FUMANA THYMIFOLIA

Family:- CISTACEAE

Common Names:- Thyme rockrose, Thyme-leaved rockrose.

Synonyms:- Cistus thymifolius, Fumana viscida var. thymifolia, Fumana

viscida var. thymifolia, Helianthemum glutinosum var. thymifolium,

Helianthemum thymifolium.

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

Thymifolia (L) Thyme-leaves, with thyme-shaped leaves.

General description:- Small,much-branched dwarf shrub.

Stems:-

1) Flowering, 10-25 cm, usually eglandular-puberulent throughout and patently

glandular-pubescent in the inflorescence.

Leaves:-

1) 5-11 x 0·5-1 mm. opposite, linear, with strongly revolute margins and axillary

fascicles of smaller leaves.

Flowers:-

1) Yellow, 9-14 mm, occasionally with a reddish blotch at the base of each petal.

2) Inflorescence, 3-8-fowered with slender pedicels much longer than the

subtending bracts.

3) Petals, c. 6 mm, bright yellow.

4) Sepals, inner 3, much larger than the outer 2, membranous, green-veined.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, (4-)6-seeded.

Key features:-

1) Capsule with 6-12 seeds.

2) Leaves opposite, stipulate.

Habitat:- Dry rocky habitats, fixed sand-dunes, garigue, open forest.

Distribution:- Widespread and common throughout most of the Mediterranean. but

not Cyprus or parts of the extreme E Med. Widespread and common on Crete.

Flowering time:- Apr-June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton