Achillea erba-rotta
Encyclopedia
Achillea erba-rotta, common name Simple Leaved Milfoil, is a perennial flowering plant
of the genus Achillea
, belonging to the Asteraceae
family.
species, as its physical characteristics clearly vary depending on the variety. The biological form is chamaephyte suffruticose, 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 cm (4.7–7.1 ) in height. 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. Cauline leaves are alternate, sessile
, toothed and progressively linear, about 2-3 mm wide and 11-22 mm long. Flowers are hermaphroditic
and pentamerous, arranged in corymbs with many heads, about 3 mm in diameter, with rounded ligule
s. The flowering period extends from July through August. The fruit is a flattened achene
without pappus
.
is present in Italy
, France
, Switzerland
and Austria
.
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
of the genus Achillea
Achillea
Achillea is a genus of about 85 flowering plants, in the family Asteraceae, commonly referred to as yarrow. They occur in Europe and temperate areas of Asia. A few grow in North America. These plants typically have frilly, hairy, aromatic leaves....
, belonging to the Asteraceae
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
family.
Description
Achillea erba-rotta is a polymorphicPolymorphism (biology)
Polymorphism in biology occurs when two or more clearly different phenotypes exist in the same population of a species — in other words, the occurrence of more than one form or morph...
species, as its physical characteristics clearly vary depending on the variety. The biological form is chamaephyte suffruticose, 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 cm (4.7–7.1 ) in height. 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. Cauline leaves are alternate, sessile
Sessility (botany)
In botany, sessility is a characteristic of plants whose flowers or leaves are borne directly from the stem or peduncle, and thus lack a petiole or pedicel...
, toothed and progressively linear, about 2-3 mm wide and 11-22 mm long. Flowers are hermaphroditic
Hermaphrodite
In biology, a hermaphrodite is an organism that has reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female sexes.Many taxonomic groups of animals do not have separate sexes. In these groups, hermaphroditism is a normal condition, enabling a form of sexual reproduction in which both...
and pentamerous, arranged in corymbs with many heads, about 3 mm in diameter, with rounded ligule
Ligule
A ligule — is a thin outgrowth at the junction of leaf and leafstalk of many grasses and sedges or a strap-shaped corolla, such as that of a ray floret in plants in the daisy family....
s. The flowering period extends from July through August. The fruit is a flattened achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
without pappus
Pappus
Pappus may refer to:*Pappus , a type of flower structure*Pappus of Alexandria, Greek mathematician**Pappus's hexagon theorem, often just called 'Pappus's theorem', a theorem named for Pappus of Alexandria...
.
Distribution
This typical plant of AlpsAlps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
is present in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.
Habitat
It prefers a sunny location in alpine pastures and rocky areas, at an altitude of 2000–2800 m (6,561.7–9,186.4 ) above sea level.Synonyms
- Achillea herba-rota Vill., Prosp. Hist. Pl. Dauphiné 32. 1779, sphalm.
- Ptarmica erba-rotta (All.) DC., Prodr. (Candolle) 6: 22. 1838, as herba-rota Achillea cuneifolia Lam.
- Achillea haussknechtiana Asch.
- Achillea morisiana Rchb.
- Achillea nana Lam.
- Ptarmica erba-rotta (All.) DC.