PALLENIS SPINOSA subsp. SPINOSA

Family:- COMPOSITAE

Common Names:- Spiny Fleabane, Spiny Golden-star, Spiny Starwort.

Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Pallenis (L) Pale, greenish.

Spinosa (L) Spiny, with spines.

General description:- Short to medium, softly-hairy annual or biennial.

Stems:-

1) Up to 60 cm, equally hairy throughout. hard, woody at the base, usually

branched in the upper 1/3, branches erecto-patent.

Leaves:-

1) Lanceolate to elliptical, obtuse, mucronate.

2) Basal, petiolate.

2) Cauline, sessile and semi-amplexicaul.

Flowers:-

1) Capitula daisy-like, deep yellow with a yellow disk, 18-20 mm.

2) Involucral bracts:

a) outer, 1·5-3·5 cm, ovate, coriaceous below, with a long, patent, spine-tipped,

leaf-like apex exceeding the ligules.

b) inner, ovate, coriaceous, with or without a short, narrow, green apex.

3) Ligules, deeply 3-toothed at apex.

4) Tubular, deep yellow, florets 5-lobed.

5) Disc of capitulum at anthesis 1·5-2 cm across.

Fruit:-

1) Achenes 2-2·5 mm.

Key features:-

1) Corolla-tube of inner florets compressed and sometimes winged.

2) Outer achenes flat, winged.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Coastal habitats, open dry shrubby vegetation, olive groves, fallow fields,

open coniferous wood-land. 0-1100 m.

Distribution:- Widespread and common throughout the Mediterranean. Widespread

and common on Crete.

Flowering time:- End Mar to mid-June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton