''Gagea juliae'', the yellow star-of-Cyprus, is a plant species in the lily family, native to

Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...

and southern

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

. ''Gagea juliae'' is a bulbous perennial herb with erect stems 2–20 cm high. Flowers yellow internally with a broad greenish stripe externally on each

perianth The perianth (perigonium, perigon or perigone in monocots) is the non-reproductive part of the flower. It is a structure that forms an envelope surrounding the sexual organs, consisting of the calyx (sepals) and the corolla (petals) or tepal ...

segment. Flowering February–April.

Habitat

On damp shaded hillsides in garigue, by roadsides or in moist rock crevices or in pine forest at 50–1650 m altitude.

Distribution

Native to

and southern

, it is found in

Akamas Akamas (Greek: , ), is a promontory and cape at the northwest extremity of Cyprus with an area of 230 square kilometres. Ptolemy described it as a thickly wooded headland, divided into two by summits (a mountain range) rising towards the north. ...

, Ayia, Stavros Psokas, Tripylos the Troödos forest,

Platres Platres () or Pano Platres (; ; English: ''Upper Platres''), is a Μountainous village in Cyprus. It is located on the southern slopes of the Troodos Mountains and is one of the wine villages (, ''krasochoria''). Platres is the largest Troodos res ...

, Ayios Theodoros (Adelphi Forest), the Makhera and

Limassol Limassol, also known as Lemesos, is a city on the southern coast of Cyprus and capital of the Limassol district. Limassol is the second-largest urban area in Cyprus after Nicosia, with an urban population of 195,139 and a district population o ...

Forests,

Kellaki Kellaki () is a village in the Limassol District of Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are ...

Pentadaktylos The Kyrenia Mountains (; ) is a long, narrow mountain range that runs for approximately along the northern coast of the island of Cyprus. It is primarily made of hard crystalline limestone, with some marble. Its highest peak is Mount Selvili, ...

Yialousa Yialousa ( rom , meaning "Sea" ) or Gialousa, is a town under the '' de facto'' control of Northern Cyprus, claimed by Cyprus. Yialousa is located on the Karpas Peninsula, and one of the sub-districts of the İskele District. In 2011, Yialousa ha ...

.The Endemic Plants of Cyprus, Texts: Takis Ch. Tsintides, Photographs: Laizos Kourtellarides, Cyprus Association of Professional Foresters, Bank of Cyprus Group, Nicosia 1998,

References

External links

The Plant List

color photo
Mediterranean Garden Society Forum
color photo

color photo {{Taxonbar, from=Q15542207 juliae Flora of Turkey Flora of Cyprus Plants described in 1904