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| MaltaWildPlants.com by Stephen Mifsud |
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Achyranthes sicula (Devil's horsewhip) |
Achyranthes sicula (AMARANTHACEAE.)
Images for this profile are taken from the Maltese Islands at or after year 2000. |
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| Nomenclature and Basic Information |
Species name : |
Achyranthes sicula(L.) Allioni
Published in Mélang. Philos. Math. Soc. Roy. Turin (Misc. Taur.) 5: 93 (1774) | Synonyms : |
Basionym or principal synonym:
Achyranthes aspera var. sicula
L.
Full list of synonyms :
[ Euro+Med ]
[ PlantList ]
[ IPNI ]
[ Catalogue of Life ]
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Plant Family : | Amaranthaceae The Amaranth Family 42 Amaranthaceae species recorded from Malta.
Juss. | English name(s) : | Devil's horsewhip, Prickly chaff flower | Maltese name(s) : | Maltese name not known | Status for Malta : | Naturalised alien species that was introduced in Malta during the last 520 years without becoming invasive | Frequency : | Very Common Common Frequent
Scarce
Rare Very rare Extinct
| Growth form : |
Raunkiaer lifeform [info]: THEROPHYTE (Annuals)
Germination [info]: Dicotyledon | Legal Protection [link]: | Not Protected by Law (LN200/2011 or LN311/2006) | Red List (1989) : | Not listed in the Red Data Book of the Maltese Islands | Flowering Time : | Feb-Jun | Colour of Flowers: | Purple or Inc | Habitat : | Horticultural escape becoming invase if habitat is suitable, forming extensive populations. | Remarks : | Found naturalised in a rocky and arid valley bed by Stephen Mifsud. Matthew Fenech observed a dense population in a yard at Floriana, possibly introduced from seed dispersal at a public garden in close vicinity. The species is native to Sicly and southwest Europe. Since only one population is found in natural habitat, the Maltese population is best considered as an introduction. However, if it is found elsewhere in similar habitat, this species can be safely assumed to be native. |
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| Species Description and Distribution |
Habitat in Europe: |
Ruderal preferring disturbed areas |
Preferred habitat in Malta: |
Horticultural escape becoming invase if habitat is suitable, forming extensive populations. |
Botanical Description: |
Perennial, woody below, stem only slightly pubescent to nearly glabrous. Leaves opposite, ovate to ovate-oblong, densely silvery-sericeous beneath. Inflorescence long, lax, spicate. Flowers erect, becoming deflexed. Perianth-segments 4 or 5, narrowly lanceolate, becoming indurate and ribbed, pedicellate, somewhat shining, green. Bracteoles glabrous, awned. Perianth about twice as long as the bracteoles. Stamens (2-)5; filaments connate below into a tube. Teeth alternating with stamens, entire at the apex. Fruits deflexed. |
Distributional range: |
Southern part of W. Mediterranean region |
Distributional map in Europe
and the Mediterranean region (2018):
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Occurrences in Europe.
(from Flora Europaea pre year 1993): |
Spain (incl. Andorra but excl. the Balaerics), Italy (excl. Sicily and Sardignia), Sardinia, Sicily and/or Malta |
Occurrences in Europe and the Mediterranean region.
(Euro+Med Checklist, 2017) -
Country codes |
Ag Ca Eg Hs(G) Ir It Jo LS Ma Md(M) Sa Sg Si(S) Tn [aAE nAg nAz(F M S) -Gr nHs(S)] |
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