Zinnia

Zinnia acerosa

The zinnias ( Zinnia ) are a genus of flowering plants in the subfamily of herbaceous within the sunflower family ( Asteraceae). In the genus Zinnia there are about 20 types. The genus name honors the German botanist Johann Gottfried Zinn ( 1727-1759 ). They are originally from the U.S., Mexico, Central and South America.

Description

Zinnia species grow as annuals to perennial herbaceous plants and subshrubs, usually reach heights of growth of about 10 to 100 (rarely up to 200 ) cm depending on the type. The stems are erect to decumbent. The sessile leaves are usually opposite, rarely almost constantly against the stems. The leaves are simple with smooth boundary.

The little head -shaped buds are often terminally on the stems. The flowers baskets of natural forms have diameters 5-25 mm, with breeding, they can be larger. In three, four or more rows are 12 to 30 bracts; they are not equal and the outside are shorter. The flower heads contain from 20 to 150 florets and five to 21 ( at Zinnia anomala can be absent) florets (for breeding, especially with " Filled " it may be more). The female, fertile florets ( ray florets = ) have a very large range of colors to white, yellow, orange, red or purple. The hermaphrodite, fertile florets ( = disc florets ) are usually yellow to reddish with five corolla lobes.

The often triangular achenes are dark brown to black and mostly 5-8 (up to 13 ) mm long. A pappus is absent or consists of one to a maximum of four awns or teeth-like scales.

Use

In Central Europe, varieties of plants have been found mainly as an annual garden flower distribution. Especially popular are the zinnias - breeds from the manner Zinnia violacae ( Syn: Zinnia elegans), are now the type Ziniia violacea assigned. Many gardeners plant these flowers, also because they are frequently visited by butterflies as a nectar plant.

System

Synonyms for Zinnia L. are: Crassina Scepin, Diplothrix DC, DC Mendezia, Tragoceros Kunth. ..

In the genus of about 20 species zinnias are distinguished. Here is a selection of species

  • Zinnia acerosa ( DC.) A. Gray:
  • Narrow Zinnia ( Zinnia angustifolia Kunth ): Zinnia angustifolia var angustifolia
  • Zinnia angustifolia var greggii ( BLRob. & Greenm. ) McVaugh
  • Zinnia maritima var maritima
  • Zinnia maritima var palmeri

The following formerly of the genus Zinnia attributed type is currently assigned to a different genus:

  • Zinnia bidens Retz. Became a Glossocardia bidens ( Retz. ) Veldkamp

Often the ornamental varieties hybrids of Zinnia angustifolia and Zinnia violacea.

Swell

  • Alan R. Smith: Zinnia in Flora of North America, 2006, Volume 21, page 71: - Online.
Asteroideae Heliantheae Middle America (region) Perennial plant Digital Object Identifier
837158
de