ORLAYA GRANDIFLORA

Family and Genus:- See- UMBELLIFERAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Caucalis grandiflora

Meaning:- Orlaya. Meaning unknown.

Grandiflora (L) With large flowers

General description:- A short to medium, erect annual.

Stems:-

1) Up to 40 cm, simple or branched, slightly hairy at the base.

Leaves:-

1) 2- to 3-pinnate, the ultimate segments oblong.

Flowers:-

1) Umbels, long-pedunculate, with 5-12 rays.

2) Bracts, 2-3, lanceolate, usually as long as the rays;

a) bracteoles, 2-3, ovate-lanceolate to obovate, with a membranous, glabrous or

ciliate margin..

3) Petals, white, the outer 8 times as long as the others.

Fruit:-

1) c. 8 mm, ovoid-lanceolate with the spines on the secondary ridges shorter than

the width of the fruit, scarcely compressed and not confluent.

Key features:-

1) Rays, of the umbel, 5-12

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Open woodland and scrub, screes, road embankments. 0-950 m.

Distribution:- Scattered in Peloponnisos, S mainland Greece and Ionian Islands

fairly common in the north. - Throughout much of Europe and SW Asia. Scattered

mainly across W Crete, where it is not too common.

Flowering time:- May-June.

Photos by:- Courtesy of Wiki-Commons