ERYSIMUM MUTABILE
Family and Genus:- See- CRUCIFERAE
Common Names:- None
Homotypic Synonyms:- None
Meaning:- Erysimum (Gr) A name used by the Greek philosopher Theophrastus
(perinnial wallflowers).
Mutabile (L) Changeable, mutable.
General description:- Laxly tufted perennial with thin, procumbent stems, without
leaf-rosettes.
Stems:-
1) Up to 10 cm in flower, up to 20 cm in fruit; hairs 2(-4)-fid.
Leaves:-
1) Lower, up to 20 x 4 mm, oblanceolate, petiolate.
2) upper, 4-10 x c. 1 mm, linear, entire, green.
Flower:-
1) Pedicels, 0·5-1 mm in flower, up to 4 mm in fruit.
2) Sepals, 4-5 mm.
3) Petals, 7-11 x 1·5-3·5 mm, yellow on the upper surface, buff or purple and softly
pubescent on the back.
4) Anthers, pubescent.
5) Style, 1-4 mm.
Fruit:-
1) Siliqua, 6-24 x 1-4·5 mm, patent (60-80°).
Key features:-
1) Petals, with hairs on the back, mostly at the centre of the limb and at the top of
the claw, yellow with buff or purple on the back.
2) Calyx, 4-5(-6) mm.
3) Siliqua, 6-24 mm.
Habitat:- Screes rocky limestone slopes, cliff ledges and clayey dolines with thorn-
cushion communities. 1100-2100 m.
Distribution:- Endemic W. and C. Crete. (Lefka Ori and Dikti mountains).
Flowering time:- Late Apr to mid-June, occasionally later.
Photos by:- Yannis Zacharakis and Giorgos Palimetakis
SPECIES DESCRIPTION
