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Variation of Potentilla erecta (Rosaceae) in Estonia
Abstract
Infraspecific variation of Estonian Potentilla erecta (L. ) Rausch. was studied with different morphometrical methods. Both P. erecta sap. erecta and ssp. strictissima (Zimm. ) A. J. Richards were identified with ssp. strictissima prevailing; however, several specimens are morphologically of an intermediate type. Representatives of the two taxa haveno geographical or ecological preference in Estonia, and since it wasnot possible to statistically delimit them, we preferred to treat these taxa as varieties: P. erecta var. erecta and P. erecta var. strictissima (Zimm. ) Hegi.
... strictissima and 45 as P. erecta var. erecta; 34 specimens appeared intermediate (Leht & Paal 1998b). In the current study, two of Richards's characters used for identification, division depth of the stipule and length of the dentate part of the leaflet , were not included, as they do not vary in P. reptans, P. ¥ italica and P. anglica. ...
... erecta or var. strictissima, see Leht & Paal 1998b). Cluster II 3 comprises P. reptans and three specimens of P. ¥ italica; cluster II 4 includes specimens of P. anglica and P. ¥ italica. ...
... erecta and P. erecta var. strictissima (some authors have considered these taxa subspecies or even species) did not form clusters of their own either when the intraspecific variation of P. erecta was analysed (Leht & Paal 1998b) or when their variation was studied in comparison with P. reptans, P. anglica and P. ¥ italica (Fig. 1). At the same time, P. reptans, P. anglica and P. ¥ italica formed clusters consisting of only one taxon. ...
180 specimens of P. erecta, 58 of P. reptans, 49 of P. anglica and 19 of P. x italica were studied phenetically using 19 macromorphological characters. As P. erecta and P. reptans are quite common in Estonia, while P. anglica is absent from here, the occurrence of P. x italica in Estonia points to its possible origin from the hybridization of the former two species. Estonian P. x italica produces no seeds and is hexaploid (2n=42). P. x italica and P. anglica appeared, from the statistical point of view, morphologically well separable from each other as well as from their putative parents. In comparison with the varieties of P. erecta, var. erecta and var. strictissima, which do not cluster into separate groups, it is reasonable to deal with P. x italica, which clearly forms clusters of its own, on the same level as P. reptans and P. anglica, i. e. to treat it as a morphologically stable nothospecies.
Distribution and ecology of 63 taxa of Rosaceae (39) and Fabaceae (24) in Inari Lapland, northernmost Finland are described, with notes on their morphology, variation, taxonomy, hybridization and dependence on culture. Lathyrus palustris L. ssp. pilosus (Cham.) Hultén is presented as new to Finland, and 7 taxa, Alchemilla baltica Sam. ex Juz., A. glabra Neygenf., A. plicata Buser, Filipendula vulgaris Moench, Potentilla anserina L. ssp. anserina, Galega orientalis Lam., and Vicia villosa Roth ssp. villosa, as new to Inari Lapland.
Die Rhizomdroge von Potentilla erecta (L.) RÄUSCHEL (Rosaceae) ist seit langem in der Volksmedizin Europas als Heilmittel zur Wundbehandlung, Blutstillung, zur Behandlung von Entzündungen und der Ruhr bekannt. Heute werden Extrakte der Rhizomdroge bei unspezifischer akuter Diarrhö sowie leichten Schleimhautentzündungen im Mund- und Rachenraum angewendet. Flavonoide, Phenolcarbonsäuren und Triterpene wurden isoliert und strukturell aufgeklärt. Mengenmäßig am wichtigsten jedoch sind hydrolysierbare und kondensierte Gerbstoffe, die insgesamt etwa 15-20 % der Inhaltsstoffe des Extraktes ausmachen und weitgehend für die ausgeprägten biologischen Aktivitäten verantwortlich sind. Diese pharmakologischen Wirkungen umfassen adstringierende, antioxidative, antiinflammatorische, antibakterielle, antivirale und antidiarrhoische Aktivitäten.
Summary
The rhizomes of Potentilla erecta (L.) Raeuschel (Rosaceae) have been known in Europe for a long time as therapeutic agents for the treatment of wounds and inflammations, for haemostasis and for the therapy of dysentery. Today extracts of the rhizomes are used as a remedy for the treatment of acute, unspecific diarrhoea and mucous membrane irritations of the mouth and the throat. Flavonoids, phenolic carboxylic acids, and triterpenes have been isolated and elucidated. However, hydrolysable and condensed tannins are the predominant ingredients which are present in the extracts in amounts of ca. 15-20 % and make an important contribution to the pronounced biological activities of this drug. The pharmacological effects include astringent, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-diarrhoeal activities.
A multivariate analysis has been performed in order to study the polymorphisms of the three species ofPotentilla sect.Recta (Th. Wolf)Juzepchuk represented in the Iberian Peninsula:P. asturica
Rothm.,P. hirta L. andP. recta L. The variability of 20 characters (quantitative, binary and qualitative) has been evaluated in 76 collections mostly from
the Iberian Peninsula and from other European territories, but also from North America, and North Africa. The analyses performed
provide support for the recognition of the three species. The most discriminant among the quantitative characters is the width
of the long trichomes on the stem, and then the width of the long trichomes on the leaves and the maximum length of the long
trichomes. The interval of number of carpels, presence or absence of short eglandular trichomes and the abundance of long
eglandular trichomes (>3 mm) are the most discriminant ones among the qualitative ones. The taxonomical position ofP. asturica, which has been previously subordinated as a subspecies within the other two taxa, is discussed. Our results support a good
delimitation of this taxon which, on the basis of the morphological characters studied by us, seems to be morphologically
more close toP. hirta than toP. recta, but differs significantly from both. A key to the three species is provided.
On the Karula Upland, South Estonia, the forest moss layer was analysed using a transect of 726 contiguous 0.2×0.2 m plots.
The sample plots were classified according to a multistage clustering procedure based on the sequential use of algorithms
with different criteria. Several obtained clusters are rather similar in species composition, but abundance relationships
among dominant species are distinctly different. For detailed analysis of mutual relations among societies a formal definition
of adjacency is proposed, and two aspects of the cluster continuum — transitionality and distinctness — are estimated. It
appears that almost all resulting societies are very distinct (P<0.05), but at the same time can be continual in the sense of transitionality. Spatial changes in vegetation along transects
are also discontinuous. The null hypothesis assuming the independency of neighbouring sample plots type was refuted withP=0.01. The spatial extent of different synusiae is typically several times larger than it should be if there were no structure
in moss vegetation.