Eryngium ebracteatum
Eryngium ebracteatum, the burnet-flowered sea holly, is a herbaceous perennial native to damp grasslands in South America. The species is occasionally cultivated as an ornamental plant. Etymology. The specific epithet 'ebracteatum' is derived from the Latin ‘e’ without and ‘bracteatus’ bracts. This is notable, as the most frequently cultivated Old World Eryngiums such as "E. alpinum" and "E. planum" are known for their conspicuous bristly or spiny bracts.  Taxonomy. "Eryngium ebracteatum" was described in 1797 by the French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamark (Lam.). This species is a member of the subgenus Monocotyloidea which includes most New World  species. Within Monocotyloidea "E. ebracteatum" is part of a group of South American species with inconspicuous involucral bracts. Its closest relatives are the Argentinian species "E. incantatum" and Brazilian species "E. balansae". Morphology. "Eryngium ebracteatum" is an evergreen herbaceous perennial growing to a height of 1.5 meters it has grey-green lance shaped leaves which in contrast to other South American sea hollies are almost or entirely spineless. The flowers, which are cone shaped and deep-red are held on wiry branching stems, due to the absence of bracts and reddish color they are often confused with "sanguisorba" species such  as "S. tenuifolia" and "S. officinalis". "E. ebracteatum" has underground storage organs and long taproots with little branching. The glaucous leaves of this plant are a result of a covering of epicuticular waxes, the particular arrangement of these wax crystals makes the leaves ultrahydrophobic. In plants this adaptation is known as the lotus effect, and it thought to aid in the removal of dust and soil particles from the leaves which may contain pathogens or reduce photosynthesis.   Distribution and habitat. "Eryngium ebracteatum" is widely distributed in South and Central America, including Brazil, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. It is  native to undegraded frequently flooding pampas as well as humid mesophytic meadows, the species is found at elevations of 130 to 1600 meters.   Conservation. The conservation status of "E. ebracteatum" has not been locally evaluated within Columbia, nor has its global threat level been assessed. Despite this, it is known to have a wide distribution across South America so is resilient to local threats. In contrast, its habitat is at risk due to invasive species, especially herbaceous perennials in the families Asteraceae, Poaceae and Fabaceae. These plants have often been imported for the horticultural trade and then spread to natural  environments.   Cultivation. The most frequently cultivated species of the genus "Eryngium" are in the subgenus "Eryngium" (native to rocky and coastal areas). The New World grassland species are cultivated less often but are gaining popularity due to their fit within the naturalistic planting movement. In cultivation, "Eryngium ebracteatum" requires full sun and moderately fertile soil. Despite being native to wet areas, it is prone to root and crown rot if receiving a combination of low temperatures and waterlogged soil. Most specimens of "Eryngium ebracteatum" cultivated are of the variety ‘poterioides’.