Scleranthus perennis, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1964, Flora Europaea - Volume 1. Lycopodiaceae to Platanaceae, Cambridge University Press : 148

1. S. perennis L. , Sp. Pl. 406 (1753).

Perennial herb often with woody stock and procumbent to erect stems up to 22 cm. Leaves linear to lanceolate, channelled, obtuse to acute, glabrous or with short cilia. Inflorescence of terminal clusters which are not usually exceeded by the bracts. Fruit 2-6-5 mm; sepals lanceolate, obtuse, with a scarious margin 0-3-0-5 mm wide. Most o f Europe except the extreme north. Al Au Be Br Bu Co Cz D a G a Ge G r He Ho Hs H u It Ju N o Po Rm Rs (B, C, W, K, E) Sa Si Tu.

1 Fruit 4-5-6-5 mm

2 Stems procumbent, not dichotomously branched; fruit 4-5-

5-5 mm (f) subsp. marginatus 2 Stems ascending, dichotomously branched; fruit 5-6-5 mm

(g) subsp. dichotomus 1 Fruit 2-4-5 mm

3 Plant with procumbent or slightly ascending stems or forming a dense cushion; at least some of the inflorescences with more than 7 flowers in a cluster

4 Plant with long procumbent or slightly ascending stems;

fruit 2—3(—3-5) mm (b) subsp. prostratus 4 Plant forming a dense cushion with stems up to 5 cm

5 Fruits 2-3 mm (Corse) (c) subsp. burnatii 5 Fruits 3-5-4-5 mm (Pyrenees) (d) subsp. polycnemoides 3 Plant with ascending to erect stems 3-22 cm; inflorescences with not more than 7 flowers in a cluster

6 Stems up to 6 cm; leaves lanceolate, obtuse; internodes

2-4 mm (e) subsp. vulcanicus 6 Stems up to 22 cm; leaves linear, acute; internodes 6-10 mm

(a) subsp. perennis