NEATOSTEMA APULUM

Family and Genus:- See- BORAGINACEAE

Common Names:- Yellow cromwell

Homotypic Synonyms:- Lithospermum apulum, Margarospermum apulum,

Myosotis apula, Rhytispermum apulum.

Meaning:- Neatostema. Meaning unknown.

Apulum (L) From Apulia, S. Italy.

General description:- Low to short annual, with a solitary or many erect, rather

bristly stems, branched above.

Stems:-

1) 3-30 cm, solitary to many, erect, hispid, corymbosel.

Leaves:-

1) Up to 7 x 0·5 cm, alternate, setose, mainly on the margins, with only one

protruding vein.

2) Cauline, linear or oblong-linear, erect, sessile, acute; the basal linear to oblong-

spatulate gradually narrowing into a petiole.

Flower:-

1) Cymes, symmetrical radially, dense.

2) Calyx, 3·5-4 mm.

a) lobes, linear, acute, hispid outside, tomentose inside, triangular in fruit.

3) Corolla, 6-6·5 mm.

a) tube, slightly exceeding the calyx.

b) lobes, of the limb glandular-puberulent on both surfaces.

4) Style, 0·25-0·5 mm.

Fruit:-

1) Nutlets, 1·5-1·75 mm. subtetrahedral, contracted at the beak, flat dorsally.

keeled ventrally, verruculose, pale brown.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Dry open habitats, cultivated and fallow fields, rocky and stony slopes,

roadsides. 0-1100 m.

Distribution:- Throughout greece, but rare in the west - Mediterranean region,

eastwards to syria and Iraq. Widespread and common on Crete.

Flowering time:- Feb-June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton