Tewm Irqiq?

Post by **MWP admin** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 10:48 pm

There are tiny flowers like these born on slender stems. One can find them as pale rose, lilac or intense purple as this specimen.

What is it?

Are all variable colours coming from teh same species?

I know I can check on my sources, and that I am abusing from your memory and iat the same time give chance to jack to mention his new book.

TNX in advance
Busy MWP

Sdravko · Post by **Sdravko** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 3:09 pm

That is Asperula. There are 2 species in Malta, A cynanchica (common, corolla lobes more than half as long as tube) and A. aristata (rare, corolla lobes less than half as long as tube). What's confusing me is that flowers of both types occur on the same plant, even in the same cluster.

Post by **MWP admin** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 3:33 pm

Yes the genus is Asperula - thanks YOU for that Stravko. As you pointed out well, the 2 specimen are distinguished from corolla tube vs Corollo lobes measurments.

I would say that the pic is inconclusive to determine this, since there is no flower detail sideways.

I try and search the archive of 10,000 photos for other photos of it and post it up.

wolf · Post by **wolf** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 7:14 pm

tewm irqiq ta malta is as small or even smaller than asperula and very different whitish/pink upright flower ( jack will correct me if i am wrong ) it will appear later ( end of may-june ) very small plant and flower and easily overlokked
last year i found it at wied rini garigue and wied ghomor ( i think it is called ) near ghemieri palace outside rabat

wolf

Post by **MWP admin** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 8:34 pm

Thanks Wolf, I know you and most others say this from your memory (without going into lot of hassle searching here and there) so I abuse from this kindness on the forum. I could have checked all this myself actually, but I am busy a demotivated due the fact that a transfer I requested from work was in a non-plant section (I apllied for a plant section!) and not very happy there. People are nice but microbiology on meat samples is not my knife and butter

I found this last January. The tube seems to be 1-2 times longer but not certain. The other 3 photos that I found of this particular specimen are more or less the same.

Now that the genus has been told, I will make some research unless Jack knows it already.

jackpot · Post by **jackpot** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 4:17 pm

Very difficult thing: At first view all plants appear to be very similar, but Asperula species are very variable, especially with regard to the shape and size of the corolla tube, which in Asperula cynanchica, is 1-2 times as long as the 4 (petal-) lobes at the top. In very similar plants the corolla tube is 2-3 times as long (or more) as the petal lobes. Fiori named those plants as Asperula cynanchica L. var. aristata Due to the fact that the Maltese plants lack the small lanceolate-linear, acute bracts of the flowers, which are much longer than the ovary I name the plants Asperula cynanchica agg.