Xeranthemum cylindraceum Sm. Paper Flower

Xeranthemum cylindraceum Sm. - Paper Flower

Scientific Description:

Stems 6−100 cm. Leaves 8−90 × 1−15 mm. Capitula fusiform when young, expanding to ovoid or obconical, then 10−15 mm long including inner phyllaries. Outer phyllaries tomentose along median line, ovate, obtuse, adpressed, strawcoloured; inner lanceolate-acute, erect, pale pink to dark purplish-grey, persistent. Pappus scales 10−15, shorter than achene.

Flowering time: June−July.

Habitat: Garigue, steppe, dry banks, s.l. −1150 m.

Reference:
Kupicha FK (1975). Xeranthemum cylindraceum Sm., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 5: 606.

Public Description:

Xeranthemum cylindraceum, known as “paper flower”, is native to Central and Southern Europe, Türkiye, Caucasus, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Israel. It is an annual or perennial plant with small pale pink to dark purplish-grey flowers, and grows up to 100 cm in length. It blooms between June and July and is found in garigue, steppe and dry banks. It shows very good antimicrobial activity of aganist some bacteria and pathogens.

References:

Anonymous 1 (2017). http://www.rareplants.de/shop/product.asp?P_ID=10295&strPageHistory=related, Accessed date: 22.06.2017.

Anonymous 2 (2017). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeranthemum, Accessed date: 22.06.2017.

Dekić IS, Radulović NS, Ranđelović VN, Stojanović-Radić ZZ, Veljković BP (2015). Essential Oils and Diethyl Ether Extracts of Serbian Xeranthemum cylindraceum and X. annum: Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial Activity, and Chemotaxonomic Implications. 12(9): 1378–1397.

Hacıoğlu T N (2012). Xanthemum L. In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 216–217.