Ortegia hispanica
Ortegia hispanica is the only species of the monotypic genus Ortegia of the family Caryophyllaceae. It is native to Spain.
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Ortegia hispanica | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Caryophyllales |
Family: | Caryophyllaceae |
Genus: | Ortegia |
Species: | O. hispanica |
Binomial name | |
Ortegia hispanica | |
Description
It is a ± glaucous plant, with a woody stalk. Stems up to 30(60) cm high, junciform, erect -rarely spreading-, strongly branched from the base, with rigid, angular branches, often strongly scabridged at the top. Leaves from 5-15(20) x 1-2 mm, shorter than internodes, sessile, entire, achillate, glabrous, often scabrous at margin; scarious stipules, almost setose, swollen basally in a persistent gland, purplish. Flower bracts scarious, linear-lanceolate, with scabrious margin and keel and 2 small purple glands at base. Sepals are 2-2.5(3) mm, ovate-lanceolate, ± acute, keeled and scarious on the keel, greenish, broadly margined scarious, usually sublacinate. Seeds are small, fusiform, honeyed.[1][2]
Distribution and habitat
It is found on uncultivated land, slopes or woody rainfed crops, on sandy, acid, that is, siliceous soils; at an altitude of 300-1500 metres in the central west of the Iberian Peninsula, lacking in coastal areas, and reaches the interior of Galicia and in the south to points of the Sierra Morena; reported as adventitious in Algeria (Mascara) and Italy (Piedmont), it seems to have disappeared from these countries, as it has not been collected for a century and a half; there is a modern collection from the Landes de Gascogne, where it may be a recent introduction.[3]
Taxonomy
Ortegia hispanica was described by Loefl ex L. and published in Species Plantarum 560. 1753.[4]
Cytology
Chromosome number of Ortegia hispanica (Fam. Caryophyllaceae) and infraspecific taxa: 2n=184.[5]
Etymology
- Ortegia: generic name given in honour of Casimiro Gómez Ortega (1741-1818), botanist, apothecary and doctor born in Añover de Tajo (Toledo), he was First Professor, between 1771 and 1801, of the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid.
- hispanica: geographical epithet referring to its location in Hispania.
Synonymy
- Ortega dichotoma L.
- Terogia dichotoma (L.) Raf.[6]
References
- "Ortegia hispanica en Flora Vascular".
- García Muñoz, B. (2004). Plantas de Ávila, mi ciudad (in Spanish). ISBN 84-96264-09-2.
- "Ortegia hispanica". Real Jardín Botánico. Proyecto Anthos. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
- "Ortegia hispanica". Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. October 30, 2013.
- Fernandes, A.; M. T., Leitao (1971). "Contribution à la connaissance cytotaxinomique des spermatophyta du Portugal". Bol. Soc. Brot. ser. III. Caryophyllaceae. 2 (45): 143–176.
- "Ortegia hispanica en PlantList".