INULA CRITHMOIDES

Family:- COMPOSITAE/I. CANDIDA Group

Common Names:- Golden samphire

Synonyms:- Limbarda crithmoides ssp. longifolia, Helenium crithmoides

Meaning:- Inula (L) A name used by the Roman naturalist and natural philosopher

Pliny.

Crithmoides (L) Resembling crithmum

General description:- Glabrous, rarely somewhat glandular small shrub.

Stems:-

1) Up to 100 cm.

Leaves:-

1) 2-4·5(-6) x 0·2-0·4(-0·9) cm, linear to linear-lanceolate, fleshy, entire or 3-toothed

at apex.

Flowers:-

1) Capitula medium, yellow with a golden disk, 20-28 mm, borne in branched, rather

flat-topped clusters.

2) Involucre hemispherical:

a) outer bracts 3-4 x 0·5-1 mm, linear, erect.

b) inner bracts 5-10 x 0·5-1 mm, linear-subulate.

3) Ligules 14-25 mm, exceeding the involucre.

Fruit:-

1) Achenes 2-3 mm.

2) Pappus hairy with c. 30 setae.

Key features:-

1) Leaves not more than 5(-8) mm wide, fleshy, pinnately veined or the veins

obscure.

2) Small shrub.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Rocky coastal habitats, saline swamps and coastal open dry shrubby

vegetation. 0-20(-50) m.

Distribution:- Widespread and common throughout the Mediterranean. On Crete

scattered around a few coastal areas in the west.

Flowering time:- July-Oct, or later.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis