VERBASCUM SPINOSUM

Family and Genus:- See- SCROPHULARIACEAE

Common Names:- Spiny mullein

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Verbascum (L) A name used by the Roman naturalist and philosopher

Pliny, a reference to the bearded stamens.

Spinosum (L) Spiny, with spines.

General description:- Spiny shrub intricately branched.

Stems:-

1) Forming hemispherical bushes, up to 50 cm tall and 100 cm in diam., thinly

white-tomentose throughout.

2) Twigs, ending in a spine.

Leaves:-

1) 1·5-5 x 0·3-1 cm, oblong to lanceolate, irregularly toothed or lobed, whitish-

grey-tomentose.

Flowers:-

1) Solitary on pedicels, 3-10 mm.

2) Bracts, minute, ovate.

3) Calyx, 2 mm;

a) lobes, ovate-lanceolate.

4) Corolla, 10-18 mm diam, rather light yellow, with pellucid glands.

5) Stamens, 5;

a) anthers, all reniform.

b) filament hairs, short, lilac.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, 3-4 mm, ovoid, longer than the calyx, grey-tomentose when young.

Key features:-

1) Spiny shrub, forming hemispherical bushes, up to 50 cm tall and 100 cm Æ.

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Habitat:- Constituent of dry open shrubby vegetation, rocky and stony slopes, with

Ballota pseudo-dictamus, Euphprbia acanthothamnos, etc. (0-)200-1200 m. (-2100

m. in dolines).

Distribution:- Cretan endemic almost restricted to western Crete, especially the

Lefka Ori, but populations are also known from two small, widely separated areas

in south-central and extreme south-eastern Crete.

Flowering time:- Late Apr to early Aug.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis