PHYLA NODIFLORA

Family and Genus:- See- VERBENACEAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Lippia nodiflora

Meaning:- Phyla (Gr) Tribe (derivation uncertain).

Nodiflora (L) Flowering at the nodes.

General description:- Trailing perennial with a woody rootstock.

Stems:-

1) 15-60 cm, creeping and rooting at the nodes.

Leaves:-

1) Opposite, 8-25 mm, broadly spathulate to obovate-cuneate, coarsely dentate in

the upper half, green but rather densely covered with short, appressed, medifixed

whitish hairs on both sides.

Flowers:-

1) Peduncles, axillary, usually exceeding the subtending leaf, bearing a dense,

shortly cylindrical or ovoid spike 8-20 mm.

2) Calyx, small, lobed almost to base, thinly pubescent.

3) Corolla, c. 3 mm, white to pale pinkish or mauve.

a) tube, ± equalling the slightly zygomorphic, 4-lobed limb.

Fruit:-

1) 2, 1-seeded nutlets.

Key features:-

1) Peduncles, axillary, usually exceeding the subtending leaf,

2) Stems, 15-60 cm, creeping and rooting at the nodes.

3) Calyx, small, lobed almost to base, thinly pubescent.

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Habitat:- Muddy and sandy flats by the sea and lake shores. 0-200(-600) m.

Distribution:- Not uncommon in coastal areas of W Greece. - probably native to

tropical and warm-temperate N & S America, doubtfully so in the Mediterranean

region, but now widespread. Limited distribution on Crete mainly in the west, with

one recent discovery near Ferma in the east by Steve Daniels (2017).

Flowering time:- May-Aug, occasionally later.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis