AUBRIETA DELTOIDEA

Family and Genus:- See- CRUCIFERAE

Common Names:- Aubrieta

Homotypic Synonyms:- Alyssum deltoideum, Crucifera aubrieta, Farsetia

deltoidea, Vesicaria deltoidea.

Meaning:- Aubrieta (L) For Claude Aubriet (1665 -1742), an artist friend of

Tournefort, a renaissance plant systematist.

Deltoidea (Gr) triangular-shaped, deltoid.

General description:- Low to short hairy, cushion-forming or straggling perennial.

Leaves:-

1) Linear-spathulate to obovate-cuneate or rhombic, entire or with 1-3 pairs of teeth.

Flowers:-

1) Few in short racemes.

2) Petals 12-28 mm, reddish-purple to violet, rarely white, slightly notched.

3) Sepals 6-10 mm.

4) Style 4-8 mm.

Fruit:-

1) Siliqua 6-16(-22) x 2·5-4·5 mm, 2-5(-7) times as long as wide, not or only slightly

reticulately veined, with long unbranched and forked as well as stellate hairs.

Key features:-

1) Siliqua with both stellate and distinctly longer simple and forked hairs.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Crevices and ledges of limestone cliffs, rocky outcrops, often in semi-

shade. (50-)300-1600(-2200) m.

Distribution:- Southern part of the Balkan peninsula and Aegean region; Sicilia

(Madonie); widely cultivated for ornamental effect and naturalized in S. & W.

Europe. On Crete it is common in the Lefka Ori, extending eastward to the north-

facing cliffs of Mount Krioneritis,, and one location in the Dikti massif.

Flowering time:- Late Mar to early June.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis