SPECIES DESCRIPTION
VALERIANELLA MURICATA
Including:- Valerianella eriocarpa
Family and Genus:- See- VALERIANACEAE/V. eriocarpa group.
Common Names:- None
Homotypic Synonyms:- Valerianella truncata
Meaning:- Valerianella (L) Diminutve of Valeriana.
Muricata (Gr) Rough with short superficial tubercles, muricate
General description:- Erect, slender, annual, with 1-3 dichotomies; branches
rather widely spreading.
Stem:-
1) Up to 30 cm, lower part patently or retrorsely pilose, at least on the angles
Leaves:-
1) All entire or shallowly and remotely dentate.
2) Basal, oblanceolate.
3) Cauline, linear-oblong, erect,
Flowers:-
1) In small, rather dense, flat-topped terminal cymes.
2) Bracts, lanceolate-oblong, margins scarious.
3) Fruiting pedicels, slightly swollen and clavate.
4) Calyx, persistent, unilateral erect, almost as long as the fruit, forming an ovate,
reticulate-veined auricle or fan with entire or slightly dentate margins.
Fruit:-
1) Small, (1.5-2 mm including the persistent calyx), ovoid, pilose;
Key features:-
1) Fruit, not more than 2mm, densely covered in hooked hairs.
Habitat:- Dry open shrubby vegetation, olive groves, fallow fields, open woodland,
dolines. 0-700(-1450) m.
Distribution:- Throughout Greece, but rare in the N. - Widespread in S & C europe,
the Mediterranean region and eastwards to Iran and Pakistan. Somewhat widely
scattered across Crete,
Flowering time:- Mar to early May.
Photo by:- Courtesy of Wiki-Commons
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VALERIANELLA ERIOCARPA Back to Top
Homotypic Synonyms:- None
Meaning:- Eriocarpa (L) With woolly fruits.
Resembling Valerianella muricata, but differering in the following characters
1) Persistent calyx forming a complete although asymmetrical tube, usually
dentate on the upper margin.
Habitat:- Dry open shrubby vegetation, fallow fields, open woodland, dolines, 0-700
(-1000) m, occasionally to 1450 m in Crete
Distribution:- Scattered throughout mainland Greece, Peloponnisos and Ionian
Islands. - Widespread in W & S Europe and the Mediterranean region. On Crete in
a few scattered locations, mainly in the Lefka Ori and Psiloritis massifs.
Flowering time:- March-April.
