CALYSTEGIA SOLDANELLA

Family:- CONVOLVULACEAE

Common Name:- Sea bindweed

Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Calystegia (Gr) Calyx-cover.

Soldanella (L) Little-coins, from the Italian, soldo, for a small coin.

General description:- Glabrous perennial.

Stem:-

1) Up to 50(-100) cm, procumbent, not or weakly twisting.

Leaves:-

1) 1-2 times as wide as long, reniform, somewhat fleshy; apex very broadly obtuse

or emarginate.

Flowers:-

1) Bracteoles ovate to suborbicular, flat or sometimes tending to invest the calyx.

2) Corolla 32-52 mm, pink.

3) Stamens 20-30 mm.

4) Anthers 4-6 mm.

Fruit:-

1) A capsule.

Key features:-

1) Stems not or weakly twisting.

2) Leaves reniform.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Sandy beaches with Eryngium maritimum, Medicago marina etc. 0-5 m.

Distribution:- W. Greece, scattered and rarely abundant. Coasts of the

Mediterranean, Atlantic and Black sea, introduced elsewhere. Limited distribution

on Crete, known only from a few coastal areas.

Flowering time:- May to early July.

Photos by:- Thomas Giannakis