Lithodora Explained

Lithodora is a genus of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae, native to southwestern Europe, southern Greece, Turkey and Algeria. They are low-growing, evergreen shrubs and subshrubs, producing 5-lobed blue or white flowers.^[1] The Greek literally means "stone gift", referring to the plant's preferred rocky habitats.^[2] The genus Glandora was split from Lithodora in 2008.^[3]

Lithodora species are often cultivated as ornamental plants which are especially suited to rock gardens or raised beds.^[1]

Species

Three species are accepted.^[4]

• Lithodora fruticosa (L.) Griseb.
• Lithodora hispidula (Sm.) Griseb.
• Lithodora zahnii (Heldr. ex Halácsy) I.M.Johnst.

Notes and References

1. Book: RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. 2008. Dorling Kindersley. United Kingdom. 978-1-4053-3296-5. 1136.
2. Book: Coombes, Allen J.. The A to Z of plant names. 2012. Timber Press. USA. 978-1-60469-196-2. 312. registration.
3. 10.1093/aob/mcr222 . Unusual heterostyly: Style dimorphism and self-incompatibility are not tightly associated in Lithodora and Glandora (Boraginaceae) . 2012 . Ferrero . V. . Arroyo . J. . Castro . S. . Navarro . L. . Annals of Botany . 109 . 3 . 655–665 . 21985797 . 3278292 .
4. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:4650-1 Lithodora Griseb.