LOMELOSIA MINOANA subsp. MINOANA

Family and Genus:- See- DIPSACACEAE/Sect. TROCHOCEPHALUS

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Lomelosia. Meaning unknown.

Minoana (L) For King Minos of Crete, son of Zeus and Europa.

General description:- Dwarf, tufted shrub, up to 40cm diam.

Stem:-

1) 10-25(-30) cm, procumbent, white-lanate, often leafless.

Leaves:-

1) Elliptic-obovate, 11/2-23/4 times as long as wide, subobtuse, entire, appressed-

sericeous and with short, curved hairs.

Flower:-

1) Capitula, 35-50(-55) mm 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. pits 2-2·5 mm, narrowly elliptical, densely lanate.

3) Receptacular bracts, linear, with a narrow membranous margin.

4) Involucel-tube, 5-7 mm.

5) Corona, 7-9 mm, hirsute, irregular, with 27-33 veins.

6) Calyx-setae, shorter than the corona.

7) Corolla, about twice as long in the marginal as in the central florets, lilac.

Key features:-

1) Leaves, elliptic-obovate, 11/2-21/2 times as long as wide.

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Habitat:- Crevices of limestone cliffs, occasionally in coarse scree. 450-1200(-

1800) m.

Distribution:- Endemic to the Dikti mountains. Rare.

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

Photos by:- Yannis Zacharakis

Status:-

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

Protection status (for threatened species): Greek Presidential Decree 67/1981.