MINUARTIA MEDITERRANEA

Family:- CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Common Names:- None

Synonyms:- Alsine mediterranea, Arenaria mediterranea.

Meaning:- Minuartia (L) For Jaun Minuart (1693-1768), botanical writer of

Barcelona.

Mediterranea (L) From the Mediterranean region.

General description:- Slender annual.

Stems:-

1) 4-12 cm, hairless or almost so.

Leaves:-

1) Up to 12 mm. linear-lanceolate, 3-veined.

Flower:-

1) Cymes, dense.

2) Stems, of the upper flowers shorter than the sepals.

3) Sepals, 3-5 x 0·5-0·7 mm, narrowly linear-lanceolate.

4) Petals 1/3 - 1/2 as long as sepals, sometimes absent.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule usually included.

2) Seeds 0·4 mm, smooth.

Key features:-

1) Inflorescence of few to many, usually contracted dichasial clusters.

2) Pedicels of the upper flowers shorter than the sepals.

3) Leaves not ciliolate.

4) Sepals with a narrow scarious margin.

Habitat:- Rocky slopes with dry open shrubby vegetation, scrubland vegetation,

between terraced fields, roadside gravel, 0-1100 m, locally to 1600 m on Crete

Distribution:- Throughout Greece, but less common in the interior north, -

widespread in the Mediterranean region. Somewhat scattered across Crete, not

common.

Flowering time:- Late Mar to early June.

Photos by:- Courtesy of Flora of Israel, Prof. Avinoam Danin. and

Saxifraga-Rutger Barendse