RESEDA LUTEOLA
Family and Genus:- See- RESEDACEAE/ Sect. LUTEOLA
Common Names:- Weld, Dyer's rocket.
Homotypic Synonyms:- Reseda crispata, Reseda gussonei.
Meaning:- Reseda (L) Healer, a name used by the Roman naturalist and
philosopher Pliny for its use in the treatment of bruises.
Luteola (L) Yellowish.
General description:- Medium to tall erect biennial.
Stem:-
1) Solitary or rarely several, erect, rather stout, 35-80(-150) cm tall.
Leaves:-
1) Mostly 25-120 x 4-15 mm unlobed, entire, narrowly oblanceolate to linear, with
flat or undulate margins.
Flowers:-
1) In a long, dense raceme,
2) Pedicels short (usually 0.5-2 mm).
3) Sepals and petals. 4.
4) Petals, pale yellow to greenish-yellow, 4-5 mm;
a) upper irregularly divided into 3-10 broadly linear lobes.
5) Carpels, 3.
Fruit:-
1) Capsule, c. 4 mm, broadly obovate.
2) Seeds, c. 1.0 mm, smooth or slightly reticulate, finally glossy.
Key features:-
1) All leaves entire or with a few minute, with hyaline teeth near the base.
2) Pedicels, not more than 2·5 mm.
3) Sepals and petals 4.
Habitat:- Meadows and open woodland, also on roadsides and in ruderal habitats.
0- 800 m.
Distribution:- Scattered throughout Greece. - Most of Europe, N Africa, SW Asia
eastwards to Pakistan. Somewhat limited distribution on Crete mainly CW & W.
Flowering time:- Mostly Apr to mid-June.
Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis
SPECIES DESCRIPTION
