Nomenclature

Species name :

Misopates orontium  (L.) Raf.

Authority :

Carl von Linne, Sweden, (1707 - 1778) ;
Constantine Samuel Rafinesque-Schmaltz, Turkey, France, USA, (1783 - 1840)

Synonyms :
(basionym or principal syn.)

Antirrhinum orontium (L.) Fourr.

Full list of synonyms : [Euro+Med] [PlantList] [IPNI] [POWO] [Catalogue of Life] [Worldplants.de]

Plant Family :

Plantaginaceae  Juss.
(Plantain Family)

English name(s) :

Lesser Snapdragon, Linear-leaved Snapdragon, Weasel's Snout

Maltese name(s) :

Papoċċi rqiq, Papoċċi tar-Raba

Status for Malta :

Indigenous. Present on the Maltese islands before man

Name Derivation :

Misopates: "From the Greek words ""misos"" (hate) and ""patein"" (step on), with which its author meant that it would be a pity to step on this beautiful herb". (Greek origin ); 2 = from the Greek words "misos" (hate) and "patein" (step on), with which its author meant that it would be a pity to step on this beautiful herb (Greek);.
orontium: From the Greek word orontion, which is an old Greek name used for these plants already by the Italian physicist, Claudius Galenos, 129-210 AD. (Greek origin ); 2 = derived from the Greek word "orontion", which is an old Greek plant name used already by Galenos in the 2nd century (Greek).

Remarks :

Morphology and structure

Plant description and characters

Life Cycle:

Annual.

Growth Form:

THEROPHYTE (annual plants, herbaceous)

Habitat:

Steppe, abandoned agricultural areas, low garigue, sometimes escaping into agricultural areas.

Frequency:

Frequent

Localities in Malta:

Frequent besides wheatfields such as in Qormi, Siggiewi and Rabat. Also located in Wied Anglu, Mizieb and Bahrija.

Plant Height:

20-50cm.

Flowering Period:

Apr-Jul

Protection in Malta:

Not legally protected till the last update of this website (2/Mar/2022)

Red List 1989:

Not listed in the Red Data Book of the Maltese Islands

Poison:

This annual plant produces several erect, stems which branch only at the lower part; sometimes just above ground level. The stem is glabrous but becomes hairy (with glandular hairs) at the upper part,approximately at the region of the flowers and fruit.

The short stalked leaves are linear to fusiform, glabrous, have an entire outline and a distinct depressed midrib. The leaf length varies according to the position on the plant. Leaves at the main stem are larger, about 50mm long by 4mm wide, whereas branched leaves are much smaller (20mm x 2mm) and more linear in shape. The plant forms a large stipule-like leaves arranged in 3 x whorls or opposite pairs which becomes irregularly leveled and then alternating towards up the stem. From the axils of these leaves grows out a small slender branch of about 4 - 10 linear leaflets. These leaflets are usually arranged in decussate opposite pairs.

The small, solitary flowers measure about 6mm diameter and 15mm deep. They are nearly sessile to the stem (just a 1mm pedicel) and arranged in an alternate fashion forming loose racemes. Like the leaflet stems, there is a large sessile leaf-like bract from which the flower grows. The flower have 5 long linear sepals of slightly unequal length. In the flower form the the bract and the 5 sepals seems to form a singular 6-unit symmetrically arranged structure - as if the flower have a 6-sepal calyx.

The corolla is bi-laterally symmetrical and composed of an upper and lower pink-lilac lips which forms a closed tube-like structure. The upper lip has 2 lobes and the lower has 3 and both, especially at the palate of the lower one, have deep red veins. There is no spur and the flower are slightly scented. Inside the flower there are the reproductive organs, composed of one central pistil and 2 pairs of stamen with swollen yellow anthers. Sometimes the anthers of each pair are so close together that they fuse together.

The fruit of the plant are oval, green, dehiscent poricidal capsules which when they ripen they turn beige-brown, becomes dry and hard and develops 3 openings from which the tiny (1mm), brown seeds escapes the fruit, mainly by swaying of the stems with wind or animals passing by.

