SPECIES DESCRIPTION
LIMONIUM AEGAEUM
Family and Genus:- See- PLUMBAGINACEAE
Common Names:- None
Homotypic Synonyms:- None
Meaning:- Limonium (Gr) Meadow-plant. A name used by the Greek physician
and botanist Dioscorides.
Aegaeum (L) Refers to the distribution of this species around the
Aegean Sea.
General description:- Glabrous perennial, forming a sub-shrub 25-80 cm tall, with
several ascending to erect stems and a robust tap-root.
Caudices:-
1) 10-80 mm, branched, densely spirally leafy in the upper half.
Stems:-
1) 15-75 cm long, smooth to verrucate, green to slightly glaucous, flexuous,
branching begins near the base.
2) Branches:
a) sterile, several, 1-12 cm long, straight to curved, unbranched or branched.
b) fertile, 4-16 cm long, straight to slightly curved, directed obliquely upwards,
forming branching angles of 35°- 60°, normally loosely branched.
Leaves:-
1) 20-90 x 6-15 mm fleshy, green to glaucous, rugose or sometimes verrucate with
crescent-shaped glands, spathulate to oblanceolate, apex obtuse to rounded,
one central nerve with 2 lateral nerves at least on
a) large, gradually tapering into the petiole.
Flowers:-
1) Inflorescence, obtriangular to obtrullate in outline.
2) Spikes, 10-130 mm long, straight to curved, inserted erect to obliquely; axis of
the spike rugose or with some crateriform glands.
a) spikelets, sometimes laterally slightly curved near the base, often fan-shaped,
7.5-8.0 mm long, composed of 2-7 flowers, remotely to densely arranged with
1-6 per cm.
3) Bracts;-
a) outer, 2.2-3.2 x 2.2-3.0 mm,, triangular-ovate, obtuse, margin broadly
membranous; central part slightly fleshy, acuminate.
b) middle, membranous, 2.6-3.2 x 1.8-2.8 mm, oblong-elliptic, rounded.
c) inner, 6.6-7.3 x 3.7-5.1 mm broad, elliptic to obovate, obtuse to rounded,
margin broadly membranous, central part fleshy, 5.1-6.5 x 2.5-3.5 mm, oblong
acuminate, forming a narrowly triangular tip, 0.8-1.3 mm long, not reaching the
upper margin.
4) Calyx, 6.2-7.5 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by 0.5-1.5 mm.
a) tube, sparsely to densely hairy, with 5 ribs ending at the base of lobes,
b) lobes, very fine, ca. 0.6 × 1.1 mm, semi- circular to semi-elliptic.
5) Corolla, lilac.
Key Features:-
1) Leaves, 20-90 × 6-15 mm, narrowly spathulate to oblanceolate, rugose or
sometimes verrucose,
2) Stems, rugose or verrucose, flexuous,
sterile branches many, with stem forming 35°-60° angles, loosely branched,
3) Spikes, 10-130 mm long,
a) spikelets, 7.5-8.0 mm long, often slightly curved, 2-7-flowered, loosely
arranged,
4) Bracts:
a) outer, 2.2-3.2 x 2.2-3.0 mm, triangular-ovate, apex obtuse,
b) middle, 2.6-3.2 x 1.8-2.8 mm,
c) inner, 6.6-7.3 x 3.7-5.1 mm, elliptic to obovate, apex obtuse to rounded,
5) Calyx, 6.2-7.5 mm long, protruding from the upper bract 0.5-1.5 mm,
a) tube, sparsely or densely hairy,
b) lobes, ca. 0.6 × 1.1 mm, semi-circular or semi-elliptical.
Habitat:- Saltmarshes, rocky coasts and sandy beaches, occasionally a short
distance inland, 0-20(-200) m.
Distribution:- Widespread along the Aegean coast of Greece and on many of the
Aegean Islands. It also occurs sporadically in Turkey (West Anatolia). Fairly rare on
Crete, scattered mainly around a few northern coastal habitats.
Flowering time:- Mainly June-August.
Photos by:- Christopher Cheiladakis
