Wikipedia

Asarina

Asarinais aflowering plantgenus of only one species,Asarina procumbensMill.[2]thetrailing snapdragon,[3]which is native to France and Spain and introduced in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary.[4]Originally placed in theScrophulariaceae(figwort family), the genus has more recently been moved to thePlantaginaceae(plantain family).[5]Species from North America formerly placed in the genusAsarinaare now placed inHolmgrenanthe,Lophospermum,MabryaandMaurandya,[6]as well asNeogaerrhinum.Asarinais now regarded as exclusively an Old World genus.[7][8]

Asarina
Scientific classificationEdit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Plantaginaceae
Tribe: Antirrhineae
Genus: Asarina
Mill.(1757)
Species:
A. procumbens
Binomial name
Asarina procumbens
Mill.(1768)
Synonyms[1]
  • Antirrhinum asarifoliumSalisb.
  • Antirrhinum asarinaL.
  • Antirrhinum asarinumLam.
  • Antirrhinum quinquelobatumSt.-Lag.
  • Asarina cordifoliaMoench
  • Asarina lobeliiQuer

Description

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The single remaining species of the nowmonotypicgenus,A. procumbensis afoetid,strongly pubescent, viscidsubshrubof trailing/mat-forming habit reaching a height of only 10-20cm. The somewhat woody main stems give rise to lax creeping/cascading stems bearing opposite, long-petioled, hairy, lobed, reniform-to-cordate leaves withcrenateand often red-tinged margins. Flowers solitary or in shortracemesof only two or three, fragrant,bumblebee-pollinated, borne in theleaf axils.Corolla cream-coloured, somewhat resembling that ofAntirrhinum,the tube bearing faint violet striations, the upper part divided into two keel-like lips, the lower bearing paired inflated lobes, concealing the corolla tube, with a three-lobed margin; pistil violet, persistent, stamens four. Base of corolla bearing (starting behind inflated lobes and extending into corolla throat) a dense mat or beard of deep yellow trichomes. Calyx tubular, five-toothed, densely hairy. Peduncle narrow where joined to stem, thickening greatly to junction with fruiting calyx, reflexed so as to lie parallel to capsule. Fruit a dry capsule, glabrous, subglobose, shorter than the calyx and dehiscing at the apex by two openings separating three valves, the central valve bearing the persistent withered pistil. Seeds small, brownish-buff, roughly conical,testafinely incised with deep sinuous furrows. Seed distribution is byepizoochory,the sticky fruiting calyces becoming attached to the fur of mammals or the feathers of birds, allowing the small seeds to trickle from the dry, open capsules.[9]

Endangered habitat

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A. procumbensis a semi-evergreenalpinechasmophyte,favouring partial shade, its preferred habitat being crevices in silica-rich, non-sedimentary rocks. This type of habitat - "Mediterranean siliceous inland cliff" - is designated by endangered habitat code H3.1d by the European Red List of Habitats. The term siliceous cliffs (in this context) refers to those which are composed chiefly ofquartz-rich rocks (making them of an acidic character) of eitherigneoustype, such asgranite,dioriteandandesite,ormetamorphictype, such asgneiss,slate,schistandquartzite.Low-altitude cliffs of this type - as favoured byA. procumbens- are more affected by human disturbances than high mountain cliffs, as the latter often occur withinnature reservesand other protected areas. Cliffs at low altitudes, by contrast, are susceptible to a wide variety of threats including theshoring-up of cliffsover roads and railway lines, sport and leisure activities -particularlyrock-climbing- and, at lower elevations,mining,quarryingandinvasive/alien plants.[10] In the French part of its rangeA. procumbensis seldom to be found growing at altitudes below 400m, with an upper limit of some 1800m.[9][11]

Distribution in France and Spain

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A. procumbensis not a common species in the French part of its range, even having protected status in theAuvergneregion. Its strongholds in France comprise thePyrénées-Orientales(taking in the Franco-Catalan area of historic Rousillon) and theMassif central- notably theCévennes.In Spain the plant is native to the Pyrenean region, but may be found naturalised elsewhere.[9]

Cultivation

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A. procumbensgrows best in somewhat dry partial shade. Soil: well-drained, sandy/gravelly, humus-rich, moderately moist: dislikes excessive winter wetness. Blooms most profusely in climates in which summers are not excessively hot. Pollinated by bumblebees. Plant is evergreen in mild climates, although may be killed outright by heavy frost, in which case may be propagated afresh: self-seeds readily. Uses: trailing alpine or ground cover. Thrives and increases rapidly as acontainer plant.Not usually invasive in gardens, though one report of aggressive growth from southeastern U.S.A.[12]Pruning: not usually needed, though may be cut back in autumn if foliage is spent or untidy.Hardiness zone:U.K. H3. USDA zones 8,9 & 10.[13][14][12]

Weed status in Australia

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A. procumbenshas escaped from cultivation to become an attractive (and not, at present, invasive)weedin the inner suburbs of the Australian city ofMelbourne,managing to grow in such harsh urban habitats as cracks in themortarof brick walls andkerbstonesand the juncture between brick walls andtarmac. Such weedy populations are short-lived and do not produce abundant seed, because of the current absence ofbumblebeesfrom the Australian insect fauna (in its native habitats in France and Spain Asarina isbuzz-pollinatedby bumblebee species): the Australian native bees and introduced honeybees of Melbourne find Asarina flowers resistant to their attempts atpollination.This situation is, however, likely to change for the worse, should bumblebee species already present in neighbouring Tasmania cross theBass Strait,in which case bumblebee-pollinated species - such as Asarina - hitherto considered "safe" (i.e. non-invasive) garden plants in the state of Victoria - would rapidly become invasive due to increased production of viable seed. Michael Cook hypothesises that the Asarina colonies currently observable in suburban Melbourne may be more the result of wind-blown drift of packaged seed sown by local gardeners than of the setting of seed by garden plants and plants maintaining a foothold as weeds.[15]

