Medeola virginiana

Medeola virginiana with ripe fruits

The Indian Snake root ( Medeola virginiana) is the only species of the plant genus Medeola within the lily family ( Liliaceae ). It occurs only in eastern North America.

• 5.1 Notes and references

Description

Appearance and leaves

Medeola virginiana grows as a deciduous, perennial herbaceous plant, reaching heights of growth from 20 to 90 cm. As Überdauerungsorgan is a formed at a length of 3 to 8 cm and a diameter of about 1 cm lump- like, horizontal rhizome, which narrows towards the end; it rots every year and is newly formed. The slender, unbranched stem axis is initially white hairs woolly.

The leaves are arranged in two whorls, five of us in the lower to ninth, rarely up to twelve of us and the three of the top five of us until rare. The leaves are short- stalked or sessile. In the lower Blattwirtel the simple leaf blades with a length of 6 to 16 cm and a width of 1.5 to 5 cm are oblong - lanceolate wrong; narrowing it down to Spreitengrund and have a pointed upper end and a smooth edge. The upper Blattwirtel have the simple, with a length of 2.5 to 5 cm and a width of 1.5 to 4 cm leaf blades have a rounded oval Spreitengrund and a pointed top end. The leaf surfaces are mottled purple ending of fruit ripening. It is Parallelnervatur before ..

Inflorescence and flower

The flowering time is in North America in late spring. Rarely two, usually three to nine flowers are in a terminal, doldigen inflorescence. There are one to three non- durable bracts present. The flower stem is more or less spread but to fruit maturity upright.

The hermaphrodite flowers are radial symmetry and threefold. The six equally diverse, free bracts are yellowish - green, 6-10 mm long, recurved and not durable. There are two circles, each with three stamens present. The oblong anthers are free to move and bent outward. The three carpels are fused to a constant above, dreikammerigen ovary. The three free pen are recurved and often purple.

Fruit and seeds

The purple to black when ripe berry is spherical with a diameter of usually 8 to 10 ( 5-14 ) mm and contains few seeds. The seeds are in a 3 mm diameter of nearly spherical and have a shiny brown seed coat.

Chromosome number

The basic chromosome number is x = 7 It is diploid with 2n = 14 against

Dissemination

Medeola virginiana is widespread in eastern North America in Canada and the United States. It thrives on moist slopes and in forests at altitudes 0-1600 meters.

System

The first publication of the genus Medeola and the type Medeola virginiana was made in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum, 1, pp. 339 synonyms for Medeola virginiana L. are: .. Medeola virginica Christm, Medeola verticillifolia Stokes, Gyromia virginica ( Christm. ) Nutt., Gyromia virginica var picta Nutt., Gyromia acuminata Raf., Gyromia cuneata Raf .. A synonym for Medeola is Gyromia Nutt ..

The genus name Medeola refers to Medea, a female figure from Greek mythology. The specific epithet virginiana refers to the home of Virginia.

Medeola virginiana is the only species of the genus in the subfamily Medeola Lilioideae within the family Liliaceae. It was classified in the subfamily Medeoloideae or the families Convallariaceae and Medeolaceae.

Use

The rhizome of Medeola virginiana has a cucumber-like odor and taste and is raw or cooked edible, hence the English common name "Indian cucumber - root". The medical effects have been investigated.

Swell

• Frederick H. Utech: Medeola, pp. 150 and Medeola virginiana, pp. 151 - text the same online as printed work, Flora of North America Editorial Committee ( eds.): Flora of North America North of Mexico, Volume 26 - Magnoliophyta: Liliidae: Liliales and Orchidales, Oxford University Press, New York and Oxford, 2002. ISBN 0-19-515208-5 (Section Description, distribution and systematics)