Flora

Caroxylon vermiculatum (L.) Akhani & Roalson

Common Name: ——-

Family: Amaranthaceae

Flowering Time: Almost the year

General Appearance

Caroxylon vermiculatum (L.) Akhani & Roalson / Homotypic Synonyms: Salsola vermiculata L., it is a subshrub or shrub small, greyish, much-branched shrub ranging in height from 25 to 100 cm. The branches themselves branch repeatedly and are wiry and woody at the base. The leaves are tiny and scale-like, clasping the stem and covered with minute hairs. Flowers ⚥ solitary in the axils of the bracts in inflorescences (spikes or panicles) at the top of the branches. Bracts similar to leaves decreasing in size towards the apex of the branches. Bracteoles 2, ovate to broadly lanceolate. Perigonium with 5 tepals, on whose abaxial side a kind of membranous wing characteristic of reddish color develops in fruiting. 5 stamens with 2-4 mm long ribbon-like filaments, oblong anthers. Globose ovaries with 2 erect or curved stigmas, adaxially papillose. The fruit is a globose achene or utricle with a membranous pericarp.

Life Form

Phytochoria

SA+SZ+IT. The native range of this species is Canary Islands, Medit. to W. Iran, Sahara & Sahel.

Distribution in Libya

Al-Jafarah Plain:

Zwara 1975

Zliten-Misurata Plain:

Leptus Megna 2004 Kaam area 2005

Sirte Plains:

Near Al-Sedra 1977

Benghazi Plain:

Bengazi 1977 Beach sand dunes in Karkurah 2021

Marmarica Plateau:

Reported in Marmarica north-eastern part of Libya by Pampanini 1930 (2 km) after Al-Tamimi to Tobruk 1975 (2 km) from Al-Tamimi (60 km) befor Tobruk 1977

Al-Qibla area:

Wadis South of Mizda 2013

Al-Jufra area:

Zella 2008

Notes

Wild in Libya, a desert species.

For more information

https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77089168-1, https://www.ipni.org/n/77089168-1, https://africanplantdatabase.ch/en/nomen/specie/226987/caroxylon-vermiculatum-l-akhani-roalson, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi, https://endemicascanarias.com/es/allcategories-es-es/nativas/caroxylon-vermiculatum, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caroxylon_vermiculatum, http://www.africanplants.senckenberg.de/root/index.php?page_id=78&id=8809, https://www.actaplantarum.org/flora/flora_info.php?id=500524, https://www.florandalucia.es/index.php/caroxylon-vermiculatum, https://www.biodiversidadcanarias.es/biota/especie/F00274, https://dryades.units.it/floritaly/index.php?procedure=taxon_page&tipo=all&id=524

Bibliographic References

First: Encyclopedia Flora of Libyan:

Jafri, S. M. H. & El-Gadi, A. (1978) Flora of Libya, Chenopodiaceae Vol. (58) Department of Botany, Al-Faateh Univ., Tripoli, Libya.

Second: Researches and PhD theses, master theses, Sorted by Newest:

Alteerah, M.A., El-Barasi, Y.M., Ali Alwerfally, A. (2021) Vegetation cover composition and seed bank study of beach sand dunes in Karkurah coastal area, east of Libya. Sustainability, Agri, Food and Environmental Research. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Munay-Alteerah, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yacoub-El-Barasi

Mohamed, F.J. (2013) A Taxonomic Study of Wadis Flora South of Mizda at the intersections with Mizda-Sebha Highway. Master Thesis. Department of Botany-Faculty of Science-Sebha University. Libya. (In Arabic)

Baayo, Kh. A. (2008) Floristic composition of Sahara Area in Libya. Catrina (2008), 3(3):37-53.

https://cat.journals.ekb.eg/article_18541_f0ebe9187acd58ae16701b93a9bf9cc2.pdf

Al-Shif, N. S. (2005) a taxonomic study of the plants of the Kaam region. Master Thesis, College of Science, Al-Marqab University, Al-Khums, Libya. (In Arabic)

El-Komati, Amani Farag. (2004) Medicinal plants in the Shapiat of Marqab, their distribution, classification and importance. Master Thesis. Biology Department- Faculty of Science-Al-Marqab University. Al-Khums. Libya. (In Arabic)