PETRORHAGIA FASCICULATA

Family and Genus:- See- CARYOPHYLLACEAE/Sect. PETRORHAGIA

Common Names:- None

Synonyms:- Gypsophila fasciculata, Saponaria fasciculata, Tunica fasciculata.

Meaning:- Petrorhagia (Gr) Rock-bursting.

Fasciculata (L) Formed of, or growing in, bundles or clusters.

General description:- Slightly woody-based perennial.

Stems:-

1) 15-30 cm. slender, sparingly branched. patently glandular-pubescent below,

glabrous above.

Leaves:-

1) Cauline, small, erect, 1-veined, rarely up to 5-veined.

Flowers:-

1) Usually in terminal clusters of 2-10.

2) Bracts, not concealing the calyx, rather narrow, membranous, mucronate.

2) Calyx, 2·5-5·5 mm, pubescent or sparsely hirsute, sometimes glandular.

3) Calyx-teeth, 1-veined, acute or subobtuse.

4) Petals, 3.5-6 mm, linear-spathulate, emarginate, white or pale yellow.

Fruit:-

1) Seeds, small (0.6-1. mm), without thickened margins, reticulate to minutely

tuberculate.

Key features:-

1) Inflorescence, often capitate or fasciculate.

2) Bracts, usually distinctly shorter than the calyx.

3) Stem, usually much-branched, glandular-pubescent, at least at the base.

4) Calyx teeth, ± triangular, acute or subobtuse, 1-veined.

5) Seeds, c. 1 mm, blackish-brown, ± tuberculate.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Gravelly slopes in gorges, 60-120 m (Crete), elsewhere on rocky

limestone slopes at 0-900-1500) m.

Distribution:- Only recently reported from a small area in SW Crete; otherwise

restricted to the Ionian Islands, NW Peloponnisos and the W part of the Greek

mainland.

Flowering time:- Apr-July, sometimes later.

Photos by:- Currenlly none available