Chamaedaphne calyculata, known commonly as leatherleaf or cassandra, is a perennial dwarf shrub in the plant family Ericaceae and the only species in the genus Chamaedaphne. It is commonly seen in cold, acidic bogs and forms large, spreading colonies.
Chamaedaphne calyculata is a low-growing, upright dwarf shrub up to 1.5 m tall. The leaves are alternately arranged on the branch and elliptical to oblong shaped, 1–4 cm long and 0.5-1.5 cm wide. The leaves are thick and leathery, dull green above with minute, silvery scales, and paler green or brownish beneath. The margins of the leaves are entire or slightly and irregularly toothed, with short petioles. The plant is evergreen but leaves often turn red-brown in winter.[2] The lower stems extend into sphagnum, peat moss, or other substrate, and may persist even after fire or mild drought.[3]
The plant flowers in April to June, and is insect-pollinated. Flowers are small (5–6 mm long), white, and bell-like, produced in terminal racemes up to 12 cm long, with flowers emerging from the axils (between leaf and stem) of small leaves on the raceme. The flowers have fused petals with 5 short lobes. The fruit is a capsule,[4] a dry fruit that splits open to release seeds.
Etymologyedit
The name Chamaedaphne is said to be derived from the Greek word chamae for "on the ground," and daphne, meaning "laurel."[citation needed] In ancient Greek chamai (χαμαί) expresses "on the ground".[5] The common name refers to its tough, leather-like leaf.
Habitatedit
Chamaedaphne calyculata has a circumboreal distribution throughout the cool temperate and subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere from eastern North America to bogs in Finland and Japan. The species site is mostly restricted to bogs, but also occur in shrubby fens, rock crevices, and pool margins. Leatherleaf naturally forms large clonal colonies, but is very shade-intolerant. Nutrients are low in bogs due to low mineralization, and plants can only acquire nutrients from atmospheric sources.[6]
Usesedit
Leatherleaf is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Coleophora ledi. In ornamental usage, leatherleaf is widely used by florists as a filler green in bouquets and arrangements. Ethnobotanically, the plant has usage as "sun-tea," a drink in which dried or fresh leaves are steeped in cool water in a sunny location. This technique is used to avoid boiling it as a traditional infusion, which carries the danger of releasing andromedotoxin, a common toxin present in plants of the family Ericaceae. Leatherleaf also has limited medicinal use among some Native American tribes as a poultice of leaves for inflammation.[7]
Referencesedit
^"Chamaedaphne calyculata (L.) Moench". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
^Barnes, Burton Verne, et al. Michigan Shrubs & Vines: a Guide to Species of the Great Lakes Region. University of Michigan Press, 2016.
^Haines, Arthur, and Gordon Morrison. Flora Novae Angliae: a Manual for the Identification of Native and Naturalized Vascular Plants of New England. New England Wild Flower Society, 2011.
^Liddell, H.G. & Scott, R. (1940). A Greek-English Lexicon. Revised and augmented throughout by Sir Henry Stuart Jones with the assistance of Roderick McKenzie.Oxford: Clarendon Press.
^Bartsch, Ingrid. "Effects of fertilization on growth and nutrient use by Chamaedaphne calyculata in a raised bog." Canadian Journal of Botany 72.3 (1994): 323-329.
