GAGEA DUBIA

Family and Genus:- See- LILIACEAE/G. BOHEMICA group

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None.

Meaning:- Gagea (L) For the English botanist Sir Thomas Gage (1781-1820).

Dubia (L) Uncertain, doubtful.

General description:- Low plant.

Bulb:-

1) Densely surrounded by recurved fibrous roots.

2) Cauline, axillary groups of bulbils often present.

Stems:-

1) 5-15 cm tall.

Leaves:-

1) Basal leaves, 2 per bulb, subequal, linear to very narrowly lanceolate, thick, flat

to slightly canaliculate, erect to ascending, usually exceeding the flowers.

2) Cauline leaves, 2 large and several bract-like, condensed into a false involucre

or somewhat spaced.

Flowers:-

1) 1-6, erect in bud.

2) Pedicels, 15-40 mm, not elongating, erecto-patent after anthesis.

3) Perianth segments, 8-14 mm, oblanceolate, subobtuse, lemon yellow above,

villous below and with broad green green fascia, (sometimes entirely green).

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, oblong to obovoid, truncate, rarely produced.

Key features:-

1) Basal leaves, of flowering plants dorsally carinate, with vascular bundles in the

middle.

2) Pedicels erecto-patent after anthesis.

3) Perianth segments less than 4 times as long as broad.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Dry open shrubby vegetation, scrubland vegetation , rocky places, soil

patches among rocks, stony slopes and level, clayey doline bottoms over a broad

altitudinal range (600-1400 m).

Distribution:- C. and E. Mediterranean. Rare in the Aegean area. Very rare on

Crete previously known from Psiloritis and the Lefka Ori.

Flowering time:- Mar-May.

Photo by:- Steve Lenton