Scorzonera cretica - Cretan Viper's-grass

Phylum: Magnoliophyta - Class: Equisetopsida - Order: Asterales - Family: Asteraceae

Cretan Viper's-grass, a member of the Daisy family, is characterised by its thin, strap-like leaves.

Description

The flowers of Cretan viper's-grass are 2 to 3.5cm across and are yelllow, sometimes with a reddish tinge reddish on the underside of the petals.

This plant is related to the species Scorzonera hispanica (Salsify) which has edible roots.

Habitat

This plant grows on rocks, old stone walls and in other stony habitats.

Blooming times

Cretan Viper's-grass produces flowers in April and May in Crete and the southern Agean islands.

The plant shown on this page was photographed in Crete in early April.

Etymology

Scorzonera comes from Old French scorzonère, meaning 'black serpent' - a reference to the dark roots of many plants in this genus, which because they look like black snakes were used in a traditional antidote to snakebites (whether effective or not!).

The specific epithet cretica means from or of Crete'.

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