Information, uses and other details

Nativity and Distribution

This plant is widespread in many areas around the world mainly in the continents of Africa, Europe and Asia. It is native to:
AFRICA : ( Eg: Cape Verde, Algeria; Egypt; Libya; Morocco; Tunisia Eritrea; Ethiopia; Sudan; Kenya)

ASIA: (eg: Iran; Israel; Jordan; Lebanon; Syria; Turkey; India; Nepal; Pakistan )

EUROPE: (eg: Austria; Belgium; Netherlands; Switzerland; Ukraine; Albania; Bulgaria; Greece; Italy; Romania; Yugoslavia; Portugal; Spain; Canary Islands)    [WWW-26]

Synonyms

The plant is also referred to as Antirrhinum orontium and Antirrhinum orontium var. grandiflorum [WWW-26]

Food for Larvae

This plant can be used as food for the following larvae: Stenoptilia bipunctidactyla and Stenoptilia aridus [WWW-62]

Photo Gallery   (25 Images)

IMAGE: MISOR-01

Photo of flower in situ (lateral view).

IMAGE: MISOR-02

Photo (front view) of flower which is actinomorphic (bi-laterally symmetrical).

IMAGE: MISOR-03

Photo of flower, consisting of an upper and lower lip restiing upon each other forming a tubular-shaped corolla.

IMAGE: MISOR-04

Photo of 2 flowers in situ.

IMAGE: MISOR-05

Photo of 2 flowers. Note the unequal finger-like sepals and the leaf-like bract.

IMAGE: MISOR-06

Annotated photo of flower.

IMAGE: MISOR-07

Scanned image of flower against a dark background. Bottom/front view.

IMAGE: MISOR-08

Scanned image of flower against a dark background. Lateral view.

IMAGE: MISOR-09

Scanned image of the interior part of the two flower lips.

IMAGE: MISOR-10

Scanned image of the red-veined upper lip and the 2 pairs of stamens consisting of lilac/pink filaments and yellow anthers. The anthers of each stamen pair are so close together that they tend to fuse. The stigma is hidden between the anthers.

IMAGE: MISOR-11

Scanned and annotated image of plant.

IMAGE: MISOR-12

Photo of few plants in a wheat field.

IMAGE: MISOR-13

Photo of branched plant. Stem branches at its basal part.

IMAGE: MISOR-14

Photo of a young plant.

IMAGE: MISOR-15

Photo of the spindle shaped (fusiform) leaves. They are widest at the center and tapering gradually towards the ends.

IMAGE: MISOR-16

Scanned image of 3 main leaves sessile to the stem and about 4 - 6 cm long. On the right side of the image there is a leaf branch with smaller oppositely arranged leaves. The leaves are fusiform.

IMAGE: MISOR-17

Cross section through lower stem showing the arrangement of leaves, in this case 3 x whorled. Sometimes they are oppositely arranged, but they become alternately arranged up the stem.

IMAGE: MISOR-18

Photo of an unripe, oval shaped fruit covered with white hair and a central persistent style which dries of slowly.

IMAGE: MISOR-19

Photo of a ripe poricidal (containing pores) fruit capsules. The fruit wall become hard, and develops 3 openings from which the seeds are liberated.

IMAGE: MISOR-20

Photo of a ripe fruit showing the 3 openings. It may resemble an animal skull!

IMAGE: MISOR-21

Scanned image of unripe fruit capsules held by the persistent finger-like sepals.

IMAGE: MISOR-22

Magnified scanned image of the tiny (1mm c.) dark brown seeds.

IMAGE: MISOR-23

Black & white illustration of the plant taken from http://digi.azz.cz.

IMAGE: MISOR-24

Colour illustration taken from Flora Danica Online.

IMAGE: MISOR-25

Magnified image of seeds under light microscope.

IMAGE: MISOR-26

IMAGE: MISOR-27

IMAGE: MISOR-28