''Samolus valerandi'' is a species of flowering plant in the primrose 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 ...

. Common names include seaside brookweed, brookweed, thin-leaf brookweed, water cabbage, and water rose.

Description

It is a small perennial, growing to around 35 cm (13.8 inches) high. Its inflorescence is a raceme, with small white flowers on long stalks. Its corollas have five lobes. It can produce flowers throughout the growing season, from spring to fall. Its fruits are capsules that are green and globose. Image:Samolus parviflorus.jpg, Mature inflorescences are widely spreading, with fruits on long stalks

Taxonomy

Although some floras recognize the North American populations of ''S. valerandi'' as a separate species (''S. parviflorus'') or subspecies (''S. valerandi'' ssp. ''parviflorus''), a 2012 investigation based on molecular and morphological data indicated that ''S. vagans'' and ''S. parviflorus'' should not be regarded as separate species but as part of a widespread "''S. valerandi'' species complex".

Distribution

''Samolus vaerandi'' is widely distributed across western and Mediterranean

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 ...

, north

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 ...

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 ...

and

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 ...

Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

and

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

including Cuba, and Japan.

Ecological aspects

This species is found in a variety of wet habitats, including stream banks, tidal marshes, and seeps. It can be found in both degraded and intact natural communities.

Cultivation

The plant can be grown in

pond A pond is an area filled with water, either natural or artificial, that is smaller than a lake. Defining them to be less than in area, less than deep, and with less than 30% emergent vegetation helps in distinguishing their ecology from th ...

s, bog gardens, and damp areas in the garden. ''S. valerandi'' prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy), and heavy (clay) soils, preferably neutral or basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot tolerate shade and likes a bright, sunny position. It requires moist or wet soil and can even grow in water. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure and is self-fertile. ''S. valerandi'' is sometimes grown in

aquarium An aquarium (plural: ''aquariums'' or ''aquaria'') is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aq ...

s, although they seem to last only a limited time when grown fully submersed.

Uses

The plant's leaves, when cut and agitated in water, produce a lather, for which reason in

Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...

it has been used by the local Arab population, in former times, to launder clothes and was called by them ''sabūn 'arab'' (= Arab soap)., s.v. Samolus valerandi

References

External links

Fora of North Central Texas

{{Taxonbar, from=Q620779 valerandi Flora of Europe Flora of Africa Flora of Asia Flora of South America Flora of North America Flora of Australia Freshwater plants Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Saponaceous plants