Flora

Pergularia tomentosa L.

Common Name: Sellakha.

Family: Apocynaceae

Flowering Time: Feb-Apr.

General Appearance

Pergularia tomentosa L., it is a scrambling subshrub, with milky juice, the branches covered with denseash-coloured pubescence coloured pubescence. Leaves 1.5-3.5 x 1·3 cm, cordate, pubescent to sub glabrous above, pubescent or velvety below, petiole 4-12 mm long. Flowers in umbellate cyme, peduncle solitary at nodes, between the petioles, 1-2 cm long. Pedicel 1.0-2.5 cm long. Calyx glandular within, sepals c. 2.5-3.5 mm long, pubescent. Corolla dull white tinged with pink, c. 7.5-10 mm long, tube c. 2.5 mm long, lobes c. 7 mm long, hairy outside. Follicle 5-7.5 x 1.2-1.3 cm, tapering towards the apex, softly echinulate.

Life Form

Phytochoria

SS+SZ. The native range of this species is Sahara to India (Gujarat).

Distribution in Libya

Zliten-Misurata Plain:

Misurata (Sassu Valley) 2016

Sirte Plains:

Uadi el-Gazal 1934 (46 km) form Al-Buyrat 1939 Gulf of Sirte, (5km) S. of Bugrain 1970

Marmarica Plateau:

Marmarica (north-eastern part of Libya) 2002

Al-Qibla area:

Wadi Nesma region 2009 Wadis South of Mizda 2013

Al-Jufra area:

S.W. Gebal Harouj 1972 (10 km) from Washka to Hun 1973 (2 km) from Washka, Wadi Zaggar 1975 EL-Harouge mountain 2012 EL-Jufra 2018

Al-Wahat area:

Jebel Zelten 1963

Fezzan area:

Wadi Al-Agial, Sebha to Ubari 1932

Wow-Al-Namus, Wow-Al-Kabeer:

Gebel Bin Ghunaymah W. Wau El-Kabir, Gebel Eghei, Wadi Oyouroum 1970

Ghat area:

Uweinat 1930 Ghat (Between Acacus and Tassili Mountains) 2004 Wadi Tanezzuft 2012

Jabal Al-Uwinat:

Gebel Uweinat, Karkur Ibrahim 1968 Jabal Al-Uweinat region 2008

Notes

Wild in Libya, medicinal plant.

Link of images: https://www.teline.fr/en/photos/apocynaceae/pergularia-tomentosa, https://flora.org.il/en/plants/PERTOM/

For more information

https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:100411-1, https://www.ipni.org/n/100411-1, http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000392092, https://www.gbif.org/species/7877996, https://www.teline.fr/en/photos/apocynaceae/pergularia-tomentosa, https://flora.org.il/en/plants/PERTOM,/ https://www.jircas.go.jp/project/africa_dojo/FakaraPlants/Contents/Species_pages/Pergutom.html https://flora.org.il/en/plants/PERTOM/, https://eol.org/pages/2900389, https://uses.plantnet-project.org/en/Pergularia_tomentosa_(PROTA)

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:

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-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-Barasi, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323990883_Ecological_studies_On_EL-Jufra_Desert_Depression

Aljarroushi, M.M. & Almedham, K. E. (2016) Geographical distribution and Life form of plants in Sassu Valley, Misurata area, Libya. Al-satil Vol. 10 No. 15 March 2016. (In Arabic) https://search.mandumah.com/Record/813441

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-Barasi, Y.M. & Barrani, M.W. (2012) Factors affecting natural vegetation on EL-Harouge Mountain, Central part of Libyan Desert (Sahara). Bocconea 24: 199-211. 2012. -ISSN 1120-4060. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yacoub-El-Barasi, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Manam-Saaed-2

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

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).

Alzwai, A.M.H. (2008) A study of the vegetation covers of the Jabal Al-Uweinat region in Libya. Master Thesis – Botany Department – College of Science – Garyounis University – Libya. (In Arabic).

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).

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).