CERASTIUM BRACHYPETALUM subsp. ROESERI

Family and Genus:- See- CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Common Name:- Grey mouse-ear

Homotypic Synonyms:- Cerastium roeseri.

Meaning:- Cerastium (Gr) Horned, (the fruiting capsule's shape).

Brachypetalum (Gr) With sort petals.

Roeseri (L) Possibly for Paul Roeser, Botanist

General description:- Annual, densely hairy. with erect branches.

Stem:-

1) up to 40 cm, with long, deflexed, patent or ascending eglandular hairs, with or

without glandular hairs.

Leaves:-

1) Up to 20 mm.

a) lower, spatulate or obovate.

b) upper, ovate, elliptical or oblong, obtuse to acute, pubescent.

Flowers:-

1) Inflorescence, more or less lax.

a) pedicels, 3-27 mm. bent just below the flower, with patent or ascending-

appressed eglandular hairs.

2) Bracts, herbaceous.

3) Sepals, 3-6·5 mm, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, obtuse to acute, margin, thin

scarious, with eglandular hairs exceeding the apex.

4) Petals, shorter than or longer than the sepals, bifid for up to 1/3 their length, with

a small auricle at the base.

5) Stamens, up to 10.

6) Styles, 5.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, 6-9 mm, cylindrical or oblong, often more or less curved.

2) Seeds, 0·4-1 mm, numerous, spherical or reniform, minutely tuberculate.

Key features:-

1) Sepals 3-6·5 mm.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Rocky and gravelly slopes with open shrubby vegetation, orchards and

open coniferous woodland.

Distribution:- Fairly widespread across the Mediterranean but not common. On

Crete confined to the three main massifs, not common.

Flowering time:- Apr-June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton