Amberboa turanica (Gintzburger et al., 2003)
| Amberboa turanica (Gintzburger et al., 2003) |
Amberboa turanica Iljin
Local name:
- Russian: Амбербоа туранская - Василек
- Turkmen: Yapyr
Chromosome number: 2n = 32 (Fedorov 1969).
Description and morphology: Annual herb (height 5–40 cm) with large yellow capitule. Stem: erect, branched at base, sometimes simple. Leaves: lower – large, oviform, more or less entire or deeply dentate, form a rosette; middle – petiolate, ovate or elliptic, slightly dentate; upper – sessile, oblong-lanceolate. Flowers: bisexual; small, yellow, assembled in oviform capitule (12–14 cm wide). Growth starts at the end of March. It keeps well and for long periods in grass stands, partially remaining on roots even in winter pastures.
Reproduction: Sexual. Entomophilous. Flowering: beginning of May, dry in the middle/end of June–July. Fruit maturation: May–June. Fruit: indehiscent, monospermous achene with membranous pericarp easily separated from seed. Seed: large embryo without endosperm. Fresh collected seeds are deeply dormant. Dormancy B1 type. Dry storage (3–12 months) and stratification (5–15 °C) promote seed germination (45–90%).
Pastoral importance: Grazed green and used as hay, excellent autumn-winter pastures for all livestock; in dry conditions it is less used for animal feed because of its tough leaves.
Fodder value: Considered a highly calorific feed; productivity about 0.04–0.3 t/ha.
Habitat: Occurs on the gravelly slopes of the foothills of Kopetdag and low mountains; often considered a weed; grows with Salsola gemmascens on sandy to loamy soil, and also weakly saline soil. Occurs as single plants or in small groups.
Distribution: Central Asia, European part of Russia, Caucasus, western Siberia and Iran.
Other: Amberboa sp.
- Amberboa nana (Boiss.) Iljin.