Echium pininana explained

Echium pininana, commonly known as the tree echium, pine echium, giant viper's-bugloss, or tower of jewels,[1] is a species of flowering plant in the borage family Boraginaceae. It is endemic to the Canary Islands, where it is restricted to the island of La Palma.[2] Echium pininana is an endangered species, and is listed in Appendix I to, and is therefore protected under, the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats.[3] The specific epithet pininana is Latin for "small pine",[4] though E. pininana is neither closely related to the pine, nor does it resemble that plant.

Description

Lifecycle

Echium pininana is biennial or triennial,[5] meaning each plant lives for only two or three years respectively. It is a monocarpic species;[6] each plant flowers only once before dying.[7]

Morphology

In their first year, plants produce a rosette of lanceolate leaves approximately 7frac=2NaNfrac=2 in length, with silver hairs. Plants also produce a trunk NaNfeet tall in their first year,[8] which is covered with many lanceolate leaves. In their second (or third) year, plants produce a cone-like inflorescence up to 40NaN0 high with a dense mass of leaves and small blue flowers.[9] [10] Between April and June, the flower spike can grow 5abbr=onNaNabbr=on per day.[11] Flowers are funnel-shaped,[12] and each produce up to 1.4 μL of nectar, which is approximately 26% sugar.[13] Flowers at the bottom of the flower spike are first to open, with those at the top opening last.[14] Pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and moths are attracted to the flowers. Following pollination, each flower produces four nutlets. Each plant can produce over 200,000 seeds, which are disbursed short distances by the wind.[15]

Phytochemistry

Various pyrrolizidine alkaloids, a class of toxic organic compounds that may cause liver damage,[16] have been isolated from Echium pininana.[17] The plant is toxic to horses.

Phylogeny

Echium pininana, E. simplex, and E. wildpretii comprise a monophyletic clade.[18] All three of these Echium species are monocarpic, have a similar habit, similar floral morphology, and produce a dimethylated flavone not detected in other Echium species.

Distribution and habitat

Echium pininana is endemic to the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, where it grows in laurel forests.[19] It is endangered due to habitat loss caused by agriculture. Outside La Palma, Echium pininana has been introduced to France, Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand (both North and South Island), and the United States (north and central coast of California).[20] [21] It is also in ex situ conservation; in fact, the ex situ conservation population is greater than the wild population.[22] It is conserved in botanical gardens such as Kew Gardens in London, where it has naturalised.[23]

Cultivation

Echium pininana is cultivated as a garden ornamental, and has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[24] It is used as a bedding plant or planted in borders, and grows best in full sun. It is recommended for the southern maritime counties of England, the Channel Islands and the Scilly Isles. There are, however, reports of successful cultivation in the English Midlands[25] and Yorkshire,[26] albeit in favourable locations. Specimens are also grown in Dublin gardens at Howth and in the Irish National Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin. The plant also grows readily in North Wales where it seeds very widely. Although E. pininana is half-hardy in Britain and Ireland, it will self-seed to form clusters of plants, and it is suggested that by natural selection a hardier variety will emerge.[27] The plant is most vulnerable to frosts in its first year. Because of its large leaves when partly grown, it is also very susceptible to wind damage. Hence a sheltered garden position is essential. Echium pininana 'Alba' is a cultivar with white flowers.[28]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: RHS Plantfinder - Echium pininata. 12 January 2018.
  2. Manuel Arechavaleta, S. Rodríguez, Nieves Zurita, A. García (Hrsg.): Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias. Hongos, plantas y animales terrestres (List of Forest Species of the Canary Islands). 2009. Gobierno de Canarias, p. 151
  3. Web site: Echium pininana - Webb. & Berth.. live. 2021-06-19. eunis.eea.europa.eu. European Environment Agency. https://web.archive.org/web/20140422234415/http://eunis.eea.europa.eu/species/15781 . 2014-04-22 .
  4. Book: Harrison, Lorraine. RHS Latin for Gardeners. Mitchell Beazley. 2012. 978-1845337315. United Kingdom.
  5. Web site: Echium pininana. 2021-06-19. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine. en.
  6. Al-Shehbaz. Ihsan A.. The Genera of Boraginaceae in the Southeastern United States . 1991. Journal of the Arnold Arboretum. Supplementary Series. 1. 1–169. 10.5962/p.315943 . 43782784 . 2472-8659. free.
  7. Web site: 2020. Definition of monocarpic. dead. 2021-06-18. Lexico.com. Oxford University Press. https://web.archive.org/web/20210624201208/https://www.lexico.com/definition/monocarpic . 2021-06-24 .
  8. Web site: Echium pininana 'Blue Steeple'. live. 2021-06-19. www.chicagobotanic.org. Chicago Botanic Garden. https://web.archive.org/web/20210624203818/https://www.chicagobotanic.org/plantcollections/plantfinder/echium_pininana_blue_steeple--blue_steeple_tower_jewels . 2021-06-24 .
  9. Carlquist. Sherwin. 1970. Wood Anatomy of Echium (Boraginaceae). Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany. 7. 2. CORE.
  10. Web site: Kelley. Ronald B.. 2012. Echium pininana, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.). live. 2021-06-19. Jepson eFlora. https://web.archive.org/web/20170829060005/http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=77364 . 2017-08-29 .
  11. Robinson. David. 2003. Plants that changed my life. The Horticulturist. 12. 4. 5–9. 45142512 . 0964-8992.
  12. Web site: BBC - Gardening: Plant Finder - Tree echium. 2021-06-19. www.bbc.co.uk.
  13. Valido. Alfredo. Dupont. Yoko L.. Olesen. Jens M.. 2004. Bird-Flower Interactions in the Macaronesian Islands. Journal of Biogeography. 31. 12. 1945–1953. 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2004.01116.x . 3554673 . 10261/63423 . 35788157 . 0305-0270. free.
  14. Web site: Woodley. Millie. 11 January 2021. Plant of the month. live. 2021-06-19. Fulham Palace. Fulham Palace Trust. https://web.archive.org/web/20210111111625/https://www.fulhampalace.org/news/plant-of-the-month-january-2021/ . 2021-01-11 .
  15. Web site: State of Victoria (Agriculture Victoria). 2020-08-18. Giant Viper's-bugloss (Echium pininana). live. 2021-06-19. vro.agriculture.vic.gov.au. Victoria State Government. https://web.archive.org/web/20190326151111/http://vro.agriculture.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/weeds_giant-vipers-bugloss . 2019-03-26 .
  16. Web site: 2020. Definition of pyrrolizidine alkaloid. dead. 2021-06-19. Lexico.com. Oxford University Press. https://web.archive.org/web/20210624201205/https://www.lexico.com/definition/pyrrolizidine_alkaloid . 2021-06-24 .
  17. Roeder. E.. Liu. K.. Bourauel. T.. 1991-01-01. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Echium pininana. Phytochemistry. en. 30. 9. 3107–3110. 10.1016/S0031-9422(00)98263-3. 0031-9422.
  18. Bramwell. David. 1973. Studies in the genus Echium from Macaronesia. Monographiae Biologicae Canarienses. 4. 71–82.
  19. Web site: Wilson. Matthew. 4 March 2016. Rocket plant takes off: how towering Echium pininana has spread. live. 2021-06-18. FT.com. Financial Times. https://web.archive.org/web/20190924075942/https://www.ft.com/content/d87018b8-dbaa-11e5-a72f-1e7744c66818 . 2019-09-24 .
  20. Web site: Echium pininana Webb & Berthel.. live. 2021-06-19. Plants of the World Online. Kew Science. https://web.archive.org/web/20210120041837/http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:115832-1 . 2021-01-20 .
  21. Web site: Echium pininana Webb & Berthel.. 2021-06-19. www.gbif.org. en.
  22. Maunder. Mike. Higgens. Sarah. 1998. A Survey of Bern Convention Plant Taxa in European Botanic Gardens - initial findings and implications. Botanic Gardens Conservation News. 2. 10. 29–31. 24753901 . 0965-2582.
  23. 2009. Verdcourt. B.. Additions to the Wild Fauna and Flora of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Kew Bulletin. 64. 1. 183–194. 20649641 . 0075-5974. Verdcourt . B. . 10.1007/s12225-008-9084-0 . 40246634 .
  24. Web site: July 2017. AGM Plants - Ornamental. 24 January 2018. Royal Horticultural Society. 35.
  25. Web site: Is this Cannock plant the tallest in the country? . 2017-06-02 . 2021-07-30 . Joe Edwards . Express & Star.
  26. Web site: Giant Viper's bugloss, Tree Echium, Pine echium, Echium pininana. East Yorkshire, England, UK, GB. - Image ID: 2C3WKXP . www.alamy.com . 2021-07-30 . 2020-05-25 . Alan Mather.
  27. Web site: Increase Of Cold Hardiness Of Echium Pininana Through Natural Selection . December 1992 . 22 May 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090627042817/http://www.earlscliffe.com/echium_pininana.htm . 27 June 2009 . dead .
  28. News: Fallon. Fionnuala. 2021-06-12. Ten summer flowers to add height and energy to your garden. live. 2021-06-19. The Irish Times. https://web.archive.org/web/20210613183610/https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/gardens/ten-summer-flowers-to-add-height-and-energy-to-your-garden-1.4583323 . 2021-06-13 .

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