About Aegonychon purpurocaeruleum (L.) Holub
Aegonychon purpurocaeruleum (L.) Holub is a bushy plant that grows to an average height of 20 to 60 centimetres (7.9 to 23.6 inches), and can reach a maximum height of 70 centimetres (28 inches). Its stem is hairy, erect, and unbranched. The leaves are dark green, shaped lanceolate to narrow elliptic, and have a prominent midrib on the underside. Its flowers are hermaphroditic and funnel-shaped, measuring 15 to 20 millimetres (0.59 to 0.79 inches) long and 10 to 15 millimetres (0.39 to 0.59 inches) in diameter, clustered in a racemose inflorescence. Flowers start out purple-reddish, then change to a deep blue. The flowering period lasts from April to June. The fruits are bright white glossy capsules that are 4 to 5 millimetres (0.16 to 0.20 inches) long; these capsules are very hard, which is the origin of the former genus name Lithospermum, meaning "stone seed".
This species is rare in the British Isles. It is widespread across central Europe extending to South Russia, and across Mediterranean countries from Spain to eastern Turkey.
Aegonychon purpurocaeruleum most commonly grows in dry, warm forests with sparse deciduous vegetation. It can also be found in meadows along woodland edges, hedgerows, and scrublands. These plants prefer calcareous soils that are rich in humus, growing at elevations between 0 and 1,800 metres (0 to 5,906 feet) above sea level.
