Acanthus mollis, commonly known as bear's breeches, sea dock,
Description
Acanthus mollis is a leafy, clump-forming perennial herb with
roots. It has a basal rosette of dark glossy green, lobed or divided, leaves long and wide on a petiole long. The flowers are borne on an erect spike up to tall emerging from the leaf rosette. The
are purplish and function as the upper and lower lips of the petals, the upper lip about long and the lower lip long. The petals are about long and form a tube with a ring of hairs where the
are attached. Flowering occurs in summer and the fruit is a sharply-pointed capsule about long containing one or two brown seeds about long and wide.
Taxonomy and naming
Acanthus mollis was first formally described in 1753 by
Carl Linnaeus in his book
Species Plantarum.
The name of the genus derives from the
Greek language name of the plant ἄκανθος
ákanthos; it was imitated in Corinthian capitals. This ἄκανθος
ákanthos is related to ἄκανθα
ákantha meaning "thorn" referring to the thorn-bearing
sepals, or any thorny or prickly plant in Greek.
The
Latin name of the species,
mollis meaning "soft, smooth", refers to the texture of the leaves.
Distribution and ecology
Although native to the eastern and central Mediterranean,
has spread throughout much of western Europe and certain parts of the Americas, Australia, Syria
[ The Euro+Med PlantBase Map] and New Zealand, where it is regarded as
invasive species.
[ Weeds of Australia, Biosecurity Queensland edition: Bear's breeches, Acanthus mollis ]
Acanthus mollis is entomophilous, pollinated only by bees or bumble bees large enough to force their way between the upper sepal and the lower, so that they can reach the nectar at the bottom of the tube.
Use in horticulture
These plants are usually propagated from
tubers and tend to form large, localized clumps which can survive for several decades and look statuesque when well-grown, but its suitability as a garden plant is lessened on account of its aggressive spread (new plants are produced readily both from seed and portions of root) and its susceptibility to attacks from slugs and snails.
Cultural depiction
The shape of the leaf of this plant inspired the ancient Greek sculptor Callimachus (5th c. BCE) to model the capital of the Corinthian column. Since then, the
Corinthian order column has been used extensively in
Greco-Roman[and has been described by Vitruvius. On Architecture. Book IV.] and Classical architecture. For centuries, stone or bronze stylized versions of acanthus leaves have appeared as acanthus decorations on certain styles of architecture and furniture.
Virgil described Helen of Troy as wearing a dress embroidered with Acanthus leaves.
Gallery
AcanthusmollisPalatineHill.jpg|Habit
(MHNT) Acanthus mollis bud - Boileau, Bouloc, France.jpg|Bud
Acanthus_mollis_inflorescence.JPG|Inflorescence
Acanthaceae - Acanthus mollis-2.JPG|Close-up of stamens
Acanthus_mollis_flower.JPG|Lateral view
2007-07-13Acanthus09.jpg|Fruit
Acanthaceae - Acanthus mollis.JPG|Leaf
Acanthus mollis MHNT.BOT.2007.43.58.jpg|Fruit and seeds
Acanthus mollis flower parts text.jpg|Dismembered flower
External links
