PALLENIS MARITIMUS
Common Names:- Yellow sea aster
Synonyms:- Asteriscus maritimus, Bubonium maritimum, Buphthalmum
maritimum, Dontospermum maritimum, Nauplius maritimus.
Meaning:- Pallenis (L) Pale, greenish.
Maritimus (L) Of the sea, growing by the sea.
General description:- Short, hairy perennial or subshrub, with spreading. often
mat-forming stems.
Stems:-
a) rarely more than 20 cm.
b) woody towards the base.
c) much-branched.
d) ascending.
Leaves:-
a) oblong to oblong-spathulate.
b) grooved.
c) untoothed.
d) petiolate.
Flowers:-
1) Flower-heads:
a) 30-40mm.
b) terminal.
c) surrounded by leafy flower-bracts.
d) rays, numerous. linear, 3-toothed at the apex.
2) Bracts:
a) outer involucral,c. 1 cm.
b) coriaceous below.
c) with an obtuse, spathulate apex, equalling or shorter than the ligules.
Fruit:-
1) Achenes:
a) c. 1·5 mm.
b) pappus 1-1·5 mm.
Key features:-
Habitat:- Coastal habitats.
Distribution:- Western part of the Mediterranean region, S. Portugal; W. & S.
Greece. Previously unrecorded from Crete. Discovered by Giorgos Palimetakis
Flowering time:- End Mar to mid-June.
Photos by:- Giorgos Palimetakis