Euclidium syriacum (L.) W.T. Aiton

Euclidium species are annual herbs, not scapose, pubescent throughout with stalked trichomes. Rootstocks slender, taproot. Trichomes stalked, forked, submalpighiaceous, usually 2 rayed but mixed with simple and 3 rayed ones. Stem erect or suberect, ascending, simple or dichotomously branched, pubescent. Basal leaves simple, not in rosulate, linear lanceolate to oblong, base cuneate, margin entire or sinuate dentate, apex acute to obtuse, petiolate, cauline leaves almost similar to basal but smaller towards the shoot, petiole subsessile to sessile. Inflorescence racemes, few to many flowered, lax, elongated in fruit, ebracteate. Flowers bisexual, white, actinomorphic, pedicel erect, stout, thick, appressed in fruit, sepals 4, erect, oblong-ovate, lateral pair base saccate, apex obtuse, pubescent, petals 4, spathulate, slightly longer than the sepals, base cuneate, margin entire, apex emarginate, claw slightly differentiated, shorter than sepals. Stamens 6, slightly tetradynamous, filaments not dilated, anthers ovate, nectar glands 4, each on side the lateral stamen, median glands absent. Ovary superior, linear, ellipsoid-cylindrical, ovules 2 per ovary. Fruit silicles, indehiscent, ovoid, 2 seeded, longitudinally 4 veined, subterete, or slightly quadrangular, valves not prominent, thickened, veinless, septum complete, woodly or pubescent, style short, stigma capitate, bilobed, lobes non decurrent. Seeds aseriate, plump, brown, oblong-ovoid, non winged, smooth, not mucilaginous when soaked, cotyledons accumbent, obliquely incumbent in early stages.

Euclidium species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: May—June.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals, anthropochory i.e., dispersal by humans.

Diffuse annual herbs, not scapose, about 5-35 cm long, pubescent throughout with stalked trichomes. Rootstocks long taproot. Trichomes stalked, forked, submalpighiaceous, usually 2 rayed but mixed with simple and 3 rayed ones. Stem erect, ascending, simple or dichotomously branched, near the base and middle, densely grey pubescent, with simple and 2 rayed, rigid stalked trichomes. Basal radical leaves simple, not in rosulate, lanceolate-elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, base cuneate, margin entire, pinnatifid or sinuate dentate, apex subacute, petiolate, lower and middle cauline leaves almost similar to basal but smaller towards the shoot, about 20-70 x 7-20 mm across, base cuneate, margins entire or sinuate dentate, apex subacute to obtuse, petiole subsessile to sessile.

Euclidium species are susceptible to various insect pests, virus, mildews and moulds.

Roadsides, slopes and barren places, altitude from almost sea level to 3500 m.

Not evaluated (IUCN).