eight in North America. Two species occur in Eurasia. One way is to Cuba. Kalmia species are usually found on hillsides and in mountain forests.

The first publication of the genus Kalmia was in 1753 by Linnaeus in Species Plantarum, 1, p 391 The botanical genus name Kalmia honored Carl Linnaeus his student Peter Kalm ( 1715-1779 ), a Swedish botanist, plant collector in eastern North America was and the first Kalmia copies to Carl Linnaeus sent. The genus Kalmia belongs to the tribe Phyllodoceae in the subfamily Ericoideae in the family Ericaceae. Synonyms for Kalmia L. are: .. Dendrium Desv, Kalmiella Small, Leiophyllum ( Pers.) R.Hedw, Ledum L. sect. Leiophyllum Persoon and recently Loiseleuria Desvaux.

The genus Kalmia today contains about ten species:

• Narrow Laurel Rose ( Kalmia angustifolia L., Syn: Kalmia carolina Small, Kalmia intermedia Lange): With two varieties in eastern North America.
• Sandmyrte ( Kalmia buxifolia ( PJBergius ) Gift & Kron, syn. Ledum buxifolium Bergius, Dendrium hugeri Small, Leiophyllum buxifolium ( Bergius ) Elliott, L. hugeri (Small) K.Schumann, L. prostratum Loudon, L. serpyllifolium DC. ): It is native to North America.
• Kalmia cuneata Michx. Thrives at altitudes between 20 and 200 meters in North Carolina and South Carolina.
• Cuban laurel Rose ( Kalmia ericoides Wright ex Grisebach ): It grows in savannas and pine Gentiles only in the western Cuba.
• Kalmia hirsuta Walter: It grows at altitudes between 0 and 100 meters in open sandy savannas, sandy hills and Pine Barrens in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.
• Broad-leaved laurel Rose ( Kalmia latifolia L.): It grows widespread in North America at altitudes 0-1900 meters.
• Kalmia microphylla ( Hook. ) A.Heller ( Syn: Kalmia occidentalis Small): With two varieties in the northern and western North America.
• Gams, Gems or Gämsheide, also Alpenazalee, alpine heath, deer Heiderich or rock roses ( Kalmia procumbens (L.) Gift & Kron, Syn: Azalea procumbens L., chamaecistus procumbens (L.) Kuntze, Loiseleuria procumbens (L.) Desvaux ): It has a wide distribution in North America and Eurasia.
• Poleiblättrige Laurel Rose ( Kalmia polifolia Wangenh, Syn. Kalmia glauca Aiton ): It grows at altitudes 0-800 meters widespread in North America.

Others

The mountain laurel is the state flower of the U.S. states of Connecticut and Pennsylvania. In the U.S., you know the mountain laurel as Ivybush, Calico Bush, Sheep Laurel, Lambkill, Clamoun, Spurwood, ie " spores wood " because the Indians once made ​​their spores from it. The term " Lambkill " ( "Lamb murderer " ) as well as the German expression Sheep laurel Rose already point to the toxic side effects of the shrub.

Two important species are the narrow- laurel Rose ( Kalmia angustifolia), a native in eastern North America evergreen shrub that Central Europe is at times wild, and the broad-leaved laurel Rose ( Kalmia latifolia ), also known as the mountain laurel. The former has lanzettähnliche oval leaves that resemble those of the laurel, and flowers from May to June, pink or purple flowers, the latter has white- pink flowers and can reach proportions of three to nine meters.

As an ornamental in parks and gardens laurel roses in temperate latitudes are usually only about 1 meter high.

Swell

• Shunguo Liu, Keith E. Denford, John E. Ebinger, John G. Packer, Gordon C. Tucker: Kalmia in the Flora of North America, Volume 8, 2009, p 480: Online. ( Section systematics and description)