Dahlia imperialis
| Dahlia imperialis | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Dahlia |
| Species: | D. imperialis
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| Binomial name | |
| Dahlia imperialis | |
Dahlia imperialis, or bell tree dahlia, is a large flowering plant, of the family Asteraceae, growing between 8–10 metres tall. It is native to Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and south into Colombia and Ecuador. It is a plant of the uplands, mainly found in the foothills of subtropical or tropical mountains (above the humidity of the lower forests), at elevations around 1,500–1,700 metres (4,900–5,600 ft).
Many tuberous dahlia can be prepared and consumed like potatoes or cooked carrots; Additionally, the petals can be eaten on green salads or soups, and tree dahlia leaves are used as a dietary supplement by the Q'eqchi' people of San Pedro Carchá, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala.[1]
It is a tuberous, herbaceous perennial, rapidly growing in springtime from its tuber, after a dormant winter period (which may be brief in mild climates). From its underground base, the plant will begin sending up hollow, cane-like, 4-sided stems with swollen nodes and large, tripinnate leaves; foliage near the ground is quickly shed. The pendant or nodding flowerheads are 75-150mm across, with ray florets, typically a lavender or mauvish-pink in colour.[2][3]
This species is fast-growing, the growth spurt being linked to shorter daylight hours; the tree dahlia usually comes into flower in autumn, before the risk of frost. Propagation is by seed or by stem cuttings, around 30 cm (12 in) long and having at least two nodes, laid horizontally about 2-4" under the soil; top-dressing with pea gravel, decomposed granite, or grit is optional but helpful for moisture retention, erosion control and additional drainage.[4]
Some Dahlia species were brought from Mexico to Europe in the 16th century. D. imperialis was first described in 1863 by Benedikt Roezl (1823–1885), the great Czech orchid collector and traveller who, ten years later (in 1872–73), embarked on a plant odyssey through the Americas.[5]
References
- ^ S. Booth, T. Johns & C. Y. Lopez-Palacios (1993). "Factors influencing the dietary intake of indigenous leafy greens by the K'ekchi people of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala". Ecology of Food and Nutrition. 31 (1 & 2): 127–145. doi:10.1080/03670244.1993.9991354.
- ^ Dayle E. Saar, Neil O. Polans & Paul D. Sørensen (2003). "A phylogenetic analysis of the genus Dahlia (Asteraceae) based on internal and external transcribed spacer regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA". Systematic Botany. 28 (3): 627–639. doi:10.1043/01-78.1 (inactive 31 July 2022). JSTOR 25063902.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2022 (link) - ^ Booth, Sarah; Bressani, Ricardo; Johns, Timothy (1992). "Nutrient content of selected indigenous leafy vegetables consumed by the Kekchi people of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala". Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 5: 25–34. doi:10.1016/0889-1575(92)90005-5.
- ^ "Dahlia imperialis – Tree Dahlia".
- ^ "The International Plant Names Index – home page".