Stachys officinalis
True Betony ( Betonica officinalis)
The Real Betony ( Betonica officinalis), also healing woundwort, flea flower, Pfaff flower, herb tooth or Zehrkraut called, is a species of the genus of Betonien ( Betonica ). The species belongs to the mint family ( Lamiaceae ), and was by some authors the genus Zieste ( Stachys ) assigned.
Description
The Real Betony is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches the heights of growth between 30 and 80 centimeters. The stem is erect and almost bald or carry up to 1.5 mm long hairs. This Hemikryptophyt forms a subterranean rhizome as nodular Überdauerungsorgan. The narrow ovate leaves are petiolate (the lower up to 15 cm long) and at the base cordate with scattered hairs on both sides.
This type flowers from June to September in crowded together to pseudo-spikes Scheinquirlen from each about ten flowers. The hermaphrodite flowers are zygomorphic. The sepals are 5-7 mm long and hairy. The petals are 8-15 mm long and red to dark pink, rarely white.
Ecology
The flowers are nectar- leading, vormännliche lip flowers; they are pollinated by bees ( especially bumble bees ), butterflies and hoverflies; towards the end of the heyday of spontaneous self-pollination is possible. Seed dispersal occurs as wind spreader ( also animal spreader ).
Occurrence
This species is widespread in Europe with a few properties in West Asia and North Africa. In Europe, the closed range extends to 58 ° north latitude, to the north, there are only sporadic, inconsistent occurrence.
The Real Betony is scattered in front of peat meadows, sparse mountain meadows and heath societies, including deciduous mixed forests. It prefers moist, lime- rich soils on base often slightly warmer locations. In the northwest, it is rare or absent.
After Ellenberg he is a half- light plant, intermediate - continental spread, growing on nitrogen-poor sites and a Verbandscharakterart the moor grass - litter meadows ( Molinion ).
System
The Real Betony was first published in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum.
It is divided into the following sub- types that have only partially under the generic name Betonica no valid user names to subspecies level:
- Betonica officinalis var algeriensis ( de Noé ) Ball ( syn.. Stachys officinalis subsp algeriensis ( de Noé ) Franco), is on the Iberian Peninsula and North West Africa.
- Betonica officinalis subsp. haussknechtii Nyman ( syn.. Stachys officinalis subsp haussknechtii ( Nyman ) Greuter & Burdet ), occurs in central Greece, South-East Bulgaria and Turkey.
- Betonica officinalis L. subsp. officinalis (syn.: .. Stachys officinalis (L.) Trev, Stachys betonica Benth, Stachys Bulgarica ( Degen & Nejceff ) Hayek, Betonica glabriflora Borbás, Betonica peraucta Klokov, Betonica brachyodonta Klokov, Betonica Klokov fusca ), arrives in Europe until the Caucasus.
- Betonica officinalis var serotina (host) Nyman ( syn.. Stachys officinalis subsp serotina (host) Hayek, Betonica serotina host) is common in Italy and in the northwest of the Balkan Peninsula.
- Stachys officinalis subsp. skipetarum jav. , is endemic to Albania.
- Betonica officinalis subsp. velebitica ( A.Kern. ) Nyman ( Syn: .. . Stachys officinalis subsp velebitica ( A.Kern ) Hayek, Betonica velebitica A.Kern ), occurs only in the north-west of the Balkan Peninsula.
Medical benefits
The Real concreting works by Hildegard von Bingen as a medicinal herb against " bad dreams " and menstrual pain. The plant contains bitter and tannins, especially stachydrine from the family of betaines. Are found mainly Betonicine, stachydrine, Turicin, choline and other alkaloids in essential oils.