DIANTHUS FRUTICOSUS subsp. CRETICUS

Family and Genus:- See- CARYOPHYLLACEAE/Subgenus ARMERIASTRUM

Common Names:- Wild carnation.

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Dianthus (Gr) Zeus'-flower. A name used by the Greek philosopher

Theophrastus.

Fruticosus (L) Of shrub-like habit.

Creticus (L) From Crete, Cretan.

General description:- Small shrub with tortuous branches.

Stems:-

1) Up to 50 cm.

Leaves:-

1) Elliptical or obovate, slender, tapering cylinder, more or less terete, fleshy, tips

. rounded, glaucous.

Flowers:-

1) Numerous; scentless.

2) Pedicels, short.

3) Epicalyx-scales, (8-)10-20, obovate, cuspidate.

4) Calyx, 18-25 x 2-3 mm, narrowed from about the middle.

5) Petal-limb, c.10 mm, dentate, bearded, pink.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, dehiscing apically with 4 teeth; carpophore often present.

2) Seeds, numerous, concave on 1 side.

Key features:-

1) Calyx, not more than 3 mm wide, narrowed from about the middle.

2) Flowers, not in bracteate heads.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Rocks of submontane and lowland zones to 400 m.

Distribution:- Endemic to Crete. The commonest and most widespread race which

occurs from sea level to about 400 m more or less scattered throughout Crete

except the far east, where it is replaced by the endemic subsp. sitiacus.

Flowering time:- June-July. Rarely later.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis

Status:-

Conservation status (for threatened species): Vulnerable (V) according to IUCN

1997.

Protection status (for threatened species): Greek Presidential Decree 67/1981.