ALYSSUM SIMPLEX

Family and Genus:- See- CRUCIFERAE/Sect. ALYSSUM

Common Name:- Simple Alyssum.

Homotypic Synonyms:- Alyssum campestre var. simplex.

Meaning:- Alyssum (Gr) Pacifier, ancient Greek name meaning without-fury -

alluding to the supposed medicinal properties against rabies.

Simplex (L) Undivided, entire, single.

General description:- Annual or perennial, usually with yellow flowers, much

branched with erect

Stems:-

1) 5-20 cm., covered in stellate hairs; erect and much branched.

Leaves:-

1) Alternate, elliptic-oblanceolate, the lower often absent at anthesis, with 6-8-

rayed, subappressed stellate hairs.

Flowers:-

1) In a raceme, elongating and cylindrical in fruit.

2) Petals, c. 2.5 mm, spathulate, retuse or slightly emarginate, pale yellow.

3) Sepals, 1·5-2·5 mm, caducous.

4) Pedicels, 3-6 mm, erecto-patent.

5) Filaments, of the short stamens 1·5-2·5 mm, with connate appendages.

6) Nectaries, 0·1 mm.

7) Style, 0.5-1 mm, minutely stellate-pubescent.

Fruit:-

1) Silicula 3·5-6 mm, suborbicular, pubescent; valves inflated, with a flattened

margin.

2) Seeds 1·7-2 mm; wing up to 0·4 mm wide.

Key features:-

1) Filaments, winged or with appendage.

2) Indumentum, ± dimorphic on all parts of the plant.

3) Petals, attenuate towards the base.

4) Style, 0·7-1·3 mm.

5) Sepals, deciduous.

6) Plant up to 40 cm.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- In a variety of dry open habitats, mainly on limestone. 0-1100(-1700) m.

Distribution:- Widespread across the Mediterranean region and SW Asia. Fairly

widespread across Crete.

Flowering time:- Mar-May.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton

Native to:
Albania, Bulgaria, Central European Rus, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., France, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kriti, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, North Caucasus, Palestine, Portugal, Romania, Sardegna, Sicilia, Sinai, South European Russi, Spain, Transcaucasus, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Xinjiang, Yugoslavia

Introduced into:
Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming