INULA CRITHMOIDES
Common Names:- Golden samphire
Synonyms:- Limbarda crithmoides ssp. longifolia, Helenium crithmoides
Meaning:- Inula (L) A name used by the Roman naturalist and natural philosopher
Pliny.
Crithmoides (L) Resembling crithmum
General description:- Glabrous, rarely somewhat glandular small shrub.
Stems:-
1) Up to 100 cm.
Leaves:-
1) 2-4·5(-6) x 0·2-0·4(-0·9) cm, linear to linear-lanceolate, fleshy, entire or 3-toothed
at apex.
Flowers:-
1) Capitula medium, yellow with a golden disk, 20-28 mm, borne in branched, rather
flat-topped clusters.
2) Involucre hemispherical:
a) outer bracts 3-4 x 0·5-1 mm, linear, erect.
b) inner bracts 5-10 x 0·5-1 mm, linear-subulate.
3) Ligules 14-25 mm, exceeding the involucre.
Fruit:-
1) Achenes 2-3 mm.
2) Pappus hairy with c. 30 setae.
Key features:-
1) Leaves not more than 5(-8) mm wide, fleshy, pinnately veined or the veins
obscure.
2) Small shrub.
Habitat:- Rocky coastal habitats, saline swamps and coastal open dry shrubby
vegetation. 0-20(-50) m.
Distribution:- Widespread and common throughout the Mediterranean. On Crete
scattered around a few coastal areas in the west.
Flowering time:- July-Oct, or later.
Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis