ASTRAGALUS IDEAUS

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE/Subgen. CERCIDOTHRIX

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Astragalus (Gr) Ankle-bone,(a plant with knotted roots).

Idaeus (L) From Mount Ida in Crete, or Mount Ida in NW. Turkey.

General description:- Woody-based perennial forming small, flat clumps.

Leaves:-

1) Imparipinnate, up to 3 cm.

2) Leaflets, (5-)6-10 pairs, 3-6 x 1-2 mm, oblong-elliptical, densely silky, clothed

with closely appressed, soft, straight pubescence hairs on both surfaces.

Flowers:-

1) Peduncles, shorter than or equalling leaves.

2) Raceme, globose, 25-40 mm across, 12-20-flowered.

3) Calyx, c. 7 mm, with unequally bifurcate, black and white hairs.

a) teeth c. half as long as the tube.

4) Corolla, bright lemon yellow.

a) standard 15-20 mm, obovate.

5) Infructescence erect.

Fruit:-

1) Legume, 8-10 mm, narrowly ovoid, witha curved beak 3-4 mm, with long simple

white hairs and occasional black hairs underneath.

2) Seeds, 2-5

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Dry, rocky and stony limestone slopes and plateaus. 1800-2000 m.

Distribution:- Cretan Endemic. Extremely rare. Known only from the Dikti massif.

Flowering time:- Mid-May to mid-June.

Photos by:- Yannis Zacharakis & Christopher Cheiladakis

Status:-

Conservation status (for threatened species): Probably extinct according to the

Red Data Book of Rare and Threatened Plants of Greece

(1995) Extinct or endangered according to IUCN 1997

Protection status (for threatened species): Greek Presidential Decree 67/1981.