Alpine marsh-marigold facts for kids

The Caltha introloba, also known as the alpine marsh-marigold, is a tiny plant. It is a perennial herb that grows in the high mountains. This means it lives for many years. It is only found in the alpine areas of Australia and Tasmania. When it flowers, it is only about 1 to 2 centimeters tall.

What the Alpine Marsh-Marigold Looks Like

The alpine marsh-marigold is a small plant with no hairs. It has short, thick underground stems called rhizomes. These help it grow into thick mats on the ground.

Its leaves have stems about 5 centimeters long. The leaf blade itself is shaped like a rectangle or a spear. It is 8 to 40 millimeters long. The tip of the leaf has a small notch. There are also two small, spear-shaped parts on the top of the leaf. These are 4 to 20 millimeters long.

The stem that holds the flowers is only 1 to 2 centimeters tall. But it grows taller, up to 5 to 10 centimeters, when the seeds are ready. The plant has five to eight sepals. These are like small leaves that protect the flower bud. They are 10 to 22 millimeters long. They are usually white, but can have pink or purple hints. This is especially true near their base and along their veins.

Inside the flower, there are 15 to 30 stamens. These are the parts that make pollen. Their thin parts, called filaments, are white or pinkish. The pollen itself is yellow. Around these are 6 to 18 separate carpels. These are the parts that will become the seeds. When the seeds are ready, these carpels turn into small pods called follicles. These pods spread open and have short tips. Each pod holds only a few seeds.

This plant usually flowers between November and December. It often blooms right as the snow melts away.

Where the Alpine Marsh-Marigold Lives

The alpine marsh-marigold, or C. introloba, grows in the high mountain fields. You can find it in Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania.

It grows on the slopes of Mount Kosciuszko. It is also common in places where snow stays late into the season. You can see it growing among moss in high mountain ranges. These include places like Baw Baws, Snowy Range, Mount Buffalo, Bogong, and Dargo High Plains. It often flowers right at the edges of melting snowdrifts.

How the Alpine Marsh-Marigold Lives

The alpine marsh-marigold shares its home with other plants in Victoria. Some of these include Brachyscome tadgellii, Carex gaudichaudiana, Carpha nivicola, Drosera arcturi, Oreobolus distichus, and Schoenus calyptratus.

Life Cycle and Growth

Flower buds start to grow in the middle of the southern summer, around January. They are fully grown by May, when fresh snow no longer melts. Most flowers open after the snow melts in October. Some flowers can even open under the snow if it stays until mid-November. The seeds are usually fully developed by the end of summer, in February.

Scientists have done experiments to learn more about this plant. One experiment showed that long days and strong light help the flowers form. Another experiment found that flowers will only open after a cold period. This might stop them from opening too early in the autumn.

Seed Germination

Seeds of the alpine marsh-marigold grow best between 22 and 27 degrees Celsius. They take about 40 to 60 days to sprout. They hardly sprout at all between 0 and 15 degrees Celsius. However, after staying cold for 4 months (at 1-2 degrees Celsius), they sprout much faster and better below 15 degrees Celsius. This means that seeds that fall in summer probably won't sprout until the snow melts the next spring.

The plant grows and makes food best around 15 degrees Celsius. This temperature is close to the average highest temperature in summer where this plant lives. The plant can also make food even at 0 degrees Celsius. This means it probably grows during the whole time it is not covered by snow.