Merwilla

Merwilla plumbea

The Merwilla are a genus within the family asparagus plants ( Asparagaceae ). The only three species are distributed from southern tropical Africa to South Africa, where they are wild squill (English), Blue squill (English), Blue hyacinth (English), Blouberglelie ( Afrikaans ), Blouslangkop called ( Afrikaans ) or Inguduza ( Zulu). One way Merwilla plumbea is used as an ornamental plant.

• 4.1 Notes and references

Description

Appearance and leaves

Merwilla species grow as perennial herbaceous plants. These geophytes form very large, only partly underground bulbs from as outlasting whose compact onion leaves over last up to four years and are sheathing ( " Tunic " ) inside yellow to gray, brown on the outside and is cartilaginous. The thick roots are branched.

The leaves are borne in a basal rosette. The simple leaf blades are relatively wide and glabrous or hairy. There is Parallelnervatur.

Inflorescences and flowers

Terminally on a more or less long, bare or sometimes hairy Blütenstandsschäften are conical to cylindrical, racemose inflorescences that contain few to many flowers. There are narrow bracts present.

The stalked, hermaphrodite flowers are radial symmetry and threefold. The six identically shaped bracts are free and are star shape. The colors of the bracts are blue to mauve. There are two circles, each with three stamens present. The white stamens are triangular broadened and fused at their base. The anthers are relatively small. The three carpels are fused to an almost spherical, superior ovaries. The ovary chamber are 4 to 40 ovules present. The pen is about 1 mm long.

Fruit and seeds

The spherical fruit capsules contained in each fruit trade some seeds. The seeds are elongated and flattened. The seeds are viable for up to six months.

Systematics and distribution

The genus Merwilla in 1998 for species that have been separated from the genus Scilla, by Franz Speta in Systematic analysis of the genus Scilla L. ( Hyacinthaceae ) In: Phyton ( Horn ), vol 38, p 107 installed. The genus name honors the Merwilla South African amateur botanist Frederick of der Merwe ( 1894-1968 ).

The genus belongs to the subtribe Merwilla Massoniinae from the tribe Hyacintheae in the subfamily Scilloideae within the family Asparagaceae. It was formerly classified in the family Liliaceae or Hyacinthaceae.

The genus Merwilla is widespread from southern tropical Africa to South Africa ( two species). There are only three Merwilla types:

• Merwilla draco montana ( Hilliard & BLBurtt ) Speta ( syn. Scilla draco montana Hilliard & BLBurtt ): It occurs only in KwaZulu- Natal, their stocks are considered to be stable and it is known as " Least Concern " = " not at risk " rating.
• Merwilla lazulina (Wild) Speta ( syn. Scilla lazulina game): It comes before the southern tropical Africa in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
• Merwilla plumbea ( Lindl. ) Speta ( syn.. Scilla plumbea Lindl, Scilla natalensis Planch, Scilla kraussii Baker, Merwilla kraussii ( Baker) Speta, Merwilla natalensis ( Planch. ) Speta. ): She comes KwaZulu- Natal, Eastern Cape, Free State, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mpumalanga ago and is considered " Near Threatened " = " low risk". It grows in grasslands in the mountain mist zone and Ngongoni grassland, on rocky slopes in well-drained sites and current altitude 300-2500 meters.

Use

Merwilla plumbea is used as an ornamental plant.

Especially the onions are toxic and at certain seasons of cattle poisoned Merwilla plumbea. From Merwilla plumbea preparations are used in folk medicine in many diseases of the onions.

Swell

• John Manning: Field guide to wildflowers of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, 487 pages, Struik Nature, Cape Town 2009, ISBN 978-1-77007-758-4. Merwilla on page 88 (Sections Description, distribution and systematics)
• Franz Speta: Systematic analysis of the genus Scilla L. ( Hyacinthaceae ) In: Phyton ( Horn ), Volume 38, 1998, pp. 1-141. Full-Text PDF.