Flora-Fauna

Campanula stricta var. libanotica (A. DC.) Boiss.

(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 3, Pl. CLXXXVIII nº 5; 1983)

• Life-form & habit: Perennial with numerous stems arising from a branched rhizome, often suffrutescent at the base. Stems short, ascending or decumbent, densely covered in scabrous or bristly hairs.

• Leaves: Narrower than the type; lower leaves ovate-oblong, slightly acute, tapering into a petiole; upper leaves sessile, semi-amplexicaul, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, acuminate.

• Inflorescence & flowers: Flowers sessile, solitary or in lax spikes, located in axils of upper leaves.

• Calyx: Densely hairy, lobes triangular-oblong, becoming swollen and reticulate at fruiting, enclosing the capsule.

• Corolla: Pale blue, funnel-shaped, velvety, 15–30 mm long.

• Fruit: Capsule enclosed in the calyx.

• Phenology: Flowers from June to October.

• Habitat & elevation: Rocky mountain slopes and open pastures.

• Lebanese distribution: Mm. & Me. Sir, Dimane, Jourd Tannourine, Dimane–Yammouné, ‘Aïn Dahab, Jourd Hasroun, Jabal Barouk, forest of Ehden, Ma‘asser ech-Chouf, Jabal Kneissé, Jabal Sannine, Qala‘at ‘Arrouba, Jisr-el-Hajar, Cèdres de Barouk, Les Cèdres, ‘Aïn el-Qarn, Rijal el-‘Asharah, Col des Cèdres; Ve. ‘Aïnata.

• Native range: Mountains of Turkey, Lebanon, and Hermon.