ONONIS PUBESCENS

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE/Sect. NATRIX

Common Names:- Downy restharrow

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Ononis (Gr) A classical name used by the Greek physician

Dioscorides.

Pubescens (L) Maturing, attaining maturity; becoming downy-hairy.

General description:- Erect annual.

Stems:-

1) 10-40 cm tall, sparsely glandular-pilose throughout and somewhat sticky,

branches erecto-patent.

Leaves:-

1) Lower and upper, 1-foliolate.

2) Middle, 3-foliolate; leaflets rather large, 10-25 mm, broadly elliptical, serrate.

Flowers:-

1) Inflorescence, rather dense, primary branches 5-10 mm, 1-flowered.

2) Calyx teeth, narrowly elliptic-lanceolate, 2-3 times as long as the tube, 3-5-

veined.

3) Corolla, c. l5 mm, somewhat longer than the calyx, lemon yellow, fading orange.

Fruit:-

1) Legume, 8-10 mm, ovoid to ellipsoid, compressed, narrowing to a slender point.

2) Seeds, 2-3, 3 mm, dark brown, smooth.

Key features:-

1) Primary branches of the inflorescence 1-flowered.

2) Calyx-teeth, 5-veined.

3) Seeds, smooth.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Coastal habitats, dry open shrubby vegetation, field margins, olive groves

and wasteground. 0-800 m.

Distribution:- Widespread but scattered in the Mediterranean region, eastwards to

SE Anatolia and Iraq. On Crete restricted to a few coastal regions in the central

south and east, with a few scattered locations along the north coast.

Flowering time:- Apr to early June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton