Betony (Betonica officinalis) in Stehag – a piece of living plant history.
Author
Editor
- Kevin E. Kandt
- Michael Lissok
Summary, in English
Betony, Betonica officinalis L., is one of
the rarest plants in Scandinavia and has the longest
documented history. It was reported at the parish of
Stehag in Skåne, southernmost Sweden, by the Danish
humanist and publisher Christiern Pedersen as
early as 1534, one of the world’s oldest records where
a species is tied to a specific locality. Literature and
collections testify that Betony was commoner in the
past, when meadows were a significant part of the
landscape. A recent survey shows that only about 150
individual plants remain at five locations in western
Central Skåne, a northwestern outpost of its Eurasian
distribution. Betony is reviewed here through 500
years of documentation in Scandinavian literature
and collections.
the rarest plants in Scandinavia and has the longest
documented history. It was reported at the parish of
Stehag in Skåne, southernmost Sweden, by the Danish
humanist and publisher Christiern Pedersen as
early as 1534, one of the world’s oldest records where
a species is tied to a specific locality. Literature and
collections testify that Betony was commoner in the
past, when meadows were a significant part of the
landscape. A recent survey shows that only about 150
individual plants remain at five locations in western
Central Skåne, a northwestern outpost of its Eurasian
distribution. Betony is reviewed here through 500
years of documentation in Scandinavian literature
and collections.
Department/s
Publishing year
2016-04
Language
English
Pages
22-225
Publication/Series
Festgaben aus Floras Füllhorn, Pomonas Gärten und vom Helikon. Eine Blütenlese kultur- und kunsthistorischer Beiträge zum 65. Geburtstag von Gerd-Helge Vogel
Document type
Book chapter
Publisher
Verlag Ludwig
Topic
- Botany
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISBN: 978-3-86935-281-7