SAPONARIA GLUTINOSA

Family and Genus:- See- CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Saponaria (L) Soap-like.

Glutinosa (L) Sticky, viscus, glutinous. with glue.

General description:- Annual or biennial, usually glandular-hispid throughout.

Stems:-

1) 25-70 cm, branched above in a pyramidal panicle.

Leaves:-

1) Basal, spathulate, rarely almost linear.

2) Cauline, short petiolate, ovate-elliptic, acute.

Flower:-

1) Inflorescence, compact, corymbose.

2) Calyx, 18-25 mm, narrowly cylindrical, purplish.

3) Calyx-teeth, lanceolate, acuminate.

4) Petal-limb, c. 5 mm, broadly oblong, shallowly bifid, ± reflexed, pink.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, ovoid, shorter than the calyx.

2) Seeds, c. 2 mm, orbicular-reniform, tuberculate.

Key features:-

1) Plant, glandular-hispid.

2) Petal-limb, c. 5 mm.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Open deciduous and coniferous woodland, rocky ridges, embankments of

forest roads. (200)600-1800(2100) m.

Distribution:- Scattered in Peloponnisos and mainland Greece. - Disjunct in two

regions: Spain and NW Africa; and Balkan Peninsula and Anatolia. Rare on Crete

currently known only from the Dikti mountains.

Sieber (1823) reported this species from Tzermiado on the Lassithi plain in E Crete

and was collected by Rechinger on Mt Lazaros at 1800-2000 m:

Flowering time:- Late May to mid-Aug

Photos by:- None currently available