Hedera maroccana
Encyclopedia
Hedera maroccana is a species of Ivy
(genus Hedera) which is native to the Atlantic coast in northern Africa. Its common name is the Marocco Ivy. It is an evergreen
climbing plant, growing to 20–30 m high where suitable surfaces (tree
s, cliff
s, wall
s) are available, and also growing as ground cover where there are no vertical surfaces. It climbs by means of aerial rootlets which cling to the substrate. In warm climates, grows more rapidly and becomes established a good bit faster than the related H. hibernica, and H. helix.
It is an evergreen
climbing plant, shrub
or bush
perennial, with aerial roots. It growing to 20–30 m high where suitable surfaces (tree
s, cliff
s, wall
s) are available, and also growing as ground cover where there are no vertical surfaces. It climbs by means of aerial rootlets which cling to the substrate. It is quite common in Canary islands and lives in slope
s rock, soil, trunks of tree
s especially in Laurel forest
of Barbusano
.
The leaves of Hedera maroccana are small, greenish, gathered in large numbers in umbrella
s, and the fruit
s, globular and black when ripe. Stem
s are green or greenish-brown, sometimes tinged with red or purple. This plant has broad leaves, 2 to 8.5 inches and a little leather
, reddish petioles and up to five juvenile leaf lobes, with 1-5 lobes small, regular in size and shape. Over time it was cultivated in gardens and used in floral arrangements.
Hedera maroccana arose from a common ancestor in the cloud forest
in the Mediterranean area. The norther African Hedera and northeast Atlantic species of Hedera genus are closely related species. Until recently it was thought there was a single species (Hedera helix), but recent studies have shown that there are several species that differ mainly by microscopic details of the hairiness of the buds.
Hedera helix means Helix helix. Maroccana is the Latin patronymic of Morocco, where the Hedera maroccana species was described. The name of the other Hedera species come from Latin patronymic where the other species was described also.
Ivy
Ivy, plural ivies is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, native to western, central and southern Europe, Macaronesia, northwestern Africa and across central-southern Asia east to Japan and Taiwan.-Description:On level ground they...
(genus Hedera) which is native to the Atlantic coast in northern Africa. Its common name is the Marocco Ivy. It is an evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
climbing plant, growing to 20–30 m high where suitable surfaces (tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s, cliff
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
s, wall
Wall
A wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area. Most commonly, a wall delineates a building and supports its superstructure, separates space in buildings into rooms, or protects or delineates a space in the open air...
s) are available, and also growing as ground cover where there are no vertical surfaces. It climbs by means of aerial rootlets which cling to the substrate. In warm climates, grows more rapidly and becomes established a good bit faster than the related H. hibernica, and H. helix.
It is an evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
climbing plant, shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
or bush
Bush
-Nouns:* Shrub, a type of woody plant, smaller than normal trees. Usually grows in the soil. Most bushes are low to the ground and have branches which rise up from the bottom of the plant....
perennial, with aerial roots. It growing to 20–30 m high where suitable surfaces (tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s, cliff
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
s, wall
Wall
A wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area. Most commonly, a wall delineates a building and supports its superstructure, separates space in buildings into rooms, or protects or delineates a space in the open air...
s) are available, and also growing as ground cover where there are no vertical surfaces. It climbs by means of aerial rootlets which cling to the substrate. It is quite common in Canary islands and lives in slope
Slope
In mathematics, the slope or gradient of a line describes its steepness, incline, or grade. A higher slope value indicates a steeper incline....
s rock, soil, trunks of tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s especially in Laurel forest
Laurel forest
Laurel forest is a subtropical or mild temperate forest, found in areas with high humidity and relatively stable and mild temperatures. They are characterized by tree species with evergreen, glossy, enlongated leaves, known as laurophyll or lauroide...
of Barbusano
Apollonias
Apollonias is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the laurel family, Lauraceae. The genus includes from one to ten species of evergreen trees and shrubs from laurel forest habitat mainly in Macaronesian islands.-Description:...
.
The leaves of Hedera maroccana are small, greenish, gathered in large numbers in umbrella
Umbrella
An umbrella or parasol is a canopy designed to protect against rain or sunlight. The term parasol usually refers to an item designed to protect from the sun; umbrella refers to a device more suited to protect from rain...
s, and the fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s, globular and black when ripe. Stem
Stem
-Science:* Plant stem, the above ground structures that have vascular tissue and that support leaves and flowers Also see similar:**Stipe **Stipe * Stem cell...
s are green or greenish-brown, sometimes tinged with red or purple. This plant has broad leaves, 2 to 8.5 inches and a little leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
, reddish petioles and up to five juvenile leaf lobes, with 1-5 lobes small, regular in size and shape. Over time it was cultivated in gardens and used in floral arrangements.
Hedera maroccana arose from a common ancestor in the cloud forest
Cloud forest
A cloud forest, also called a fog forest, is a generally tropical or subtropical evergreen montane moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud cover, usually at the canopy level. Cloud forests often exhibit an abundance of mosses covering the ground and...
in the Mediterranean area. The norther African Hedera and northeast Atlantic species of Hedera genus are closely related species. Until recently it was thought there was a single species (Hedera helix), but recent studies have shown that there are several species that differ mainly by microscopic details of the hairiness of the buds.
Hedera helix means Helix helix. Maroccana is the Latin patronymic of Morocco, where the Hedera maroccana species was described. The name of the other Hedera species come from Latin patronymic where the other species was described also.