''Pinguicula ramosa'' is a species of
butterwort
''Pinguicula'', commonly known as the butterworts, is a genus of carnivorous flowering plants in the family Lentibulariaceae. They use sticky, glandular leaves to lure, trap, and digest insects in order to supplement the poor mineral nutrition ...
, a
carnivorous plant
Carnivorous plants are plants that derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans
Protozoa (singular: protozoan or protozoon; alternative plural: protozoans) are a group of single-celled eukaryot ...
,
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to the mountains of
Nikkō National Park
is a national park in the Kantō region, on the main island of Honshū in Japan. The park spreads over three prefectures: Tochigi Prefecture, Tochigi, Gunma Prefecture, Gunma and Fukushima Prefecture, Fukushima, and was established in 1934.
Hi ...
in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. It belongs to the
section micranthus and is closely related to ''
Pinguicula variegata''. It is unique in the genus for having a forked flower stalk.
Description
Habit
''Pinguicula ramosa'' forms a ground-hugging
rosette composed of five to six succulent leaves supported by a fine network of fibrous roots. The 8–15 mm long, 5–8 mm wide light-green leaves are
elliptic to
spatulate and curl in slightly at the margins. As with all
butterwort
''Pinguicula'', commonly known as the butterworts, is a genus of carnivorous flowering plants in the family Lentibulariaceae. They use sticky, glandular leaves to lure, trap, and digest insects in order to supplement the poor mineral nutrition ...
s, the leaves are densely covered with glandular hairs that attract, trap, and digest arthropod prey to supplement the poor nutrient availability of its environment. During winter
dormancy
Dormancy is a period in an organism's life cycle when growth, development, and (in animals) physical activity are temporarily stopped. This minimizes metabolic activity and therefore helps an organism to conserve energy. Dormancy tends to be clo ...
the plant forms a small
hybernaculum, from which it re-emerges in April.
Flowers
The 15–90 mm long flower stalks are unique in the genus in being forked near their base. The stalks are densely covered with glandular hairs (like the leaves) and support 2-3
zygomorphic flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...
s in June or July. The 7–11 mm flowers have a three-lobed upper lip and a two-lobed lower lip. The petal lobes are
ovate-lanceolate,
pubescent The adjective pubescent may describe:
* people or animals undergoing puberty
* plants that are hairy, covered in trichomes
* insects that are covered in setae
In biology, setae (singular seta ; from the Latin word for "bristle") are any of a ...
, and violet or white in color. The spur (an extension of the floral tube) is conical and reaches a length of 3–4 mm.
Fertilized flowers form an
obovate to
elliptic seed pod
This page provides a glossary of plant morphology. Botanists and other biologists who study plant morphology use a number of different terms to classify and identify plant organs and parts that can be observed using no more than a handheld magnify ...
2–4 mm long and 2–3 mm wide. The chromosome count for the species is 2n=18, another unique feature within the
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
.
Distribution, habitat, and environmental status
''Pinguicula ramosa'' is grows almost exclusively on mountains in
Nikkō National Park
is a national park in the Kantō region, on the main island of Honshū in Japan. The park spreads over three prefectures: Tochigi Prefecture, Tochigi, Gunma Prefecture, Gunma and Fukushima Prefecture, Fukushima, and was established in 1934.
Hi ...
in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, particularly on
Mount Koshin
Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest.
Mount or Mounts may also refer to:
Places
* Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England
* Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, C ...
, between 1500 and 1900 m in altitude. Two mountains outside of the park,
Mount Kesamaru
Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest.
Mount or Mounts may also refer to:
Places
* Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England
* Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, C ...
and
Mount Ozaku-san
Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest.
Mount or Mounts may also refer to:
Places
* Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England
* Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, C ...
, also host populations. Here ''P. ramosa'' colonizes weathered granite rocks and volcanic cliffs in damp, foggy locations in full or partial shade. The species is frequently associated with ''
Saxifraga fortunei
''Saxifraga fortunei'' (齿瓣虎耳草), the fortune saxifrage, is a species of flowering plant in the family Saxifragaceae, native to China, Japan and Korea. Growing to just tall and broad, it is a shade-loving herbaceous perennial with large ...
'' and ''
Primula modesta
''Primula'' () is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Primulaceae. They include the primrose ('' P. vulgaris''), a familiar wildflower of banks and verges. Other common species are '' P. auricula'' (auricula), '' P. veris'' (cow ...
''.
Michiaki Mabuchi: ''Pinguicula ramosa''
/ref>
''Pinguicula ramosa'' is endangered due to its small distribution, as well as the degradation of its habitat through rock degradation from acid rain
Acid rain is rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it has elevated levels of hydrogen ions (low pH). Most water, including drinking water, has a neutral pH that exists between 6.5 and 8.5, but acid ...
and climbing
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands, feet, or any other part of the body to ascend a steep topographical object that can range from the world's tallest mountains (e.g. the eight thousanders), to small boulders. Climbing is done fo ...
activities, as well as herbivory from deer
Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the reindeer ...
. While the species is strictly protected under Japanese law, its future remains uncertain.
See also
*
References
* S.J. Casper: ''Monographie der Gattung Pinguicula.'' In: ''Bibliotheca Botanica.'' Heft 127/128, p. 17, 1966, Stuttgart
Michiaki Mabuchi: ''Pinguicula ramosa''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q293172
Carnivorous plants of Asia
ramosa
Endemic flora of Japan
Plants described in 1890