SPECIES DESCRIPTION
LIMONIUM XEROCAMPOSICUM
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.
Xerocamposicum (L) Named after Xerocampos in eastern Crete, where
it was collected
General description:- Glabrous perennial, forming a sub-shrub 10-20 cm tall, with
several ascending to erect stems and a robust tap-root.
Caudices:-
1) 2-5 cm long, branched, densely spirally leafy in the upper half; living leaves at
apices in rosettes.
Stems:-
1) Slender, 3-10 cm long, flexuous, more or less slightly tuberculate with crateriform
glands, constricted at the nodes, branching begins near the base of the stems.
2) Branches:
a) sterile, absent or only 1-4 per stem, 5-10 mm long, straight, verrucate,
undivided.
b) fertile, 1-3 cm long, tuberculate with many crateriform glands, constricted at
the nodes, straight, directed obliquely upwards, forming branching angles of
35°- 70°, normally unbranched.
Leaves:-
1) Fleshy, grey-green, flat or v-shaped in cross-section, tuberculate with many
crateriform glands, 8-15 x 1-3 mm, narrowly oblanceolate, apex nearly acute,
hooked, with one central nerve, gradually tapering into the petiole.
Flowers:-
1) Inflorescence, trullate or obtrullate in outline.
2) Spikes, 10-30 mm long, straight, directed obliquely upwards; axis of spike with
some crateriform glands.
a) spikelets, 7.5-8.0 mm long, composed of 1-2 flowers, remotely arranged with
2-3 per cm, sometimes laterally slightly curved near the base.
3) Bracts:
a) outer, 2.3-2.5 x 1.8-2.0 mm , more or less narrowly triangular-ovate, acute,
margin broadly membranous; central part fleshy, with some crateriform
glands, acuminate.
b) middle, membranous, 2.7-2.9 x 1.8-2.0 mm broad, elliptic, rounded to obtuse.
c) inner, 7.0-7.2 x 3.2-3.6 mm broad, oblong-obovate, rounded, margin more or
less narrowly membranous; central part fleshy, 5.9-6.1 x 1.8-2.2 mm broad,
oblong-obovate, acuminate, forming a triangular tip, 0.6-0.7 mm long, not
reaching the upper margin.
4) Calyx, 5.0-5.5 mm long, exceeding the inner bract by 1.0-1.2 mm;
a) tube, glabrous, with 5 ribs ending above the base of the lobes,
b) lobes, ca. 0.8 × 0.8 mm, nearly triangular.
5) Corolla lilac.
Key features:-
1) Leaves, 8-15 x 1-3 mm, narrowly oblanceolate, apex almost acute, hooked,
tuberculate, 1-nerved,
2) Stems, numerous, thin, slightly tuberculate, articulated.
3) Sterile branches, absent or 1-4 per stem,
4) Spikes, 10-30 mm long,
a) spikelets, 7.5-8.0 mm long, 1-2-flowered, arranged 2-3 in 1 cm,
5) Bracts:
a) lower, 2.3-2.5 x 1.8-2.0 mm, narrowly triangular-ovate, apex acute,
b) middle, 2.7-2.9 x 1.8-2.0 mm, elliptic,
c) upper, 7.0-7.2 x 3.2-3.6 mm, oblong-obovate, apex rounded, margin narrowly
membranous,
6) Calyx, 5.0-5.5 mm long, protruding from the upper bract 1.0-1.2 mm,
a) tube, glabrous,
b) lobes, ca. 0.8 x 0.8 mm, more or less triangular.
Habitat:- Rocky, calcareous coastal habitat.
Distribution:- Cretan endemic. Very rare known only from the type location.
Flowering time:- In August.
Photos:- currently unavailable.
