Umbilicus horizontalis

Umbilicus horizontalis, the horizontal navelwort, is a fleshy perennial flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae (in the genus Umbilicus) native to the Mediterranean Basin and Middle East, from the Azores in the west to Oman in the east[1] in rocky habitats.

Umbilicus horizontalis
Horizontal navelwort in bud
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Saxifragales
Family: Crassulaceae
Genus: Umbilicus
Species:
U. horizontalis
Binomial name
Umbilicus horizontalis

Horizontal navelwort grows to an average of 25 cm (10 in) high. The thickly clustered, bell-shaped flowers are pale green, and grow in a raceme perpendicular to the spike, unlike common navelwort, whose flowers droop (thus the term "horizontal").

The plant often grows on shady walls or in damp rock crevices that are sparse in other plant growth, where its succulent, dark green leaves develop in rosettes that are about 7 cm (3 in) wide. Horizontal navelwort is similar to common navelwort in many respects, but is noticeably more succulent.

Literature edit

  • Mediterranean Wild Flowers, Marjorie Blamey & Christopher Grey-Wilson, HarperCollinsPublishers, 1993, ISBN 0 00 219901 7

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External links edit