SPECIES DESCRIPTION
MICROMERIA NERVOSA
Family and Genus:- See- LABIATAE
Common Names:- None
Homotypic Synonyms:- Clinopodium nervosum, Satureja graeca subsp.
nervosa, Satureja nervosa
Meaning:- Micromeria (Gr) Small-parts, reference to the small flowers.
Nervosa (L) With prominent nerves or veins.
General description:- Dwarf shrub.
Stems:-
1) 10-40(-50) cm. Many, erect or ascending, more or less simple, deflexed-
puberulent.
Leaves:-
1) 7-10 x 4-5 mm,
2) Cauline, ovate, with conspicuous lateral veins.
a) Lower, oval to narrow, parallel-sided to lance-shaped.
b) Upper, oval to triangular, margins revolute, untoothed.
Flower:-
1) Verticillasters, with 4-20 flowers, fairly dense, shortly pedunculate, about
equalling subtending leaves.
2) Pedicels, less than ½ as long as the calyx.
3) Calyx, 3-4 mm, with long, dense patent hairs, villous in the throat, teeth c. 2/3 as
long as the tube, lanceolate-subulate, unequal.
4) Corolla, 4-6 mm, purplish.
Fruit:-
1) Nutlets, obtuse (rarely obtuse and apiculate).
Key features:-
1) Cauline leaves, with conspicuous lateral veins.
2) Verticillasters, rather lax, with peduncles of cymes half as long as floral leaves .
3) Nutlets, obtuse (rarely obtuse and apiculate).
4) Calyx, villous with long, dense, patent hairs more than 0·5 mm. the rest of the
plant sparsely or more shortly and always much less conspicuously hairy.
5) At least some leaves more than 6 mm.
Habitat:- Open dry shrubby vegetation and low scrubland vegetation, rocky coastal
flats, generally on limestone. 0-1200 m.
Distribution:- Balearic Is., Italy, Sicily, Greece, Crete and the E. Mediterranean,
including Cyprus. Widespread and common on Crete.
Flowering time:- Late Mar to early June.
Photos by:- Steve Lenton
