CICER INCISUM

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Anthyllis incisa.

Meaning:- Cicer (L) The old Latin name for chick-pea.

Incisum (L) Sharply and deeply cut into, incised.

General description:- Perennial with a vertical woody stock.

Stems:-

1) Several, slender, flexuous, 5-15(-25) cm. Creeping in scree.

Leaves:-

1) Imparipinnate, rachis, grooved above.

2) Leaflets, 2-4 pairs, 2-10 x 1-5 mm, obovate-cuneate, deeply incised-dentate in

the upper half.

3) Stipules, lanceolate, incised-dentate or entire.

Flowers:-

1) 1-(-2) on slender peduncles, twice as long as the leaves, articulated at the

middle.

2) Calyx, slightly gibbous at the base, the teeth, subequal slightly longer than the

tube.

3) Corolla, 7-10 mm, purplish-violet, pink or bluish:

a) standard obovate, to 12 mm.

Fruit:-

1) Legume, ellipsoid, turgid, 9-12(-14) mm, patent-puberulent.

2) Seeds, 1(-2) subglobose, beaked, c. 4 mm.

Key features:-

1) Peduncles, at least twice as long as the leaves.

2) Corolla, 7-10 mm.

3) Calyx-teeth, only slightly longer than the tube.

4) Leaflets, 2-4 pairs, deeply incised-dentate in the upper half.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Calcareous screes, occasionally thorncushion communities in dolines.

1500-2400 m.

Distribution:- Rare in the Aegean region, but widespread in S & E Anatolia, NW

Iran. Rare on Crete known only from the three main massifs. Lefka Ori, Psiloritis

and Dikti.

Flowering time:- May-Aug.

Photos by:- Giorgos Tsanousas