MOENCHIA GRAECA

Family:- CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Common Names:- None

Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Moenchia (L) For Conrad Moench (1744-1805) German botanist.

Graeca (L) Grecian, Greek.

General description:- Hairless, glaucous, annual plants.

Stem:-

1) 8-15cm., multi-branched.

Leaves:-

1) Narrow, parallel-sided to lance-shaped.

2) Basal leaves oblong-lance-shaped, scarcely acute.

Flowers:-

1) ln few-flowered lateral branches on both sides of the main axis, 5-merous. White.

2) Stalks, wavy, thickened distally.

3) Sepals exceeding the petals.

4) Petals 5. narrow, entire.

5) Stamens 4 or 8.

6) Styles 4, short and recurved, about as long as the ovary in flower.

Fruit:-

1) A straight capsule 2/3 as long as the sepals, dehiscing with twice as many

short, obtuse teeth as styles.

2) Seeds numerous, kidney-shaped, covered in small nipple-like projections.

Key features:-

1) Leaves oblong-lanceolate.

2) Pedicels thickened distally.

3) Flowers 5-merous.

Habitat:- Dry meadows, open dry shrubby vegetation, fallow fields, etc., on various

substrates. 0-1700 m.

Distribution:- Mainland Greece the Aegean Islands. On Crete confined to the four

main massifs.

Flowering time:- Late Mar to early June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton