Symphytum bulbosum

Tuberous comfrey ( Symphytum bulbosum )

The tuberous comfrey or Small-flowered comfrey ( Symphytum bulbosum ) is a plant of the family Boraginaceae ( Boraginaceae ). It is native to the Mediterranean region and naturalized in a few places in West Germany.

Description

The tuberous comfrey grows as a perennial herbaceous plant with plant height 15-50 inches. The plants produce suckers. As outlasting sit at the thin rhizomes roundish tubers, which have led to the common name bulbosum tuberous comfrey and specific epithet. In contrast to the Commons comfrey the rough hairy, oval and lanceolate pointed leaves do not run down the stem.

The flowering time is located in Central Europe from May and June in the Mediterranean area it starts from March. The flowers are about 1 inch long. The petals are pale yellow. The pharyngeal scales that are found in many Raublattgewächsen, here are white and protrude from the corolla. The very similar node Comfrey has larger flowers, which are not project the pharyngeal scales.

Occurrence and risk

The tuberous comfrey occurs mainly in the northeastern Mediterranean and the Balkans. To the west is their area to the South of France, Corsica and Sardinia, in the south to Turkey. In Germany he is introduced before only a few places in Baden- Württemberg. In Austria, he settled as introduced species all states.

The tubers Comfrey thrives on fresh, nutrient-rich and calcium-poor mostly sandy or pure clay or clay soils of warm, partially shaded sites along forest edges, near rivers or streams, in parks or gardens.

In Baden- Württemberg the tuberous comfrey is on the Red List of endangered plant species as endangered.

Swell

• Erich Oberdorfer: Phytosociological Exkursionsflora. Assisted by Theo Müller. 7, revised and enlarged edition. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart ( Hohenheim) 1994, ISBN 3-8252-1828-7.
• Werner Rothmaler: Exkursionsflora the territories of the GDR and the FRG. Volume 2: vascular plants, 14th edition. Volk und Wissen, Berlin 1988, ISBN 3-060-12539-2
• Otto Schmeil, Jost hinge plates, Werner Rauh: Flora of Germany and its neighboring areas. 84th edition, Quelle & Meyer, Heidelberg 1968.