DAPHNE GNIDIOIDES

Family and Genus:- See- THYMELAEACEAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Daphne (Gr) Old name for bay-laurel.

Gnidioides (Gr) From Gnidus, Crete.

General description:- Erect shrub.

Stems:-

1) Erect, sparsely leafy.

2) Branches, long, strict, stout, young shoots pubescent with brown hairs.

Leaves:-

1) 25-40 x 4-7 mm, oblong-lanceolate, cuspidate-acuminate, pungent, erect,

sessile coriaceous, glaucous, with a few appressed hairs when young, glabrous

later.

Flowers:-

1) In terminal, ebracteate heads of 5-8 and also in clusters of 2-3 in the upper leaf-

axils, subsessile, pink.

2) Hypanthium, broad, sericeous.

3) Sepals, oblong, obtuse, 1/2-2/3 as long as the hypanthium.

Fruit:-

1) Drupe, with coriaceous, scarcely fleshy exocarp, enclosed in the hypanthium till

ripe.

Key features:-

1) Flowers in small, terminal heads, with axillary dusters below them.

Click here for a glossary of terms used

Habitat:- Rocky slopes with scrubland vegetation, dry open shrubby vegetation and

open coniferous woodland, 0-400(-800) m.

Distribution:- Very limited distribution in the Mediterranean. On Crete known only

from the area of Argouliano in the south coastal region. Endemic W. Crete, Aegean

& Turkey.

Flowering time:- Mainly Sept-Nov.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis