Oyster leaf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oyster leaf |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Mertensia (plant)
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| Species: |
maritima
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Mertensia maritima is a species of flowering plant in the borage family and is known by the common names oyster leaf in North America, oyster plant in Britain and Ireland, or sea bluebells.
It grows on gravel ground in the Northern hemisphere, reaching north to the northern parts of Canada, Greenland and Svalbard.
It is a perennial herb producing a stem approaching 50 centimeters in maximum length. The inflorescence forms a cluster of flowers which are first reddish, and later bright blue.
Description
M. maritima gets is name as the oyster leaf or oyster plant because it gives off a faint smell of mushrooms and when eaten it tastes vaguely of oysters. This plant is native to Britain and Northern Europe, however populations in Scotland, Northern England and Ireland are decreasing. There are two other variations that exist, M. maritima var. tenella that is found in Canada and Spitzbergen and M. maritima var. asiatica that is found in Alaska and Northeastern Asia. This plant grows on sand or shingle beaches where the ground can be siliceous or calcareous and is composed of decaying seaweed. This plant mainly grows in a sub-Arctic climate and is exposed to very cold temperatures, waves that crash on the shore and strong winds. Since this plant grows in a cold climate their seeds remain dormant and Skarpaas and Stabbetorp noted that a cold period (about 2° C) was needed to break this dormancy.
See also
In Spanish: Mertensia maritima para niños
