FUMANA ARABICA

Family:- CISTACEAE

Common Names:- Mediterranean rockrose, Arabian fumana.

Synonyms:- Cistus arabicus, Helianthemum arabicum.

Meaning:- Fumana (L) Smoke, (reference to the colour of the foliage).

Arabica (L) Of Arabia, Arabian.

General description:- Much branched shrublet.

Stems:-

1) Reaching 25 cm. in height; prostrate and ascending.

Leaves:-

1) 3-10 mm, stipulate, narrowly elliptical, subglabrous to grey-pubescent, usually

somewhat glandular-pilose.

Flowers:-

1) Symmetrical radially, yellow, from 12 to 18 mm in diam., solitary or in loose

racemes.

2) Corolla, with 5 free petals, often with pale orange marks at base.

3) Calyx, with 5 sepals: 2 external sepals much smaller and 3 membranous.

4) Sepals, with green veins.

Fruit:-

1) Capsules. (6-)8- to 12-seeded.

Key features:-

1) Leaves ± equally spaced on the stems, not or scarcely reduced above; ovate- to

oblong-lanceolate, stipulate.

Habitat:- Sub-montane and lowland zones.

Distribution:- Coastal areas of W Greece, lacking in the interior C & N. - From Italy

and N Africa eastwards to Iran, Syria and the Arabian Peninsula. Widespread and

common on Crete.

Flowering time:- Mar-Apr.

Photo by:- Steve Lenton