SPECIES DESCRIPTION
INULA CRITHMOIDES

Family:- COMPOSITAE/I. CANDIDA Group

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.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

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