XERANTHEMUM INAPERTUM

Family:- COMPOSITAE

Common Name:- None

Synonyms:- Xeranthemum foeyidum

Meaning:- Xeranthemum (Gr) Dry-flower.

Inapertum (L) Without an opening, unexposed, not opened.

General description:- Erect annual.

Stem:-

1) 10-20 cm, erect, branched from near the base with few (rarely numerous) sub-

erect branches..

Leaves:-

1) 20-60 x 2-8 mm, linear to oblong, densely tomentose beneath, more sparsely

above.

Flowers:-

1) Capitula 10-20 mm diam, long-pedunculate.

2) Outer and intermediate involucral bracts, mucronate, glabrous.

3) Inner involucral bracts 13-17 mm, suberect, usually pale pink.

4) Fertile florets 25-50.

Fruit:-

1) Achenes 4-5 mm.

2) Pappus-scales 5, about equalling the achene.

Key features:-

1) Inner involucral bracts suberect, not more than 1½ times as long as the

intermediate bracts.

2) Capitulum with not more than 50 florets.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Rocky slopes with montane grassland, scrub and open woodland (100-)

600-1400 m.

Distribution:- Peleponnisos and mainland Greece except in the NW. Widespread

in S Europe, N Africa and SW Asia extending in the east to Caucasia and N Iran.

Rare on Crete known only from the Dikti, Lefka Ori and Psiloritis massifs.

Flowering time:- End of May to mid-July.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton