Byblis - NATURE ET PAYSAGES

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BYBLIS

Back to PLANTS ABC

7 SPECIES

Byblis gigantea, Byblis aquatica, Byblis rorida, Byblis liniflora,
Byblis filifolia et Byblis lamelata, Byblis guehoii

USUAL NAME

Raimbow plant

FAMILY

Byblidaceae

History and etymology

The first description was made for Byblis liniflora in 1808 by R. A Salisbury, and in 1839, for Byblis gigantea. Nine years later, J. E Planchon and G. Bentham linked the genus to the Pittosporaceae family. Then, around 1860, it was classified as Lentibulariaceae. K. Domin, in 1920 ended this journey by classifying the genus in the Byblidaceae family.

Several stories about the origin of the name exist, they share the heartache, the loss of a loved one. "There is always the tears that run down their cheeks, they will reach the ground." Of these, would be born the Byblis.

Distribution

Byblis liniflora come from the north coast of Australia, Western Australia at Goldsworthy, through the Northwest Territories, its eastern boundary is around Mackay. There is also some plants in New Guinea in the swamps near Merauke.

Byblis gigantea are limited to a small area stretching from south of Geraldton to the south of Perth and east near Lake Moore.

Biotope

Byblis liniflora grows under a tropical climate, temperatures range between 16 and 40 °. The sandy river banks and the edges of temporary ponds and swamps, are favourable environments to the development of the plant. A strong or moderate light suit him. The genera such as Myrtaceae, Droseraceae, are part of phytosociological alliances.

Byblis gigantea grows in a Mediterranean climate, with rainy winter and dry summer. The sites are very wet in winter and dry during the summer. The sandy soil with very low humus, can sometimes be rocky, the species can even grow on rocks. These plants grow often with others, the vast majority of them are Droseraceae.

Description

Herbaceous, terrestrial plants, more or less perennial, 20-30 cm high (B. liniflora) or semi-woody 50-70 cm high (B. gigantea). The port is bushy. The yellowish green leaves of both species are long and thin, shorter in B. liniflora.

Traps are formed by the leaves and flower stalks covered with pedunculated glands that secrete a sticky mucilage. Sessile glands of 30 microns, provide digestion.

The prey are insects: Diptera, Lepidoptera ...

Flowers are pale blue, rarely pink or white, 1 cm in diameter and are self-fertilized in B. liniflora. Those of B. gigantea are 4 cm in diameter and are purple or sometimes white, fertilization occurs only if a mechanical resonance phenomenon is caused by the motion of insect wings.