Teide Violet

viola cheiranthifolia

The Teide Violet (Viola cheiranthifolia) is an extraordinary, resilient perennial plant found exclusively on the high-altitude volcanic slopes of Mount Teide on Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Holding the record as the highest-flowering plant in Spain, it thrives in a harsh, alpine environment of volcanic ash and pumice, ranging from 2,000 meters to nearly the summit at 3,700 meters. This delicate-looking wildflower is a true survivor, enduring extreme temperature fluctuations, intense solar radiation, and severe drought.

Lebensraum: Found on high-altitude volcanic scree, pumice slopes, and rocky crevices of Mount Teide, often in barren, dry alpine conditions above 2,000 meters.

Aussehen

The Teide Violet is a small, low-growing herbaceous plant, typically reaching heights of only 5 to 15 cm. It forms a dense rosette of small, spade-to-oval shaped leaves covered in fine, velvety hairs that give them a silvery-grey-green appearance to protect against UV rays. Its striking, spurred flowers feature five petals in a lovely blend of violet, pale mauve, white, and a bright yellow center, making them stand out starkly against the dark, barren volcanic soils of its habitat.

ReichPlantaeStammTracheophytaKlasseMagnoliopsidaOrdnungMalpighialesFamilieViolaceaeGattungViola

Teide Violet

Kategorie

Pflanzen

Seltenheit

Common

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Snaps

Mach den ersten Snap!

Interessante Fakten

It is the highest-altitude flowering plant in Spain, thriving at elevations up to 3,700 meters on the slopes of Mount Teide.

Its scientific name, 'cheiranthifolia', means 'leaves like a wallflower', referring to the unique shape of its foliage.

The species was famously studied and documented by the legendary Prussian naturalist Alexander von Humboldt during his expedition to Tenerife in 1799.

Besondere Fähigkeiten

Dense, fine hairs cover its leaves, reflecting intense high-altitude ultraviolet radiation and reducing water loss.

Produces natural antifreeze proteins and sugars within its cells to survive freezing nightly temperatures alternating with hot daytime sun.

Possesses a deep, robust taproot system that stabilizes the plant in shifting volcanic scree and accesses scarce moisture deep below.

Maße und Details

Länge: 5-15 cm
Lebenserwartung: 2-5 Jahre

Ernährung und Fütterung

As a photosynthetic plant, it synthesizes its own food using sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water while absorbing essential minerals from volcanic soils.

Hauptnahrung

Sunlight
Carbon dioxide
Water
Volcanic minerals

Ökologische Zusammenhänge

eaten by

Gallot's Lizard

Gallotia galloti

The Canary Island lizard feeds on the flowers and fruits of the violet, occasionally assisting in seed dispersal.

mutualism

Canary Island Bumblebee

Bombus canariensis

Pollinates the flowers of the Teide Violet, allowing the plant to reproduce in its harsh alpine environment.

eaten by

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

An introduced herbivore that heavily grazes on the Teide Violet, posing a major threat to its wild populations.

Merkmale

Für dieses Objekt sind noch keine Merkmal-Badges vergeben.

Auch bekannt als

Noch keine Alternativnamen vorhanden.

Sammlungen

Sammlungen für dieses Objekt erscheinen hier, wenn weitere Themen hinzugefügt werden.

Sicherheit

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Noch keine besonderen Sicherheitshinweise.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Wie identifiziert man Teide Violet?

Der einfachste Weg, Teide Violet zu bestimmen, ist die Verwendung der Naturführer-App Snappit.

Was ist der/die/das länge von Teide Violet?

5-15 cm

Was ist der/die/das lebenserwartung von Teide Violet?

2-5 Jahre

Was frisst Teide Violet?

As a photosynthetic plant, it synthesizes its own food using sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water while absorbing essential minerals from volcanic soils.

Wo findet man Teide Violet normalerweise?

Found on high-altitude volcanic scree, pumice slopes, and rocky crevices of Mount Teide, often in barren, dry alpine conditions above 2,000 meters.