Bryonia cretica
| Bryonia cretica | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Cucurbitales |
| Family: | Cucurbitaceae |
| Genus: | Bryonia |
| Species: | B. cretica |
| Binomial name | |
| Bryonia cretica L. (1753) | |
| [1] | |
| |
Bryonia cretica, also known as Cretan bryony or English mandrake is a perennial species of Bryonia.[2]
Its flowers bloom in the summer and usually grow between 3 and 5mm. Its fruit, which is not for human consumption, can normally be harvested at any time except in late winter.[3]
It is a common plant in most of Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Turkmenistan with some reports of its increasing occurrence in the UK.[4]
Subspecies
Four subspecies are accepted.[1]
- Bryonia cretica subsp. acuta (Desf.) Tutin – Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Lampedusa
- Bryonia cretica subsp. cretica – eastern Mediterranean, from Greece to Turkey, the Levant, Egypt, and Libya
- Bryonia cretica subsp. dioica (Jacq.) Tutin – central and southern Europe, Great Britain, and North Africa
- Bryonia cretica subsp. marmorata (E.Petit) Jauzein – Corsica and Sardinia
References
- ^ a b "Bryonia cretica L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ Benarba, Bachir; Belhouala, Khadidja (2024-01-18). "The Genus Bryonia L. (Cucurbitaceae): A Systematic Review of Its Botany, Phytochemistry, Traditional Uses, and Biological Activities". Sci. 6 (1): 7. doi:10.3390/sci6010007. ISSN 2413-4155.
- ^ "Bryony / RHS". www.rhs.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
- ^ "Index of Common Names", The Vascular Plants of Iowa, University of Iowa Press, pp. 259–296, doi:10.2307/j.ctt20fw8f7.8, retrieved 2024-09-14