HELIOTROPIUM HIRSUTISSIMUM

Family and Genus:- See- BORAGINACEAE/H. EUROPAEUM Group

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Heliotropium (Gr) Turn-with-the-sun.

Hirsutissimum (L) Very hairy, hairiest.

Stems:-

1) Up to 40 cm, erect or ascending, stems and petioles with dense, greyish or

yellowish, villous, patent hairs, c.1 mm.

Leaves:-

1) Up to 5·5 x 2·8 cm, ovate to elliptical, cuneate to rounded at the base, subacute

at the apex, appressed-pubescent.

a) petiole, up to 3·5 cm.

Flowers:-

1) Scented.

1) Sepals, 3-4 mm, linear-oblong, with dense, patent hairs.

2) Corolla, 5-8 mm, throat with scales.

a) limb, 4-8 mm diam, white. with 5 scales in the throat.

b) anthers, inserted near the base of the corolla-tube.

c) stigma, shallowly hemispherical, wider than long, pubescent.

Fruit:-

1) Nutlets, splitting into 4, glabrous.

Key features:-

1) Calyx, lobed to the base, not concealing the 4 free nutlets, and persisting after

they fall.

2) Stems, densely covered with long, villous.

3) Corolla, with scales in the throat.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Dry, open habitats, especially in cultivated ground or sandy soils. 0-800

Distribution:- Rare in W Greece and lacking in most of the north. Widespread in

the E Mediterranean region, introduced as a weed elsewhere. Fairly widespread

though not overly common on Crete.

Flowering time:- End of May to Oct.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis