Aethionema orbiculatum (Boiss.) Hayek
Taxon info
Aethionema orbiculatum is one of several local endemics found only in the summit area of Mt Athos (Agion Oros), where it was discovered by Aucher-Éloy in 1837. It is a small, bushy, woody-based perennial growing in crevices of limestone cliffs from c. 1700 m to the summit (2033 m). Based on rather poor, non-fruiting material, Boissier (Flora Orientalis 1: 337. 1867) referred a collection from Taigetos to A. orbiculatum, but when fruiting material became available much later this plant turned out to be very different and has subsequently been described as A. carlsbergii, a local endemic of Taigetos.A
A. Dimopoulos, P., Raus, Th., Bergmeier, E., Constantinidis, Th., Iatrou, G., Kokkini, S., Strid, A. & Tzanoudakis, D. 2013: Vascular plants of Greece: An annotated checklist. 31. – Berlin: Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem; Athens: Hellenic Botanical Society. p. 328
