Galax

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the Diapensiaceae genus. For the city, see Galax, Virginia. For other uses, see Galax (disambiguation).

Galax
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Diapensiaceae
Genus: Galax
Sims
Species:
G. urceolata
Binomial name
Galax urceolata

Galax, the wandplant, wandflower, or beetleweed, is a genus in the

cytotypes are neither morphologically nor geographically distinct, though there are slight climatic differences between the diploid and autotetraploid types.[2] Outcrossing is likely to occur among cytotypes as well.[3]

Description

It is an

spike-like raceme 15–25 cm long on top of a 20–50 cm tall stem. Each individual flower has five petals, and is up to 4 mm (5⁄32 in) in diameter. The fruit is a small capsule containing numerous seeds
.

Taxonomy

The genus name Galax comes from the Greek word "gala" which means "milk",[4] describing Galax's white flowers.

Around 1730, Galax was collected by John Clayton, due to his friendship with Mark Catesby, an English naturalist who had just arrived in Virginia. Based on Catesby's recommendation, Clayton ended up sending his specimens to Jan Frederik Gronovius, a Dutch botanist.[5] In 1739, Gronovius published The Flora of Virginia, where "Anonymos or Belvedere" is the plant long known as Galax aphylla. Clayton provided Gronovius with four samples, all which were destroyed in a series of unfortunate events.[5]

Many years later,

plunder. Prior to the voyage, he had sent descriptions of all the specimens to colleagues in Europe. When he arrived there, he was able to procure one of his descriptions for Linnaeus. Despite Linnaeus never seeing this specimen of “Galax”, he agreed with Mitchell's description; however, the specimen described was, in fact, "Nymophila", thus invalidating the name Galax aphylla with respect to the International Code of Nomenclature of Plants.

Between March 1803 and September 1804, Galax was rediscovered and renamed five times. Any time the new name referred to Mitchell's description, it was invalidated. The name that is considered valid, since it pre-dates all other names and follows the rules of nomenclature, was Pyrola urceolata Poir., named by

Brummitt argued that the genus name should remain Galax, but the specific epithet should be urceolata; therefore, he renamed it Galax urceolata (Poir.) Brummitt.[5]
However, many herbaria still label this specimen with its original invalid name, Galax aphylla.

The type specimen was collected by

stolen
on the journey to collect Galax with John Clayton. Since the prior specimens had been destroyed and the name invalidated, this new specimen would be considered the holotype.

Names assigned between March 1803 and September 1804[5]
Name Authority Date Description
Erythrorhiza rotundifolia André Michaux March 1803 Noted as a synonym of Galax aphylla Linn. therefore invalidated.
Pyrola urceolata Jean Louis Marie Poiret January 1804 Based on a plant in cultivation in France, in the garden of M. Lemonier.
Blandfordia cordata Henry C. Andrews February 1804 Blandfordia was used for a genus in Liliaceae in 12/1804, and the genus name is still conserved. This name is therefore invalidated.
Galax aphylla John Sims June 1804 Stated synonymy with Erythrorhiza rotundifolia of Michaux, Blandfordia cordata of Andrews, Belvedere of Clayton & Gronovius, Viticella of Mitchell, and Pyrola from Poiret. - invalidated
Solenandria cordifolia E. P. Ventenat September 1804 Pointed out that Belvedere of Clayton & Gronovius and Viticella of Mitchell were not the same plant.

Uses

The leaves are often harvested for the

herbalism to treat cuts and kidney ailments. It is occasionally grown as an ornamental plant
in gardens.

The independent city of Galax, Virginia, is named after this plant.

References

  1. ISBN 978-0-231-89916-1
    .
  2. S2CID 52310009
    .
  3. S2CID 89816057
    .
  4. ^ Predny, Mary Lorraine (2005). Galax (Galax Urceolata): An Annotated Bibliography. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station ; [Washington, D.C.?].
  5. ^
    JSTOR 1218202
    .

External links
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