Just one month before leaving the city where I have lived for the last nine years, I thought it would be appropriate to present the namesake plant: meet Paris, a plant genus of 24 species in family Melanthiaceae!
Specifically, I'd like to introduce the species Paris quadrifolia, which I met in flowers for the first time two weeks ago, during my annual field course in the volcanic mountains of Auvergne. Apparently, the species has a very broad distribution in Europe (see this map), but in my experience is more commonly found in the understory of mountaineous forests on calcareous soil. It was particularly abundant in the beech (Fagus sylvatica) forests around Lac Pavin, where we spent the week.
The species is very distinctive for having only four broad, verticillate leaves. This explains the second part of the species name (quadrifolia). The first part (Paris), which has nothing to do with the city, may also refer to the pairs of leaves (according to this source), or to the Greek mythological character of the same name.
Specifically, I'd like to introduce the species Paris quadrifolia, which I met in flowers for the first time two weeks ago, during my annual field course in the volcanic mountains of Auvergne. Apparently, the species has a very broad distribution in Europe (see this map), but in my experience is more commonly found in the understory of mountaineous forests on calcareous soil. It was particularly abundant in the beech (Fagus sylvatica) forests around Lac Pavin, where we spent the week.
The species is very distinctive for having only four broad, verticillate leaves. This explains the second part of the species name (quadrifolia). The first part (Paris), which has nothing to do with the city, may also refer to the pairs of leaves (according to this source), or to the Greek mythological character of the same name.
But what stroke me most this time was the realization that its flowers are tetramerous, meaning with floral parts (sepals, petals, stamens, carpels) in sets of 4. This is unusual for monocots, the larger group that includes about 25% of all flowering plant species. The vast majority of monocots have typical trimerous flowers, with parts in sets of 3 (as in tulips, lilies, irises). However, botanical rules are full of exceptions (which makes botany so much more fun!) and Paris quadrifolia is an extraordinary one, especially as it is paralleled by the peculiar set of four leaves.
Looking at it closer reveals more distinctive features. The floral bud is elongated and pointed and could easily be confused with a leaf bud. The perianth is differentiated into broad green sepals and narrower petals, which are also green (an exception in monocots, where most flowers have only one kind of perianth parts, the tepals, which are usually brightly colored). The stamens look like pointed arrows due to the long connective extensions beyond the anthers. Last, the four fused carpels have a very unusual dark purple color, with four free styles. Eventually, they will produce a dark blue berry that looks like a large blueberry, but is poisonous!
According to descriptions such as this one, Paris is in fact a variable genus when it comes to floral merism, ranging from 3 to 8. Paris used to be a member of Liliaceae, but now belongs to the small family Melanthiaceae. However, unlike most former members of the Liliaceae who have now moved to various families in the order Asparagales, Melanthiaceae remain in the order Liliales. In total, Melanthiaceae have 17 genera and about 170 species. These include Veratrum and Trillium, which is quite famous in North American temperate forests and looks like the more exuberant, but totally trimerous (both leaves and flowers) version of Paris quadrifolia!
According to descriptions such as this one, Paris is in fact a variable genus when it comes to floral merism, ranging from 3 to 8. Paris used to be a member of Liliaceae, but now belongs to the small family Melanthiaceae. However, unlike most former members of the Liliaceae who have now moved to various families in the order Asparagales, Melanthiaceae remain in the order Liliales. In total, Melanthiaceae have 17 genera and about 170 species. These include Veratrum and Trillium, which is quite famous in North American temperate forests and looks like the more exuberant, but totally trimerous (both leaves and flowers) version of Paris quadrifolia!