Flora

Gymnocarpos decander Forssk.

Common Name: Ghard.

Family: Caryophyllaceae

Flowering Time: Feb-May.

General Appearance

Gymnocarpos decander Forssk., it is a subshrub, woody, sub erect to erect, up to 50 cm tall undershrub, with ash grey, much entangled branches. Leaves subtercte to terete, 8-18 x c. 2 mm, entire, obtuse, mucronate, glabrous; stipules interpetiolar, scarious, triangular-ovate, c, 1.5 mm long, with ciliate margins. Inflorescence a cluster of 5-15 flowers in dichasial cymes. Flowers sessile, e. 6-8 mm long, c. 4 mm across; receptacle vase shaped, c. 2.5 mm long, hairy; bracts linear-subulate, c. 3 mm long, mucronate, never scarious. Sepals oblong, c. 3-4 mm long, dark brown or blood-red within, with membranous margins, cucullate at the apex, with a bunch of hairs around awn on hood, the rest glabrous. Petals subulate filiform, c. 1-1.5 mm long, acute, whitish brown. Stamens c. 2.5 mm long, with oblong, dorsifixed, yellow anthers. Ovary slightly fused with the receptacle, papillose; style c. as long as sepals. Utricle enclosed by persistent sepals. Seed oblong-reniform, compressed.

Life Form

Phytochoria

SA+IT. The native range of this species is Canary Islands to W. Pakistan.

Distribution in Libya

Al-Jafarah Plain: Wadi Al-Atal, roadside sand 1972

Zliten-Misurata Plain: Kaam area 2005 Wadi Kaam (Estuary) 2022

Benghazi Plain: Slouk-Msus road 2000 Ajdabia (Al-Bedan) 2017

Jabal Nafusa: Gebel Nafousa, Aboghilan, (4 km) W. of Ain Zarga 1970 Aboghilan 1976 (2 km before Gharian, limestone hills. stony slope, Tagma, (5,6 km) from Yefren, Al Awenia, Ain El Rumia 1974 Nera Wadi Malah, (3 km) from Nalut, (22 km) from Nalut 1975 Gharian, (37 km) from Kaleba to Mizda 1976 Msallata (Shaafeen) 2008 Msallata National Park (Shaafeen) 2013 Wadi Kaam 2017 Al-Assaba 2018 Tarhuna (Meghawsha, Msabha, Terghlat, Whedat) 2018 Msallata-Garaboulli Province 2020 Gharyan (Sedrores Mountains) 2020 Wadi Kaam (Dam & lake, Main course, Headwaters) 2022

Marmarica Plateau: Reported in Marmarica north-eastern part of Libya by Pampanini 1930 Marmarica (north-eastern part of Libya) 2002

Al-Qibla area: Wadi Nesma region 2009 Wadis South of Mizda 2013

Notes

Wild in Libya. The young shoots are grazed by camels and goats and the plant looks like a distorted browsed shrub. It is an indicator of shallow soils and grows most commonly in calcareous hillocks.

This species is accepted: https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:434754-1

Link of images: https://www.teline.fr/en/photos/caryophyllaceae/gymnocarpos-decander, https://www.plantarium.ru/lang/en/page/view/item/48338.html, https://www.gbif.org/species/7602630, https://atlas-sahara.org/Caryophyllaceae/Gymnocarpos%20decandrus/Gymnocarpos%20decandrus.html

For more information

https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:434754-1, https://www.ipni.org/n/434754-1, https://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0001264156, https://www.gbif.org/species/7602630, https://africanplantdatabase.ch/en/nomen/specie/13845/gymnocarpos-decandrus-forssk, https://www.plantarium.ru/lang/en/page/view/item/48338.html, https://www.teline.fr/en/photos/caryophyllaceae/gymnocarpos-decander, https://atlas-sahara.org/Caryophyllaceae/Gymnocarpos%20decandrus/Gymnocarpos%20decandrus.html, https://www.biodiversidadcanarias.es/biota/especie/F00162, https://flora.org.il/en/plants/GYMDEC/, https://www.florealpes.com/fiche_gymnocarposdecandrus.php, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317242695_New_Constituents_from_Gymnocarpos_decander

Bibliographic References

First: Encyclopedia Flora of Libyan:

Jafri, S.M.H. & El-Gadi, A. (1977) Flora of Libya, Illecebraceae Vol. (37) Department of Botany, Al-Faateh Univ., Tripoli, Libya. Page. 7.

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

Almushghub, F., Ahmed, D., Sharaf El-Din, A., Shaltout, k. (2022) Vegetation analysis of Wadi Kaam at northwest Libya. Journal of Basic and Environmental Sciences, 9 (2022) 20-37. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357516127_Vegetation_analysis_of_Wadi_Kaam_at_northwest_Libya, https://jbes.journals.ekb.eg/article_372060_558ee8095e2cf97881a8a3cc705aa126.pdf

Vegetation analysis of Wadi Kaam at northwest Libya.2022

Saaed, M.W.B., EL-Barasi, Y.M. & Rahil, R.O. (2021) An updated checklist and quantitative analysis of the Marmarica Plateau flora, in the north-eastern part of Libya. Phytotaxa 509 (1): 001-055. https://phytotaxa.mapress.com/pt/article/view/phytotaxa.509.1.1

An-updated-checklist-and-quantitative-analysis-of-the-Marmarica-Plateau-flora-مضغوط

El-Ahmir, S.M., Mahklouf, M.H., Shanta, M.B., Abo-Jaafer, H.A. (2020) Floristic Study of Sedrores Mountains in Gharyan District-Libya. J. of Advanced Botany and Zoology. Volume 8 / Issue 1. ISSN: 2348-7313. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sh-Hoob-El-Ahmir, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mohammed-Mahklouf

Floristic Study of Sedrores Mountains in Gharyan District – Libya. 2020

Mahklouf, M.H., Sherif, A.S., Betelmal, A.G. (2020) Floristic Study and Species Diversity of Msallata-Garaboulli Province in Libya. J. of Advanced Botany and Zoology Volume 7 / Issue 3 ISSN: 2348-7313. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mohammed-Mahklouf, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341306643_Floristic_Study_and_Species_Diverisy_of_Msallata-Garaboulli_Province_in_Libya

Floristic Study and Species Diverisy of Msallata-Garaboulli Province. 2020

Al-Dayek, J.H. G. (2018) Inventory of the perennial and prevalent vegetation cover in the Al-Assaba mountain region. The fifth Scientific Conference of Environment and Sustainable Development in the Arid and Semi-Arid Regions (ICESD) – From 23-25. July-2018. Ajdabiya-Libya. (In Arabic).

Mahklouf, M.H. Sherif, A.S, Betelmal, A. G. (2018) Floristic Study for Tarhuna-Libya. Hacettepe J. Biol. & Chem, 2018, 46 (3), 337-364. http://www.hjbc.hacettepe.edu.tr/journal/volume-46/issue-3/floristic-study-for-tarhuna-libya/index.html

Floristic Study for Tarhuna–Libya. 2018

Bahri, N.M. (2017) Identify, Limit and Determine the Vegetation Types of Wadi Ka’am Areas, Libya. Journal of Marine Sciences and Environmental Technologies-Volume (3) -Issue (2) (In Arabic) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371282756_altrf_ly_alanwa_alnbatyt_lmnatq_wady_kam_whsrha_wthdyd_ashkal_nmwha

التعرف على الانواع النباتية لمناطق وادي كعام وحصرها وتحديد أشكال نموها. 2017 .

Bou-Gharsa, Saleh, A. & Al Sheikhi, S. K. (2017) A study on the diversity of vegetation covers in El-Beidan and El-Glidaya protected areas in Ajdabiya. Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering JESE, VOL. 1. (In Arabic) https://www.researchgate.net/profile/salh-alshykhy, https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/salh-tyt-bwghrst-2320557670, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343934906_drast_hwl_tnw_alghta_alnbaty_bmhmyty_albydan_w_aljlydayh_bmdynt_ajdabya

دراسة حول تنوع الغطاء النباتي بمحميتي البيضان والجليداية بمدينة اجدابيا. 2017

Al-Masalati, N. A. A. (2013) Plant diversity across the altitudes of the Msallata National Park Reserve Mountains. Master Thesis. Botany Department-College of Science-University of Benghazi-Libya. (In Arabic).

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).

Bahri, N.M. (2009) Study of the vegetation covers of Wadi Nesma region, northwest of Libya. Master Thesis, Department of Botany, College of Science, Sebha University, Libya. (In Arabic).

Mohammed, S.A.H. (2008) A taxonomic and ecological study of the plants of the Shaafin Reserve in Masalatah. Master Thesis. Department of Biology-Faculty of Arts and Sciences-Al-Mirqab University. Al-Khums. Libya. (In Arabic).

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-Shaary M.S. (2002). The Natural Vegetation in Marmarica plateau (North-eastern Libya). First ed. Tobruk (Libya): Published by the local Authority. (In Arabic).

El-Kady, H.F. (2000) Vegetation analysis along Sluk-Msus Road in southeastern Benghazi, Libya, El-Minia Scienve Bulletin, Volum. 13(1), pp.61-71. 2000.