ONOSMA ERECTA subsp ERECTA

Family:- BORAGINACEAE

Common Names:- None

Synonyms:- Onosma laconica

Meaning:- Onosma (Gr) Ass-smell (reputed to attract asses)

Erecta (L) Upright, erect.

General description:- Tufted, short, greyish perennial, with several flowering

stems, becoming rather woody at the base.

Stems:-

a) 15-25 cm.

b) simple.

c) densely covered with star-shaped bristles (stellate-setose).

Leaves:-

1) Basal:

a) 30-60 x 3-5 mm.

b) oblong or linear-lance-shaped, with revolute margins.

c) densely stellate-setose, the bristles (setae) 1-1·5 mm with rays 0·3-0·4 mm.

d) stalks (pedicels) 1-5 mm.

Flowers:-

a) 20-24 mm long, about twice as long as the calyx.

b) bright yellow.

c) bracts usually exceeding calyx.

1) Calyx:

a) 10-14 mm.

b) densely stellate-setose.

2) Corolla:

a) minutely hairy or hairless.

Fruit:-

1) Nutlets:

a) 3-3·5 mm.

b) smooth, shining.

Key features:-

1) Pedicels 0-6 mm in flower.

2) Corolla hairless (glabrous), but sometimes covered in small nipple-like

projections (papillose).

3) Lower bracts exceeding calyx.

4) Calyx with numerous stellate setae.

5) Setae semipatent.

6) Lower leaves 3-5 mm wide, oblong-to linear-lanceolate.

Habitat:- Cliffs and rocky slopes in low open scrubland and open coniferous

woodland, mainly on limestone. (100-)500-1600 m.

Distribution:- Endemic Crete, S. Greece & E. Aegean. On Crete scattered mainly

in the four massifs.

Flowering time:- Mid-Apr to early July.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton