SPECIES DESCRIPTION
VALERIANELLA CARINATA
Family and Genus:- See- VALERIANACEAE
Common Names:- Keeled-fruited cornsalad
Homotypic Synonyms:- Valerianella corymbifera
Meaning:- Valerianella (L) Diminutve of Valeriana.
Carinata (L) Keeled, having a keel-like ridge.
General description:- Slightly hair annual.
Stem:-
1) 8-20 cm tall, with 1-3 dichotomies.
Leaves:-
1) Lower, usually persistent in fruiting individuals, spathulate, obtuse.
2) Cauline, usually 15-30 mm, oblong, subentire.
Flowers:-
1) Inflorescence, hemispherical at anthesis, laxly spherical in fruit, subtended by
rather conspicuous, oblong uppermost leaves equalling or exceeding the
inflorescence.
2) Bracts, oblong-oblanceolate herbaceous.
3) Calyx, absent or present only as a short continuation of the fertile carpel.
Fruit:-
1) Oblong, c. twice as long as broad, somewhat curved, obtusely 4-angled,
glabrous, soon deciduous.
2) Fertile loculus, somewhat wider than the sterile ones and separated from them
by
a groove.
Key features:-
1) Sterile loculi, well-developed, often at least as large as the fertile.
2) Fruit, longer than wide, with an oblong groove between the sterile loculi.
Habitat:- Seasonally damp, rocky and stony habitats in olive groves, meadows,
deciduous oak scrub and open woodland. 0-1200 m.
Distribution:- Fairly common on mainland Greece, Mediterranean region and SW.
Asia to Crimea, Iraq and Iran. On Crete confined mainly to the Lefka Ori area.
Flowering time:- Mar to early June.
Photos by:- Dr. Armin Jagel
