Polycarpaea repens  (Forssk.) Asch. & Schweinf. 

Common Name: Somfya.
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Flowering Time: Feb-Jun.

General Appearance

Polycarpaea repens (Forssk.) Asch. & Schweinf., it is a perennial, ± villous, spreading to sub erect, up to 25 cm tall, dichotomously branched shrublet. Leaves sessile, opposite to pseudoverticillate, linear-oblong to lanceolate, 6-12 x 1-2 mm, attenuate at the base, revolute on margins, mucronate at the apex, glabrescent: stipules scarious white, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, 3-4 x c. 1.5-2 mm long, acuminate, glabrous. Inflorescence dense, panicled dichasial cymes. Flowers whitish, c. 5 mm across; bracts similar to stipules, mucronate to aristate, smaller than flowers. Sepals 5, broadly ovate, c. 2 x 1.5 mm, median pan green with broad membranous white margins. acuminate. Petals 5, lanceolate, c. half as long as sepals, white. Stamens 5, filaments filiform, slightly shorter than and alternate with petals; anthers ovoid-oblong, c. 0.5 mm long. Ovary ovoid, glabrous; style 3-lobed with capitate stigmas. Capsule ovoid-conical, yellowish-brown, c. 1.5 mm long, enclosed by persistent sepals. Seeds obovoid-oblong, less than 1 mm long, slightly compressed.

Life Form

H

Phytochoria

SA+SZ+IT. The native range of this species is Sahara to Pakistan.

Distribution in Libya

Cyrenaica: Reported from Cyrenaica by Pampini, Corti and Maire

Al-Qibla area:  Reported from Bin Ulid, bir Tininai by Pampini, Corti and Maire  Wadis South of Mizda 2013

Al-Jufra area:  Reported Gebel Soda by Pampini, Corti and Maire

Fezzan area:  Reported from Brak, Wadi Zigza by Keith

Ghat area:   Ghat (Between Acacus and Tassili Mountains) 2004 Wadi Tanezzuft 2012

First: Encyclopedia Flora of Libyan:

Jafri, S.M.H. & El-Gadi, A. (1978) Flora of Libya, Caryophyllaceae Vol. (59) Department of Botany, Al-Faateh Univ., Tripoli, Libya. Page. 27.

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

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).

Mukassabi, T.A, Ahmidat, G., Sherif, I.M., ELMogasapi, A. (2012) Checklist and life forms of plant species in contrasting climatic zones of Libya. Biological Diversity and Conservation – 5 / 3 (2012) https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/biodicon/issue/55888/765799,  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259357995_Checklist_and_life_forms_of_plant_species_in_contrasting_climatic_zones_of_Libya

Checklist and life forms of plant species in contrasting climatic zones of Libya. 2012

Ahmidat, Gh. (2004) Study of the vegetation cover of the area between the Acacus Mountains and the Tassili Mountains (Ghat). Master Thesis. Department of Botany.College of Science. Sebha University. Libya. (In Arabic).

PAMPANINI, R. (1931). Prodromo della Flora Cirenaica. -: 187 – under: Polycarpaea fragilis Delile https://bibdigital.rjb.csic.es/records/item/14218-prodromo-della-flora-cirenaica

PAMPANINI, R. (1914). Piantae Tripolitanae, ab auctore anno 1913 […] – Firenze: 76 – under: Polycarpaea fragilis Delile

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