ERICA MANIPULIFLORA

Family and Genus:- See- ERICACEAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Erica forskalii, Erica verticillata.

Meaning:- Erica (L) Pliny's version of an ancient Greek name.

Manipuliflora (L) Grouped, with a few flowered clusters.

General description:- Spreading to erect shrub to 1m tall.

Stems:-

1) Up to 50(-75) cm, decumbent to ascending, rarely erect, straight or somewhat

flexuous. Young stems glabrous or puberulent.

Leaves:-

1) 4-8 mm, in whorls of 3-4, erect to somewhat spreading.

Flowers:-

1) Inflorescences, not more than 6 cm, usually lax and intercalary or terminal and

subcapitate.

2) Sepals, 1 mm.

3) Corolla, 3-3·5 mm, pink, broadly bell-shaped (campanulate), with erect lobes.

4) Anthers, 0·7-1 mm, with widely separated, divergent lobes 2-2½ times as long as

wide.

Fruit:-

1) Loculicidal capsule.

Key features:-

1) Leaves, 4-8 mm, mostly erect or erecto-patent.

2) Anthers, 0·7-1 mm

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Rocky slopes with scrubland vegetation and open dry shrubby vegetation.

0-700(-1200) m. on various substrates.

Distribution:- Mediterranean region from Italy and the W Balkans to Lebanon.

Widespread and common on Crete.

Flowering time:- (May-)Sept-Nov.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton