SPECIES DESCRIPTION
LOMELOSIA ALBOCINCTA
Family and Genus:- See- DIPSACACEAE/Sect. TROCHOCEPHALUS
Common Names:- None
Homotyic Synonyms:- Scabiosa albocincta, Trochocephalus albocinctus.
Meaning:- Lomelosia. Meaning unknown.
Albocincta (L) Albo = white, cincta = girdle, edge.
General description:- Tufted, perennial, woody at the base.
Stems:-
1) 10-25(-30) cm, procumbent, white-lanate, often leafless.
Leaves:-
1) Basal, broadly elliptical, 31/2-5 times as long as wide, with long straight
hairs only, especially on the margin.
2) Peduncle, 30-40 cm, much exceeding the leaves.
Flower:-
1) Capitula, 35-50(-55) mm in diam., globose, solitary; peduncle scarcely exceeding
the leaves.
2) Involucral bracts, ovate or narrowly ovate, obtuse, densely white-lanate, 1/2-2/3
as long as the florets.
3) Receptacular bracts, linear, with narrow membranous margin.
4) Involucel-tube 5-7 mm; pits 2-2·5 mm, narrowly elliptical, densely lanate.
5) Corona, 7-9 mm, hirsute, irregular, with 24-35 veins, about twice as long in
the marginal florets as in the central, lilac.
6) Calyx-setae shorter than corona.
Fruit:-
1) Fruiting heads, globose, in which each calyx has a conspicuous, pale, papery,
funnel-shaped corona.
Key features:-
1) Leaves entire, lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, the early ones pubescent.
Habitat:- Crevices of limestone cliffs. 500-1500 m. occasionally lower in gorges
with other chasmophytes such as Dianthus juniperinus, Linum arboreum etc. Fl.
June-Sept.
Distribution:- Endemic W. and C. Crete.
Flowering time:- June-Sept.
Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis
Status:-
Conservation status (for threatened species): Rare (R) according to IUCN 1997
Protection status (for threatened species): Greek Presidential Decree 67/1981
