General Appearance
Herniaria hemistemon J.Gay , it is a perennial, pale-green, herb with woody rootstock. Branches woody, articulate, shortly tomentose, prostrate, spreading to 15 cm. Leaves sessile, opposite, alternate in floral region, elliptic to ovate-oblong, 4-6 x 2-3 mm, moderately crisped hairy on both sides, obtuse; stipules triangular-ovate, c. 1-1.5 mm long, purple-brown, becoming blackish in floral region, ciliate on margins. Inflorescence dense cymose clusters of 6-9 flowers, arranged spicately on younger shoots. Flowers pale-green, sessile, tetramerous, c. 1.6 mm long, perigynous zone uncinate hairy, bracts similar to stipules. Sepals 4, much unequal, outer 2 thick, c. 1 mm long. deltoid-ovate, divergent above, ciliate on margins, hairy externally, inner 2 membranous, oblong, c. half as long as outer, glabrous. Petals absent. Stamens 2, opposite to inner sepals, filaments minute, anthers oval-subglobose, c. 0.25 mm long, yellow. Ovary ovoid, papillose; style absent, stigmas 2, filiform, divergent. Utricle ovoid, c. 1 mm long, enclosed within sepals. Seeds ovoid-suborbicular, c. 0.5-0.7 mm long.
Life Form
Phytochoria
Distribution in Libya
Al-Jafarah Plain: (50 km) from Tripoli, before Sabratah 1975 Sabrata 2008 Sabratha region 2020
Zliten-Misurata Plain: Al-Kararim 1968 Misurata 2008
Benghazi Plain: Slouk-Msus road 2000 Wadi El-Ghattara 2010 Between Slouk and Al-Abiar 2016
Jabal Nafusa: (22 km) W. Khoms 1967 Msallata National Park (Shaafeen) 2013 Tarhuna (Meghawsha, Wlaad Hammad, Zurgan) 2018 Msallata-Garaboulli Province 2020
Al-Jabal Al-Akhder: Wadi Derna 2017
Marmarica Plateau: Reported in Marmarica north-eastern part of Libya by Pampanini 1930 From Tobruk to Egyptian Border 1999 Marmarica (north-eastern part of Libya) 2002
Al-Qibla area: Wadis South of Mizda 2013
Al-Jufra area: (98 km) towards Hun, along the main highwdy from Sebha, wadi Soda, (40 km) from Shoka 1975
Notes
Wild in Libya, in saline and sandy ground.
This species is accepted: https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:434802-1
Link of images: https://www.plantarium.ru/lang/en/page/view/item/51374.html, https://www.floraofqatar.com/herniaria_hemistemon.htm, https://flora.org.il/en/plants/HERHEM/
For more information
https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:434802-1, https://www.ipni.org/n/434802-1, https://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000720683, https://www.gbif.org/species/3594518, https://africanplantdatabase.ch/en/nomen/specie/133829/herniaria-hemistemon-j-gay, https://www.ksanature.com/plants/herniaria_hemistemon/, https://www.plantarium.ru/lang/en/page/view/item/51374.html, https://www.floraofqatar.com/herniaria_hemistemon.htm, https://flora.org.il/en/plants/HERHEM/
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. 28.
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
Al-khojah, H.M., Al-Yafour, L.A., Mahklouf, M.H. (2020) Floristic Study of Selected Districts in Sabratha region Libya. J. of Advanced Botany and Zoology Volume 7/Issue 4 ISSN: 2348-7313. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2s5EMysAAAAJ&hl=ar, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mohammed-Mahklouf
Floristic Study of Selected Districts in Sabratha region 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
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
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
Flora, Vegetation and Human Activities of Wadi Derna. 2017
Raheel, RO. M., El-Borasi, Y. M., El-Barrani, M. W., El-Hassi, S. (2016) Study of Flora and vegetation cover of the semi-desert area between Salouq and Al-Abyar-the first high of Jabal Al-Akhdar-Libya, Fourth Scientific Conference for Environment and Sustainable Development in dry and semi-arid areas. Ajdabia. Libya. (In Arabic) https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yacoub-El-Barasi , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rebeh-Rahil
دراسة الفلورا والغطاء النباتي للمنطقة الشبه صحراوية الممتدة بين مدينتي سلوق والابيار . 2016
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).
El-Rabiai, G.T., Al tira, F.M., Lamlom, S.H. (2010) Preliminary Checklist for the Flora of Wadi El Ghattara in Libya. Garyounis University Press Journal of Science and Its Applications Vol. 4, No. 1, pp 39-47, December 2010. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Wz8jpkIAAAAJ&hl=ar, https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ALTsoucAAAAJ&hl=en, https://journals.uob.edu.ly/index.php/sjuob/issue/view/71
Checklist for the Flora of Wadi El Ghattara in Libya. 2010
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).
El-Yafour, L. A. (2008) Taxonomic study of the vegetation properties of Sabratha city Master Thesis. Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Al-Zawiya University, 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.
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).
Prodr. Fl. Ciren.: 191 (1931). https://bibdigital.rjb.csic.es/records/item/14218-prodromo-della-flora-cirenaica
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