Sharp varthemia

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A typical wallflower this evergreen shrub of the Asteraceae (Compositae in the past) family grows to a height of 50 cm in cracks in and between rocks where the water lingers in the soil.  The many branches that sprout from the base start out wooded and change, as they rise, into light green stems.. The obovate, sinuate leaves sit directly on the stem and grow smaller in size with distance from the base. They are soft, hairy and give off a distinct sharp odor.

The small conical flowerhead is composed of connate yellow hermaphrodite flowers with five lobes at their margin. The bracts are arranged in overlapping whorls.

Flowering period: It flowers at the end of summer and in the fall, from August to November. The seed has a tuft of long rough hairs that benefit wind dispersal as well as dispersal by animals.

Ecology: It is found in Mediterranean regions, especially in calcareous soils and in humid niches in the desert.

Common and medicinal uses: Water in which its leaves were boiled has been used to treat stomach aches, diarrhea, coughs, influenza, and heart disease

Distribution in Palestine: It is found in the upper Jordan Valley, the mountains and desert of Nablus and hebron, and the Dead Sea valley.

IUCN red list status: not evaluated

Local status: least concern