Helianthemum kahiricum  Delile

Common Name: Zefzaf.
Family: Cistaceae

General Appearance

Helianthemum kahiricum Delile , it is a lax, dwarf, subshrub, branching from the base, 14 (15) cm high. Branches terete, usually sprawling, occasionally ascending Leaves somewhat succulent, bluish-green in general appearance, the lowermost opposite, the upper alternate, elliptical, 3-11.5 × 2-5 mm when fully unfolded, with dense, appressed, short, simple, white hairs on both sides, often with stellate and longer forked hairs above and along midrib below. Stipules deltoid, 0.5-0.6 × 0.5-0.6 mm, with dense, appressed, short, white hairs, on both sides. Inflorescence an unbranched, spreading parallel to the ground or ascending, bracteate, one-sided cincinnus, with 5-10 approximate flowers; rachis with dense, simple, appressed, short, white hairs; bracts deltoid, 1.8 × 0.7-1 mm, occasionally 2-lobed, sometimes 2 together below the uppermost flower, with dense, appressed, short, white hairs, on both sides; pedicels 3-5 mm long, slightly upward pointing or horizontal in flower, recurved in fruit due to a slight twist at the base of the pedicel; rachis, bracts and pedicels green flashed red-brown, becoming red-brown in fruit. Flowers twisted in bud, directed towards the ground or laterally, never upwards, chasmogamous, c. 12-15 mm diameter. Calyx green, flashed red-brown, becoming red-brown in fruit; the 2 outer sepals linear lanceolate, 1.7-2.3 × 0.5-0.6 mm, with dense, appressed, short, white hairs, often with stellate as well as with longer simple or forked hairs on both sides; 3 inner sepals imbricate in bud, ovate, boat-shaped, 4.5-5.5 × 2.5-3 mm when fully opened, apex rounded to subacute; nerves 3, one-sided, green to reddish-brown, prominent, the areas between and outside the nerves reticulately veined; indumentum dense, appressed, short, white hairs externally and longer simple or forked hairs along the nerves and the part of each sepal, which is covered by the previous one, sepals glabrous internally. Corolla yellow; petals glabrous, slightly exceeding sepals or equal, obovate, 5.8-6 × 3.3-4 mm, 5-nerved; stamens numerous, filaments 2-2.5 × 0.1 mm, glabrous, anthers oblong, (0.4-) 0.5 × 0.3 mm. Ovary ovoid, sub trigonous, 1.2-1.5 × 0.9 mm, appressed hairy, chiefly above the middle, with glabrous patches below, sometimes hairy all over; style straight, conspicuously protruding above stamens, 2.5-2,7 × 0.2-0.3 mm, glabrous, stigma capitate. Capsule entirely and tightly enclosed within the persistent, acrescent calyx when immature, released from the calyx at maturity, brownish, 3.5-4.3 mm, ellipsoid, sub trigonous to rounded in transverse section, glabrous or thinly hairy in the lower half, with thin to dense, longer, appressed hairs above, the dried stamens attached at the upper half. Seeds 1-1.3 × 0.8-1 mm, flattened, regularly or irregularly ovate, occasionally bluntly angular, subacute at apex; testa brown to dark brown, smooth.

Life Form

Ch

Phytochoria

SA. The native range of this species is S. & E. Medit. to Arabian Peninsula.

Distribution in Libya

Al-Jafarah Plain: Wadi Al-Atal 1976

Zliten-Misurata Plain:  Leptus Megna 2004  Kaam area 2005  Misurata 2006, 2008

Jabal Nafusa:  Gharian 1968  Aboghilan 1969 Gharian, (2 km) before Aboghilan, (25 km) from Nalut to Wazen, Ejwabia, Kabau, (3 km) from Yefren, Jado 1974  (4 km) from Abou Alal, Between Shikshuk and Qassr Al-Haj 1976  Msallata (Shaafeen) 2008  Msallata National Park (Shaafeen) 2013  Tarhuna (Msaaed) 2018  Msallata-Garaboulli Province 2020  Gharyan (Sedrores Mountains) 2020

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

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

Al-Jufra area:  (82 km)from Bu-Njim to Hun 1974  EL-Jufra 2018

First: Encyclopedia Flora of Libyan:

Jafri, S.M.H. & El-Gadi, A. (1977) Flora of Libya, Cistaceae Vol. (48) Department of Botany, Al-Faateh Univ., Tripoli, Libya. Page. 19.

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

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

EL-Barasi,Y.M., Bader, B.M., Barrani. M.W., EL-Hashani, N.M. and Alamrouni, A.O. (2018) Ecological studies on EL-Jufra Desert Depression., https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yacoub-El-Barasihttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/323990883_Ecological_studies_On_EL-Jufra_Desert_Depression

Ecological studies on EL-Jufra Desert Depression. 2018

MahkloufM.H. SherifA.S, BetelmalA. 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

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).

Baayo, Kh. A. (2008): Floristic composition and Phytochorological Analysis of Misratah area, Libya, Assiut Univ.J. of Botany 37(2), P-P. 33-78 (2008).

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-Komati, A. F. (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).

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *