Soldanella alpina

Alpine Soldanelle ( Soldanella alpina)

The Alps Soldanelle ( Soldanella alpina ) is a plant of the genus Alpenglöckchen. Other names are also Alpentroddelblume as well as ordinary or Large Alpenglöckchen ( Switzerland ). She was elected to the flower of the year 2004.

Description

The Alps Soldanelle is an evergreen, perennial, herbaceous plant, reaching the heights of growth 5-15 centimeters. It is a short, thickened tuberous rhizome available. The basal leaves measure up to 3 cm in diameter and are round to kidney-shaped, rather thick and leathery.

The flowering period extends, depending on the location of April to June. It has erect, leafless inflorescences in which the flowers are arranged in twos or threes often. The leaf and flower stems are filled in youth with sessile glands and verkahlen later. The hermaphroditic, violet flowers are about 10 to 15 mm long, are funnel-shaped and - unlike the dwarf Soldanelle - fibrous cut to the middle. The fringes of the Kronsaumes are more or less the same length. The pharyngeal scales are wider than long and the awn of the anther tip is (mostly) bidentate. There shall be set upright capsule fruits.

Chromosome number 2n = 40

Ecology

The Alps Soldanelle is a Hemikryptophyt and a rosette plant.

Biologically flowers are homo game to vorweibliche " bell flowers with spreading device ". Short Maw shed partly hide the output from the base of the ovary nectar. When visiting flowers of the pollen falls conditioned by the bent tips of the Konnektivs the dust bag on the back of the visitors. As the scar she surmounted the corolla and the scattering cone first contacted by the approaching insects. Pollination is by bumblebees and butterflies and other insects. Self-pollination is possible.

The fruit capsules open in dry conditions, and are therefore xerochas. The inflorescence stem is extended to the fruit time; the remaining cup serves as a porch, so it's a wind spreader. The only 0.24 mg weight and 0.8 mm long seeds are grains flyer. Fruit ripening occurs from July.

Occurrence

The distribution area of the Alps Soldanelle situated in the Alps, Pyrenees and the Balkans. The Alps Soldanelle preferably calcareous soils, Schneetälchen and turf from the valley up to an altitude of 3000 meters.