Freysinetia – a beautiful perspective … – care

Any gardener, be it an amateur or a professional, always wants to have something new, rare, unusual in his collection. At the time of geographical discoveries, every expedition that went in search of new lands was accompanied by a botanist (other naturalists were also present there). Later, wealthy amateurs began to fund trips exclusively for plants. The first collectors appeared – people who went to distant countries in search of unprecedented plants. Huge plant wealth flocked to European countries, new species and new genera were constantly described.

Freysinetia arborea (Freycinetia arborea). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com 808kenbob

This is how the plant, which will now be discussed, appeared in European gardens. A plant that has not yet entered indoor culture and is rare even in botanical gardens. Freysinetia Cuminga – from the very name breathes with the aroma of distant countries. The genus Freysinet is quite large, about 180 tropical species. They belong to the Pandanaceae family (Pandanáceae) (representatives of the second genus of this family – Pandanas are sometimes found in stores under the name “Screw Palm”).

In nature, Freysinetites live under the canopy of a humid tropical forest, often climbing tree trunks, fixing themselves on them with adventitious roots. All species are tenacious liana-like shrubs, often with thorny leaves. The trunk at its top bears a dense bundle of long and narrow leaves, forming three spiral rows, since the leaves are arranged in a dense 1/3 spiral. On the sides, and in some species and along the midrib, the leaves are covered with frequent thin, sharp prickly needles directed forward.

FreycinetiaФрейсинетия (Freycinetia). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com John

In the old parts, the stem is covered only with leaf scars from dead leaves; in such areas of the stem, aerial roots usually develop; touching the ground, they branch; in the ground they branch out into a whole system of roots. Of course, flowers are the main attraction to Freycineta Cuming. They are unusual, collected in inflorescences. It is very difficult to discern the structure of a flower. At first glance, Freyssinetia has single, large flowers with bright orange petals. They do not fully open, and only by carefully studying them, you realize that you are holding an inflorescence of three golden-yellow ears surrounded by bright bracts.

Male and female inflorescences are externally similar. In nature, these vibrant blossoms attract birds, which peck at the fleshy inner bracts. The flowers themselves are rather small, inconspicuous; plants are dioecious. Male flowers sit in the recesses of the inflorescence axis; in the center, the flower has a rudimentary pistil surrounded by stamens; the stamen consists of a long thin filament and a small anther. Female flowers with rudimentary stamens.

The pistil consists of 2-6 fused carpels; ovary unilocular, polyspermous. At the same time, birds transfer pollen from male inflorescences to female ones, pollinating the latter. The fruit of Freysinetia is a berry, the seeds of this plant are also spread by birds. The locals also find use for freysinetia – the fruits are used for food, the fibrous leaves are used for the production of mats and baskets.

Freycinetia cumingiana GaudichYcрейсинетия Куминга (Freycinetia cumingiana Gaudich). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Dave Bolenbaugh

New species were often named after the people who found them. A perfect example is Freycinetia cumingiana Gaudich. The genus is named after the famous French admiral, who led the circumnavigation and exploration in the Pacific Ocean (Louis Claude de Saulses de Freycinet). The species epithet recalls the humble collector (Hugh Cuming), who first found this plant in the Philippine Islands and sent it to France to the famous botanist Charles Gaudichaud-Beaupres, who described the new species.

The culture of Freysinetia turned out to be extremely uncomplicated: a greenhouse with a tropical climate (+ 18 + 22 ° C) and high humidity, a nutritious earthen mixture and periodic feeding. Propagated by cuttings, given the presence of numerous adventitious roots, rooted well. All the prerequisites for becoming a houseplant (and maybe a cut-off plant), Freysinetism Cuming has.

Фрейсинетия (Freycinetia formosana Hemsl)Фрейсинетия (Freycinetia formosana Hemsl). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com 翁明毅

And here is already another species – Freycinetia formosana Hemsl.

Links to material:

  • Арнаутова.Е… Meet: Freyssinetia // In the World of Plants 2005, No. 10. – pp. 36-37.
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Anna Evans

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