SAPONARIA CALABRICA

Family and Genus:- See- CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Saponaria aenesia, Saponaria graeca.

Meaning:- Saponaria (L) Soap-like.

Calabrica (L) From Calabria, S. Italy.

General description:- Branched annual forming loose mats.

Stems:-

1) With many divaricate branches, glabrous below, glandular-pubescent above.

Leaves:-

1) Cauline, sessile ± oblong, slightly fleshy.

Flower:-

1) Inflorescence, laxly paniculate with erect to spreading pedicels.

2) Calyx, 8-12 mm, cylindrical, with short obtuse teeth.

3) Petal-limb, spreading, bright pink; suborbicular, abruptly narrowed into a claw.

4) Pedicels, and calyx glandular-hispid.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, ovoid, shorter than the calyx.

2) Seeds, c. 2 mm, globose-reniform, tuberculate.

Key features:-

1) Without conspicuous, non-flowering leafy stems.

2) Stems, much-branched.

3) Pedicels, and calyx glandular-hispid.

4) Low divaricatly branched.

5) Calyx, 8-12 mm.

6) Petal limb, spreading, suborbicular.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Rocky slopes, gravelly road embankments, open coniferous woodland.

rarely in coastal habitats. (0-)300-1300 m.

Distribution:- Common in W Greece, S Italy, Albania, extending to NW Turkey.

Rare on Crete known only from a few locations.

Flowering time:- Apr-June

Photos by:- Wendy Copage & Uta Vrasna