LITHODORA HISPIDULA subsp. HISPIDULA

Family:- BORAGINACEAE

Common Names:- None

Synonyms:- Lithospermum hispidulum

Meaning:- Lithodora (Gr) Stone-skinned.

Hispidula (L) Slightly bristly.

General description:- Dense, rigid, somewhat scruffy and shy-flowering shrublet

Stems:-

a) up to 1 m tall.

b) branches, short, stiff.

c) whitish-with close lying minute bristles (appressed-setulose).

Leaves:-

1) Lamina:

a) up to 15(-20) x 4·5 mm (usually smaller).

b) oblong-obovate to oblanceolate, obtuse or acute.

c) leathery (coriaceous).

d) dark green.

e) appressed-setulose and with spreading stiff bristly hairs or rough with tubercles

above, strongly whitish-appressed-setulose beneath.

f) margin. flat or more or less inflexed.

Flower:-

1) Cymes:

a) 1- to 4-flowered.

2) Calyx:

a) c. 7 mm.

b) lobes appressed-setose.

1) Corolla:

a) bluish-violet.

b) glabrous outside

c) tube, c. 12 mm.

d) limb c. 10 mm diam, with short, rounded lobes.

e)anthers 2 mm.

Fruit:-

1) Nutlets:

a) ovoid-obtusely 3-angled (trigonous).

b) white.

c) with small, wart-like projections (minutely tuberculate).

Key features:-

1) Corolla glabrous outside.

2) Leaves up to 15(-20) x 4·5 mm, oblong-ovate to oblanceolate with a flat or slightly

inflexed. margin;

3) Calyx setose, c. ½ as long as corolla-tube.

Habitat:- Rock crevices and rocky banks, generally in garrigue, pine woodland.

0-1200 m.

Distribution:- Endemic W. Crete, E.Aegean Islands& W. Turkey. Limited

distribution on Crete mainly in the south west.

Flowering time:- Feb-June.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis