Keeled-fruited Cornsalad
Valerianella carinata
Overview
Keeled-fruited Cornsalad is a small annual herb in the valerian family, characterized by its distinctive keeled or ridged fruits and small white to pale pink flowers arranged in dense clusters. This low-growing plant typically reaches 10-40cm in height with spoon-shaped leaves and plays an important ecological role as an early-season nectar source for small pollinators and as food for seed-eating birds.
Keeled-fruited Cornsalad faces severe decline primarily due to agricultural intensification and habitat loss from conversion of traditional farming systems to modern intensive agriculture. The species is particularly vulnerable to changes in land management practices, including increased use of herbicides and fertilizers, as well as the abandonment of traditional low-intensity farming methods that historically maintained suitable habitat conditions.
Habitat
Keeled-fruited Cornsalad thrives in disturbed soils of arable fields, field margins, and waste ground, particularly favoring calcareous or neutral soils with good drainage. It is typically found in areas with periodic soil disturbance such as fallow fields, track edges, and the margins of cultivated land where competition from perennial vegetation is reduced.
Other threatened species in Caprifoliaceae
Frequently asked questions
Why is Keeled-fruited Cornsalad classified as Endangered?
Where does Keeled-fruited Cornsalad live?
What are the main threats to Keeled-fruited Cornsalad?
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