Introduction and geographic distribution

'Wine cups' is a plant which grows in the Chihuahuan desert of northern Mexico and South Western parts of the United States of America. (New Moon Nursery, 2019). By description, it is a flowering plant of Kingdom Plantae, order Malvales, family Malvaceae, and species Callirhoe involucrata. It also goes by several common names; poppy-mallow, winecups, Purple poppy mallow, finger poppy mallow, buffalo rose, (Plants for a future, 2019). C. involucrata is a native to areas of Central USA as well as Eastern and Southwestern areas of the United States. The highest populations of the plant are in regions of North Dakota through the Midwest, Arizona, Texas, and Arkansas. The plant does best in dry meadows, open woods, prairies, by the roads, rocky areas and open fields where there is little vegetation cover. The wildflower may also be cultivated and grown in homes where it makes for good aesthetic value in rocky areas.

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Characteristics

C. involucrata is a perennially growing plant. It has rounded bilobed leaves that are three to seven in number per plant and very aesthetically pleasing. The leaves are arranged in an alternating pattern and have hairy stalks connecting them to the stem which grow to a length of approximately four inches. At the base of the petioles, there may be paired stipules which are conspicuous and green in colour. The stipules have the shape of a half-ovate (Illinois wildflowers, 2019). Flowers grow from pedicles which are about six inches long. Each flower has five purple petals with white throats. They mimic the flowers of a hibiscus plant. The plant blossoms in the late spring and summer. It is hermaphroditic, having both male and female reproductive parts. As a flower matures, the reproductive structure that is column-shaped grows out of the petals. Stamens occur in large numbers and are whitish, while the styles are pink coloured. The flowers do not produce any scent that may be distinctly perceived by humans. After the flowering season, the bulbs get replaced by carpels that make a ring shape. They are kidney-shaped and flattened with short tips that are hairy. (New Moon Nursery, 2019). Its seeds become ripe in the late summer. C. involucrata has procumbent stems which may be purple to dark green and have white hairs around them. The root is a taproot that can grow to four-inch diameter size. The plant does exceptionally well in areas with dry, light soil that is well drained. It can grow in soil with low nutrient value but requires soil at the correct pH. It spreads ground cover since its stems trail along the ground for up to three inches after it shoots from the field.

Other organisms that C. involucrata is associated with include bees which aid in their pollination. The plant may be consumed actively by herbivorous mammals and caterpillars of Pyrgus communis species. Its roots can be useful as a source of food for human beings (Illinois wildflowers, 2019)

Life cycle:

C. involucrata has a perennial life cycle. A new generation of plants may come up and co-exist with the first generations. The life cycle begins with germination of the plants' seeds, which happens fast under the temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The plant grows and blossoms in the late spring and summer then its fertilisation occurs following self-pollination or cross-pollination. Seeds are ripened by late summer, and they fall into the ground just around the parent plant. The plants are thus able to propagate themselves. Before the parent plant dies, it can survive through several generations of new plants.

Conservation status

This species has not yet been categorised according to the IUCN red list of species at risk (Plants for the future, 2019). According to current data, the plant can survive in very adverse desert conditions, and it also exists in a wide area; therefore it may not be at risk of imminent extinction. Moreover, it is cultivated and tamed as a beautiful flower in several homes where it is native and in other places where it can survive. Another positive indicator for the conservation status of C. involucrata is that its population is on an increasing trend. The rate of survival for older plants leads to an increase in population as several new plant generations come up before the older plants begin to die off (Plants for life, 2019). The success rate in breeding is also high, and the plant can propagate itself easily. There are few threats to the species. In areas where the plants co-exist with herbivorous animals, the population of the plants drops. Those are the areas where the plants' survival is poor; there are no other identified risks to the plant. All these factors contribute to the low risk of species extinction for C. involucrata.

Uses

It may be used for landscaping because it produces a large number of flowers and the blooming season is relatively long (New Moon Nursery, 2019). T also provides good ground cover since it has procumbent stems that trail the ground for a short distance before growing upwards. The trailing property also creates an opportunity for people to use the plant on low walls. Tte plants property of survival in adverse desert conditions makes it useful for rocky places, dry meadows, wildlife gardens and prairies and other areas where landscaping is a difficult feat.

It is edible, and its roots may be used as food while its leaves may be used to make beverages and stews. The root tubers are long and arrow-shaped. They are starchy, and when cooked they have a sweet taste which is similar to that of a sweet potato. (Plants for life, 2019). The leaves may be boiled to produce a pleasant aroma for beverages. They also provide a soup that has a mucilaginous texture which may be useful for thickening soups of various kinds (plants for life, 2019).In areas where there is livestock keeping, humans may use the plant as a source of food for small herbivores like rabbits, goats and sheep.

The plant has also been shown to have some medicinal properties, primarily in treatment of pain and wound cleaning. Exudate from the roots is useful in treating pain from internal organs. One can extract it by squeezing the roots while they are still uncooked. When the root is dried and burnt, the smoke provides a soothing for the respiratory system and can, therefore, be useful as an inhalant. Some people also bathe an affected part of the body such as wounds or painful areas to achieve soothing and a healing property (Plants for life, 2019). In spite of all these useful medicinal properties, there is no record of clinical studies for the pharmaceutical advantages of the plant. There is no information on the possible adverse reactions of using the plant's products and the use of C. involucrata for medicinal purposes by human beings is not backed by any research evidence.

The plant is also useful in farming. Farmers involved in beekeeping and honey production frequently cultivate the plant for its many advantages adjunct to their work. It produces a lot of nectar that is attractive to bees. The flowers help a farmer to keep his bees around a given locality and prevent migration because that will come in the way of their farming. The plants which can grow in large numbers and produce many flowers provide a constant source of food for the bees, which is very important in the honey making. The type of honey that bees produce depends significantly on the kind of flowers from which they derived nectar. The flowers of C. involucrata are associated with the production of high-quality honey which has no altered taste. In conclusion, C. involucrata is a wild plant that grows in desert areas, but it has a multitude of benefits for human beings.

REFERENCES

Illinois wild flowers. (2019). Purple poppy mellow. Retrieved from https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/purple_mallowx.htm

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Centre. (2016). Callirhoe Involucrata. Retrieved from https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=cain2

New Moon Nursery. (2019). Callirhoe Involucrata. Retrieved from http://www.newmoonnursery.com/plant/Callirhoe-involucrata

Plants for a future. (2019). Callirhoe involucrata. Retrieved from https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Callirhoe%20involucrata