Flora

Apteranthes europaea (Guss.) Murb.

Common Name: Dagmus

Family: Apocynaceae

Flowering Time: Nov-Mar.

General Appearance

Apteranthes europaea (Guss.) Murb. / Homotypic Synonyms: Caralluma europaea (Guss.) N.E.Br. It is a succulent subshrub, stolons long. Aerial stems up to 15 cm, ascending to procumbent, with ± flat faces. Nodes less than 1 cm apart. Leaf sessile, broadly ovate to orbicular, c. 1.5-2.5 x c. 1-2.5 mm, entire, acute. Inflorescence with 10 or more flowers. Pedicel c. 3 mm long. Calyx lobes c. 2 mm long. Corolla 12-17 mm in diameter, rotate, lobes broadly ovate, dirty white with purple bands, or partly or completely purple, ciliate in the central portion and along the margin. Corona c. 4 mm in diameter. Stigma c. 1.5 mm wide, 5 angled. Follicle 10-13 cm x c. 5-6 mm, gradually tapering to a point, glabrous.

Life Form

Phytochoria

MED. The native range of this species is SE. Spain, Sicilia (Linosa, Lampedusa), N. Africa to W. Jordan

Distribution in Libya

Zliten-Misurata Plain:

Kaam area 2005

Benghazi Plain:

Benghazi 1922, 1939

Jabal Nafusa:

Tarhuna, Garian, 1913 Garian 1951 Msallata (Shaafeen) 2008 Msallata National Park (Shaafeen) 2013 Msallata-Garaboulli Province 2020 Gharyan (Sedrores Mountains) 2020

Al-Jabal Al-Akhder:

Derna 1912 W. Derna, near Ain-Sibl 1939 Wadi El-Hussaien, Shahat to Ras El-Hilal, Wadi El-Kouf 1967 Wadi Zaza 2003 Wadi El-Kouf 2014 Valley Jarjr-oma 2013 Wadi Derna 2017 Wadi Al-Kouf 2021

Marmarica Plateau:

Reported in Marmarica north-eastern part of Libya by Pampanini 1930 Omm El-Razem 1933 El Mechili 1934 From Tobruk to Egyptian Border 1999 Marmarica (north-eastern part of Libya) 2002

Notes

Wild in Libya.

Link of images: https://flora.org.il/en/plants/CAREUR/, https://www.teline.fr/en/photos/apocynaceae/apteranthes-europaea, https://floressilvestresdelmediterraneo.blogspot.com/2012/09/asclepiadaceae-caralluma-europaea.html

For more information

https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:94041-1, https://www.ipni.org/n/94041-1, http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000340432, https://www.gbif.org/species/7427485, https://flora.org.il/en/plants/CAREUR/, https://floressilvestresdelmediterraneo.blogspot.com/2012/09/asclepiadaceae-caralluma-europaea.html, https://www.teline.fr/en/photos/apocynaceae/apteranthes-europaea

Bibliographic References

First: Encyclopedia Flora of Libyan:

Ali, S.I. & Jafri, S. M. H. (1977) Flora of Libya, Asclepiadaceae Vol. (9) Department of Botany, Al-Faateh Univ., Tripoli, Libya.

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

Al-Traboulsi, M. & Alaib, M.A. (2021) A Survey of medicinal plants of Wadi Al-Kouf in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar, Libya. NAT. CROAT, VOL. 30. No 2. (389-404), ZAGREB. December 31, 2021. https://hrcak.srce.hr/269442 / https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/390805

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

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://zenodo.org/records/3931997, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sh-Hoob-El-Ahmir, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mohammed-Mahklouf

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

Ab-Aziza, F.B., El–Barasi, Y.M. and Rahil, R.O. (2017) Flora, Vegetation and Human Activities of Wadi Derna-El-Jabal. Research article I Botany l Version 1. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Fatma-Abuaziza, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yacoub-El-Barasi, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rebeh-Rahil

El-Mokasabi, F M. (2014) Floristic Composition and Traditional Uses of Plant Species at Wadi Al-kuf, Al-Jabal Al-Akhder, Libya. American-Eurasian J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 14 (8): 685-697, 2014, ISSN 1818-769,IDOSIPublications,2014DOI:10.5829/idosi.aejaes.2014.14.08.12375. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/441b/23b83960f007044aca94e26f5c6b170fe102.pdf

Abusaief, H. M. A. (2013) Life forms and rangeland for many habitats of Jarjar oma in Al-Jabal Al- Akhdar on Mediterranean Sea. Journal of American Science 2013;9(5) http://www.jofamericanscience.org/journals/am-sci/am0905/029_17747am0905_236_249.pdf

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).

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-Barasi, Y. M., EI-Sherif, l. M. & Gawhari, A. M. H. (2003) Checklist and analysis of the flora and vegetation of Wadi Zaza at AI-Jabal AI Akhdar (Cyrenaica, Libya). Bocconea 16 (2): 1091-1105. 2003. – ISSN 1120-4060. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yacoub-El-Barasi, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ahmed-Gawhari, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281559070_Checklist_and_analysis_of_the_flora_and_vegetation_of_Wadi_Zaza_at_AI-Jabal_AI_Akhdar_Cyrenaica_Libya

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-Habony, A.M. (1999) Vegetation and flora of a sector along Mediterranean cost of Libya from Tobruk to Egyptian border, M.Sc. Thesis, Botany Department-Faculty of Science-Garyounis University, Benghazi, Libya. (in Arabic).