Determined according to the botanical keys provided by Werner (1976 in Tutin et al.).
Lifeform: Biennial. The first year is characterized with basal rosette formation. Flowering and fruiting occurs in the second year followed by senescence.
Distribution: Native from the Balkan Peninsula to Romania and Turkey according to the distribution information provided by The Euro+Med PlantBase (source: Greuter, 2006+) and the Plants of the World Online portal (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew).
Habitat: Rocky terrains, clearings of forests, disturbed ground – roadsides.
Flowering period: Summer: JUL.
Ptilostemon afer – habit. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – habit. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – habit. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – habit. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – habit. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – habit. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – upper part of plant with capitula. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – upper part of plant with capitula. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – upper part of plant with capitula. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – capitulum. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – capitulum. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – capitulum. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – florets. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – involucral bracts. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – stem. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – stem with cauline leaves. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – stem with cauline leaves. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – stem with cauline leaves. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – plants in the first year of life cycle (basal rosette stage). Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – plants in the first year of life cycle (basal rosette stage). Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – basal leaves. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – adaxial side of leaf. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – adaxial side of leaf. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – abaxial side of leaf. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – abaxial side of leaf. Osogovo – near village of Leshki, 16.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – achenes. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer – body of achenes. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Ptilostemon afer –papus hairs. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
References:
Ptilostemon afer. Greuter, W. (2006+): Compositae (pro parte majore). – In: Greuter, W. & Raab-Straube, E. von (ed.): Compositae. Euro+Med Plantbase – the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity. Published on the Internet https://europlusmed.org/cdm_dataportal/taxon/2eefdfac-34a3-42bd-bd46-fb757b71757a [Accessed 30.07.2023].
Werner, K. 1976. Ptilostemon Cass. (incl. Lamyra (Cass.) Cass., Chamaepeuce DC.). In Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A. (eds.), Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 242–244.
