SPECIES DESCRIPTION
LIMONIUM RECTICAULE
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.
Recticaule (L) Refers to the straight stems.
General description:- Glabrous perennial, forming a sub-shrub 15-30 cm tall, with
numerous erect stems and a robust tap-root.
Caudices:-
1) 2-6 cm long, branched, densely spirally leafy in the upper half.
Leaves:-
1) 10-20 mm x 2-4 mm, fleshy, grey- green, flat or v-shaped in cross-section,
conspicuously tuberculate with many crateriform glands, narrowly oblanceolate,
apex acute to obtuse, sometimes mucronate, hooked, with one central nerve,
gradually tapering into the petiole.
Stems:-
1) 10-25 cm long, grey-green, slightly flexuous, conspicuously tuberculate with
many crateriform glands, slightly constricted at the nodes, branching begins
near the base of the stems; sometimes proliferating in axils.
2) Branches;
a) sterile, few, 1-3 per stem, 1-3 cm long, straight, unbranched.
b) fertile, 3-7 cm long, straight to slightly flexuous, conspicuously tuberculate
with many crateriform glands, erect or directed obliquely upwards, forming
branching angles of 20°- 45°, sometimes branched in the upper half.
Flowers:-
1) Inflorescence, narrowly trullate or obtrullate in outline.
2) Spikes, 20-60 mm long, straight to slightly curved, directed obliquely upwards;
axis of the spike conspicuous tuberculate with many crateriform glands.
a) spikelets, 9-10 mm long, composed of 2-3 flowers, very remotely arranged
with 1-4 per 2 cm.
3) Bracts:
a) outer, 2.8-3.2 x 2.1-2.9 mm, triangular-ovate, obtuse; bract margin broadly
membranous; central part fleshy, with some crateriform glands, acuminate.
b) middle, membranous, 2.8-3.0 x 1.8-2.5 mm, oblong- elliptic, rounded.
c) inner, 7.5-8.0 x 4.4-4.8 mm, oblong-obovate, rounded, margin broadly
membranous; central part fleshy, 5.5-6.2 x 2.8-3.5 mm,, oblong-obovate,
with some crateriform glands, acuminate, forming a triangular tip, 0.8-1.1 mm
long, not reaching the upper margin.
4) Calyx, 6.2-7.0 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by ca. 2 mm;
a) tube, with some short hairs on one side, and 5 ribs ending above the base of
lobes..
b) lobes, ca. 0.6 × 1.0 mm, nearly triangular; margin of the calyx often lacerate
after anthesis.
5) Corolla, lilac.
Key Features:-
1) Leaves, 10-20 × 2-4 mm, narrowly oblanceolate, conspicuously tuberculate,
1-nerved,
2) Stems, many, erect, conspicuously tuberculate, often proliferating,
3) Sterile branches, few, 1-3 per stem, erect, unbranched,
4) Spikes, 20-60 mm long,
a) spikelets 9-10 mm long, 2-3-flowered, arranged 1-4 in 2 centimeters,
5) Bracts:
a) lower, 2.8-3.2 × 2.1-2.9 mm, triangular-ovate, apex obtuse,
b) middle, 2.8-3.0 × 1.8-2.5 mm, oblong-elliptic,
c) upper, 7.5-8.0 × 4.4-4.8 mm, oblong-obovate, apex rounded, margin broadly
membranous,
6) Calyx, 6.2-7.0 mm long, protruding from the upper bract by about 2 mm,
a) tube, unilaterally slightly hairy.
b) lobes, about 0.6-1.0 mm, triangular.
Distribution:- Found on the north-east coast of Crete, between Iraklion and
Heronissos
Habitat:- Calcareous rocky coast.
Flowering time:- May-Aug.
Photos by:- None currently available
