AIZOON HISPANICUM

Family and Genus:- See- AIZOACEAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Aizoanthemopsis hispanica.

Meaning:- Aizoon (Gr) Always-alive

Hispanicum (L) From Spain, Spanish, Hispanic.

General description:- Densely papillose annual

Stem:-

1) Up to 20 cm. dichtomously branched. whole plant somewhat succulent covered

with glistening papillae.

Leaves:-

1) Alternate. flat, oblong-lanceolate, obtuse.

Flowers:-

1) Subsessile in the branch axils.

2) Calyx teeth, 5. oblong, acute, whitish.

3) Petals and petaloid staminodes lacking.

4) Stamens, 15-20, in fascicles.

5) Perianth-tube, shortly obconical to hemispherical. lobes, lanceolate, acute,

yellowish above.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, loculicidal, 1 cm, long, with 4 compartments. with prominently keeled

valves.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Fallow fields and roadsides on soft marl near sea level.

Distribution:- Only confirmed from the island of Gavdos and one locality at Timbaki

in S Crete. - Widespread in the Mediterranean region, extending to the

Macaronesian Islands and S Iran

Flowering time:- Apr-June.

Photos by:- By kind permission of Saxifraga - Free Nature Images.