BUFONIA STRICTA subsp. STRICTA

Family and Genus:- See- CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Common Name:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Bufonia (L) Of the toad (favouring damp places).

Stricta (L) Straight.

General description:- Perennial. With stems erect-arc-shaped, slender and

usually non-branching.

Stems:-

1) Flowering, up to 20 cm, woody below, erect, arcuate, slender, usually

unbranched.

Leaves:-

1) Linear, setaceous, the hairs lying close to the surface appressed, those of the

flowering stems shorter than the internodes, subulate, often closely appressed.

Flowers:-

1) Inflorescence, a cymose panicle.

a) pedicels, short, few, usually 1 on each stem.

2) Sepals, x 4, outer 2, shorter, with 3-5 veins, lanceolate, with a hyaline margin.

3) Petals, 3-4 mm, equalling the outer sepals, white.

4) Stamens, 2-8; Styles 2.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, included, dehiscing, with 2 teeth.

2) Seeds, 1 or 2. oblong, compressed, tuberculate, small, margins tuberculate.

faces smooth.

Key features:-

1) Perennial, with vegetative stems at time of flowering.

2) Flowering stems, usually unbranched, arcuate.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- limestone slopes and screes, among scrub and thorncushion vegetation.

800-2300 m.

Distribution:- Endemic to Crete and Attica. On Crete grows on the four massifs.

Rare.

Flowering time:- End May to early Aug

Photos by:- Steve Lenton