Family |
Asphodelaceae
Asphodeline taurica
(Pall. ex M.Bieb.) Endl.
Asphodeline taurica (Pall.) Kunth
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 1, Pl. LXV nº 4; 1966)
Life-form & habit: Robust perennial with a short, often oblique rhizome emitting slender cylindrical fibers. Stems 30–60 cm tall, entirely lined with linear-triquetrous leaves.
Leaves: Triquetrous, embracing the stem with a brown, hyaline, scarious sheath.
Inflorescence & flowers: Spiciform, densely packed with numerous scarious, acute bracts enveloping the flowers. Floral pedicels erect, short, articulated at the base, lower ones often grouped by 2 or 3.
Perianth: White; tepals linear-spatulate with a brownish midrib. Filaments strongly unequal.
Fruit: Oval capsule with faintly rugose valves. Seeds with three furrows, tuberculate on the sides.
Phenology: Flowers from May to July.
Habitat & elevation: High mountain habitats.
Lebanese distribution: Me. Makmel, Qornet el-‘Achara, Qornet es-Saouda; S. A.L. Harf Ram el-Kabch, Tala‘at Moussa, Birket el-Foukhté, Jabal Abou-l-Haoua.
Native range: East mediterranean to Caucasus (KEW, GBIF)