Lobularia maritima
Encyclopedia
Lobularia maritima, common name Sweet Alyssum or Sweet Alison, also commonly referred to as just Alyssum from the genus in which it was formerly classified, is a low-growing flowering plant
in the family Brassicaceae
.
(rarely a short-lived perennial plant
) growing to 10-30 cm tall. The stem is very branched, with dense clusters of small flowers. The leaves
are 1-4 cm long and 3-5 mm, broad, alternate, sessile, quite hairy, oval to lanceolate, with an entire margin.
The flower
s are about 5 millimetre (0.196850393700787 in) of diameter, sweet-smelling, with four white rounded petals (or pink, rose-red, violent and lilac) and four sepals. The six stamens have yellow anthers. The flowers are produced throughout the growing season, or year-round in areas free of frost. The flowering period usually extends from March-April through September. They are pollinated by insects (entomophily
). The fruits are numerous elongated seedpods rather hairy, oval to rounded, each containing two seeds. The dispersal of seed is granted by the wing (anemochory)
, it may reseed in temperate climates. It will flower more profusely if spent blooms are trimmed. When grown in garden
s, it is typically used as ground cover, as it rarely grows higher than 20 cm tall. It prefers partial shade, and is resistant to heat and drought
. Plants with darker-colored flowers do better in cooler temperatures. It has become widely naturalised
throughout the temperate regions of the world.
There is an endemic subspecies of Lobularia maritima in the local flora of the Columbretes Islands
.
(Canary Islands
, Azores
) and in France in the Bay of Biscay, it is naturalized elsewhere.
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
in the family Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae, a medium sized and economically important family of flowering plants , are informally known as the mustards, mustard flowers, the crucifers or the cabbage family....
.
Etymology
The genus name lobularia comes from the Latin name globulus, meaning small globe, refers to the shape of the clusters of flowers, while the name of the species maritima refers to its habitat.Description
It is an annual plantAnnual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
(rarely a short-lived perennial plant
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
) growing to 10-30 cm tall. The stem is very branched, with dense clusters of small flowers. The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are 1-4 cm long and 3-5 mm, broad, alternate, sessile, quite hairy, oval to lanceolate, with an entire margin.
The flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s are about 5 millimetre (0.196850393700787 in) of diameter, sweet-smelling, with four white rounded petals (or pink, rose-red, violent and lilac) and four sepals. The six stamens have yellow anthers. The flowers are produced throughout the growing season, or year-round in areas free of frost. The flowering period usually extends from March-April through September. They are pollinated by insects (entomophily
Entomophily
Entomophily is a form of pollination whereby pollen is distributed by insects. Several insect are reported to be responsible for the pollination of many plant species, particularly bees, Lepidoptera , wasps, flies, ants and beetles. Some plant species co-evolved with a particular pollinator, such...
). The fruits are numerous elongated seedpods rather hairy, oval to rounded, each containing two seeds. The dispersal of seed is granted by the wing (anemochory)
Cultivation and uses
Lobularia maritima is cultivated in gardens, with many horticultural varieties with purple or pink flowers.. The plant is best planted in early spring, but requires little maintenance when growing. Although an annualAnnual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
, it may reseed in temperate climates. It will flower more profusely if spent blooms are trimmed. When grown in garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
s, it is typically used as ground cover, as it rarely grows higher than 20 cm tall. It prefers partial shade, and is resistant to heat and drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
. Plants with darker-colored flowers do better in cooler temperatures. It has become widely naturalised
Naturalisation (biology)
In biology, naturalisation is any process by which a non-native organism spreads into the wild and its reproduction is sufficient to maintain its population. Such populations are said to be naturalised....
throughout the temperate regions of the world.
There is an endemic subspecies of Lobularia maritima in the local flora of the Columbretes Islands
Columbretes Islands
The Columbretes Islands are a group of small uninhabited islets of volcanic origin, in the Mediterranean Sea, 49 km off Oropesa del Mar. Administratively they belong to Castelló de la Plana municipality, Valencian Community, Spain....
.
Distribution
This plant is native to the Mediterranean region and it is also present in MacaronesiaMacaronesia
Macaronesia is a modern collective name for several groups of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean near Europe and North Africa belonging to three countries: Portugal, Spain, and Cape Verde...
(Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
, Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
) and in France in the Bay of Biscay, it is naturalized elsewhere.
Habitat
It is common on sandy beaches and dunes, but can also grow on cultivated fields, walls, slopes and waste ground, preferably on calcareous soil, at an altitude of 0–300 m (0–984.3 ) above sea level.Cultivars
* Lobularia maritima 'Snow Cloth' (white)
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Synonyms
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