CYNOGLOSSUM SPHACIOTICUM

Family and Genus:- See- BORAGINACEAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

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

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

Sphacioticum (Gr) Damaged-looking, of gangrened appearance.

General description:- Woody-based perennial.

Stems:-

1) 5-15 cm, suberect, simple or branched above, hirsute.

Leaves:-

a) cauline, linear-lanceolate. sessile, hairy on both surfaces.

b) basal, oblanceolate, pilose on both sides and with ± deflexed hairs on the

margins, greyish-green.

Flowers:-

1) Cymes, simple or forked ebracteate.

2) Calyx-lobes, c. 3 mm, oblong, hirsute.

3) Corolla limb,) c. 5 mm, diam, deep blue to violet.

a) tube, broadly infundibuliform.

b) limb, as long as the tube or somewhat longer.

c) lobes glabrous.

d) scales, crescent-shaped.

4) Stamens, inserted in the middle of the tube.

Fruit:-

1) Nutlets, dorsal face 7 x 5.5 mm, ovate, convex, densely glochidiate, without a

differentiated border.

Key features:-

1) Corolla, 4-6 mm, without reticulate venation.

2) Perennial.

3) Corolla-scales, crescent-shaped.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Dry, rocky limestone slopes and screes, rock ledges 1800-2300 m.

Distribution:- A rare local endemic of the Lefka Ori.

Flowering time:- May-June.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis & Lucia Cortopassi

Status:-

Conservation status (for threatened species): Rare (R) according to the

Red Data Book of Rare and Threatened Plants of Greece (1995) - Rare (R)

according to IUCN 1997

Protection status (for threatened species): Greek Presidential Decreev67/1981