KLASEA FLAVESCENS

Family:- COMPOSITAE

Common Names:- None

Synonyms:- Klasea flavescens subsp. cretica, Serratula cichoracea subsp.

cretica

Meaning:- Klasea. Meaning unknown.

Flavescens (L) Pale - yellow, turning yellow.

General description:- Perennial herbs with unarmed leaves.

Stems:-

1) Up to 70 cm, stout, puberulent.

Leaves:-

1) Denticulate.

2) Basal oblanceolate to elliptical, rarely entire.

3) Cauline numerous, linear-lanceolate, leaf-bases decurrent.

Flowers:-

1) Capitula 30-40 mm, ventricose, solitary or occasionally a few together.

2) Outer involucral bracts glabrous, shining, with long, rigid apical spine, the spine

usually strongly recurved at maturity.

3) Inner bracts rather rigid, geniculate or recurved at the apex.

4) Florets purple.

Fruit:-

1) Achenes glabrous.

2) Pappus of several rows of free, finely serrulate or plumose hairs.

Key features:-

1) Involucral bracts abruptly contracted into fine apical spines or almost without

spines.

2) Cauline leaves denticulate, linear-lanceolate, sometimes long-decurrent on the

stem.

3) Outer involucral bracts sparsely ciliate.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Rocky slopes with open dry shrubby vegetation, coniferous woodland and

gorges. 200-500 m.

Distribution:- Endemic to East Crete. Rare.

Flowering time:- May-June.

Photos by:- Yannis Zacharakis

Status:-

Conservation status (for threatened species): Rare (R) according to IUCN 1997