Family |
Boraginaceae
Onosma caerulescens
Boiss.
Onosma caerulescens Boiss.
(First published in Diagn. Pl. Orient. ser. 1, 11: 110, 1849; Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 3, p. 72; 1983)
• Life-form & habit: Perennial, pluricaule, 10–30 cm tall, canescent, covered with stellate hairs and dense short setae. Stems floriferous, ending in 1–3 capituliform cymes, only slightly elongating in fruit.
• Leaves: Basal leaves oblong-spatulate, attenuate into a short petiole, obtuse; cauline leaves progressively smaller, sessile.
• Inflorescence & flowers: Cymes 1–3, terminal, capituliform. Calyx long-hispid with white hairs, lobes long, narrowly linear. Corolla glabrous, white becoming rapidly blue, narrowly cylindrical, scarcely widened at apex, about one quarter longer than calyx, with triangular revolute teeth.
• Fruits: Nutlets of medium size, oblong-triquetrous, acute, very smooth and shining.
• Phenology: May–July depending on altitude.
• Habitat & elevation: Rocky slopes, especially in higher mountains.
• Lebanese distribution: Reported between Rachaya and Damascus (Boiss.), Mrouj, Jabal Kneissé, Col des Cèdres (?), Hermon, Baalbeck, Fakiyé.
• Syrian distribution: Anti-Lebanon (Bloudane, Jabal Abou-Haoua, S. d’Houreiré, Jabal Charki).
• Native range: Southern Turkey, Syria, Lebanon