Species reassigned to other genera

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At one time placed inAsarina:[6]

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  • Colour plate fromCurtis's Botanical Magazine1806
  • Specimen growing out of crevices in front wall of church grounds,Paxton, Scottish Borders
  • Detail of cascading stems of church gate specimen
  • Woody growth at top of specimen producing cascade of flowering stems
  • Mid-shot of woody growth and cascade of flowering stems
  • Detail of woody stems growing out of crevice in church gate wall.
  • Outlying plant growing between wall and tarmac at pavement level
  • Flowering shoot baring buds at varying stages of development and senescent flowers
  • Paired, slipper-shaped flower buds borne at a leaf node
  • Single flower, viewed from above, revealing purple dorsal stripe
  • Close-up of flower of Paxton specimen being pollinated bygarden bumblebee,
  • Pollen-covered garden bumblebee, newly emerged from flower
  • Paired seed capsules, showing distinctive reflexed peduncles, borne at a node with paired opposite leaves
  • Single, ripening seed capsule, greatly enlarged: contrast between pubescent peduncle and calyx and glabrous capsule
  • Ripe, buff seed capsule (showing reflexed peduncle) dehiscing by three valves to reveal brain-like seeds
  • Detached, imperfectly dehisced, ripe seed capsule with shed seeds
  • Perfectly dehisced capsule detached to show three valves, central one bearing dry, persistent pistil

References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toAsarina.
  1. ^"The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species".Retrieved10 February2015.
  2. ^Search for "Asarina",The Plant List,retrieved2014-08-13
  3. ^BSBI List 2007(xls).Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland.Archived fromthe original(xls)on 2015-06-26.Retrieved2014-10-17.
  4. ^Kew Plants of the World Onlinehttps://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:799434-1Retrieved at 10.21 on Sunday 12/6/22.
  5. ^Stevens, Peter F. (2001),List of Genera in PLANTAGINACEAE, Angiosperm Phylogeny Website, Version 10,retrieved2010-11-27
  6. ^abElisens, Wayne J. (1985), "Monograph of the Maurandyinae (Scrophulariaceae-Antirrhineae)",Systematic Botany Monographs,5:1–97,doi:10.2307/25027602,JSTOR25027602
  7. ^Ghebrehiwet, Medhanie; Bremer, Birgitta & Thulin, Mats Thulin (2000), "Phylogeny of the tribe Antirrhineae (Scrophulariaceae) based on morphological andndhFsequence data ",Plant Systematics and Evolution,220(3–4): 223–239,Bibcode:2000PSyEv.220..223G,doi:10.1007/bf00985047
  8. ^Vargas, P; Rosselló, J.A.; Oyama, R. & Güemes, J. (2004), "Molecular evidence for naturalness of genera in the tribe Antirrhineae (Scrophulariaceae) and three independent evolutionary lineages from the New World and the Old",Plant Systematics and Evolution,249(3–4): 151–172,Bibcode:2004PSyEv.249..151V,doi:10.1007/s00606-004-0216-1
  9. ^abchttp://erick.dronnet.free.fr/belles_fleurs_de_france/asarina_procumbens1.htmRetrieved at 11.07 on Thursday 9/6/22.
  10. ^https://forum.eionet.europa.eu/european-red-list-habitats/library/terrestrial-habitats/h.-sparsely-vegetated/h3.1d-mediterranean-siliceous-inland-cliff/download/en/1/H3.1d%20Mediterranean%20siliceous%20inland%20cliff.pdfRetrieved at 9.43 on Saturday 11/6/22.
  11. ^https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/1676/asarina-procumbens/detailsRetrieved at 23.57 on Friday 10/6/22.
  12. ^abRainy Side Gardenershttps://www.rainyside.com/plant_gallery/perennials/Asarina_procumbens.htmlRetrieved at 9.37 on Tuesday 14/6/22.
  13. ^Missouri Botanical Gardenhttps://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=287086&isprofile=0&Retrieved at 13.11 on Saturday 11/6/22.
  14. ^Shoot Gardeninghttps://www.shootgardening.co.uk/plant/asarina-procumbensRetrieved at 22.46 on Sunday 12/6/22.
  15. ^Michael David Cook, Weeds of Melbournehttps://weedsofmelbourne.org/trailing-snapdragon-asarina-procumbensRetrieved at 10.54 on Sunday 12/6/22.
  16. ^"ITIS Standard Report Page:Asarina filipes",Integrated Taxonomic Information System,retrieved2014-08-13
  17. ^"Maurandya flavifloraI.M. Johnst. ",Tropicos.org,Missouri Botanical Garden,retrieved2014-08-13
  18. ^"Holmgrenanthe petrophila(Coville & C.V.Morton) Elisens ",Tropicos.org,Missouri Botanical Garden,retrieved2014-07-20
  19. ^"ITIS Standard Report Page:Asarina stricta",Integrated Taxonomic Information System,retrieved2014-08-13
  • Ellison, Don (1999) Cultivated Plants of the World. London: New Holland (1st ed.: Brisbane: Flora Publications International, 1995)
  • Graf, Alfred Byrd(1986) Tropica: color cyclopedia of exotic plants and trees for warm-region horticulture—in cool climate the summer garden or sheltered indoors; 3rd ed. East Rutherford, N.J.: Roehrs Co
  • Lord, Tony (2003) Flora: The Gardener's Bible: More than 20,000 garden plants from around the world. London: Cassell.ISBN0-304-36435-5
  • Botanica Sistematica
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