Helianthemum canum

Grey Rockrose ( Helianthemum canum )

The Grey Rockrose ( Helianthemum canum ) is a member of the rockrose ( Cistaceae ). It flowers in May and June.

Appearance

The perennial halbstrauchige plant reaches a height of from 10 to 20 cm. The flower-bearing branches are usually erect or ascending hairs pressed and loose or dense tomentose. The leaves are linear to ovate-lanceolate - shaped, up to 3 cm long, about 6 mm wide and narrowed into a short, about 1 cm long stem. They are on both sides or at least hairy above, gray or white hairs on the edge and tufted. Stipules are usually not available. The inner sepals are broad - ovate, obtuse or acute, the outer more linear shape. The petals are yellow, rarely yellowish white, about 3-8 mm long and up to twice as long as the inner sepals. The pistil is curved S-shaped at the base and thickened towards the tip. The fruit stalks are from upright or horizontally. The fruit is a three -edged, ovate - globular, light brown, mehrsamige capsule. The seeds are round to polygonal shaped, mostly smooth and reddish-brown color.

Dissemination

Helianthemum canum occurs in middle - western and southern Europe. East to southern Russia, Asia Minor and Armenia encroaching. The largest population in Western Europe is in a limestone area of the Burren to find in the west of Ireland. It is a sub-Mediterranean Florenelement. In Austria there is in the Pannonian region before scattered, otherwise it is rare in Switzerland, it is generally scattered to find. The Grey Rockrose is rare in Germany. It is found in Thuringia, Lower Franconia and Baden- Württemberg.

The Grey Rockrose grows on dry grass and pines in dry forests. It prefers warm, limy and stony soils.

Others

The species is very variable in terms of the size of all parts, the growth and hair. In Lower Franconia, there are shapes whose leaves are small, thick and flachrandig and represent the lower alia by strong convergence forms the northern European style Helianthemum oelandicum.

Species protection

Threat in Germany: Category 3 risk. The species is protected specifically under the Federal Species Protection Ordinance ( BArtSchV )