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Useful Temperate Plants

Calceolaria arachnoidea

Graham

Calceolariaceae

+ Synonyms

Calceolaria nubigena Poepp.

Calceolaria refugens Sweet

Calceolaria tinctoria Gillies ex G.Don

Fagelia arachnodea (Graham) Kuntze

Common Name:

Calceolaria arachnoidea
An alpine species known as Relbun, from the headwaters of Rio Teno, Chile
Photograph by: Dick Culbert
Creative Commons License
Calceolaria arachnoidea Calceolaria arachnoidea

General Information

Calceolaria arachnoidea is a herbaceous, perennial plant forming a basal cluster of silvery leaves and flowering stems up to 40cm tall.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of a dye.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
330
Title
ChileFlora
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.chileflora.com/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.

Range

S. America - central Chile.

Habitat

Moist areas such as marshes, bogs, water courses, lake and river shores; at elevations from 1,400 - 2,200 metres[
330
Title
ChileFlora
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.chileflora.com/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
].

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitPerennial
Height0.30 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Calceolaria arachnoidea is found at moderate to high elevations in the Andes of central Chile. Whilst one report says that the plant is not very cold tolerant but can be grown outdoors in the mildest egions of the temperate zone[
166
Title
The Milder Garden.
Publication
 
Author
Taylor. J.
Publisher
Dent
Year
1990
ISBN
 
Description
A good book on plants that you didn't know could be grown outdoors in Britain.
], another says that the plant can survive temperatures falling as low as -15 - 20°c[
330
Title
ChileFlora
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.chileflora.com/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
]. The plant grows in humid areas, where there is almost constant rainfall., though short dry periods are possible[
330
Title
ChileFlora
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.chileflora.com/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
]. It requires abundant moisture in the summer and a dry winter[
166
Title
The Milder Garden.
Publication
 
Author
Taylor. J.
Publisher
Dent
Year
1990
ISBN
 
Description
A good book on plants that you didn't know could be grown outdoors in Britain.
].
Requires a sunny or lightly shaded position and a moist soil[
330
Title
ChileFlora
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.chileflora.com/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The root is astringent[
61
Title
A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
Publication
 
Author
Usher. G.
Publisher
Constable
Year
1974
ISBN
0094579202
Description
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
].

Other Uses

A red dye is obtained from the root[
61
Title
A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
Publication
 
Author
Usher. G.
Publisher
Constable
Year
1974
ISBN
0094579202
Description
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse.
Division in spring.
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-10-11. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Calceolaria+arachnoidea>

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