ARENARIA MURALIS

Family:- CARYOPHYLLACEAE/Subgen. ARENARIA

Common Name:- None

Synonym:- Stellaria muralis

Meaning:- Arenaria (L) Sand-dweller.

Muralis (L) Growing on walls, of the walls.

General description:- With glands and somewhat hairy (glandular-pubescent).

Stems

a) 5-15 cm.

b) ascending or erect, slender, diffusely branched from base.

Leaves:-

a) opposite.

b) 5-15 mm.

c) obovate, acute.

d)1-veined, narrowed into a distinct stalk (petiole).

Flowers:-

1) Petals:

a) 4-7 mm.

b) scarcely exceeding sepals, linear-lanceolate.

c) white.

1) Inflorescence:

a) 5- to 20-flowered, lax.

b) pedicels (2-)3-4 times as long as the sepals.

c) slender, rigid, spreading (patent) or deflexed in fruit.

2) Sepals:

a) 2·5-3·5 mm.

b) lance-shaped, acute, with obscure veins.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule:

a) slightly exceeding the sepals.

b) narrowly ovoid.

2) Seeds:

a) 0·4-0·6 mm.

b) with very acute tubercles.

Key features:-

1) Petals scarcely exceeding or shorter than the sepals.

2) Sepals acute.

3) Seeds 0·4-0·6 mm.

Habitat:- Rocky limestone slopes and screes, open shrubby vegetation in low

scrubland, open coniferous woodland and gorges. 0-900(-1000) m.

Distribution:- A plant of W.Asia, that occurs in Peloponnisos probably to W

Anatolia. Fairly widespread on Crete.

Flowering time:- Mar-May

Photos by:- Steve Lenton