LEPIDIUM HIRTUM subsp. OXYOTUM

Family and Genus:- See- CRUCIFERAE/Sect. LEPIA

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Lepidium hirtum ssp. nebrodense

Meaning:- Lepidium. Meaning unknown.

Hirtum (L) Hairy, shaggy-hairy.

Oxyotum (Gr) Sharp.

General description:- Perennial herb.

Stems:-

1) 10-30 cm., many, ascending, hairy, at least when young.

Leaves:-

1) Basal, petiolate, oblanceolate or elliptical, entire.

2) Upper cauline, sessile, narrowly triangular-ovate, with acute auricles; all shortly

hairy to glabrous.

Flower:-

1) Raceme, short.

2) Sepals, c. 1·5-2 mm.

3) Petals, 1½-3½ times as long as the sepals.

4) Anthers, yellow.

5) Pedicels, 3-4 mm in fruit, hairy.

6) Style, 0·4-1 mm, just exceeding the notched apex.

Fruit:-

1) Silicula, c. 4·5 x 3·5 mm, orbicular-elliptical or obovate, very narrowly winged.

Key features:-

1) Anthers, yellow.

2) Pedicels, more than 3 mm in fruit.

3) Silicula, less than 5 mm, very narrowly winged; with few or no vesicles; hairy, at

least when young.

4) Style, projecting beyond the apical notch of the wing.

5) Plant grey-pubescent.

Habitat:- Dry open shrubby vegetation, subalpine and alpine thorncushion

vegetation, rocky slopes, screes and gravel, often in dolines, on limestone, 750-

2350 m.

Distribution:- Endemic Crete and Corsica. Mainly confined to the main massifs.

Flowering time:- (Apr-)May-June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton