CYNOGLOSSUM COLUMNAE

Family and Genus:- See- BORAGINACEAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Mattia columnae, Rindera columnae.

Meaning:- Cynoglossum (Gr) Hound's-tongue, a name used by the Greek

physician Dioscorides' to describe the rough texture of the leaf.

Columnae (L) Named after the Italian botanist Fabio Colanna.

General description:- Fairly robust short to medium, softly hairy biennial

Stems:-

1) (15-)25-45(-60) cm, angular, erect, branched above, hirsute.

Leaves:-

1) Cauline, oblong to lanceolate, semi-amplexicaul. sessile, tomentose, on both

surfaces.

Flowers:-

1) Cymes, branched flat-topped or convex ebracteate, flower clusters. which

elongate in fruit.

2) Calyx-lobes, c. 5 mm, ovate, hirsute.

3) Corolla, 5-6 mm, purplish to deep blue.

a) tube, broadly cylindrical.

4) Stamens, inserted in upper part of the tube.

Fruit:-

1) Nutlets, 7-10 mm diam, with a thickened edge giving a distinct border, beset with

glochidia on the disc, shorter than those on the margin.

Key features:-

1) Cymes, ebracteate (rarely bracteate at the base).

2) Nutlets, 7-10 mm diam.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Rocky slopes with dry open shrubby vegetation. Open woodland and

meadows, mainly over limestone, 0-1500 m.

Distribution:- Fairly common throughout Greece except in most of the NE. - C & E

Mediterranean region from ltaly to W Anatolia. Widespread and common on Crete.

Flowering time:- Feb-June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton