ADONIS ANNUA subsp. CUPANIANA

Family and Genus:- See- RANUNCULACEAE/Sect. ADONIS

Common Names:- Pheasant's-eye

Homotypic Synonyms:- Adonis autumnalis, Adonis cupaniana.

Meaning:- Adonis (Gr) For the Greek God, Adonis.

Annua (L) Annual.

Cupaniana Meaning unknown.

General description:- Short to medium annual with pale green leaves.

Stems:-

1) 10-70 cm.

Leaves:-

1) 3-pinnate, segments linear, mucronate.

Flowers:-

1)15-25 mm Æ,

2) Sepals, hairy ovate, patent.

3) Petals, 5-8, suberect, concave, oblong, somewhat longer than the sepals, bright

scarlet, with a dark basal spot.

Fruit:-

1) Achenes, 3-4·5 mm., up to 30 borne in an egg-shaped head, inner margin of

nearly straight, the outer curved; beak short, straight, green throughout.

Key features:-

1) Petals, not more than 8.

2) Anthers, blackish-purple.

3) Inner margin of achene, almost straight, without a projection.

Click here for a glossary of terms used

Habitat:- Seasonally wet spots in olive groves, tall dry open shrubby vegetation,

evergreen scrub, field margins and roadsides. 0-600 m.

Distribution:- Most of Greece but rare in interior mainland.- Widespread in the

Mediterranean region & SW Asia. Rare on Crete, known from only a few locations

in the centre and west

Flowering time:- Mid-Mar to late May.

Photos by:- Dr. Armin Jagel