EUPHORBIA DEFLEXA

Family and Genus:- See- EUPHORBIACEAE/Subgen. ESULA/Sect.

PARALIAS

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Tithymalus deflexus

Meaning:- Euphorbia (L) For Euphorbus, physician to the King of Mauritania.

Deflexa (L) Bent sharply backwards, deflexed.

General description:- Glabrous, glaucous, ascending, caespitose, perennial.

Stems:-

1) Up to 35 cm, branched at the base, with 0-4(-7) axillary rays.

Leaves:-

1) 3-15 x 2-6 mm, orbicular to obovate or oblong, entire, shortly petiolate.

2) Ray-leaves, ovate-deltate or rhombic.

3) Raylet-leaves, rhombic, transversely ovate or more or less reniform.

Flowers:-

1) Rays, (3-)5(-9), up to 3 times dichotomous.

2) Glands, with 2 long horns.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, 3 x 3 mm, deeply sulcate, granulate on the keels.

2) Seeds, 2·5 mm, ovoid or ovoid-cylindrical, pale grey, darker in the pits.

Key features:-

1) Seeds, more than 2 mm. distinctly pitted.

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Habitat:- Rocky limestone slopes and screes in exposed or semi-shaded habitats.

200-1400(-1800) m.

Distribution:- Endemic, Aegean region and C. Greece. E, Crete (Dikti). Rare.

Flowering time:- Apr-July.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton