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Showing posts with label SWEET ALYSSUM (Lobularia maritima). Show all posts
Showing posts with label SWEET ALYSSUM (Lobularia maritima). Show all posts

Monday, 25 March 2019

25-3-2019 VAL DE ENCANTADA, ALICANTE - SWEET ALYSSUM (Lobularia maritima)


Lobularia maritima (syn. Alyssum maritimum) is a species of low-growing flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae. Its common name is sweet alyssum or sweet Alison, also commonly referred to as just alyssum (from the genus Alyssum in which it was formerly classified).

Lobularia maritima is an annual plant (rarely a short-lived perennial plant) growing to 5–30 cm (2–12 in) tall by 20–30 cm (8–12 in) broad. The stem is very branched, with dense clusters of small flowers. The leaves are 1–4 cm long and 3–5 mm, broad, alternate, sessile, quite hairy, oval to lanceolate, with an entire margin.

The flowers are about 5 millimetres (0.20 in) in diameter, sweet-smelling, with an aroma similar to that of honey, with four white rounded petals (or pink, rose-red, violet. yellow and lilac) and four sepals. The six stamens have yellow anthers. The flowers are produced throughout the growing season, or year-round in areas free of frost. They are pollinated by insects (entomophily) as its sweet honey-like fragrance is attractive to bees, flower flies, stingless wasps and butterflies. The fruits are numerous elongated seedpods rather hairy, oval to rounded, each containing two seeds. The dispersal of seed is affected by the wind (anemochory).