FUMANA PAPHLAGONICA subsp. ALPINA

Family:- CISTACEAE

Common Names:- None

Synonyms:- Fumana ericoides, Fumana procumbens.

Meaning:- Fumana (L) Smoke, (reference to the colour of the foliage).

Paphlagonica (L) After Paphlagonica, an ancient country and Roman

province in N. Asia Minor.

Alpina (L) Of mountains, alpine.

General description:- An erect or straggling, much-branched dwarf shrub to 20cm.

Leaves:-

1) (3-)8-12(-15) x 0·5-2 mm, variable in size according to position on plant,

more or less equally spaced, scarcely reduced in size in inflorescence.

Flowers:-

1) 2-5, axillary or subterminal, yellow, 8-16mm, in small clusters scattered among

the leaves, not forming a distinct inflorescence; pedicels longer than the leaves,

patent in fruit and with a deflexed apex.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, 8- to 12-seeded, late-dehiscent. opening widely and soon shedding

the seeds when mature.

Key features:-

1) Erect or straggling-ascending.

2) Fruiting pedicels much longer than adjacent leaves, patent, with deflexed apex.

Habitat:- Dry open shrubby vegetation, stony hillslopes, dry pastures, generally on

calcareous soils.

Distribution:- Portugal and NW Africa eastwards to Greece. On Crete rare known

only from Lefka Ori and the Dikti massifs.

Flowering time:- Feb-June.

Photos by:- Prof. Yannis Zacharakis