SPECIES DESCRIPTION
TOLPIS UMBELLATA
Family and Genus:- See- COMPOSITAE
Common Names:- Eye-of-Christ.
Homotypic Synonyms:- Tolpis barbata subsp. umbellata.
Meaning:- Toplis. Meaning not known.
Umbellata (L) Umbelled, the inflorescence with branches arising from
more or less the same point on a common stem.
General description:- Somewhat pubescent perennial or biennial.
Stems:-
1) 30-100 cm. branched, the branches making a narrow angle with the main stem
and overtopping it.
Leaves:-
1) Lower, 5-20 cm, oblong-lanceolate to elliptical, entire to serrate or deeply
dentate, acute or subobtuse.
2) Upper cauline, similar but smaller.
Flowers:-
1) Capitula, usually several; 11-16 mm diam., all florets a pale yellow.
2) Peduncles, slightly thickened below the capitula.
3) Supplementary bracts, absent, or few, small and usually appressed.
4) Involucre, 6-8 mm.
a) outer bracts, shorter than the inner.
b) all bracts, linear-lanceolate, straight, appressed.
Fruit:-
1) Achenes, all with pappus of 4-12 long hairs mixed with short hairs.
Key features:-
1) Stems with branches, overtopping the main stem.
2) Pappus, of 4-12 long hairs mixed with short hairs.
3) Mature leaves, pubescent.
4) Branches, making a narrow angle with the main stem.
Habitat:- Sandy coastal habitats, olive groves, open woodland, field margins. 0-800
m.
Distribution:- Widespread in the Mediterranean region, eastwards to W Syria.
Limited distribution on Crete mainly to the central west and west with a few
locations to the far east.
Flowering time:- Apr to late June..
Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis
