ASPERULA RIGIDA

Family and Genus:- See- RUBIACEAE/Sect. THLIPHTHISA

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Asperula (L) Little-rough-one.

Rigida (L) Rigid, inflexible.

General description:- Dwarf shrub or woody-based perennial.

Stems:-

1) 10-40 cm, wiry, spreading, straight or geniculately ascending, sparingly

branched, rather rigid, quadrangular, green.

Leaves:-

1) 6-10 x 0·3-1·2 mm, in whorls of 6, the

a) upper, narrowly linear.

b) lower, oblong-elliptical, often shortly hairy; vein prominent beneath, margin

distinctly revolute.

Flowers:-

1) Inflorescence, lax, flowers sessile.

2) Bracts, distinctly longer than the fruits, long-acuminate, keeled, ciliate connate

at the base.

3) Corolla, 2-3·5 mm, infundibuliform, reddish or yellowish, glabrous;

a) tube, 1·75-2·5 mm.

b) lobes, 0·5-1 mm, shortly acuminate.

4) Style, about as long as the ovary;

a) stigma, oblong-clavate.

Fruit:-

1) Mericarps, 1,5 mm, glabrous.

Key features:-

1) Corolla, infundibuliform to rotate, not in a capitula.

2) Ovary and fruit oblong.

3) Stigma, oblong-clavate.

4) Virgate, dwarf shrub with caducous leaves, at least the upper linear.

5) Internodes, mostly longer than leaves.

Click here for a glossary of terms used

Habitat:- Limestone cliffs, dry rocky slopes and flats. 0-1100(-1500) m.

Distribution:- A widespread Cretan endemic.

Flowering time:- Apr to early July.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton