Achillea erba-rotta

Achillea erba-rotta
Flowers of Achillea erab-rotta
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Achillea
Species: A. erba-rotta
Binomial name
Achillea erba-rotta
All.
Synonyms[1]
  • Achillea cuneifolia Lam.
  • Achillea haussknechtiana Asch.
  • Achillea herba-rota All.
  • Achillea herba-rotta Vill.
  • Achillea morisiana Rchb.
  • Ptarmica erba-rotta (All.) DC.
Close-up of a flowers, lateral view

Achillea erba-rotta, common name Simple Leaved Milfoil, is a perennial flowering plant of the genus Achillea, belonging to the sunflower family.[2]

Description

Achillea erba-rotta is a polymorphic species, as its physical characteristics clearly vary depending on the variety. The biological form is chamaephyte suffruticose,[3] as these plants have perennating buds borne close to the ground and are woody in the lower part of the stem, with herbaceous yearly branches. The primary root is a rhizome.

This plant reaches on average 12–18 centimetres (4.7–7.1 in) in height.[3] The stems are woody and creeping, almost glabrous or with short hair and with erect flowering branches. Leaves of sterile branches are lanceolate-spatulate, 5-7 mm wide and 26-30 mm long, with 4-7 teeth on each side.[3] Cauline leaves are alternate, sessile, toothed and progressively linear, about 2-3 mm wide and 11-22 mm long.[3] Flowers are hermaphroditic and pentamerous, arranged in corymbs with many heads, about 3 mm in diameter, with rounded ligules.[3] The flowering period extends from July through August. The fruit is a flattened achene without pappus.

Distribution

This typical plant of Alps is present in Italy, France, Switzerland and Austria.[3] [4]

Habitat

It prefers a sunny location in alpine pastures and rocky areas, at an altitude of 2,000–2,800 metres (6,600–9,200 ft) above sea level.[3]

Subspecies

accepted by The Plant List[5]

Hybrids

References

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Thursday, May 14, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.