Biarum

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Biarum
Biarum tenuifolium.jpg
Biarum tenuifolium
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Alismatales
Family: Araceae
Subfamily: Aroideae
Tribe: Areae
Genus: Biarum
Schott 1832
Biarum distribution.svg
Range of the genus Biarum.
Synonyms[1]
  • Homaid Adans.
  • Homaida Raf.
  • Ischarum Blume
  • Cyllenium Schott
  • Leptopetion Schott
  • Stenurus Salisb.

Biarum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae. It is composed of plants that are native to the Middle East, southern Europe (Spain, Portugal, Italy, Balkans), and North Africa.[1][2][3][4] Biarum are often found growing in rock crevices and graveled soil composed largely of limestone.

The leaves of Biarum can be similar to grass or even oval. Their corms are spherical and the plants as a whole tend to be small. Many Biarum are quite similar in appearance to Arums. To flower Biarum required a dry rest period during summer. Their inflorescence tend to grow close to the ground and produce an extremely intense and unpleasant odor. The fruits produced tend to be camouflaged so as to resemble stones. It's not entirely known how they are dispersed, but one idea is that they have evolved to avoid seed dispersal since doing so in such inhospitable environments might not be conducive to its reproduction.[5]

Species
  1. J.Thiébaut - Syria
  2. (Hook.f.) N.E.Br. - Syria, Israel
  3. Mouterde - Syria
  4. Blume - Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Iran
  5. (Schott) Engl. - Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Iran
  6. (Willk.) Font Quer - southern Spain
  7. (Schott) Engl. - Turkey, Syria
  8. Turrill - Crete
  9. (Schott) Talavera - southern Spain, Sardinia, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco
  10. Bogner & P.C.Boyce - Turkey, Kastellorizo Island in Greece
  11. (Schott & Kotschy) Engl. - Turkey, Jordan
  12. (Schott) Nyman - Greece
  13. (Schott) B.Mathew ex Riedl - Turkey
  14. (P.C.Boyce) P.C.Boyce - Turkey, Symi Island in Greece
  15. P.C.Boyce - southern Spain, Alto Alentejo Province in Portugal
  16. Blume - Egypt, Israel
  17. (Schott) Engl. - Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan
  18. K.Koch - Greece
  19. Engl. - Iran, Iraq
  20. (Spreng.) Riedl - Turkey, Syria
  21. Biarum tenuifolium (L.) Schott - Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Albania, Yugoslavia, Turkey

References[]

  1. ^ a b Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. ^ Govaerts, R. & Frodin, D.G. (2002). World Checklist and Bibliography of Araceae (and Acoraceae): 1-560. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  3. ^ Boyce, P.C. (2008). A taxonomic revision of Biarum Araceae. Curtis's Botanical Magazine 209: 2-119.
  4. ^ Altervista Flora Italiana, Genere: Biarum includes photos and European distribution maps
  5. ^ Bown, Deni (2000). Aroids: Plants of the Arum Family. Timber Press. ISBN 0-88192-485-7.
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