SELINUM SILAIFOLIUM

Family and Genus:- See- UMBELLIFERAE

Common Name:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Cnidium athoum, Cnidium silaifolium

Meaning:- Selinum (Gr) Name in Homer, for a celery-like plant

Silaifolium (L) With narrow leaves.

General description:- Glabrous perennial with a short, stout rhizome.

Stem:-

1) Erect, 40-80 cm, terete striate, solid, sparingly branched above.

Leaves:-

1) Lower, broadly triangular in outline, 2-4-pinnate into ovate, crenate-dentate

long-stalked; segments.

a) lobes, 4-10 x 0·5-2 mm, linear-lanceolate to obovate or oblanceolate, with

scabrid margins.

Flowers:-

1) Rays, 15-30, slightly unequal, somewhat scabrid on the angles, not thickening

in fruit.

2) Bracts, lacking or small;

a) bractlets, 6-10, numerous, subulate, almost smooth.

3) Petals, white.

4) Styles, long, deflexed.

Fruit:-

1) 3-4.5 mm, oblong-ellipsoid, scarcely compressed; primary ridges equally and

narrowly winged.

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Habitat:- Scrub and open woodland on rocky slopes of limestone or miceous

schist, along forest roads. (0-)500-1700 m.

Distribution:- Mountains of mainland Greece. - From SE France to Romania and

Anatolia. Limited distribution across the Aegean. Rare on Crete, currently known

from only three locations.

Flowering time:- June-Aug.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis