Staphylea-pinnata_17

Description:

Staphylea pinnata L.EN: Bladdernut, DE: PimpernussSlo.: navadni kloekDat.: Apr. 16. 2014Lat.: 46.03774 Long.: 13.58812Code: Bot_791/2014_DSC0559Habitat: Above road scarp, wood edge; steep mountain slope, northeast aspect; quite dry, sunny place; elevation 105 m (345 feet); average precipitations 2.000-2.600 mm/year, average temperature 11-12 deg C, Sub-Mediterranean phytogeographical region. Substratum: soil.Place: South of village Plave, right bank of river Soa, next to the road leading west to Gorika Brda, Posoje, Slovenia EC.Comment: When in bloom Staphylea pinnata is a conspicuous, beautiful and fragrant, up to few meters tall shrub. Its numerous white flowers can be spotted from far. It is easy to recognize it but much harder to find it. It is nowhere a common plant. Although scattered almost over the whole Slovenia (with exception of plains in northeast Slovenia and most of alpine region) it is seldom encountered. Apparently it is most frequent in lower Soa valley from town Tolmin downstream to Nova Gorica. The plant is very interesting also when in fruits. Fruits are inflated papery capsules with round, hard seeds inside. When the branches are shaken by hand or wind the seeds bump into inner walls of their capsules producing characteristic noise. Staphylea pinnata is a Southeast European and West Asian floral element loving stony, calcareous ground. It is the only species of its genus growing in Europe.Ref.:(1) M.A. Fischer, W. Adler, K. Oswald, Exkursionsflora fr sterreich, Liechtenstein und Sdtirol, LO Landesmuseen, Linz, Austria (2005), p 408.(2) A. Martini et all., Mala Flora Slovenije (Flora of Slovenia - Key) (in Slovenian), Tehnina Zaloba Slovenije (2007), p 342. (3) D. Aeschimann, K. Lauber, D.M. Moser, J.P. Theurillat, Flora Alpina, Vol. 1., Haupt (2004), p 1040.(4) K. Lauber and G. Wagner, Flora Helvetica, 5. Auflage, Haupt (2012), p 554.