SCLERANTHUS VERTICILLATUS

Family and Genus:- See- CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Common Names:- Annual knawel

Homotypic Synonyms:- Scleranthus annuus subsp. verticillatus

Meaning:- Scleranthus (Gr) With hard thorns or spines.

Verticillatus (L) Having whorls (several leaves or flowers all arising at

the same level on the stem).

General description:- Small annual or occasionally biennial herb.

Stems:-

1) 5-15 cm.

Leaves:-

1) 5-10 mm linear, channelled, obtuse, ciliate at the base.

Flower:-

1) Subsessile in terminal and auxillary clusters.

2) Sepals, 1-1.5 mm. unequal, incurved, equalling or longer than the perigynous

zone, acute, almost without membranous margins.

3) Petals, lacking.

Fruit:-

1) Nutlet, 1·2-5·5 mm, indehiscent, 1(2)-seeded, enclosed by the hardened wall of

the perigynous zone and the persistent sepals, which are shed with it.

2) Seeds, lenticular, smooth.

Key features:-

1) Sepals, usually 1-1.5 mm, unequal, incurved, almost without membranous

margins.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Rocky and gravelly slopes, roadsides, open coniferous woodland. 0-1200

m. (-1700 m. in dolines).

Distribution:- Mainland Greece, Peloponnisos, Kefallinia. - Widespread in S & C

Europe and the Mediterranean region eastwards to Syria. Rare on Crete, scattered

across the four main massifs

Flowering time:- Apr-June.

Photos by:- Courtesy of Wiki-Commons.