Family |
Rubiaceae
Plocama calabrica
(L.f.) M.Backlund & Thulin
Plocama calabrica (L.f.) M.Backlund & Thulin
First published in Taxon 56: 516 (2007).
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 3, p. 292, Pl. CXLVIII, 3; 1983)
Description
Life-form & habit: Subshrub with a short, prostrate woody base and many ascending or erect branches, 20–50 cm long, covered with minute papillae. It darkens on drying and has an unpleasant smell when crushed.
Leaves: Opposite, oblong-lanceolate and blunt, narrowing into short stalks; margins are more or less rolled under. Veins beneath bear minute papillae. Stipules are short and united; leafy clusters often arise in the axils.
Inflorescence & flowers: Terminal clusters of usually 6–12 nearly stalkless pink flowers. The calyx has four short teeth. The long corolla tube greatly exceeds it, widening slightly into a small, four-lobed limb.
Fruit: Oval red berry.
Flowering and habitat
Phenology: Flowering May–June.
Habitat & elevation: Rocks.
Distribution
Lebanese distribution: Nahr el Kelb, Broummana, Bhamdoun, Chemlan, Abey, Mchatta, Chahtoul road, Bteter, Hammana, Souk el Gharb, above Antelias, Sofar, Ghazir, Bcharre, the Cedars, Bazoun, Ehden, Baskinta, Ain Sindiane, Beit Mounzer, Kneisse, Zahle, Aytanit and Sannine.
Syrian distribution: Massiaf, Jaoubat Bourghal, Nahr el Kebir, Kessab and Qalaat el Hosn.
Native range: Albania, Algeria, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Greece, Iraq, Italy, Kriti, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Morocco, NW. Balkan Pen., Palestine, Sicilia, Spain, Tunisia, Türkiye.
⚠️ Taxonomic note:
Mouterde treats this plant under Putoria calabrica and cites Asperula calabrica L.f. Kew accepts both names as synonyms of Plocama calabrica; its author citation for Putoria calabrica is (L.f.) DC.