ARENARIA MURALIS

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

Common Name:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Stellaria muralis

Meaning:- Arenaria (L) Sand-dweller.

Muralis (L) Growing on walls, of the walls.

General description:- With glands and somewhat hairy (glandular-pubescent).

Stems

1) 5-15 cm, ascending or erect, slender, diffusely branched from base.

Leaves:-

1) Opposite, 5-15 mm, obovate, acute, 1-veined, narrowed into a distinct petiole.

Flowers:-

1) Inflorescence, 5- to 20-flowered, lax, slender, rigid, patent or deflexed in fruit.

a) pedicels, (2-)3-4 times as long as the sepals.

2) Petals, 4-7 mm, scarcely exceeding the sepals, linear-lanceolate, white.

3) Sepals, 2·5-3·5 mm, lanceolate, acute, with obscure veins.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, slightly exceeding the sepals, narrowly ovoid.

2) Seeds, 0·4-0·6 mm, with very acute tubercles.

Key features:-

1) Petals, scarcely exceeding or shorter than the sepals.

2) Sepals, acute.

3) Seeds, 0·4-0·6 mm.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Rocky limestone slopes and screes, open shrubby vegetation in low

scrubland, open coniferous woodland and gorges. 0-900(-1000) m.

Distribution:- A plant of W.Asia, that occurs in Peloponnisos probably to W

Anatolia. Fairly widespread on Crete.

Flowering time:- Mar-May

Photos by:- Steve Lenton