Kehium, 803 
distinct lobes inserted on the narrow gynobase; style filiform, bifid 
at the apex; stigmas small. Nuts 4, distinct, erect, ovoid, rugose. 
Seeds erect; cotyledons flat. — Herbs or shrubs. Stem-leaves 
alternate. Spikes scorpioid, bracteate. Flowers usually blue or white. 
Species 30—40, spread through Europe, North Africa, Western Asia, 
and several shrubby types in the Canaries and Azores. 
A. Stamens exserted. 
I. Corolla flesh-coloured,not morethan1,3cmlong 1. EK. italicum. 
II. Corolla red, white, or blue, 1,6—2 em ore 
more in length. 
a) Stems decumbent or prostrate. ....., 2. BE. sericeum. 
b) Stems erect. 
Tt Coppllatviclet iy pees Ak Lee OU 3. E. longifolium, 
2. Corolla white or pale pink. ..... 4. BE, Rauwolffii. 
BP. Stamens included: Masi. wi kee: yee at, © cehie hie 5. E. setosum. 
1126. (1.) Echium italicum L. Spec. Plant. J (1753), p. 139. 
-— Boiss. Flor. Or. IV, p. 205. — Icon. Engl. Bot., tab. 2081. — 
Aschers.-Schweinf. ll. Flor. @Eg., p.110 no. 731. — Aschers. Flor. 
Rhinocol., p. 801 no. 183. — Echium altissinum Jacq. Stirp. Austr. V, 
tab. 16. — Echium pyrenaicum Desf. Flor. Atlant. I, p.164. — 
KEchium pyramidatum DC. Prodrom. X, p. 23. — Echium asperrimum 
Lam. Illustr., p.1854, — LKchium asperulum M. B. Flor. Tauric. 
Cauc. I, p. 135. — A biennial plant, 50 cm to 2m high, sometimes 
somewhat more, ashy or yellowish, bristly-hispid, ending in a-spreading 
or somewhat thyrsoid panicle 30—80 cm long. Leaves appressed 
bristly, linear-lanceolate, the basilar ones tapering into a. petiole, 
the floral ones long acuminate, shorte rthan the bifid racemes.. Racemes 
loose, spreading in fruit; calyx-lobes lanceolate, | densely | setose, 
corolla white 1,3 cm long, twice as long as the calyx. — Flow. 
December to May. 
M. ma. Sidi Gaber; Ramle; probably recently introduced. 
Also knonw from Southern Europe, Arabia Petraea, Palestine and Syria, 
1127. (2.) Echium sericeum Vahl Symbol. Bot. II (1791), p. 35. 
— Boiss. Flor. Or. IV, p.207. — Lehm. Icon. Asper., tab. 49.. — 
Aschers.-Schweinf. Ill. Flor. d’Ee., p.110 no. 732..— <Aschers. Flor. 
Rhinocol., p.801 no. 183. — Aschers.-Schweinf. Primit. Flor. Marmaric., 
p- 659 no. 224. — Sickenberg. Contrib. Flor. d’Kg., p. 260. — Echium 
prostratum Delile Illustr. Flor. @Eg., tab. 17 fig. 1. — Echium 
distachyum Viv. Flor. Libyc., p. 8 tab. 5 fig. 1. — Echium grandiflorum 
Coss. in Bull. Soc. Bot. Franc. XXXVI, p.95 not of Desf. — A perennial 
herb, 20—40 cm high, canescent with minute, appressed wool, and 
appressed bristles; stems decumbent or prostrate. . Leaves broad- 
51% 
