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Parrot's Beak -
(Lotus berthelotii)
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Parrot's Beak - Lotus berthelotii
Lotus berthelotii, is a species in the genus Lotus of the legume family
(Fabaceae). The genus Lotus contains more than 100 species which are commononly called
lotus, although they are not related to the Asian water lotus (Nelumbo). Lotus
name comes from the Greek name lotos that was used by Dioscorides for certain
Leguminous plants. berthelotii - Named for Marcelin Berthelot, 19th century
French chemist.
Lotus berthelotii (Parrot's Beak, Coral Gem, Pelican's Beak)
is a perennial plant endemic to the Canary Islands. This plant is either extinct in the wild or persists as a few individuals. In 1884 it was already classed as "exceedingly rare" and plant collection probably hastened its
decline.
Lotus berthelotii has a creeping or trailing
habit, with leaves divided into 3-5 slender leaflets, each leaflet 1-2 cm long and 1 mm
broad, densely covered with fine silvery hairs. The flowers are orange-red to
red, peaflower-shaped, but slender, 2-4 cm long and 5-8 mm broad.
The flowers of Lotus berthelotii and some other Canary Island species appear to be adapted for bird
pollination. It was once thought that the original pollinators of these plants (and other genera such as Isoplexis and
Canarina) were sunbirds which had become extinct on the Canary Islands, explaining why they are rare and considered endangered species
(Vogel 1954; Vogel et al. 1984; Valido et al. 2004). However more recent work has shown that these plants are adequately pollinated by
non-specialist flower visiting birds, particularly the Canary Island Chiffchaff
(Phylloscopus canariensis), and in fact show some specific adaptations to infrequent pollination by these
birds, such as extended flower lifespans.
However, the cultivated population studied by Ollerton et
al. (2008) set no fruit, despite the plants receiving large amounts of pollen on their
stigmas. This may be because the population was a single, self incompatible clonal
genotype; whether this is true of all plants in cultivation is unknown, but may have important implications for the conservation of this species if it is extinct in the
wild. Experiments have been undertaken to find new pollinators for the flowers, in hopes that they can successfully be reintroduced to the
Islands, but as of 2008, no fruit had been successfully produced. The Parrot’s beak is however cultivated in the horticulture
trade, which can allow even you to own one!
Lotus berthelotii is cultivated in the horticulture trade and widely available as an ornamental plant with its
needle-like silvery foliage and red flowers for: traditional gardens, container
(pots), and drought tolerant water conserving gardens. A golden orange flowering cultivar is also
grown.
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_berthelotii
http://sunnygardens.com/garden_plants/lotus/lotus_1792.php
