About Limonium duriusculum (Girard) Fourr.
Limonium duriusculum (Girard) Fourr. is a perennial herbaceous plant that forms basal rosettes of leaves. The leaves are obovate with blunt tips. It produces small purple flowers arranged in loose inflorescences, which are less compact than the inflorescences of the closely related species L. ramosissimum. In California, this species flowers from September to June. Mature plants can produce between 360 and 11,400 seeds each year. Its dry flower stalks and seeds are brittle, shatter easily, and float buoyantly on water. This species is native to the western Mediterranean, where it occurs in France, Spain, the Balearic Islands, and Sardinia. Within its native range, it grows in coastal habitats, including salt marshes and rocky shores. Limonium duriusculum has been introduced to California, where it is found primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area and along the state's central and south coast, with populations that extend into the Coast Ranges. It grows favourably in salt marshes, scrub, chaparral, and riparian habitats. The species spreads primarily via seed, which can be dispersed by water and human activities. Its seeds are buoyant, can remain viable after floating in salt water for up to two weeks, and may persist in the soil for at least five years. Populations of this species have been found up to 30 kilometres away from other known occurrences, which indicates the species has a capacity for long-distance dispersal. Limonium duriusculum can establish itself in both disturbed and undisturbed marsh areas, and it is capable of doubling its population size within ten years.
