Finger-root, Or Dactyloriza

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Finger-root, or Dactyloriza (lat. Dactylorhiza) - a genus of herbaceous perennial plants, ranked by botanists in the Orchid family (Latin Orchidaceae). Unlike most orchid species, which are epiphytes that do not need soil, plants of this genus live on the ground, like most of the flora. The underground part of the plant, represented by roots and funny tubers, is in collaboration with fungal mycorrhiza, with which a mutually beneficial exchange of nutrients is established in the plant.

What's in your name

The Latin name of the genus "Dactylorhiza" is based on two Greek words "daktylos" and "rhiza", the meanings of which in Russian sound like "finger" and "root". The genus owes this name to its underground part, because, unlike most orchids, which are epiphytic plants that do not need soil, plants of this genus grow on the ground.

It was the shape of the underground tubers of the plant that gave botanists a reason to assign the name "Dactylorhiza" to the genus, since the tubers, together with the roots, resemble a human hand.

Plants of the genus "Dactylorhiza" used to belong to the genus Orchis (Latin Orchis), which also grow on the ground and form underground tubers. Since the shape of Orchis tubers is round, similar to an egg, and in plants that it was decided to separate into an independent genus "Dactylorhiza", the tubers are finger-separate, botanists decided to divide them according to different classification "shelves".

Russian name of the genus"

Fingernail »Is a simple translation from Latin. There is another version of the Russian name, which is used much less often and sounds like “

Fingercorn ».

The genus has about forty plant species.

Description

The perennial basis of plants of the genus Palchatokorennik growing on the ground is underground tubers, of which, as a rule, there are two, similar to two tubers in plants of the Orchis genus. The tuber, which has accumulated nutrients in itself during the growing season of the last year, serves as a "food block" for the plant reborn on the surface of the earth, which, during the new growing season, forms a new solid young tuber for the next year. A kind of cycle of life between the underground and aboveground parts of the plant.

From last year's tuber in the spring, a strong erect stem appears on the surface of the earth with vaginal lanceolate or oblong leaves embracing it. As you get closer to the top of the stem, the leaves become smaller and narrower.

The stem is crowned with a multi-flowered racemose inflorescence formed by flowers typical of orchids, which have a complex structure, described by a number of specific terms: "lip", "column", "pollinia". White, pink, lilac, reddish colors take part in the color of the flowers. In addition, a pattern of dots, strokes, lines, bright and contrasting color with respect to the main background can be applied on the petals.

Interesting is the behavior of the lip, which at the bud stage is on top, but by the time of flowering is at the bottom due to the flower turning 180 degrees. Indeed, it is in this position that it can fulfill its main task in the process of pollination - to be a landing site for insect pollinators.

The fruit of the plants is a poly-seeded capsule, the numerous small seeds of which are carried by the wind over long distances. But the problem of seeds is that for their germination, a meeting with the mycorrhiza of certain fungi is required, which does not always happen.

Usage

The high frost resistance of plants of the genus allows fans of orchids to grow on their plots, in the open field, this amazing creation of nature. They are also grown as indoor plants.

Some tubers were used for medicinal purposes.