KICKXIA SPURIA subsp. INTEGIFOLIA

Family and Genus:- See- PLANTAGINACEAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Kickxia (L) For Jean Jaques Kickx (1775-1831) Belgian cryptogamic

botanist.

Spuria (L) False, bastard.

Integrifolia (L) With entire leaves.

General description:- Densely hairy throughout; annual.

Stems:-

1) 20-50 cm, with slender, flexuous, small leaved, with lateral flowering branches.

Leaves:-

1) Up to 7·5 cm, entire, or the lowest remotely denticulate.

a) lower, broadly ovate, truncate or rounded at the base, obtuse.

b) middle and upper, ovate-lanceolate to suborbicular-cordate, mucronate,

petiole, very short.

Flowers:-

1) Pedicels, 1-2 cm in flower, villous.

2) Calyx-lobes, 3-4 x 1·5-2·5 mm in flower, 4·5-6 x 2-3 mm in fruit, ovate, distinctly

cordate.

3) Corolla, 10-15 mm, yellow:

a) upper lip; deep purple.

b) spur curved.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, 3-4 mm wide depressed-globose.

2) Seeds, 0·75-1 mm. oblong-ellipsoid, alveolate.

Key features:-

1) All leaves, rounded or cordate at the base, without lobes or auricles

2) Calyx-lobes,4·5-8 x 2-4 mm in fruit, ± ovate-cordate;

3) Corolla, 10-15 mm.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Gravelly streambeds, fallow and harvested fields, roadsides. 0-600 m.

Distribution:- Throughout Greece, but rare in the interior north. - S Europe, N Africa

and SW Asia. Somewhat sporadic distribution across Crete, not too common.

Flowering time:- May- Sept.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis