Dictamnus albus, L.

1. D. albus L. View in CoL , Sp. Pl. 383 (1753) View Cited Treatment .

Bushy, densely leafy perennial 40-80 cm, more or less woody below; stems and branches glandular-punctate, thinly hairy. Leaflets 3-6 pairs, lanceolate to ovate, pubescent at least on the principal veins beneath; inflorescence-axis, pedicels, bracts and sepals densely furnished with short, patent hairs and dark, stipitate glands. Sepals lanceolate. Petals 2-2-5 cm, elliptic-lanceolate, white to pink or bluish, with purple dots or streaks. Filaments about as long as the petals, glandular above. 5. & S. C. Europe, extending northwards to c. 54°N. in E. Russia. Al Au Bu Cz Ge Gr He Hs Hu It Ju Po Rm Rs (W, K, E).

The following variants are frequently maintained as separate species: D. caucasicus Fischer ex Grossh. , FI. Kavk. 3: 20 (1932), from S. Russia; D. gymnostylis Steven, Bull. Soc. Nat. Moscou 29(2): 333 (1856), from Ukraine and S. Russia; and D. hispanicus Webb ex Willk. , Suppl. Prodr. FI. Hisp. 263 (1893), from E. & S.E. Spain. These are chiefly founded on indumentum of the vegetative parts, ovary and style, leaf-characters (size, shape and number of leaflets, development of wing of petiole), habit, and development of the ovary-appendages. All these characters, however, show much variation and cannot be convincingly correlated with distribution. Several are also found to be of little taxonomic value in closely allied genera. Accordingly, D. albus is treated here as a single polymorphic species. Subfam. Aurantioideae Fruit a berry with a thick, coriaceous rind or a harder shell, and a juicy pulp. Seeds without endosperm.