Anthemis  (Anthemis filicaulis)

Classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Plant Species 1997 (1).

This small herb has very slender, appressed-hairy stems with alternating leaves and, like all Composit plants, possesses distinctive head-like inflorescences known as capitulums (2) (3). These capitulums usually resemble a single flower, but are in fact made up of numerous small individual flowers known as florets (2) (3). In this Anthemis species, these compact clusters of small florets are a vivid yellow colour, and could easily be mistaken for a single flower head (3).

Endemic to the Greek Island of Crete (2).

Found near calcareous rocks (2) along the sea shore (4).

The biology of this plant is poorly understood. The outer florets of the capitulum are female in Anthemis species, while the inner florets are hermaphrodite, having both male and female reproductive organs (2). The fruit produced after fertilisation is single-seeded (3), but little else has been recorded for this species.

The threats facing this species are unknown.

There are currently no conservation measures in place that target this species.

Tutin, T.G., Heywood, V.H., Burges, N.A. & Valentine, D.H. (1976) Flora Europaea: Vol. 4, Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.