PARONYCHIA ARGENTEA

Family and Genus:- See- CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Paronychia (Gr) Beside-nail, a name used by the Greek physician and

botanist Dioscorides, for its former use to treat whitlows.

Argentea (L) Silver ,silvery.

General description:- Low matted perennial.

Stems:-

1) 5-30 cm, usually procumbent, much-branched, mat-forming; internodes usually

equalling or longer than the leaves.

Leaves:-

1) 4-8(-20) mm, ovate to lanceolate

Flowers:-

1) Clusters, usually more than 8 mm in diam, well-defined.

2) Bracts, 4-6 mm, ovate, acute, silvery, concealing the flowers.

3) Calyx, 1·5-2·5 mm.

4) Calyx-lobes, equal, oblong, hooded; awn, smooth or with scarce small spines;

membranous margins, equalling or wider than the brownish, usually smooth

midvein.

Fruit:-

1) Achene, with a membranous pericarp.

Key features:-

1) Calyx-lobes, equal or subequal.

2) Leaves, more than 1 mm wide.

3) Bracts, conspicuous, exceeding the calyx; 4-6 mm, ovate, concealing the

flowers.

4) Flower-clusters, usually more than 8 mm in diam, well-defined.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Dry, sandy and gravelly places, dry open shrubby vegetation, scrubland

vegetation. 0-250 m.

Distribution:- In Greece known only from the Aegean area. - Widespread, but

scattered in the Mediterranean region, eastwards to the Aegean area and Anatolia,

Rare on Crete, currently known from only two locations.

Flowering time:- Mid-Apr to June.

Photos by:- By kind permission of Saxifraga - Free Nature Image