ANDRACHNE TELEPHOIDES

Including Subsp. oreocretensis and subsp. telephioides. Which differ only in

quantitative characters, but appear well separated altitudinally; they may be

regarded as two rather distinct ecotypes. ¹⁾

1) Arne Strid "Atlas of the Aegean Flora". Book 1 2016

Family and Genus:- See- EUPHORBIACEAE

Common Names:- Andrachne

Homotypic Synomyns:- None

Meaning:- Andrachne (Gr) Ancient Greek name for an evergreen shrub.

Telephoides (Gr) Resembling Sedum telephium (telephium =

Distant-lover Greek name for a plant thought to be capable of indicating

reciprocated love).

General description:- Perennial. Small shrubs with male and female flowers on

the same plant.

Stems:-

1) Up to 30 cm, green, simple or little-branched, arising from a brown, much

branched stock.

Leaves:-

1) Up to 10 mm, obovate to elliptical, acute or subacute, entire.glaucous, closely

and evenly spaced. Grey-green.

2) Petioles, 0·5-2 mm.

3) Stipules, silvery, often red at the base.

Flowers:-

1) Male and female flowers, yellowish-green, separate, but borne on the same

plant, solitary or in small lateral clusters.

a) male, with 5-6 stamens.

b) female, with a 3-parted ovary.

2 Styles, deeply divided at the tip in two.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, spherical, 2-3mm, lobed, glabrous, borne on reflexed stalks.

2) Seeds, triquetrous, with a convex back, punctulate.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Coastal habitats, open dry shrubby vegetation, field margins. 0-800 m.

Distribution:- Scattered localities from Spain to Greece - absent from the islands

except for Sicily. Limited occurrence on Crete, mainly in the east and west.

Flowering time:- Apr-July.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton