Syn.: Disandra prostrata L.
Family: Plantaginaceae Juss.

Sibthorpia peregrina

Distribution: This species is endemic to the Madeira Islands, occurs on the island of Madeira and rarely on the neighboring island of Porto Santo. Naturalized in Portugal (Sintra).

Ecology: It grows in laurel forests, in shady places, at elevations from 150 to 1400 m asl. It blooms from April to October.

Description: Perennial herb. Stems procumbent, rooting at the nodes, up to 100 cm long, branched. Leaves alternate, petiolate, reniform to orbicular, crenate, 1.5–6 cm wide, shortly hirsute. Flowers 1–3(–6) in each axil, pedicel 1.5–8 cm long, calyx and corolla 5–8-lobed, corolla rotate, 9–13 mm in diameter, yellow, lobes more or less equal. The fruit is a capsule.

Threat and protection: It has been estimated that there is an increasing population of 10000 individuals, species is listed on Annex II of the Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC).

Sibthorpia peregrina
Sibthorpia peregrinaSibthorpia peregrina
Sibthorpia peregrina

These images were taken in Portugal, Madeira, Rabaçal (July 2, 2005).