terça-feira, 4 de março de 2008

Começa o espéctaculo /Let the show begin

Todos os anos, quando chega esta altura fico com a sensação de que todas as flores que encontrei, e fotografei, até agora por esses campos fora nada mais foram do que aperitivos para o grande espectáculo que estava para vir. A rosa albardeira (Paeonia broteroi).
Quando a vemos não podemos ficar indiferentes, esta é "a rosa", sem duvida a mais magnifica flor dos nossos campos.
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Every year when this time comes, I get the felling that all the other plants and flowers I've seen and photographed before before were just the teaser of the main show that was yet to come. The wild peony (Paeonia broteroi).
When you see it for the first time you can't help to think "this is it, this is the flower". It is undoubtedly the most magnificent flower in our fields.

Depois de passar todo o Inverno sob o solo sob a forma de rizomas começam a brotar com a chegada da primavera e por esta altura do ano, se tivermos sorte, podemos contemplar as suas flores. É uma planta ameaçada e considerada rara e dificil de encontrar. Eu tenho a sorte de viver perto de uma zona onde são bastante abundantes.

After spending the cold season as a dormant rhizome, when the weather gets warmer they start to grow, and around March/April, if you are lucky you will be able to see its flowers. They are endangered and considered to be very rare. I'm lucky enough to live in an area where they grow and can be spotted quite easily.




Começou por se chamar Paeonia lusitanica mas depois passou a P. broteroi (em homenagem a Avelar Brotero um dos grandes botânicos portugueses) uma vez que se trata uma espécie endémica da península Iberica.

It was first called Peaonia lusitanica, but its name was changed to P. broteoi (as a tribute to Avelar Brotero, one of our most important botanists) since it is endemic to the Penisula Iberica.

Foi em tempos utilizada como planta medicinal graças às suas propriedades entiespasmodicas e sedantes (era usada no tratamento de convulsões e epilepsia) tendo a sua utilização caído em desuso devido à elevada toxicidade da planta.

It was considered to be a medicinal plant, and it was used in the treatment of seizures. The high toxicity of the plant led to the end of this practice.

11 comentários:

Mr. McGregor's Daughter disse...

How gorgeous - I love that color! You are so lucky to have a Peony as a wildflower. Does it have any fragrance?

chuck b. disse...

It looks so healthy and vigorous in its natural state. Such a lovely flower, I hope they can be preserved.

Ana Maria B disse...

Que bonita, nunca vi.
E as andorinhas chegam primeiro ao Algarve não é? Vêm de África...

Lisa at Greenbow disse...

Absolutely gorgeous. I just love peonys and to find a wild one. WOW

gintoino disse...

mr. mcgregor's daughter, yes, it does have a sweet fragrance

chuck b., they are quite abundant where I live, but they are declining. I sure hope there was something we could do...

ana maria, não são muito faceis de encontrar. As andorinhas já chegaram ao Algarve em força ;-)

Lisa, yes, WOW is the right word. It's what I say every time I see one

CrisB disse...

São lindas as rosas albardeiras. Por cá, numa serra aqui perto, também as há.
È a senhora dos montes, magestosa e simples.
Não sei se as daqui já estarão em flor, tenho que ir lá espreitar.

Anónimo disse...

That is certainly a beauty. And with a fragrance too? Sounds perfect.

gintoino disse...

pam, it is! I only wish it would some how volunteer itself into my garden. Maybe one of these days...

LadyLuz disse...

Hola Gintoino. Aren't they beautiful - I haven't seen peonies for years.

Could I buy some near Loule? You are about a morning's drive away. It would be wonderful to have some in our garden.

gintoino disse...

lady luz, these are wild peonies. They are an endangered specie and you won't find them for sale. If you are interested in peonies, I've seen some for sale in Giga Garden ( http://www.gigagarden.com/ ) which isn't far from here (about 20 minutes). I'm not sure how well will they do in our climate (I've always thought of peonies as a very delicate and fussy plant)

LadyLuz disse...

Thank you Gintonio. I'll check out that website and maybe resign myself to admiring them on line. It was a bit of childhood nostalgia that prompted my question. My step-mother used to split them when they got too big and then it would take another 2 or 3 years before they flowered again.

Love all your cats and beautiful dogs.