CIONURA ERECTA

Family and Genus:- See- APOCYNACEAE

Common Names:- Cionura

Homotypic Synonyms:- Cynanchum erectum, Marsdenia erecta, Pergularia

erecta.

Meaning:- Cionura (Gr) Erect-tailed.

Erecta (L) Erect, upright.

General description:- A hairless (glabrous) or slightly hairy (pubescent) shrub.

Stem:-

1) Up to 100 cm, numerous, but occasionally climbing into large bushes or trees

to 5m.

Leaves:-

1) c. 7 x 5 cm, petioles, c. 5 cm. rounded, twining or not, ovate, acuminate, cordate

at the base.

Flowers:-

1) 8-10 mm, borne in large terminal or lateral, umbel-like clusters, glabrous, milky-

white,unpleasant smelling, lobes c. 7 x 2 mm, oblong, obtuse, glabrous.

1) Corona segments, lingulate.

Fruit:-

1) Follicles, 8-9 cm long, solitary, smooth, fusiform, with a scarious flap.

2) Seeds, with a wide marginal wing all around and a terminal tuff of long white silky

hairs.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Rocky habitats, river gravels, coastal sands and dunes. 0-600(950) m.

Distribution:- Balkans, Turkey, Cyprus and the extreme E Med. Limited

distribution on Crete confined mainly to the centre and west of the island.

Flowering time:- May-July.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis