MINUARTIA LYDIA

Family:- CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Common Names:- None

Synonyms:- Alsine lydia, Minuartia hybrida subsb. lydia.

Meaning:- Minuartia (L) For Jaun Minuart (1693-1768), botanical writer of

Barcelona.

Lydia (L) From the ancient region of Lydia, SW. Turkey.

General description:- Robust annual, plant usually glandular-pubescent, at least

above, or sometimes hairless.

Stems:-

1) Erect 3-12(-20) cm, branched at the base and from above the middle.

Leaves:-

1) Up to 12 mm.

Flower:-

1) Cymes lax, many-flowered.

2) Stems, 5-20 mm.

3) Sepals, (2·3-)3-5 mm, lanceolate to narrowly ovate.

4) Petals, 0.5-0.8 times as long as the sepals, obovate, often with a sharp claw,

reddish-brown.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, 2.5-3.5 mm, narrowly ovoid to broadly cylindrical, equalling or slightly

exceeding the sepals.

2) Seeds with low, subacute tubercules.

Key features:-

1) Petals obovate, often with a short claw, 0.5-0.8 times as long as the sepals.

2) Capsule 2.5-3.5 mm, narrowly ovoid or cylindrical.

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

generally on limestone (0-)400-1100 m.

Distribution:- Probably restricted to Greece, W Anatolia, Syria and Lebanon. Very

limited distribution on Crete, found mainly on the four main massifs. Rare.

Flowering time:- Apr-June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton