Circaea

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Circaea, or enchanter's nightshades, is a genus of flowering plants in the evening primrose family Onagraceae.[1]Template:R/superscript About two dozen taxa have been described, including eight species. Plants of the genus occur throughout the temperate and boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere. Three taxa occur in North America: Circaea alpina, Circaea canadensis, and the hybrid Circaea × sterilis. The generic name Circaea refers to the enchantress Circe from Greek mythology who is said to have used the herb as a charm.

Description

Members of genus Circaea are perennial, herbaceous plants with erect stems, which may or may not be branched. The stem leaves are opposite and petiolate, with toothed edges (i.e., with dentate leaf margins). The inflorescence is a terminal, erect raceme, with additional racemes at the apices of stem branches (if any). Flowers are dimerous with 2 sepals, 2 petals, and 2 stamens. The sepals, petals, and stamens alternate such that the stamens ultimately align with the sepals. The petals are white or pink in color. The fruit is a capsule with one or two seeds. Plants disperse their seeds by producing burrs that adhere to clothing, fur, and feathers.[2]Template:R/superscript

Taxonomy

File:Enchantersnightshade.jpg
Circaea lutetiana
File:Circaea alpina 6758.JPG
Circaea alpina

In 1753, Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus established the genus Circaea by describing two species, Circaea lutetiana and Circaea alpina.[3]Template:R/superscript Linnaeus also described a variety of C. lutetiana, which later became known as Circaea canadensis.[4]Template:R/superscript

The generic name Circaea refers to the enchantress Circe from Greek mythology. Botanists in the late 16th century believed Circe used the herb to charm Odysseus' companions,[5]Template:R/superscript hence the common name enchanter's nightshade (not to be confused with the nightshade family of plants, which are unrelated). Molecular evidence indicates the closest relative to Circaea is the lineage that gave rise to the genus Fuchsia, which diverged from it around 41 million years ago.[6]Template:R/superscript

Taxa

As of August 2022, Plants of the World Online (POWO) accepts eight species and eight subspecies:[1]Template:R/superscript

POWO also recognizes eight named hybrids:

For example, the parents of Circaea × sterilis are C. alpina and C. canadensis. The hybrid is sterile but spreads vigorously by vegetative means.[8]Template:R/superscript

Distribution

Members of genus Circaea occur throughout the temperate and boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere, from near sea level to 5,000 meters (16,000 ft) altitude, and from 10°–70° N latitude.[9]Template:R/superscript Circaea alpina is the most widespread species, ranging across North America, Europe, and Asia.[7]Template:R/superscript Likewise Circaea canadensis ranges across continents, in North America, European Russia, and Asia.[4]Template:R/superscript Circaea lutetiana occurs throughout Europe, ranging eastward to Iran.[10]Template:R/superscript

Three taxa are known to occur in North America: Circaea alpina, Circaea canadensis, and the hybrid Circaea × sterilis.[11]Template:R/superscript C. alpina is wide ranging across the continent, from California to Alaska in the west, and from Newfoundland to North Carolina in the east, while C. canadensis is confined to the eastern half of North America. The hybrid, C. × sterilis, is found wherever the ranges of its parent species overlap.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Circaea L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  2. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Boufford, David E. "Circaea Linnaeus". Flora of North America. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Linnaeus, Carl (1753). Species Plantarum: exhibentes plantas rite cognitas, ad genera relatas, cum differentiis specificis, nominibus trivialibus, synonymis selectis, locis natalibus, secundum systema sexuale digestas. Vol. 1. Stockholm: Impensis Laurentii Salvii.
  4. ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Circaea canadensis (L.) Hill". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  5. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."enchanter's nightshade". Oxford Dictionaries. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  6. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Berry, Paul E.; William J. Hahn; Kenneth J. Sytsma; Jocelyn C. Hall & Austin Mast (2004). "Phylogenetic relationships and biogeography of Fuchsia (Onagraceae) based on noncoding nuclear and chloroplast DNA data". American Journal of Botany. 91 (4): 601–14. doi:10.3732/ajb.91.4.601. PMID 21653416.
  7. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Circaea alpina L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  8. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Gilman, Arthur V. (2015). New Flora of Vermont. Memoirs of The New York Botanical Garden, Volume 110. Bronx, New York, USA: The New York Botanical Garden Press. ISBN 978-0-89327-516-7.
  9. ^ Script error: No such module "template wrapper".
  10. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Circaea lutetiana L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  11. ^ Template:BONAP

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