HELIANTHEMUM LIPPII

Family:- CISTACEAE/Subgen. HELIANTHEMUM/Sect. BRACHYPETALUM

Common Names:- None

Synonyms:- Cistus lippii, Helianthemum lippii var. pedicellatum

Meaning:- Helianthemum (Gr) Sun-flower.

Lippii (L) For Augustin Lippi (1678-1701), A French/Italian naturalist.

General description:- Procumbent, canescent dwarf shrub.

Stems:-

1) 20-30 cm, intricately branched into spreading and horizontal twigs, older

branches becoming spinescent and white-glossy.

Leaves:-

1) Winter, lanceolate, flat, green.

2) Summer, linear, whitish, with revolute margins.

Flowers:-

1) 3-8, small, subsessile, in a lax, one-sided inflorescence.

3) Petals, somewhat longer than the sepals, ovate-oblong, yellow or whitish.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, ± equalling the fruiting calyx, villous.

Key Features:-

1) Fruiting sepals 2-4 mm.

Comment:- The inclusion of this species is based on a single collection from S

Crete, Shay 665 (B), first reported by Greuter & Risse (in Greuter & Raus 1981:

275). It is the only European locality for a species that is widespread in the East,

from Egypt and Palestine to the Gulf States and Pakistan. It is very similar to H.

stipulatum, and critical re-examination of the single Cretan collection would be

welcome. ¹⁾

1) Atlas of the Aegean Flora. Book 1, page 234 Arne Strid 1916

Habitat:- Low altitude in S Crete, presumably in dry open shrubby vegetation,

scrubland vegetation.

Distribution:- Widespread in the Middle East, from Libya, Egypt and Palestine to

the Gulf States and Pakistan. On Crete Known only from one location. This is the

only known European locality for this species. See comment above.

Flowering time:- Feb-May.

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