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Practical ecological knowledge for the temperate reader. |
Family: Plantaginaceae (Mare's-tail) [E-flora]
"Annual [perennial herb], in water or on wet ground; monoecious [dioecious]. Stem: slender, generally ascending under water, floating on surface, or prostrate on ground, generally much-branched. Leaf: generally opposite, 4-ranked, lance-linear to spoon-shaped, entire [lobed]. Inflorescence: flowers 1–2(4) per leaf axil, bracts 2, ± white, generally inflated, or 0. Flower: minute, unisexual; perianth 0. Staminate flower: stamen 1, filament elongate. Pistillate flower: ovary superior, slightly lobed at tip and base, chambers 4, styles 2, thread-like. Fruit: 0.6–1.6[2.4] mm, ± dry, ± grooved lengthwise, splitting into 4 achene-like units.
± 75 species: tropics, temperate. (Greek: beautiful hair, from long linear submerged leaves of some of Medit taxa) [Lansdown 2009 Novon 19:364–369] Taxonomically difficult; mature fruit and 10× magnification needed for identification. Callitriche peploides Nutt. a nursery weed in southern California; Callitriche stenocarpa Hegelm., misappl. to various California taxa, but recorded from many sites in the Rocky Mountains and could be expected in California." [Jepson]
Not cyanogenic. Alkaloids absent (one species tested). Verbascosides detected. Iridoids detected; ‘Route II’ type (decarb.). Betalains absent. Saponins/sapogenins absent. Proanthocyanidins absent. Ellagic acid absent. [Deltakey]
Callitriche contains carbocyclic iridoides: Aucubin is accompanied by races of catalpol (Wieffering 1966; Fikenscher et a. 1969). Phenolic compounds like flavones and caffeic acid have been reported. Carbohydrates are stored as sucrose (Hegnauer 1967).[Kadereit]
"The whole plant, Callitriche verna"
"History.—This plant is common to the United States, growing in shallow streams and muddy places, and flowering from April to September. The whole plant is used; it yields its properties to water, or alcohol. There are several varieties, as C. autumnalis, C. austinii, C. heterophylla, all of which possess similar medicinal virtues." [HenriettsHerbal]
"Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage.—This plant is a very valuable diuretic, and has been found advantageous in some affections of the kidneys and bladder, dropsy, and gonorrhoea. A decoction of it may be drank freely, according to its diuretic influence. In dropsy, a tincture made with whiskey is preferred. The plant deserves more attention than it has heretofore received."[HenriettsHerbal]
C. verna:"Strike (1994) indicates that the Maidu Indians used Callitriche to relieve urinary problems. However, the method is not reported." [Vizgirdas]
"The present work focused on the qualitative and quantitative analysis of Cr detoxification strategy of aquatic cosmopolitan plant Callitriche cophocarpa. This plant species has just been described in the context of its unusual accumulation potential of Cr. The emphasis of the work was placed on the redox reaction Cr(VI)→Cr(III) which is considered to be remediation mechanism of highly reactive and mobile Cr(VI) ions. Plants were immersed for 5 days in 1 mM of Cr(VI) (potassium dichromate) or 1 mM of Cr(III) (chromium sulphate) solutions in semi-natural conditions. Cr was effectively removed from the solution up to the extent of ca.58% or 35% of the starting amount, in the case of Cr(III) and Cr(VI), respectively. No plant-induced Cr(VI) reduction accompanying Cr accumulation was observed in Cr(VI) solutions except from the apparent one, noticed at the fourth day of incubation. On the contrary to these results, according to the method of electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (L-band EPR), biphasic signal of Cr(V) attending Cr(VI) to Cr(III) reduction was detected inside the plant tissue every day of investigations. Our results show that phytoextraction but not phytostabilization is the main strategy of Cr detoxification by C. cophocarpa in aquatic systems." [Augustynowicz]
"Callitriche hermaphroditica is an evergreen Perennial growing to 0.3 m (1ft).
It is hardy to zone (UK) 6. It is in leaf 12-Jan It is in flower from May to September, and the seeds ripen from Aug to October. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Water.It is noted for attracting wildlife.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It can grow in water." [PFAF]
"General: Aquatic or semi-aquatic perennial rooting in mud; stems slender, 5-15 cm long, with widely spaced internodes.." [IFBC-E-flora]
"Habitat / Range Slow-moving streams, lakes and sloughs in the lowland, steppe and montane zones; common in SW BC, less frequent in SC and SE BC; circumboreal, N to AK, YT and NT, E to NF and S to MN, MI, NM and CA; Eurasia." [IFBC-E-flora]
"Ponds and lakes to 380 metres in Yorkshire[17]. Most of Europe, including Britain, north to Finland and N. E. Russia." [PFAF]
Status: Native [E-flora]
Cultivation & Propagation"A water plant, it should be allowed to root into the soil at the bottom of the pond or be grown in a pot in the pond[200]. This species is an excellent oxygenator of the water and a good food source for fish[1, 200]. It provides a good habitat for wildlife in the pond, the leaves holding spawn well[1]. This species belongs to one of only two known dicot genera where pollination taks place under water[274]. Plants remain active all winter[1]." [PFAF]
"Seed - we have no details on this species but would suggest that the seed will be best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe in a pot standing in about 5cm of water. It is quite likely that the seed has a short viability, especially if it is allowed to become dry. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in trays of water in the greenhouse for at least their first winter, planting them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings can be taken at any time in the growing season. They root easily, even if just placed in a pot of water." [PFAF]
Status: Native [E-flora]
"General: Aquatic or semi-aquatic perennial rooting in mud; stems leafy, 2-40 cm long, with or without small membranous ridges between the leaf-bases." [IFBC-E-flora]
"Notes: Two subspecies occur in our region." [IFBC-E-flora]
"Habitat / Range Shallow ponds, slow-moving streams and shorelines in the lowland and montane zones; ssp. bolanderi- frequent on S Vancouver Island, rare in SE BC, ssp. heterophylla - rare in coastal BC; N to AK, YT, NT, E to NF and S to GA, TX, OK and CA; South America (ssp. bolanderi)." [IFBC-E-flora]
ReferencesStatus: Native [E-flora]
"General:
Aquatic or semi-aquatic perennial rooting in mud; stems matted, very slender, 5-10 cm long, leaf-bases joined by a tiny, winged ridge." [IFBC-E-flora]
"Habitat / Range Vernal pools in the lowland zone; rare, known only from S Vancouver Island and Mittlenatch Island; S to CA and MX." [IFBC-E-flora]
"Callitriche palustris is an evergreen Perennial growing to 0.3 m (1ft). It is in flower from Jul to August, and the seeds ripen from Sep to October. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Water.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It can grow in water." [PFAF]
"General: Aquatic or semi-aquatic perennial rooting in the mud; stems slender, 5-20 cm long, submerged, partially floating or stranded on mud, leaf bases joined by small, winged ridges." [IFBC-E-flora]
"Habitat / Range
Slow-moving streams and shorelines in the lowland, steppe and montane zones; frequent in S BC; circumboreal, N to AK, YT and NT, E to NF and S to NE, VA, NM and CA; Eurasia." [IFBC-E-flora] "Springheads, rills, quiet waters and wet shores in northern N. America[43]." [PFAF] "Most of Europe, but extinct in Britain, most of N. America and Asia." [PFAF]
"A water plant, it should be allowed to root into the soil at the bottom of the pond or be grown in a pot in the pond. This species is an excellent oxygenator of the water and a good food source for fish[1, 200]. It provides a good habitat for wildlife in the pond, the leaves holding spawn well[1]. This species belongs to one of only two known dicot genera where pollination taks place under water[274]. Plants remain active all winter." [PFAF]
"Seed - we have no details on this species but would suggest that the seed will be best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe in a pot standing in about 5cm of water. It is quite likely that the seed has a short viability, especially if it is allowed to become dry. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in trays of water in the greenhouse for at least their first winter, planting them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings can be taken at any time in the growing season. They root easily, even if just placed in a pot of water." [PFAF]
"General:
Aquatic or semi-aquatic perennial rooting in mud; stems 3-15 cm long, leaf bases joined by small winged ridges." [IFBC-E-flora]
"Habitat / Range Slow-moving streams and ponds in the lowland, steppe and montane zones; infrequent in S BC, locally frequent in WC BC (Skeena River estuary); introduced from Europe." [IFBC-E-flora]
Status: Exotic [E-flora]
The plant contains series of iridoids such as aucubin and catalpol.[211] [Wiart]