36)Ice+Plant

=Ice Plant=

//Lampranthus spectabilis// Aizoaceae

media type="file" key="Serenade to la Ice Plant.wav" width="360" height="60"


 * [[image:IMG_8970.JPG caption="Whole Ice Plant"]] || [[image:IMG_8975.JPG caption="Leaves"]] ||
 * [[image:IMG_8974.JPG caption="Bark (or lack there of)"]] || [[image:IMG_8973.JPG width="224" height="170" caption="Flower"]] ||

Classification:
The //Lampranthus spectabilis// also known as the Ice plant is a monoecious angiosperm. This flowering dicot has one sex that contains both sex organs, with roots that penetrate down into the ground as opposed to laterally across the ground (monocot). The name //lampranthus// comes from the Greek root //lampros// which means bright or shiny and //anthos// which means flower, or bright and shiny flower. The Latin root //spectabilis// means outstanding or worth consideration. So next time you walk past one of the 120 plants in the genus //lampranthu//s, take special consideration to view these outstanding shiny flowers!

Family characteristics:
In most Aizoaceae, the flowers typically have 3-8 sepals and more or less fused below, but they have no "true petals"; however many species have 4-120 linear staminodes that are often interpreted as petals. These "petals" usually range in bright colors from shades of pink to purple and can grow to about 2 inches wide. The fleshy simple leaves normally have opposite or alternate arrangement with entire margins, acute tips, and cuneate bases. The stems are herbaceous, and don't have bark. The fruit generally is a non-fleshy capsule with one to numerous seeds per cell.

Size:
Much like a common low plant, the Ice plant can grow anywhere from 6 to 18 inches high and 15 to 18 inches wide.

Identifying features:
The Ice Plant is a small little plant that grows in dry hot areas that generally receive full sun. The leaves are not traditional "leaves" in that they are flat and wide, however they are long, slender, fat, and waxy. They are approximately 2 inches long, 1/4 an inch wide, and 1/8 an inch thick. As with all leaves that contain chloroplasts, they are green, however, they are tainted gray as they do not have the deep green look most leaves contain. The leaves are specialized to not only "catch" sunlight and obtain food, but to also hold water. The reproductive part of this plant is a two inch flower that blooms at the end of spring. The flowers are shades of pink and purple with a yellow center. The pedals are very thin, but there are many of them lining the yellow center. All of these characteristics branch off a single green-brown herbaceous stem that runs along the entire plant. Some neighboring plants include a tall woody bush that is normally cut into a circle, as well as a pine tree.

Location/Habitat:
The //Lampranthus spectabilis// is accustomed to dry, desert areas that receive full sun. The Ice Plant ironically will only survive a short time in temperatures under 20 degrees Fahrenheit, however it can withstand any temperature in between up to about 120 degrees Fahrenheit, however it is recommended that it avoids reflected heat. It's USDA hardiness zones are levels 8a through 10b, meaning it doesn't like temperatures below 10 to 35 degrees Fahrenheit. They tend not to have problems with pests or diseases. While the location of Ice Plant #36 at Da Vinci High has the ideal temperature zone, as Davis rarely drops below 35 degrees, it is under fairly large trees meaning it does not receive full sun. The location would be more optimal if it were moved to a sunnier spot.

Water/Sun Requirements:
The Ice Plant prefers full sun with little to no shade. It needs little water, however if the temperature is 120+ degrees Fahrenheit it should be watered regularly. It is recommended that there be good drainage as it is used to little water.

Reproduction:
Reproduction for these bad boys involves entomophily, or the distribution of pollen through insects. The brightly colored pedals and sweet nectar the flowers produce attract a variety of insects, particularly bees, who rub against the pollen and then fly to another flower to fertilize it. Once fertilized, the base of the flower becomes a non-fleshy dehiscent fruit. This means the capsule containing the zygotes opens partly to allow the seeds to spread. The monoecious Spectabilis contains only one sex, so any plant can fertilize one another. They normally bloom around mid spring to early summer.

Special Adaptations:
The major adaptation the Ice Plant has is its ability to survive droughts. It is classified as a "CAM" plant. Much like a C4 plant, c rassulacean acid metabolism is a different method of obtaining CO2 than that of the traditional plants. CAM plants open the stomata at night, allowing respiration to occur, however, in the day the stomata close so no water evaporates out of the holes. During the day the Calvin Cycle takes the carbon so photosynthesis can occur. In short, this allows the plant to gain some materials at night, store them until day, where photosynthesis ultimately occurs to produce nutrients for the plant as a whole without losing water.

Additional Information:
This plant is the perfect plant to fall into. With non-woody stems, and and no hard sticks, the Ice Plant is able to provide you with comfort for even your hardest falls. Refrain from falling in mid spring to early summer, as bees are in abundance.

Evaluation of DaVinci Plant:
The plant at Da Vinci seems to be doing well, as it is green, flowering, and not dying. All in all i give the plant a 7 out of 10, as it is not living in it's most extreme environment.

Sources:
http://www.myetymology.com/latin/spectabilis.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoecious http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Aizoaceae/Lampranthus_spectabile.html http://plantzafrica.com/plantklm/lampranaff.htm []

Created by: Henry Braden Fisk