Family |
Asphodelaceae
Asphodelus ramosus
L.
Asphodelus ramosus L.
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 1, Pl. LXV nº 1; 1966)
Life-form & habit: Perennial with a short rhizome and fasciculate, tuberous roots. Scapiform flowering stems erect, aphyllous, up to 1 m tall and over 1 cm thick, solid.
Leaves: All basal, glaucescent or glaucous, glabrous, smooth, broadly linear, long-attenuate at apex.
Inflorescence & flowers: Panicle generally with numerous spreading-erect branches. Flowers solitary in the axils of membranous, ovate bracts prolonged into a long cusp. Floral pedicel 6–8 mm, slightly thickened and erect, reaching 10–12 mm in fruit, articulated. Tepals equal, lanceolate, obtuse, white with a purple median vein, free. Stamens shorter than the perianth.
Fruit: Hexagonal, coriaceous capsule.
Phenology: Flowers from January to June.
Habitat & elevation: Woods, fields, and especially overgrazed land; unpalatable and often dominant in degraded habitats.
Lebanese distribution: Ct. Tyr, Beirut, Khaldé, Tripoli; Mi. ‘Abey, ‘Aley, Chemlan, Bikfaya, Rayfoun; Mm. Cedars.
Syrian distribution: Aleppo, Tell Qpuleib, Mayssaloun.
Native range: Albania, Algeria, Baleares, Canary Is., Corse, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Egypt, France, Greece, Iraq, Italy, Kriti, Lebanon, Syria, Libya, Morocco, NW. Balkan Pen., Palestine, Portugal, Sardegna, Sicilia, Sinai, Spain, Tunisia, Türkey