Biology:Kalmia angustifolia
| Sheep-laurel | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Kalmia |
| Species: | K. angustifolia
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| Binomial name | |
| Kalmia angustifolia | |
Kalmia angustifolia is a flowering shrub in the family Ericaceae, commonly known as sheep laurel. It is distributed in eastern North America from Ontario and Quebec south to Virginia.[1] It grows commonly in dry habitats in the boreal forest, and may become dominant over large areas after fire or logging.[2] Like many plant species of infertile habitats it has evergreen leaves and mycorrhizal associations with fungi.[3] It is also found in drier areas of peat bogs.
Description
The attractive, small, deep crimson-pink flowers are produced in early summer. Each has five sepals, with a corolla of five fused petals, and ten stamens fused to the corolla. They are pollinated by bumblebees and solitary bees. Each mature capsule contains about 180 seeds.[4]
In the wild the plant may vary in height from 15–90 cm (6–35 in). New shoots arise from dormant buds on buried rhizomes. This process is stimulated by fire.[4] The narrow evergreen leaves, pale on the underside, have a tendency to emerge from the stem in groups of three. The Latin specific epithet angustifolia means "narrow-leaved".[5] A peculiarity of the plant is that clusters of leaves usually terminate the woody stem, for the flowers grow in whorls or in clusters below the stem apex.[6]
Cultivation
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Kalmia angustifolia is cultivated as an ornamental garden shrub. It prefers a moist, acidic soil in partial shade. The species has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[7] Numerous cultivars have been selected for garden use, of which K. angustifolia f. rubra,[8] with rich red flowers, has also won the award.[9]
Toxicity
Kalmia contains a glycoside, known as andromedotoxin.[10] It is poisonous to mammals. Hence, it can be unwelcome in pastures.[11] Several of its folk-names testify to the plant's toxicity: 'lamb-kill', 'sheep kill', 'calf-kill', 'pig laurel', 'sheep-laurel' and 'sheep-poison'.[12] It is also known as narrow-leaved laurel and dwarf laurel.[12]
References
- ↑ "USDA Plants Database". http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=kaan.
- ↑ Weetman, G. F. 1983. Forestry practices and stress on Canadian forest land. pp. 260–301. In W. Simpson-Lewis, R. McKechnie, and V. Neimanis (eds.) Stress on Land in Canada. Ottawa: Lands Directorate, Environment Canada.
- ↑ Keddy, P.A. 2007. Plants and Vegetation: Origins, Processes, Consequences.Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 666 p.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Hall, I. V., Jackson, L. P. and Everett, C. F. 1973. The biology of Canadian weeds. 1. Kalmia angustifolia L. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 53: 865–873.
- ↑ Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for Gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. ISBN 978-1845337315.
- ↑ Blanchan, Neltje. 1917. Wild Flowers Worth Knowing Doubleday, New York.Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
- ↑ "Kalmia angustifolia". Royal Horticultural Society. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/9704/Kalmia-angustifolia/Details. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
- ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Kalmia angustifolia f. rubra". Royal Horticultural Society. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/77501/Kalmia-angustifolia-f-rubra/Details. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
- ↑ "AGM Plants - Ornamental". Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 57. https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
- ↑ "Kalmia angustifolia, K. carolina". https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/all/kalmia-angustifolia-k-carolina/.
- ↑ "Kalmia angustifolia". https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/kalang/all.html.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 {{citation | mode = cs1 | title = Kalmia angustifolia | work = Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) | url = | publisher = [[Organization:Agricultural Research ServAgricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) | access-date = 24 December 2017 }}
Wikidata ☰ Q3192236 entry
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