BUPLEURUM GRACILE

Family and Genus:- See- UMBELLIFERAE/Sect. ISOPHYLLUM

Common Name:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Bupleurum aegaeum, Bupleurum glumaceum.

Meaning:- Bupleurum (Gr) Ox-rib, an ancient name used by the Greek physician

and poet Nicander.

Gracile (L) Slender, graceful.

General description:- Medium to tall, branched annual.

Stems:-

1) 10-40 cm, rather slender.

Leaves:-

1) Long, linear to lanceolate, yellowish;

a) lower, distinctly petiolate.

b) upper, sessile, 3-5-veined.

Flowers:-

1) Umbels, with 3-6 rays. yellowish-green.

2) Petals, 0·5-0·6 x 0·4-0·6 mm, not dentate.

3) Bracts, never more than 1/2 as long as the longest rays, lanceolate, acuminate

or aristate, yellowish-green, margins semi-translucent, scarious, veins 3.

a) bracteoles, quite entire,

b) secondary bracts, acuminate yellowish-green, semi-translucent, with

membranous, untoothed or toothed, margins.

Fruit:-

1) 1.3-1.8 mm long, narrowly ridged.

Key features:-

1) Bractlets, entire without or with few and inconspicuous veinlets.

2) Longest rays, more than half as long as the peduncle.

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Habitat:- Coastal habitats, dry open shrubby vegetation, dry pastures, open

coniferous woodland, mainly on calcareous substrate. 0-1100 m.

Distribution:- Common in the Aegean region, W & S Anatolia, Cyprus and

probably Lebonon. Common and widespread on Crete.

Flowering time:- Apr-June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton and Sarah Sells