European sorrel is a perennial herbaceous plant, characterized by graceful snow-white flowers, surprisingly reminiscent of stars. Distributed in the tundra and forest zone of North America, Europe, Asia, as well as in the European part of Russia and Siberia.
In its appearance, a flower with white flowers, having loose leaf plates with a relatively large surface without anti-evaporation devices, reflected the characteristics of plants in shady locations. Being weak in terms of competition, it is able to grow in areas with sparse grass cover and is mostly found in spruce forests. In clearings, in parks and mixed forests, the “white star” should be well looked for.
European weekday: description
A plant belonging to the primrose family, characterized by a straight thin stem (about 15 cm in height). At its top are large lanceolate leaves directed in different directions and forming a kind of rosette (whorl). Small leaf plates are placed in the middle and bottomparts.
The European weekweed received its name for 7 petals and the same number of sepals and stamens, which is a huge rarity in the plant world. Rarely there are 5- and 9-petal specimens. The flowers are large (about 1.8 cm in diameter), solitary, grow on separate thin pedicels, placed in the axils of the upper leaves. In total, the plant can have up to 4 flowers, the white corollas of which are clearly visible in the twilight of spruce forests. By the way, bright colors in a coniferous forest are a rare phenomenon: oxalis, linnaeus, one-flower, mainik, goodiera, some types of wintergreen also bloom white.
When it blooms
It is difficult to find the European week-tree in early spring, as the plant hibernates underground and is hidden from human eyes. In the process of germination, it has a slightly different appearance: small oval leaves (not at all the same as in an adult specimen) are located on a short stem. The latter by the time of flowering (May-June) noticeably lengthens, the leaves stretch and increase in size.
The flowering process is quite short, just a few days. At the end of it, snow-white flowers-stars fall to the ground. By the end of summer, the fruit ripens - a small spherical box with small seeds. Fruits are tied in a small amount, as they are pollinated mainly by flower flies. And since pollinating insects in a coniferous forest are a rather rare phenomenon, and cross-pollination occurs infrequently, the percentage of fruit set varies from 10 to 26.
Preparing for winter
In the meeting of autumn, the European week-long is ahead of its forest neighbors by an order of magnitude. Long before its onset, the leaves begin to turn yellow; other plants are still green at this time. By winter, the aerial part dries up completely, and nothing reminds of the fact that in summer a beautiful flower with seven petals bloomed in this place. Wintering is tolerated only by underground organs - thin, white, filamentous shoots with small tuber-like ends.
The flower with white flowers is fickle, and the following year, thanks to rapidly developing creeping rhizomes, from the thickened ends of which shoots develop, the plant can be found elsewhere. In other words, it seems to crawl from one place to another, which is similar to many forest herbs.
Sufficiently moist soil is required for normal growth; With a lack of moisture, the plant dies. Sedmichnik shade-tolerant, but grows more actively and blooms in good light conditions. Undemanding to soil, sensitive to frost.
How the septenary breeds
The plant reproduces by seeds infrequently: few flowers turn into fruits, most of them dry up. After opening the box, the seeds remain on the stalk and often fall into the soil after the complete death of the septenary. Seed material is characterized by poor germination, moreover, the germination of weak young shoots is often hindered by the surface layer of forest litter. Mass germination begins a year later, in April-May. In naturalUnder conditions, the European weekly for the most part reproduces vegetatively - above-ground shoots.
Use of the septenary in folk medicine
Sedmichnik is a plant, all parts of which are endowed with healing properties, appreciated by traditional medicine.
Herbal infusion, which has anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties, is recommended for various panaritiums and tumors. This is an effective emetic and diaphoretic, for the preparation of which a teaspoon of crushed roots of the sedumnik needs to be poured with a glass of boiling water. Then insist for an hour, strain and take 3-4 tablespoons once a day. Also, lotions based on the septenary are recommended for wound healing.
