ERYSIMUM CRETICUM

Family and Genus:- See- CRUCIFERAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Erysimum (Gr) A name used by the Greek philosopher Theophrastus

(perennial wallflowers).

Creticum (L) From Crete, Cretan.

General description:- Biennial, hairy, greyish-green plant.

Stems:-

1) 1(-3), (8-)15-45 cm tall in flower, up to 60 cm in fruit.

Leaves:-

1) Basal, rosette of up to 15 leaves, petiolate, oblanceolate.

2) Cauline, 5-10, sessile, narrower, entire with dense hairs.

Flowers:-

1) Inflorescence, raceme 10 to 50-flowered, flowers yellow, fragrant.

2) Sepals, narrowly obovate, hairy.

3) Petals, clawed, downy outside.

4) Anthers, and filaments sparsely downy.

Fruit:-

1) Siliquae, 32-53(-65) x approx 1 mm, sparsely hairy.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Screes of various types of rocks, (mainly limestone), gorges, open dry

shrubby vegetation, rocky hillsides, sometimes on road embankments. 0-700

(-1300) m.

Distribution:- Endemic to eastern Crete, east of the isthmus of Ierapetra.

Flowering time:- Apr-May.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton