2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Ax / Lathyrus / is a perennial or annual plant of the legume family, which is usually used for feed or feed components. The genus Sekirche includes about 160 species. Some species are climbing and others are shrubby.
Many of them are distributed in Europe, North America, Asia, East Africa and South America. About 30 species of axes grow in our country. The herb is found in bushes, in forest meadows, along fields like weeds, up to 2000 m above sea level.
Types of ax
One of the most common species ax in Bulgaria there are the meadow ax / Lathyrus pratensis /, the busty ax / Lathyrus tuberosus /, the spring ax / Lathyrus vernus /, the fragrant ax / Lathyrus odoratus /, the forest ax / Lathyrus sylvestris /, the pancreatic ax / Lathyrus sylvestris / /.
The meadow ax is a perennial plant that reaches 1 m in height. Its flowers are collected 5-10 in clustered inflorescences on a long common stalk, much longer than the corresponding axillary leaf. The corolla of the meadow ax is yellow. The fruit of the plant is a relatively long dark brown multi-seeded bean. The meadow ax blooms from June to July. It is distributed in Europe, the European territory of Russia, Central Asia, the Scandinavian countries, the Balkan Peninsula, Asia Minor, Iran, Mongolia, China, tropical Africa and others.
The busty ax reaches a height of 90 cm. The leaves of the plant are paired, with only one pair of leaves and a branched whiskers. The flowers of the busty ax are pink to carmine red, rarely white, fragrant. The herb blooms in June - July. This species is distributed in Western and Central Europe, Russia, the Mediterranean, the Balkans and Asia Minor.
The spring ax is a perennial herbaceous plant also of the genus Ax. Its stems are ridged, up to 50 cm high and erect. The flowers of this species are initially purple and later acquire a bluish tinge. The fruits are linear, smooth, flattened on the sides, and after flowering and drying become bluish. The spring ax blooms in April - May. The plant is found throughout Europe and Russia / Siberia and the Caucasus /.
Smelly ax, which originates from Southern Europe and the Canary Islands, is an annual herbaceous plant. The stem of this ax is climbing and reaches 2.5 m in length. The leaves are small, slightly ovate, 2 or 4 per stalk. The plants are suitable for forming a decorative wall because of the large colors, different colors and their pleasant scent.
The forest ax is a perennial herbaceous plant. Its stems are 50-00 cm long, winged, with wings wider than half the width of the stem. The leaves are complex, pinnate, with a pair of leaflets that are 4-8 cm long, lanceolate-elliptic. The flowers are collected in 5 - 12 pieces in clustered inflorescences, 14-16 mm long, with a pink corolla. This species blooms June-August. The forest ax is widespread in Europe and Southwest Asia.
Panchichevo ax is a perennial herbaceous plant with thin rhizomes. Its stems are single or several, 30-90 cm high, unbranched, short-fibrous. The leaves of this species are paired, 8–12 cm long. The flowers are pale yellow, 15-20 mm long. The fruit of the ax is bean-shaped, 5-7 cm long, fibrous. Panchich's ax blooms in July and bears fruit in August. In the Red List of Bulgarian higher plants this species is categorized as "critically endangered".
The loose color ax is a perennial herbaceous plant up to 40 cm tall. Its stem without wings. The leaves of this species have a pair of elliptical leaflets. Stipules almost as wide as leaflets, equal to the petioles. The corolla of the loose-colored ax is blue and the bean is hairy. The plant blooms June-July.
Composition of an ax
The contents of the ax have not yet been fully clarified. The above-ground parts of the meadow ax have been found to contain a significant amount of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), carotene (provitamin A), proteins, yellow pigments isoramnetin and syringetine, traces of alkaloids, saponins, bitter substances with unexplored composition and others.
The leaves of the same drug contain leukoanthocyanidins, which cleave leukocyanidin and leukodelphinidine upon hydrolysis. According to some literature, these 2 substances are considered neurotoxic. The herb also contains flavonoids, as well as caffeic and ferulic acid.
In the aboveground parts of the breast ax the content of crude protein - 15, 75%, digestible protein - 12.49%, crude fat - 2.74%, crude cellulose - 30.41%, nitrogen-free extractives - 39.18%, ash -4.90%.
In the above-ground parts of the spring ax were found proteins - 20.5%, fats - 1.9%, cellulose - 30.4%, extractives - 40.1%, ash - 6.9
Growing an ax
The ax grows quite intensively. The seeds of the plant are sown directly in the soil, pre-watered with water the place where the seeds will be planted. At 22 degrees they germinate in about 10 days. In perennial varieties, the seeds can be sown in autumn. The soil needs to be rich in nutrients and loose. In addition, it should be fed regularly. It is also watered regularly to prevent drought.
In humid air and coolness the ax blooms profusely. It is good to clean the ornamental plant from overblown flowers. The ax is propagated mainly by seeds and much less often by shoots. The seeds have a hard shell, so before sowing, it is necessary to soak in lukewarm water. When propagated by shoots, young twigs are used, which are planted in March and April directly in the soil.
Collecting and storing an ax
The stalks of Lathyrus pratensis L. and Lathyrus tuberosus L. are harvested in July-August and those of Lathyrus vernus in May-June. The entire leafy above-ground part of the plant is cut off at the beginning of flowering. The collected material is cleaned of yellowed and insect-eaten leaves and stems, as well as various impurities. Stems and seeds of individual species are harvested, dried, packaged and stored separately. After cleaning, the collected material is dried outdoors as hay, and in cloudy and rainy weather in ventilated rooms or in an oven at a temperature of up to 40 degrees.
The seeds are harvested when about 1/3 of the beans are almost fully ripe, but before they dissolve. The whole above-ground part is harvested and the collected material is spread on cement sites for maturation, after which it is threshed or hammered, and the fallen seed is cleaned by sifting and sifting. The seed thus obtained is dried in ventilated rooms, spread on mats, and is often stirred with a shovel.
Benefits of an ax
Many species are grown as garden plants. The decorative ax can be used to decorate gazebos, to cover walls, etc. Its various and beautiful colors will satisfy even the most capricious taste.
Other species are bred for food. Lathyrus tuberosus, for example, is grown as a vegetable because of its sweet, starchy tubers. They can be eaten raw or cooked. Lathyrus tuberosus tubers are also a favorite feed of pigs. Although tasty and nutritious, the harvest shows low productivity.
The species Lathyrus pratensis, Lathyrus tuberosus and Lathyrus are also excellent forage plants. They are widely used in Russia and France. As they grow successfully for ten years or more, these species are especially important for long-term meadows.
Folk medicine with an ax
The above-ground part of the meadow ax It is used in Bulgarian folk medicine as a mild expectorant in therapeutic doses: from 1/10 to 1/5 part of a teaspoon of finely crushed dry herb is soaked in 1 teaspoon of boiling water. After cooling, filter and take 1 tbsp. at 2 - 3 hours. These small doses do not cause side effects.
Damage from an ax
Cases of nervous disorder have been reported with the use of seeds of Lathyrus pratensis, Lathyrus tuberosus and Lathyrus vernus, and the seeds of fragrant ax can cause poisoning. Although axes are fodder plants, the seeds of some species are not tolerated by horses when given as concentrated fodder.
