ARENARIA FILICAULIS subsp. GRAECA

Family and Genus:- See- CARYOPHYLLACEAE/Subgen. ARENARIA

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Arenaria graeca, Arenaria graveolens var. graeca.

Meaning:- Arenaria (L) Sand-dweller.

Filicaulis (L) Having slender stems.

Graeca (L) Greek, from Greece.

General description:- Glandular-pubescent, caespitose, perennial.

Stems:-

1) 5-15 cm. slender, fragile.

Leaves:-

1) 5-10 mm. elliptical, lanceolate or oblanceolate, with a prominent midrib, light

green.

a) lower, shortly petiolae.

b) upper, sessle,

Flowers:-

1) Inflorescence, 3-10 flowered, lax, leafy with slender spreading branches.

peduncles 2-5(-10) times as long as the sepals.

2) Sepals, ovate, acute 3·5-4·5 mm.

3) Petals, twice as long as the the calyx. oblong-cuneate. white.

4) Bracts, lower cuniate, at the base.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, about as long as the sepals.

2) Seeds, 0·7-1 mm. with acute tubercles.

Key features:-

1) Sepals, ovate, acute, about as long as the capsule.

2) Petals, 1 1/3-1 1/2 times as long as sepals.

3) Capsule, slightly shorter than the sepals.

4) Leaves, elliptical, lanceolate or oblanceolate, with a prominent midrib.

5) Seeds, with acute tubercles.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Shady crevices and ledges of limetone cliffs. (0-)500-1900 m.

Distribution:- From peloponnisos to the N borders, S and C Balkan peninsula and

NW Turkey, Limited distribution on Crete.

Flowering time:- May to mid-Aug.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton