SPECIES DESCRIPTION
BLACKSTONIA ACUMINATA
Family and Genus:- See- GENTIANACEAE
Common Name:- None
Homotypic Synonyms:- Blackstonia perfoliata subsp. acuminata, Chlora
acuminata.
Meaning:- Blackstonia (L) For John Blackstone (1712-53) English apothacary and
botanical writer.
Acuminata (L) With a long narrow and pointed tip.
General description:- An erect, short to medium, bluish- or grey-green annual.
Stems:-
1) 10-40(-60) cm tall.
Leaves:-
1) Opposite, 5-30 mm, ovate to triangular.
2) Basal, obtuse, narrowed connate at the base.
3) Cauline, shortly connate, not conspicuously perfoliate.
3) Upper cauline, distinctly narrowed towards the base.
Flowers:-
1) (6-)8-10 mm, 6- to 8-merous yellow.
2) Pedicels, stout, often 20-30mm long (not less than 20mm).
3) Calyx, with a distinct cupular base and lanceolate-subulate lobes.
4) Calyx-lobes, linear-lanceolate, often 3-veined in the lower part, 3-4 times as long
as the tube.
5) Lobes, of the stigma erect at anthesis, becoming patent later.
6) Styles, united for 2.5-3.5 mm.
Fruit:-
1) Capsule, septicidal.
Key features:-
1) Flowers, (6-)8-10 mm, 6- to 8-merous.
2) Upper cauline, leaves distinctly narrowed towards the base.
3) Calyx-lobes, linear-lanceolate, often 3-veined in the lower part, 3-4 times as long
as the tube.
4) Stem-leaves, not clasping the stem.
Habitat:- Open, seasonally wet places by streambanks, roadsides, and in olive
groves. 0-500 m.
Distribution:- Scattered throughout Greece except the far north. - S & C Europe,
Anatolia and Cypus. On Crete known only from the Fasas valley in the west and
Chrysi Island.
.
Flowering time:- May-June.
Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis