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Flora of China: Chamaedaphne
Leather Leaf
Leatherleaf
Chamaedaphne calyculata 'Verdant'
Adirondack Shrubs: Leatherleaf
December 18, 2023
chamaedaphne, calyculata, known, commonly, leatherleaf, cassandra, perennial, dwarf, shrub, plant, family, ericaceae, only, species, genus, commonly, seen, cold, acidic, bogs, forms, large, spreading, colonies, conservation, statusleast, concern, iucn, scienti. Chamaedaphne calyculata known commonly as leatherleaf or cassandra is a perennial dwarf shrub in the plant family Ericaceae and the only species in the genus Chamaedaphne It is commonly seen in cold acidic bogs and forms large spreading colonies ChamaedaphneConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 Scientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade EudicotsClade AsteridsOrder EricalesFamily EricaceaeSubfamily VaccinioideaeTribe GaultherieaeGenus ChamaedaphneMoenchSpecies C calyculataBinomial nameChamaedaphne calyculata L MoenchSynonyms 1 List Andromeda angustifolia Aiton Pursh Andromeda calyculata L Andromeda calyculata var angustifolia Aiton Andromeda calyculata var anomala Vent Andromeda calyculata var latifolia Aiton Andromeda calyculata var nana G Lodd Andromeda crispa Poir Cassandra angustifolia Aiton D Don Cassandra angustifolia var anomala Vent DC Cassandra calyculata L D Don Cassandra calyculata var angustifolia Aiton A Gray Cassandra calyculata var latifolia Aiton F Seym Cassandra calyculata var nana G Lodd Bean Chamaedaphne calyculata var angustifolia Aiton Rehder Chamaedaphne calyculata var latifolia Aiton Fernald Chamaedaphne calyculata subsp nana G Lodd A P Khokhr Chamaedaphne calyculata var nana G Lodd Rehder Chamaedaphne crispa Poir Spach Exolepta calyculata L Raf Hydragonum calyculatum L Kuntze Lyonia calyculata L Rchb Lyonia calyculata f crispa Poir Zabel Contents 1 Description 2 Etymology 3 Habitat 4 Uses 5 References 6 External linksDescription editChamaedaphne calyculata is a low growing upright dwarf shrub up to 1 5 m tall The leaves are alternately arranged on the branch and elliptical to oblong shaped 1 4 cm long and 0 5 1 5 cm wide The leaves are thick and leathery dull green above with minute silvery scales and paler green or brownish beneath The margins of the leaves are entire or slightly and irregularly toothed with short petioles The plant is evergreen but leaves often turn red brown in winter 2 The lower stems extend into sphagnum peat moss or other substrate and may persist even after fire or mild drought 3 The plant flowers in April to June and is insect pollinated Flowers are small 5 6 mm long white and bell like produced in terminal racemes up to 12 cm long with flowers emerging from the axils between leaf and stem of small leaves on the raceme The flowers have fused petals with 5 short lobes The fruit is a capsule 4 a dry fruit that splits open to release seeds Etymology editThe name Chamaedaphne is said to be derived from the Greek word chamae for on the ground and daphne meaning laurel citation needed In ancient Greek chamai xamai expresses on the ground 5 The common name refers to its tough leather like leaf Habitat editChamaedaphne calyculata has a circumboreal distribution throughout the cool temperate and subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere from eastern North America to bogs in Finland and Japan The species site is mostly restricted to bogs but also occur in shrubby fens rock crevices and pool margins Leatherleaf naturally forms large clonal colonies but is very shade intolerant Nutrients are low in bogs due to low mineralization and plants can only acquire nutrients from atmospheric sources 6 Uses editLeatherleaf is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Coleophora ledi In ornamental usage leatherleaf is widely used by florists as a filler green in bouquets and arrangements Ethnobotanically the plant has usage as sun tea a drink in which dried or fresh leaves are steeped in cool water in a sunny location This technique is used to avoid boiling it as a traditional infusion which carries the danger of releasing andromedotoxin a common toxin present in plants of the family Ericaceae Leatherleaf also has limited medicinal use among some Native American tribes as a poultice of leaves for inflammation 7 References edit Chamaedaphne calyculata L Moench Plants of the World Online Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Retrieved 8 April 2021 Barnes Burton Verne et al Michigan Shrubs amp Vines a Guide to Species of the Great Lakes Region University of Michigan Press 2016 Reznicek A A E G Voss amp B S Walters MICHIGAN FLORA ONLINE February 2011 University of Michigan Web April 9 2018 http michiganflora net species aspx id 1210 Haines Arthur and Gordon Morrison Flora Novae Angliae a Manual for the Identification of Native and Naturalized Vascular Plants of New England New England Wild Flower Society 2011 Liddell H G amp Scott R 1940 A Greek English Lexicon Revised and augmented throughout by Sir Henry Stuart Jones with the assistance of Roderick McKenzie Oxford Clarendon Press Bartsch Ingrid Effects of fertilization on growth and nutrient use by Chamaedaphne calyculata in a raised bog Canadian Journal of Botany 72 3 1994 323 329 http wildadirondacks org adirondack shrubs leatherleaf chamaedaphne calyculata html Adirondack Shrubs LeatherleafExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chamaedaphne calyculata nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Chamaedaphne Flora of China Chamaedaphne Natural history of the northwoods Chamaedaphne Leather Leaf Leatherleaf Chamaedaphne calyculata Verdant Leatherleaf Chamaedaphne calyculata Adirondack Shrubs Leatherleaf Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chamaedaphne amp oldid 1171466772, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
