Nomenclature

Species name:

Plumbago europaea   L.

Author(s):

Carl von Linné
   Sweden, 1707-1778

General names:

European Leadwort
Plumbago
Dentallaria

Maltese name:

Pjombina selvaġġa

Plant Family:

Plumbaginaceae   (Leadwort Family)

Name Derivation:

Plumbago = Related to the metal Lead (Plumbum). One reference suggest the name refers to the lead-blue colour (possibly of the flowers) and another for the possible use of treating lead poisoning in the past. (Latin);
europea = European, from or related to Europe (Latin)..

Synonyms:

Plumbago angustifolia, Plumbago breviflora, Plumbago breviflora, Plumbago breviflora, Plumbago undulata

Plant Description

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Habitat:

Field tracks especially beside rocky walls, dry habitat by roadsides.

Sources in Malta:

Rather rare species which is present at Wied Dalam (BirZebbugia), fields near Laferla Cross (Siggiewei)

Plant Height:

60-100cm

Flowering Time:

May-Nov

A multi branched, erect perennial plant, that grows tall up to 1m and sometimes assumes a sub-shrub growth habit. The tough stems have a square cross section.

Leaves are arranged alternately along the tall branched stems. They grow in numerous rosette-like tufts with the younger leaves progressively smaller from the adult ones of the same tuft; and hence the first emerged leaf is the largest of them all. The leaves are in general oval or oblong with the upper part being slightly wider in adult leaves. Adult leaves are often curved down longitudinally and have a prominent wide base the embrace the stem (amplexicaul), younger leaves simpler and sessile. They have an entire or an irregularly sub-crenated to sub-dentate margin and the sides are inclined towards the midrib to form a channel like lamina. Leaves have a rough leathery texture and a farinose underside (=covered with white powder-like material).

The inflorescence is a much-branched raceme, with sets or trusses of 3-8 salver-form (rotate) flowers growing from a sessile, leaf-like bract. The tubular calyx has an interesting morphology - composed of 5 fused sepals with the upper tips free forming 5 triangular teeth. The calyx have 5 elevated longitudinal ribs that posses prominent stalked glands (stipitate glands) which are often pink to purple in colour.

The corolla is made of 5 fused petals that forms a thin tubular, reddish neck, 1.5 times larger from the calyx , and opens into 5 free petal-like lobes that are lilac-pink to pale violet-blue in colour and further decorated by a central stripe (midvein) that is always more red and bright (dark) in colour. Corolla between 2-3cm across. When in full bloom, this species produces spectacular much-flowered inflorescences.

The reproductive parts include 5 free stamens and a central superior ovary with one stout style that branches into 5, equidistant, white, feathery stigmas. The fruit is a 5-8mm long, oblong capsule that splits around its circumference (circumscissile) at the lower part to liberate its small (2mm) dark brown seeds. No special seed dispersal mechanism is involved.

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