SPECIES DESCRIPTION
LIMONIUM HIERAPETRAE
Including:-
Family and Genus:- See- PLUMBAGINACEAE
Common Names:- None
Homotypic Synonyms:- None
Meaning:- Limonium (Gr) Meadow-plant. A name used by the Greek physician
and botanist Dioscorides.
Hierapetrae (L) Possibly meaning its geographical location i.e
Ierapetra, Crete.
General description:- Perennial shrub with numerous stems growing in tight
groups.
Stems :-
1) Erect 20-80 cm.
Leaves:-
1) Lower, in a rosette. pale green, glabrous, red-brown at the base.
Flowers:-
1) Small closely aggregated into, dense, crowded, terminal inflorescences.
2) Petals pale blue to violet, forming a tube, exceeding only the upper limb by the
surrounded bracts.
Habitat:- On maritime sand and calcareous conglomerate. 0-5 m.
Distribution:- Cretan endemic. Southern coast from Tsoutsouros to Goudouras
Flowering time:- Apr-May, and perhaps also later.
Photos by:- Steve Lenton
Status:-
Conservation status (for threatened species): Vulnerable (V) according to IUCN
1997
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LIMONIUM CORNARIANUM Back to Top
Homotypic Synonyms:-
Meaning:- Cornarianum meaning unknown
Resembling Limonium hierapetrae, but differering in the following characters
1) Leaves smaller.
2) Spikelets and calyces shorter.
Habitat:- Calcareous and marly rocky coast, as well as gorge cliffs near the sea.
Distribution:- Confined to southeast Crete, between Ierapetra and Moni Kapsa
gorge
Flowering time:- Apr-May, and perhaps also later.
Photos by:- Steve Lenton
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LIMONIUM CRETICUM Back to Top
Homotypic Synonyms:- None
Meaning:- Creticum (L) From Crete, Cretan.
Resembling Limonium hierapetrae, but differering in the following characters:
1) Stems, ascending;
2) Leaf blade, abruptly narrowed into the petiole.
3) Greyish-green.
4) Scabridulous,
5) 1-veined.
6) Spikes, arcuate, lax.
7) Bracts and calyces, somewhat longer.
Habitat:- Coastal habitats with limestone rocks and yellowish marl, 0-10 m.
Distribution:- Restricted to Crete, where it grows in the northwest coast between
Chania and Cap Drapano, and in the central-southern part between Timbaki and
Kali Limenes
Flowering time:- Late April to July, perhaps also later.
Photos currently unavailable
