Mertensia virginica: Difference between revisions
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'''''Mertensia virginica''''' ([[common name]]s '''Virginia bluebell''', '''Virginia cowslip''', '''lungwort oysterleaf''', '''Roanoke bells''') is a [[species]] of [[flowering plant]] in the [[family (biology)|family]] Boraginaceae, [[Indigenous (ecology)|native]] to moist [[woodland]] in eastern North America. It is a spring [[ephemeral plant]] with bell-shaped sky-blue flowers opening from pink buds. The [[leaf|leaves]] are rounded and gray-green, borne on stems up to {{convert|60|cm|0|abbr=on}} tall. They are [[petiole (botany)|petiolate]] at the bottom of the flower stem and [[sessility (botany)|sessile]] at the top. |
'''''Mertensia virginica''''' ([[common name]]s '''Virginia bluebell''', '''Virginia cowslip''', '''lungwort oysterleaf''', '''Roanoke bells''') is a [[species]] of [[flowering plant]] in the [[family (biology)|family]] Boraginaceae, [[Indigenous (ecology)|native]] to moist [[woodland]] in eastern North America. It is a spring [[ephemeral plant]] with bell-shaped sky-blue flowers opening from pink buds. The [[leaf|leaves]] are rounded and gray-green, borne on stems up to {{convert|60|cm|0|abbr=on}} tall. They are [[petiole (botany)|petiolate]] at the bottom of the flower stem and [[sessility (botany)|sessile]] at the top. |
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==Description== |
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[[Flower]]s with five [[petal]]s fused into a tube, five [[stamen]]s, and a central pistil ([[gynoecium#Carpel morphology|carpel]]) are borne in mid-spring in nodding [[inflorescence#Determinate|cyme]]s at the end of arched stems. White flowers occur rarely. |
[[Flower]]s with five [[petal]]s fused into a tube, five [[stamen]]s, and a central pistil ([[gynoecium#Carpel morphology|carpel]]) are borne in mid-spring in nodding [[inflorescence#Determinate|cyme]]s at the end of arched stems. White flowers occur rarely. |
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In cultivation, ''M. virginica'' has gained the [[Royal Horticultural Society]]'s [[Award of Garden Merit]].<ref>{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - ''Mertensia virginica''|url=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=1274|accessdate=24 May 2013}}</ref> |
In cultivation, ''M. virginica'' has gained the [[Royal Horticultural Society]]'s [[Award of Garden Merit]].<ref>{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - ''Mertensia virginica''|url=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=1274|accessdate=24 May 2013}}</ref> |
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==Nomenclature== |
==Nomenclature== |
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==References== |
==References== |
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==Gallery== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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Revision as of 01:52, 25 April 2015
| Virginia Bluebell | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| (unranked): | |
| (unranked): | |
| (unranked): | |
| Order: | (unplaced)
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| Family: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | M. virginica
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| Binomial name | |
| Mertensia virginica | |
Mertensia virginica (common names Virginia bluebell, Virginia cowslip, lungwort oysterleaf, Roanoke bells) is a species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae, native to moist woodland in eastern North America. It is a spring ephemeral plant with bell-shaped sky-blue flowers opening from pink buds. The leaves are rounded and gray-green, borne on stems up to 60 cm (24 in) tall. They are petiolate at the bottom of the flower stem and sessile at the top.
Description
Flowers with five petals fused into a tube, five stamens, and a central pistil (carpel) are borne in mid-spring in nodding cymes at the end of arched stems. White flowers occur rarely.
The stamens and stigma are spaced too far apart for self-fertilization. The flower can be pollinated by bumblebees but, due to its funnel shape bumblebees must hover, making the bumblebee a rare pollinator. Butterflies are the most common pollinators because they can easily perch on the edges and still enjoy the nectar.
In early summer, each fertilized flower produces four seeds within wrinkled nuts, and the plant goes dormant till the next spring.
Plants are hardy to hardiness zone 3 - −40 °C (−40 °F).
In cultivation, M. virginica has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[1]
- Photos
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Leaves before blooming -
Flower buds -
Fruits -
.jpg)
Nomenclature
Mertensia virginica is the type species for the genus Mertensia and was first described by Linnaeus in 1753 as Pulmonaria virginica.[2] The genus Pulmonaria is today restricted to 19 species in the tribe Boragineae. When Albrecht Wilhelm Roth erected the genus Mertensia in 1797, he named the Virginia bluebell as Mertensia pulmonarioides, apparently unaware that Linnaeus had already named it in his Species Plantarum. Roth's name is a superfluous synonym and has been used in recent literature.[3]
References
- ^ "RHS Plant Selector - Mertensia virginica". Retrieved 24 May 2013.
- ^ Carl von Linné (Linnaeus). 1753. Species Plantarum 1:135. (see External links below)
- ^ James S. Pringle. 2004. "Nomenclature of the Virginia-bluebell, Mertensia virginica (Boraginaceae)". SIDA, contributions to botany 21(2):771-775.(see External links below)
External links
- NRCS: USDA PLANTS Profile for Mertensia virginica (Virginia bluebell)
- Wildflower.org: Native Plant Identification Network
- IPNI Listing of Mertensia virginica
- Missouri Plants: Mertensia virginica
- Illinois Plant Information Network: Mertensia virginica
- Kew Plant List: Mertensia virginica
- RHS Plant Selector: Mertensia virginica
- Pulmonaria In Species Plantarum vol. 1 At Botanicus
- Nomenclature of the Virginia bluebell At Volume 21, View Book At SIDA, contributions to botany At BHL
- Mertensia
- Flora of the Appalachian Mountains
- Flora of the Great Lakes region (North America)
- Flora of the Northeastern United States
- Flora of the Southeastern United States
- Wildflowers of the Great Smoky Mountains
- Flora of Virginia
- Flora of West Virginia
- Flora of Washington, D.C.
- Flora of Maryland
- Flora of Delaware
- Flora of North Carolina
- Flora of Kentucky
- Flora of Tennessee
- Native Forbs of Ontario
- Flora of Quebec
- Flora of Michigan
- Flora of Wisconsin
- Flora of Minnesota
- Flora of Illinois
- Flora of Indiana
- Flora of Ohio
- Flora of Pennsylvania
- Flora of New Jersey
- Flora of New York
- Flora of Kansas
- Flora of Missouri
- Flora of Arkansas
- Flora of Alabama
- Flora of Georgia (U.S. state)