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Common Siderits |
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| Nomenclature |
Species name: |
Sideritis romana L. |
Author(s): |
Carl von Linné;
Sweden, 1707-1778
|
Synonyms: |
Sideritis spathulata, Sideritis approximata, Hesiodia romana |
Common names: |
Simplebeak Ironwort, Common Sideritis |
Maltese names: |
none |
Plant Family: |
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Status: |
Native |
Name Derivation: | Sideritis = Sideros is a greek word for the metallic element Iron and the name is believed to be used for the plant's supposed ability to heal wounds from swords or other iron weapons during battles. (Greek origin)
romana = Related to the Roman empire or the Roman era. (Latin origin) |
Remarks: |
-
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| Specifications & Description |
Life Cycle: | Annual |
Habitat: | Garigue, Valley sides, prefers arid waste/rocky ground. |
Frequency: | Frequent |
Localities in Malta: | Uncommon, but can be frequent in certain sites. Examples include Dingli cliffs, Ghar il-Kbir, Girgenti, Wied Encita, Selmun, Wied Babu, Ta' Cenc (Gozo), Wied Hanzira (Gozo). |
Plant Height: | 8-25cm. |
| Apr - Jun |
Poison: | Data not available |
A
small,
low-growing
herbaceous
plant
with
an
erect
growth
form,
and
ocassionally
forms
few
basal
branches.
The
plant
is
not
woody
and
mostly
covered
with
fairly
long,
shaggy
hairs
(villous
hairs)
especially
at
the
upper
part.
The
leaves
are
also
villous
and
arranged
opposite
and
decussate
(alternating
perpendicularly)
along
stem.
They
are
obovate
to
spathulate
in
shape,
have
pinnate
venation,
and
slightly
dentate
to
crenate
outline;
ocassionally
entire.
Leaves
measure
between
12-20mm
long
by
6-10mm
wide
at
its
broadest
part
and
recurved
downwards.
Flowers
are
arranged
in
equidistant
whorls
around
the
stem
at
the
leaf
nodes.
Some
authors
describe
the
arrangement
as
a
verticillaster
of
3
flowers
per
side
of
stem,
but
since
the
flowers
are
equidistant
from
each
other,
they
can
be
referred
to
as
whorls.
Normally
there
is
a
whorl
of
6
sessile
flowers,
2
of
which
arise
from
the
leaf
axils.
The
calyx
is
a
tubular-
to
bell-shaped
structure
with
5
pointed
teeth
at
the
rim
that
are
in
a
non-perfect
actinomorphic
arrangement
since
the
upper
teeth
is
broader
from
the
rest.
The
calyx,
averagely
7mm
long,
is
highly
villous
and
shows
10
longitudinal
veins.
The
corolla
is
a
2-lipped
tube
mostly
inserted
in
the
calyx,
and
slightly
exceeding
it.
In
other
descriptions,
Siderits
romana
is
said
to
have
white,
cream,
yellow
or
lilac
flowers
but
in
Malta,
the
white
form
predominates.
The
upper
lip
of
the
corolla
is
erect,
uncurved,
thinly
oblong
with
a
rounded
tip
and
not
bifid
(undivided).
The
lower
lip
is
much
more
broad,
rounded,
flattened
and
has
2
small
lateral
lobes
pointing
down.
The
reproductive
organs
are
inconspicuous
since
they
are
included
in
the
corolla,
or
in
other
words,
not
protruding
out
from
the
throat
of
the
corolla.
There
are
4
stamens
arranged
in
2
pairs,
and
a
small
pistil
with
a
very
short
style
at
the
base
inside
the
calyx.
The
fruit
consists
of
4
nutlets
with
rounded
apices.
No
mechanical
seed
dispersion
is
known;
the
small
nutlets
fall
down
from
the
calyx
by
wind
swaying
of
the
stems.
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