ASPERULA TAYGETEA

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

Common Name:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Asperula (L) Little rough one.

Taygetea (L) From the Taiygetos mountain range, S Greece

General description:- Much-branched subshrub or woody-based perennial,

densely grey-puberulent or -tomentose throughout.

Stems:-

1) Flowering, numerous, ascending, ± simple, fragile.

Leaves:-

1) In whorls or (4-)6, rather short (3-8 mm), linear, somewhat coriaceous, densely

set below, shorter than the internodes above.

Flowers:-

1) Inflorescence, capitate, globose, usually with 5-9 sessile flowers, subtended by

narrowly ovate bracts.

2) Corolla, 4-5 mm, densely puberulent, pale creamy pink.

a) lobes, 1/2-2/3 as long as tube, subobtuse.

3) Ovary hirsute.

Fruit:-

1) c.1·5 mm, shortly hairy.

Key features:-

1) Corolla, 4-5 mm.

a) lobes, 1/2-1/3 as long as the tube.

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Habitat:- Crevices of limestone cliffs, often in semi-shade.

Distribution:- Endemic W. Crete, where it is rare. Kythera & Peloponnisos.

Flowering time:- Apr-June.

Photos by:- Dr. Armin Jagel