Limonium insigne—commonly known as "purple sea-lavender," "pink sea-lavender," or "salt-marsh sea-lavender"—is a perennial, halophytic (salt-tolerant) plant belonging to the Plumbaginaceae family. It is endemic to the southeastern Iberian Peninsula.
Key Characteristics
• Habit and height: A perennial, multi-stemmed plant reaching 60–100 cm in height, with branched stems that are generally leafless (lacking leaves on the flowering stalks).
• Leaves: Arranged in a basal rosette, these petiolate leaves are obovate, spatulate, or cuneiform in shape (30–90 mm long) and typically wither and fall off during the flowering period.
• Inflorescence and flowering: The plant features a dichotomously branched panicle with numerous sterile branches. The flowers are pentamerous (having parts in multiples of five) and possess a persistent, scarious (dry and papery) calyx that is pink, purple, or dark violet. It typically blooms between late winter and June (March–June).
• Fruit: A monospermous capsule (containing a single seed).
