Biology:Thesium humifusum
| Thesium humifusum | |
|---|---|
.jpg)
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Santalales |
| Family: | Santalaceae |
| Genus: | Thesium |
| Species: | T. humifusum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Thesium humifusum | |
Thesium humifusum is a species of hemiparasitic flowering plant in the family Santalaceae found in western Europe and north-western Africa, known as bastard-toadflax.
Distribution
Within continental Europe, Thesium humifusum is found throughout France ,[1] Spain [2] and Italy.[3] In the Netherlands, it is very rare, being now restricted to a single dune system near Katwijk aan Zee.[4] In Belgium, it can be found in coastal dunes in Flanders, and perhaps one site in Wallonia.[5] It is the only species of Thesium in Great Britain,[6] and is there considered 'scarce'.[7] Thesium humifusum may also occur in parts of North Africa.[8]
Ecology
Thesium humifusum is a hemiparasitic plant that steals nutrients from hedge bedstraw (Galium album) or lady's bedstraw (Galium verum).[4] Although it can be abundant in appropriate habitats, its low growth habit and inconspicuous flowers mean that it is often overlooked.[7] In Great Britain, it is restricted to downlands over chalk or oolitic limestone in southern England.[9] Elsewhere, it may also grow in sand dune systems.[4]
Description
Thesium humifusum usually grows flat along the ground, only occasionally producing more erect flowering stems. Its leaves are a yellowish green colour and are strap-shaped and up to 25 mm (1 in) long, with a single central vein. The flowers are also yellowish, and only 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long. They have five tepals, five stamens, and a single ovary with three ovules and one style.[6][4]
Taxonomy
Thesium humifusum was first described by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in the 1815 third edition of his Flore Française.[8] In English, it is known simply as 'bastard-toadflax'.[6]
References
- ↑ "Thesium humifusum". eFlore: L'encyclopédie botanique collaborative. Tela Botanica. https://www.tela-botanica.org/bdtfx-nn-67814-synthese. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
- ↑ J. Pedrol & M. Laínz (1997). "Thesium L.". in Santiago Castroviejo Bolibar. Haloragaceae–Euphorbiaceae. Flora Iberica. 8. Madrid: Real Jardín Botánico. pp. 152–159. ISBN 84-00-07654-0.
- ↑ "Thesium humifusum DC.". Flora Italiana. http://luirig.altervista.org/flora/taxa/index1.php?scientific-name=thesium+humifusum. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Niko Buiten & René van Moorsel (2015). "Thesium humifusum DC., liggend bergvlas". FLORON Verspreidingsatlas. NDFF. https://www.verspreidingsatlas.nl/1278. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
- ↑ K. M. Dijkstra. "Liggend bergvlas – Thesium humifusum". Wilde planten in Nederland en België. https://wilde-planten.nl/liggend%20bergvlas.htm. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Clive A. Stace (2019). "Santalaceae – bastard-toadflax family". New Flora of the British Isles (4th ed.). C&M Floristics. pp. 451–452. ISBN 978-1-5272-26302.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 T. C. E. Wells (1994). "Thesium humifusum". in A. Stewart. Scarce Plants in Britain. Peterborough, UK: JNCC. ISBN 978-1873701669.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Thesium humifusum DC.". The Euro+Med PlantBase – the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity. Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem. 2006. http://ww2.bgbm.org/EuroPlusMed/PTaxonDetail.asp?NameCache=Thesium%20humifusum&PTRefFk=7300000. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
- ↑ "Thesium humifusum". Online Atlas of the British and Irish Flora. Biological Records Centre. https://www.brc.ac.uk/plantatlas/plant/thesium-humifusum. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
External links
Wikidata ☰ Q2694221 entry
 |  |
