MINUARTIA GLOBULOSA

Family:- CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Common Names:- None

Synonyms:- Alsine billardieri, Alsine globulosa, Arenaria globulosa.

Meaning:- Minuartia (L) For Jaun Minuart (1693-1768), botanical writer of

Barcelona.

Globulosa (L) Small round-headed.

General description:- Rather robust, erect annual.

Stems:-

1) 5-15 cm tall.

2) Often branched from the base, with sparse, patent, glandular and eglandular

pubescence throughout.

3) Whole plant sometimes purplish.

Leaves:-

1) Linear-lanceolate, with a midrib and 2-4 lateral veins.

Flower:-

1) In lateral and terminal clusters.

2) Pedicels, all shorter than the sepals.

3) Calyx.± truncate at the base.

4) Sepals, erect, unequal, the outer 5.5-7.5 mm, narrowly lanceolate, 3-veined.

5) Petals, much shorter than the sepals, sometimes absent.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule 3-4 mm.

2) Seeds few. c. 0.8 mm, orbicular-reniform, with flat-topped tubercles.

Key features:-

1) Leaves 5-7 veined.

2) Sepals very unequal, the longest more than 5 mm.

Habitat:- Rocky and gravelly places in dry open shrubby vegetation, dry

streambeds, fallow fields and road verges. 0-1500 m.

Distribution:- Fairly common in Peloponnisos rare in N mainland Greece - W & S

Anatolia, Cyprus, W Syria, etc. Rare on Crete currently known from only a few

scattered locations.

Flowering time:- Apr-June.

Photos by:- Currently none available