Nomenclature

Species name:

Rhodalsine geniculata   (Poiret) Williams

Author(s):

Jean Louis Marie Poiret
   France, 1755-1834
Frederick Newton Williams
   England 1862-1923

General names:

Woody Sandwort
Rhodalsine

Maltese name:

Ramlina Għawdxija
Rodalsine

Plant Family:

Caryophyllaceae   (Pink Family)

Name Derivation:

Rhodalsine = 'Rhodos' means rose colour in greek, while 'alsine' is a greek name given to a genus of plants known as chickweed. Hence the name implies a rose-coloured chickweed. (Greek);
geniculata = Bent sharply, jointed, bent like a knee at a node. (Latin).

Synonyms:

Minuartia geniculata, Alsine procumbens

Plant Description

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Habitat:

Coastal garigues and cliff tops.

Source in Malta:

Locally frequent in Gozo like Ramla l-Hamra, Xlendi and Nadur. Much rarer in Malta.

Plant Height:

Up to 30cm in height.

Flowering Time:

Apr - May

This is a perennial plant with beautiful small pink flowers. It usually grows crawling forming small mats over the areas where it grows. It is usually woody at its base and occasionally it may reach up to 30cm in height but usually grows to a much shorter height. It's stems usually divide into several branches which give the appearance of mats on the ground. The plant is covered with glands and with dense hairs, which makes it particularly sticky to touch.

The leaves are narrow (1cm by 2mm in size) and are usually linear in shape (ends being in parallel to each other). The leaves lie opposite to each other on the stem, in pairs, and are sessile and entire (lack any teeth or lobed margins). Like the branches they are covered with glands and dense hairs. Stipules are absent.

The flowers are hermaphrodite and are Actinomorphic (can be divided into several equal parts). The flowers develop in Cymes. The cymes consist of a central flower (which usually opens first) surrounded by 2 lateral flowers. The cymes develop over the whole length of the stem and not just at its terminal part. The Pedicels may reach up to 2cm in length but are usually much less. The Sepals are up to 4mm in size and are usually oblong in shape with a rounded apex, and have a wide dry skin-like edge (which is called scarious), which makes a strong contrast with the sepal's brownish colour, and usually lack veins. The sepals are free usually. The Petals are pink in colour and may be up to 5mm in size. They are just slightly longer than the sepals. They are described as Obdiplostemonous: there are double the amount of stamens as petals, and the outer stamens lie opposite the petals. So, there are 10 stamens and 5 petals & sepals. The ovary lies superior to the petals and there are several stigmas (but less than 5).

The Capsule is as long as the sepals. This usually has several teeth which are the same number as those of the styles. Seeds are usually 1mm in size with a wrinkled margin.

This species is a member of a family with many genera having a similar appearance. The larger pink petals being of the same size as the sepals distinguish it from members of the species Minuartia. The absence of stipules and the woody trunk, distinguish it with great difficulty from members of the genus Spergularia.

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