| Linaria amethystea | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Plantaginaceae |
| Genus: | Linaria |
| Species: | L. amethystea
|
| Binomial name | |
| Linaria amethystea | |
Linaria amethystea is a species of annual flowering plant from the Plantaginaceae family endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and northwest Africa. It grows primarily in temperate biomes in Portugal, Spain, Morocco and Western Sahara.
Description
[edit]A small plant with 1-25 blueish-green stems, 3–38 cm (1.2–15.0 in) long, with oblanceolanted leaves in the same color, the lower ones sprawl many from a single point, and the upper ones alternate along the stem.[1]
It blooms in spring, from February to April, and its flowers are either solitary or in small groups at the edge of the stem; with a two-lipped corolla, the upper one long and narrow amethyst-blue and the inferior one domed almost white with blue spots and a long spur all the way down, also amethyst. As a whole, the flower section comprises almost 25% of the plant's full length. It also has three different subspecies in yellow hues.[2]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]There are four subspecies of L. amethystea:
- Linaria amethystea subsp. amethystea
- Linaria amethystea subsp. broussonetii
- Linaria amethystea subsp. ignescens
- Linaria amethystea subsp. multipunctata
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Linaria amethystea amethystea -
Linaria amethystea broussonetii -
Linaria amethystea multipunctata
In Portugal two of the subspecies are present, L. amethystea multipunctata and L. amethystea amethystea, while in Spain L. amethystea amethystea and L. amethystea ignescens can be found.[1] In Morocco and Western Sahara, L. amethystea ignescens and L. amethystea broussonetii are present.[3]
In Portugal, L. amethystea multipunctata can be found in anual fields, in olive tree groves and fruit tree groves. It has three sub-population in the Coimbra region, around Cadaval and northern Lisbon. Smaller observations have been made in the coast of Sintra and the Berlengas islands. As for L. amethystea amethystea, it has a larger dispersion in the same habitats as multipunctata, but also in roadsides, clearings and in sandy areas near the shore. It is present across Portugal with populations around Trás-os-Montes, Beira Baixa, Alentejo and Algarve.[1][2] According to "Lista Vermelha da Flora Vascular de Portugal Continental" both L. amethystea amethystea (Vent.) Hoffmanns. & Link and L. amethystea multipunctata (Brot.) Chater & D.A.Webb do not have enough information to be classified under the IUCN criteria (DD-Data Deficient).[1][4]
In Spain L. amethystea amethystea can be found in Meseta Central, Andalusia, Extremadura and Galicia, being absent from the eastern and southestern parts of the country. L. amethystea ignescens can only be found in the southern tip of the country near Cádiz.[1][5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Sáez, L.; Bernal, M. (2009). Flora Iberica (in Spanish) (XIII ed.). Real Jardín Botánico (CSIC). pp. 289–293. ISBN 978-84-00-08747-0.
- ^ a b García Muñoz, B. (2004). Plantas de Ávila, mi ciudad (in Spanish). Ávila: Obra Social Caja de Ávila. ISBN 84-96264-09-2.
- ^ Peltier, Jean (2024-07-02). "Linaria amethystea subsp. broussonetii". Plant Biodiversity of South-Western Morocco. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
- ^ "Lista Vermelha da Flora Vascular de Portugal Continental" (PDF). SPBotanica. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
- ^ Quiles, José. "Linaria amethystea ignescens". Flora Silvestre. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
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