PARIETARIA JUDAICA

Family and Genus:- See- URTICACEAE

Common Names:- Pellitory-of-the-wall

Homotypic Synonyms:- Parietaria diffusa, Parietaria canescens, Parietaria

officinalis subsp. diffusa, Parietaria vulgaris.

Meaning:- Parietaria (L) Wall-dweller, a name used by the Roman naturalist and

philosopher Pliny.

Judaica (L) Of Judaea, Jewish, from Palestine.

General description:- Short-medium, tufted, sprawling hairy perennial.

Stems:-

1) Generally 15-45 cm, ascending; much-branched, reddish.

Leaves:-

1) Alternate, simple, 20-60 mm, ovate-lanceolate to narrowly elliptical, entire,

shortly acuminate

2) Basal, glabrous.

3) Cauline, pubescent, with 2 curved veins on each side of the main vein.

4) Petiole, from 10-50 mm long,

Flowers:-

1) 1.5 mm diam. united in a lateral compact cluster with the female flowers at the

centre, not or only scarcely exceeding the bracts, yellowish white.

2) Bracts, shortly connate at the base.

3) Perianth, with 4 fused, pubescent tepals.

4) Perianth of hermaphrodite flowers accrescent, tubular and 3-5 mm in fruit

5) Stamens. x 4.

6) Stigma and style, x 1

Fruit:-

1) Achenes, tiny, black, a little flattened.

Key features:-

1) Bracts, shortly connate at the base.

2) Perianth of the hermaphrodite flowers accrescent, tubular and 3-5 mm in fruit.

3) Female flowers, not or only scarcely exceeding the bracts

Click here for a glossary of terms used

Habitat:- Nutrient-rich habitats in gorges, at the bases of cliffs, in cracks of stone

walls, along streams and irrigation ditches. 0-800(-1400) m.

Distribution:- Throughout Greece. - W Europe. Macaronesia, Mediterranean region

and SW to Asia. Fairly widespread and common on Crete.

Flowering time:- Mar-June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton