Envoy at 03:58, 27 April 2007

2007-04-27T03:58:40Z

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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Caayl Vannin
| status = CR
| status_system = iucn2.3
| image = IsleofMancabbage.jpg
| image_width = 190px
| image_caption = ''Coincya monensis monensis''
| regnum = [[Plantae]]
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Brassicales]]
| familia = [[Brassicaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Coincya]]''
| species = '''''[[C. monensis]]'''''
| subspecies = '''''C. m. monensis'''''
| trinomial = ''Coincya monensis monensis''
| trinomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}

The '''Isle of Man cabbage''' (''Coincya monensis monensis'') is a species of [[Brassicaceae]] or [[Brassicaceae|cabbage plant]] that is found in coastal habitats on the west of the island of [[Great Britain]] (from north [[Devon]] to [[Kintyre]]) and around the coasts of the [[Isle of Man]].

== Conservation Status ==
The [[species]] is thought to naturally occure in only 22 localities and is [[endemic]] to the [[British Isles]]. It is listed as a nationally scarce British species and is in serious risk of [[extinction]]. The species was once abundant on the [[Isle of Man]], hence its name, however, for an unknown reason its [[population]] has collapsed to only a few individual and isolated plants. On the [[Isle of Man]] the [[Manx Wildlife Trust]] began propogating the species in their greenhouses in [[2006]]. It is hoped that this will halt the decline of the species and prevent its extinction, however [[climate change]] and [[sea level rise]] pose a real threat and may be behind the current population decline.

== Habitat ==

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, which must be well-drained yet moist. The plant can grow in [[acidic]], [[neutral]] and [[alkaline]] soils, in semi-shade (light [[woodland]]) or no [[shade]]. ''C. m. monensis'' needs mobile sand dunes where wind or other [[erosion]] prevents thick vegetation cover and allows areas free from vegetation cover for ''C. m. monensis'' to colonise. Trampling by walkers can help achieve this habitat, hence ''C. m. monensis'' can often be found growing along footpaths through coastal dunes.

== Biology ==

The Isle of Man cabbage, a [[dicot]] plant is [[biennial]] and grows to a heigt of 0.3 metres. It forms [[Rosette (botany)|rosettes]] than can be up to a metre in diamter. The flowers have four leaves, are [[hermaphrodite]] and are pollinated by [[insects]]. ''C. m. monensis'' flowers [[April]]-[[August]].

== Taxonomy ==

The only other (sub)species in the [[Genus]] ''[[Coincya]]'' are the [[Lundy cabbage]] ''Coincya wrighti'' and the [[Star mustard]] ''Coincya monensis'' spp. ''recurvata''. The star mustard, a plant introduced to eight U.S. states, is the same species as the Isle of Man cabbage but a different subspecies. It may have been introduced to the [[United States|U.S.]] as the Isle of Man cabbage and subsequently evolved through the [[founder effect]] and geographic isolation into a new subspecies.

The [[Manx language|Manx]] name for the species is ''caayl Vannin'', literally 'Manx cabbage'. Outside the [[British Isles]] the Isle of Man cabbage is also known as the star mustard, wallflower cabbage, tall wallflower cabbage and coincya.

In its [[scientific name]] the specific descriptor ''Monensis'' is [[Latin]] for ''Manx''. In Latin the [[Isle of Man]] is called ''[[Monapia]]''.

== References ==
*Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. ''Flora of the British Isles.'' Cambridge University Press (1962).

[[Category:Fauna of the Isle of Man]]
[[Category:Environment of the Isle of Man]]
[[Category:Brassicaceae]]
[[Category:Endangered species]]
[[Category:Biota of the Isle of Man]]

Isle of Man cabbage - Revision history

Envoy at 03:58, 27 April 2007