Man knows more than 300 thousand plant species. Some of them grow in unsuitable conditions. One of these plants are ephemeroids. To survive in a difficult environment, they had to go to the "tricks" and develop special adaptations. What are ephemeroids? You will find the definition and examples in our article.
What are ephemeroids?
Ephemeroids are perennial herbaceous plants, but this is not their peculiarity. They have learned to live where access to water or sunlight is not available all year round, but only in certain seasons. In such conditions, many plants die, because they need these elements regularly to maintain the body.
Ephemeras are, in their own way, unique plants. They have adapted to difficult conditions, thanks to a short growing season. When there is enough light and water, they rapidly grow and bloom. With the onset of an unfavorable season, their ground parts dry up and fall off. The underground parts (tubers, rhizomes, bulbs) remain to grow new shoots already innext year.
Ephemeroids have very little time to develop. Sometimes plants have only a couple of weeks left. Their underground organs contain many nutrients. They accumulate there to feed the plant during "hibernation".
Ephemera plants also have similar properties. But, unlike ephemeroids, these are annual plants. In a short growing season, they have time to produce seeds, and they themselves completely die off.
Where do they grow?
Ephemeroids are the inhabitants of deserts, steppes and semi-deserts. There is always a lack of moisture, and the hot sun literally burns out all life. But in spring it often rains, and the light is soft and gentle. At such a time, poppies appear in the steppes, astragalus grows in the stony deserts, tulips bloom on the sands of Turkmenistan.
From September to November, climatic spring sets in in the Atacama Desert. There may not be rainfall for many years, so it is considered one of the driest places on Earth. But due to the influence of El Niño, some areas are sometimes irrigated by rainstorms, and lifeless expanses are covered with colorful flowers.
Ephemeroids can also be found in ordinary forests. In dense broad-leaved forests, there is enough moisture, but, on the contrary, there is not enough light. Ephemeroids grow in oak forests and other groves. They appear when there are no leaves on the trees to make the most of the sun's energy.
Depending on the time of appearance, they are divided into spring and autumn ephemeroids. An example of autumn plants is colchicum, autumn crocus. Spring are: tulips, crocuses, snowdrops, goose onions.
Anemone
Anemone or anemone is an ephemeroid from the buttercup family. The flower is distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, even covering some areas of the Arctic. About 170 species of anemones are known, most of which are poisonous.
Anemones have neat large flowers with at least five petals. They come in yellow, red, white, blue and pink. They usually grow in the tundra, on rocky hills and slopes, in steppe meadows and on shady forest edges.
Goose onion
It is also called yellow snowdrop, yellowflower, viper onion or goose. In April, the plant appears on the mountain slopes, in the steppes and forests. It has yellow flowers with elongated petals and tall, narrow leaves.
The height of the goose bow is about 30-40 centimeters. It does not grow in single flowers, but in small groups. It was once eaten boiled, and was also used to treat asthma, ulcers, and wound healing. The yellow flower is found in North Africa and in the temperate zone of Eurasia, for example, in Ukraine, the Far East and Central Asia.
Snowdrops
It is they who announce the arrival of spring to us, appearing even before the snow completely melts. Snowdrop or "milky flower" is common in Southern and Central Europe, in Asia Minor, on the Black Sea coast. About 16 of its species grow in the Caucasus.
Its flower consists of six petals arranged in two circles. Unlike many other plants, it does not stretch upwards towards the sun, but is lowered towards the ground. The snowdrop dies off in May. The duration of its flowering depends on the area where it grows, as well as the height above sea level. Due to its unpretentiousness, the flower is often bred in the beds. However, some of its species are listed in the Red Book and are considered endangered.
