Scleranthus perennis

Enduring ball ( Scleranthus perennis)

The Enduring ball ( Scleranthus perennis ), also called Perennial ball herb, is a plant in the carnation family ( Caryophyllaceae ).

Appearance

The perennial herbaceous plant reaches a height of about 5 to 15 cm. It is woody at the base and has dead foliage leaf debris. The plant is colored gray-green. The against-constant leaves are linear - subulate in shape.

The bracts are much longer than the flowers. These are usually terminally entangled together. The bloom have a length of about 2.5 to 3 mm, are obtuse rounded, greenish and have an up to 0.5 mm wide, whitish skin edge. They are only slightly longer than the 10 stamens. The Perigonblattspitzen close to the fruit almost time together. The false fruit has a length of about 3.5 to 4.5 mm. It blooms from May to October.

Ecology

The Enduring ball is a perennial, evergreen Chamaephyt.

He is the main host of the Polish cochineal, Porphyrophora polonica, whose larvae parasitize at its roots, and the like you Kakteeen Scale was for some time as a supplier of a used for red coloring dye of importance.

Dissemination

Popularization

Scleranthus perennis comes from Europe via Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Armenia to Siberia. He is a Eurasian- sub-oceanic sub-Mediterranean Florenelement.

In Austria the Enduring ball is scattered only in the northern gneiss and granite area before. Otherwise, it is rare. In Switzerland it is common only in southern Switzerland, otherwise rare or entirely absent.

Distribution in Germany

The Enduring ball is scattered in Germany, particularly in the level and in the deeper areas before. It is missing in the Alps.

Habitat requirements

The Enduring ball grows in open pioneer grass, sand dunes and rocky heads and trails. It prefers nutrient-poor, moderately base- rich, lime-free, mostly acidic, humus- poor sand or Steingrusböden.