Syn.: Lithospermum hispidulum Sibth. et Sm.
Family: Boraginaceae Juss.
Distribution: Eastern Mediterranean species, occurs in Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Syria and Libya. There are recognized three subspecies – the nominate subspecies (occurring in Greece and Turkey), L. h. subsp. versicolor Meikle (on our pictures, from Turkey, Syria and Cyprus) and L. h. subsp. cyrenaica (Pamp.) Brull et Furnari (Libya).
Ecology: It grows on rocky and stony slopes, on forest margins, in phrygana, garrigue, from the coast to an elevation of about 1000(–1200) m. It blooms from February to May.
Description: Dwarf shrub, only 10–40 cm tall, much-branched, branches short, hairy. Leaves alternate, sessile, entire, oblong-ovate to oblanceolate, with flat or slightly inflexed margin, hairy, 10–17 × 1.5–3.5 mm. Flowers in a terminal 1- to 4-flowered cyme, about 7 mm long, calyx 5-lobed, bristly, corolla funnel-shaped, about 12 mm long, blue (nominate subspecies), or white, turning pink to blue with age (L. h. subsp. versicolor). The fruit is a nutlet.
These images were taken in Cyprus, Platres (March 28, 2010).
