ANCHUSELLA VARIEGATA

Family:- BORAGINACEAE

Common Names:- None

Synonyms:- Anchusa variegata. Lycopsis variegata.

Meaning:- Anchusella (Gr) Diminutive of Anchusa, strangler.

Variegata (L) irregularly coloured, blotched, variegated.

General description:- Annual, hispid with slightly tubercle based hairs

Stems:-

a)10-50 cm.

b) procumbent.

Leaves:-

1) Lamina:

a) 30-100 x 5-20 mm.

b) linear-lanceolate'subentire or repand-dentate.

c) margins, uneven or wavy, with shallow undulations.

Flowers:-

1) Cymes:

a) solitary, rarely paired.

b) subtended by or beset with bracts (bracteate) only at base.

c) stalks (pedicels) very short, up to 7 mm in fruit.

2) Bracts:

a) equalling or shorter than the calyx.

3) Calyx:

a) 4-5 mm, up to 10 mm in fruit.

b) divided almost to the base into linear-lanceolate, acute lobes.

4) Corolla:

a) white or pale purplish, becoming pale blue with reddish markings.

b) tube 4-7 mm, about equalling the calyx, curved.

c) limb 6-9 mm diam, with 5 unequal lobes.

d) stamens inserted above the middle of the tube.

e) style with more or less acute lobes.

Fruit:-

1) Nutlets:

a)1·5-2 x 3-4 mm.

b) suborbicular in dorsal view.

c) smooth between the the primary reticulations.

Key features:-

1) Nutlets smooth between the primary reticulations.

2) Lobes of style ± acute.

Habitat:- Calcareous, rocky or gravelly places and screes up to 1000 m.

Distribution:- Endemic Crete, S. Greece, Ionian & Aegean with a rather narrow

distribution in southern Greece and the southern Aegean region. In Crete confined

mainly to the west.

Flowering time:- Mar-June

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis and Steve Lenton