ARENARIA LEPTOCLADOS

Family:- CARYOPHYLLACEAE/Subgen. ARENARIA

Common Name:- Slender sandwort

Synonym:- Arenaria serpyllifolia var. leptoclados, Arenaria serpyllifolia subsp.

leptoclados

Meaning:- Arenaria (L) Sand-dweller.

Leptoclados (Gr) With slender roots.

General description:- A relatively robust. Feeling rough to the touch (scabrid)

minutely hairy (puberulent) annual, sometimes biennial or perennial.

Stems:-

a) 2-30 cm.

b) usually profusely branched at the base, ascending or erect.

Leaves:-

1) Blades:

a) 2·5-8 mm.

b) broadly ovate to ovate-lanceolate, sharp or narrowing gradually to a point

(acute

or acuminate).

c) 3- to 5-veined.

d) lower stalked (petiolate), the upper stalkless (sessile).

Flowers:-

1) Cymes:

a) diffuse or dense dichasia. with lateral branches on both sides of the main axis.

b) pedicels usually longer than the sepals.

2) Sepals:

a) ovate-lanceolate or ovate, acute.

b) 3- to 5-veined; the inner with margins thin and dry, paper-like (scarious),

the central green part usually being 1/3-1/2 the width of the sepals.

3) Petals:

a) not more than 2/3 as long as the sepals.

b) white.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule:

a) ovoid-conical or subovoid-cylindrical.

b) less than twice as long as wide.

2) Seeds:

a) 0·3-0·7 mm.

Key features:-

1) Petals distinctly shorter than the sepals not more than 2/3 as long.

2) Leaves scabrid puberulent; ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 3- to 5-veined.

3) Sepals 2-3 mm with 3-5 veins.

4) Seeds 0·3-0·7 mm.

5) Capsule subovoid-cylindrical, not swollen at the base. Shorter than or equalling

the sepals.

Habitat:- In a variety of dry open habitats 0-1100(-1800) m.

Distribution:- Common and widespread throughout the Mediterranean region and

SW Asia, scattered in C Europe. Widespread and common on Crete.

Flowering time:- Late Mar-June

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis