Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Anemone (flower)

Anemone (flower)

Alternative Names (異名):
Anemone


Anemone (A-ne-mó-ne, from the Gr. Άνεμος, wind), is a genus of about 120 species of flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae in the north and south temperate zones. They are closely related to Pasque flower (Pulsatilla) and Hepatica (Hepatica); some botanists include both of these genera within Anemone.

The plants are perennial herbs with an underground rootstock, and radical, more or less deeply cut, leaves. The elongated flower stem bears one or several, white, red, blue or rarely yellow, flowers; there is an involucre of three leaflets below each flower. The fruits often bear long hairy styles which aid their distribution by the wind ("windflower" is a common name sometimes used for members of the genus).

The Anemone coronaria ("Kalanit" in Hebrew) is one of the most well known and beloved flowers in Israel. During the British Mandate of Palestine British soldiers were nicknamed "Kalaniyot" for their red berrets.


Species

There are about 120 species, including:

Anemone acutiloba
Anemone apennina — Blue Anemone
Anemone baicalensis
Anemone baldensis
Anemone biarmiensis
Anemone biflora
Anemone blanda — Greek Windflower
Anemone bucharica
Anemone canadensis
Anemone capensis
Anemone caroliniana
Anemone caucasica
Anemone chinensis
Anemone coerulea
Anemone coronaria — Poppy Anemone
Anemone cylindrica
Anemone deltoidea
Anemone demissa
Anemone dichotoma
Anemone drummondii
Anemone elongata
Anemone eranthoides
Anemone fanninii
Anemone flaccida
Anemone glauciifolia
Anemone gortschakowii
Anemone heldreichiana
Anemone hepatica - also called Hepatica nobilis
Anemone hortensis
Anemone hupehensis — Chinese Anemone
Anemone hupehensis var. japonica — Japanese Anemone
Anemone keiskeana
Anemone lancifolia
Anemone leveillei
Anemone lithophila
Anemone magellanica
Anemone mexicana
Anemone multifida
Anemone narcissiflora — Narcissus Anemone, 바람꽃
Anemone nemorosa — Wood Anemone
Anemone nikoensis - 꿩의 바람꽃
Anemone occidentalis - Western pasqueflower
Anemone palmata
Anemone parviflora
Anemone pavonina
Anemone petiolulosa
Anemone polyanthes
Anemone quinquefolia — Wood Anemone
Anemone raddeana
Anemone ranunculoides — Yellow Woodland Anemone
Anemone reflexa
Anemone richardsonii - Yellow Anemone
Anemone riparia
Anemone rivularis
Anemone rupicola
Anemone sibirica
Anemone stolonifera - 세바람꽃
Anemone sylvestris — Snowdrop Windflower
Anemone tetrasepala
Anemone tomentosa
Anemone trifolia
Anemone trullifolia
Anemone tschernjaewii
Anemone tuberosa
Anemone villosissima
Anemone virginiana
Anemone vitifolia
Anemone zephyra


Cultivation and uses

Many of the species are favourite garden plants; among the best known is Anemone coronaria, often called the poppy anemone, a tuberous-rooted plant, with parsley-like divided leaves, and large showy poppy-like blossoms on stalks of from 15–20 cm high; the flowers are of various colours, but the principal are scarlet, crimson, blue, purple and white. There are also double-flowered varieties, in which the stamens in the centre are replaced by a tuft of narrow petals. It is an old garden favourite, and of the double forms there are named varieties.

They grow best in a loamy soil, enriched with well-rotted manure, which should be dug in below the tubers. These may be planted in October, and for succession in January, the autumn-planted ones being protected by a covering of leaves or short stable litter. They will flower in May and June, and when the leaves have ripened should be taken up into a dry room till planting time. They are easily raised from the seed, and a bed of the single varieties is a valuable addition to a flower-garden, as it affords, in a warm situation, an abundance of handsome and often brilliant spring flowers, almost as early as the snowdrop or crocus. Anemone thrives in partial shade, or in full sun provided they are shielded from the hottest sun in southern areas. A well-drained slightly acid soil, enriched with compost, is ideal.

The genus contains many other spring-flowering plants, of which A. hortensis and A. fulgens have less divided leaves and splendid rosy-purple or scarlet flowers; they require similar treatment. Anemone hupehensis, and its white cultivar 'Honorine Joubert', the latter especially, are amongst the finest of autumn-flowering hardy perennials; they grow well in light soil, and reach 60–100 cm in height, blooming continually for several weeks. A group of dwarf species, represented by the native British A. nemorosa and A. apennina, are amongst the most beautiful of spring flowers for planting in woods and shady places.

Anemone species are sometimes targeted by cutworms, the larvae of noctuid moths such as Angle Shades and Heart and Dart.


Meaning

The meaning of the anemone flower is "forsaken" and also "a dying hope". The flower Anemone could also be used to signify Anticipation.