''Lysimachia foemina'' is
commonly known as blue pimpernel or poor man's weatherglass, and was formerly called ''Anagallis foemina''. It is a low-growing
annual
Annual may refer to:
* Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year
**Yearbook
** Literary annual
* Annual plant
* Annual report
* Annual giving
* Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco
* Annuals (b ...
herbaceous
Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials.
Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous"
The fourth edition of t ...
plant in the genus ''
Lysimachia
''Lysimachia'' () is a genus consisting of 193 accepted species of flowering plants traditionally classified in the family Primulaceae. Based on a molecular phylogenetic study it was transferred to the family Myrsinaceae, before this family wa ...
'' of the family
Primulaceae
The Primulaceae , commonly known as the primrose family (but not related to the Onagraceae, evening primrose family), are a family (biology), family of Herbaceous plant, herbaceous and woody flowering plants including some favourite garden plants ...
. In a comparison of
DNA sequence
DNA sequencing is the process of determining the nucleic acid sequence – the order of nucleotides in DNA. It includes any method or technology that is used to determine the order of the four bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine. Th ...
s, ''L. foemina'' was shown to be most closely
related
''Related'' is an American comedy-drama television series that aired on The WB from October 5, 2005, to March 20, 2006. It revolves around the lives of four close-knit sisters of Italian descent, raised in Brooklyn and living in Manhattan.
The ...
to ''L. monelli''.
It had been thought by many to be closest to ''
L. arvensis'', and some authors had even included ''L. foemina'' as a
subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
of ''L. arvensis'', as ''Anagallis arvensis'' subsp ''foemina''. These three species (''L arvensis'', ''L foemina'' and ''L monelli'') were among several transferred from ''
Anagallis
''Anagallis'' is a genus of about 20–25 species of flowering plants in the family Primulaceae, commonly called pimpernel. The scarlet pimpernel referred to in literature is part of this genus. The botanical name is from the Greek ( 'again') ...
'' to ''
Lysimachia
''Lysimachia'' () is a genus consisting of 193 accepted species of flowering plants traditionally classified in the family Primulaceae. Based on a molecular phylogenetic study it was transferred to the family Myrsinaceae, before this family wa ...
'' in a 2009 paper.
Etymology
The previous genus name ''Anagallis'' derives from the Greek words ' meaning "again" and ' meaning "to delight in", possibly referring to the fact that these plants produce flowers twice in a year and the flowers open whenever the sun strikes them.
[Malta Wild Plants]
/ref> The species epithet ' means "female" and refers to the small size of the plant and the gentleness of its appearance. The common name refers to the fact that the flowers close at the approaching of the bad weather.[Trek Nature]
/ref>
Description
''Lysimachia foemina'' has weak, square and sprawling stems growing to about long,[Pignatti S. - Flora d'Italia – Edagricole – 1982. Vol. II, pag. 291] which bear bright green sessile leaves in opposite pairs. The leaves are usually lance-shaped about wide and long, although some leaves, especially the lowest, may be ovate.
The small flowers are about in diameter, have a short stalk, are produced in the leaf axils and are usually blue. They have five lanceolate sepal
A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...
s and five petals. The filaments are about long, with showy yellow anther
The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10
Morphology and terminology
A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filam ...
s. The flowering period extends from April to October.[ The ]hermaphroditic
In reproductive biology, a hermaphrodite () is an organism that has both kinds of reproductive organs and can produce both gametes associated with male and female sexes.
Many taxonomic groups of animals (mostly invertebrates) do not have separ ...
flowers are pollinated by insects (entomogamy
Entomophily or insect pollination is a form of pollination whereby pollen of plants, especially but not only of flowering plants, is distributed by insects. Flowers pollinated by insects typically advertising in biology, advertise themselves wi ...
). The fruit is a spherical capsule up to in diameter containing about 15 seeds.[
This species is very similar to the related '']Lysimachia arvensis
''Anagallis arvensis'' ( syn. ''Lysimachia arvensis''), commonly known as the scarlet pimpernel, red pimpernel, red chickweed, poor man's barometer, poor man's weather-glass, shepherd's weather glass or shepherd's clock, is a species of low-gr ...
'', and has been regarded as a subspecies of ''L arvensis''. In 2007, a molecular phylogenetic study showed that ''Lysimachia foemina'' is more closely related to '' Lysimachia monelli'' than to ''Lysimachia arvensis
''Anagallis arvensis'' ( syn. ''Lysimachia arvensis''), commonly known as the scarlet pimpernel, red pimpernel, red chickweed, poor man's barometer, poor man's weather-glass, shepherd's weather glass or shepherd's clock, is a species of low-gr ...
'', and should be treated as a separate species.imbricate
Aestivation or estivation is the positional arrangement of the parts of a flower within a flower bud before it has opened. Aestivation is also sometimes referred to as praefoliation or prefoliation, but these terms may also mean vernation: the ar ...
). Furthermore the flower stalk is shorter (). The colour of the flowers is not a useful diagnostic character.[
]
Distribution
This cosmopolitan plant is native to central and southern Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
and has been introduced in Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
, northern and eastern Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
, North and South America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
and western Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
.[
]
Habitat
It grows in scrub, uncultivated soils and grasslands. It prefers dry, nutrient- and lime-rich soils, at an altitude of above sea level.[
]
References
External links
Biolib
Schede di botanica
{{Taxonbar, from=Q159113
foemina
Flora of Europe
Plants described in 1768