ALYSSUM BALDACCII

Family and Genus:- See- CRUCIFERAE/Sect. ODONTARRHENA

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Odontarrhena baldaccii.

Meaning:- Alyssum (Gr) Pacifier, ancient Greek name meaning without-fury -

alluding to the supposed medicinal properties against rabies.

Baldaccii (L) For Antonio Baldaccii (1867-1950) of the Bologna

Botanic Garden. Italy.

General description:- A subshrubby species

Stem:-

1) 20-50 cm, with some, long non-flowering.

Leaves:-

1) Cauline,15-25 x 2-2·5 mm, oblanceolate, obtuse, greenish above, white beneath.

2) Basal, slightly smaller.

Flowers:-

1) Racemes of small yellow flowers.

2) Petals 2·5-3 mm.

3) Sepals 1·5-2 mm.

4) Filaments with a multi-dentate appendage.

5) Style 1-1·5 mm.

Fruit:-

1) Silicula, 4-4·5 x 2·5-3·3 mm, broadly elliptical to obovate, obtuse or emarginate.

2) Septum, frequently asymmetrical in outline.

3) Valves asymmetrically inflated, sparsely hairy; hairs with c. 15 rays.

4) Ovules solitary in each compartment.

Key features:-

1) Petals 2-3 mm; sepals 1·5-2 mm.

2) Filaments with a multi-dentate appendage.

3) Septum of the silicula frequently asymmetrical in outline.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Rocky slopes and screes, open dry shrubby vegetation and gravelly road

verges, mainly on ultra-mafic substrate. 300-800 m.

Distribution:- Endemic to C. Crete, known only in the area of serpentine rocks

around Gonies, on the north-eastern side of Psiloritis. Rare.

Flowering time:- May-June

Photos by:- Dimokratia Vrentzou & Christopher Cheiladakis

Status:-

Conservation status (for threatened species): Rare (R) according to the Red Data

Book of Rare and Threatened Plants of Greece (1995).

Rare (R) according to IUCN 1997.