''Trollius'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
of about 30
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
s closely related to ''
Ranunculus
''Ranunculus'' is a large genus of about almost 1700 to more than 1800 species of flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae. Members of the genus are known as buttercups, spearworts and water crowfoots.
The genus is distributed in Europe ...
'', in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Ranunculaceae. The
common name of some species is globeflower or globe flower. The generic name is derived from the Swiss-German word "Trollblume", meaning a rounded flower.
Native
Native may refer to:
People
* Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth
* Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory
** Native Americans (disambiguation)
In arts and entert ...
to the cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the greatest diversity of species in Asia, ''Trollius'' usually grow in heavy, wet clay soils.
Description
They are mostly
herbaceous, fibrous rooted
perennial
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...
s with bright yellow, orange or lilac coloured flowers. The name "globe flower" refers to the petals of ''T. europaeus'' and ''T.'' × ''cultorum'' which are curved over the top of the flower, forming a globe. But ''T. pumilus'' has flatter flowers, and ''T. chinensis'' has open flowers with prominent stamens.
Ecology
All species of ''Trollius'' are poisonous to cattle and other livestock when fresh, but their acrid taste means they are usually left uneaten. They are, however, used as food plants by the larvae of some
Lepidoptera species including
silver-ground carpet.
Cultivation
Some species are popular ornamental flowers in
horticulture
Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...
, with several
cultivar
A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture ...
s selected for large and brightly coloured flowers. The hybrid
''T.'' × ''cultorum'' in particular is a source of several garden cultivars, including 'Superbus', which has gained the
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity.
The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nor ...
's
Award of Garden Merit.
Image gallery
Image:Globeflower Trollius laxus Flower 2400px.jpg, ''Trollius laxus''
Image:Iceland_Plants_4898.JPG, ''Trollius'' species
Image:Жарки на юго-западе Бурятии.jpg, ''Trollius'' in the south-west of Buryatia, Russia
Image:Trollius asiaticus 03.jpg, Mountain Altai
Image:Trollius asiaticus 01.jpg, Mountain Altai
References
Ranunculaceae genera
{{Ranunculales-stub