Linaria amethystea (Vent.) Hoffmanns. & Link

Species Nomenclature & Stems

Linaria amethystea (Vent.) Hoffmanns. & Link is a small plant that produces 1 to 25 blue-green stems, which measure 3–38 cm (1.2–15.0 in) in length.

Leaf Characteristics

Its leaves are oblanceolate and match the blue-green color of the stems; lower leaves grow in clusters spreading from a single point, while upper leaves are arranged alternately along the stem.

Bloom Period

It blooms in spring, from February to April.

Flower Morphology

Flowers grow either solitary or in small groups at the tips of stems, and have a two-lipped corolla: the upper lip is long, narrow, and amethyst-blue, while the lower lip is domed, nearly white with blue spots, and connected to a long downward-pointing spur that is also amethyst.

Flowering Portion Proportion

In total, the flowering portion of the plant makes up roughly 25% of the plant's full length.

Subspecies Color Variation

Three of its accepted subspecies have yellow coloration.

Recognized Subspecies List

There are four recognized subspecies of L. amethystea: Linaria amethystea subsp. amethystea, Linaria amethystea subsp. broussonetii, Linaria amethystea subsp. ignescens, and Linaria amethystea subsp. multipunctata.

Subspecies Distribution in Portugal

Two subspecies occur in Portugal: L. amethystea subsp. multipunctata and L. amethystea subsp. amethystea.

Subspecies Distribution in Spain

In Spain, L. amethystea subsp. amethystea and L. amethystea subsp. ignescens are found.

Subspecies Distribution in North Africa

In Morocco and Western Sahara, L. amethystea subsp. ignescens and L. amethystea subsp. broussonetii are present.

Subsp. multipunctata Habitat in Portugal

In Portugal, L. amethystea subsp. multipunctata grows in annual fields, olive groves, and fruit tree groves.

Subsp. multipunctata Subpopulations

It has three subpopulations in the Coimbra region, around Cadaval, and in northern Lisbon.

Subsp. multipunctata Smaller Populations

Smaller populations have been recorded on the coast of Sintra and the Berlengas Islands.

Subsp. amethystea Habitat Range

L. amethystea subsp. amethystea has a wider distribution, growing in the same habitats as L. amethystea subsp. multipunctata, and also occurs on roadsides, in clearings, and in sandy areas near the shore.

Subsp. amethystea Portuguese Distribution

It is found across Portugal, with populations in Trás-os-Montes, Beira Baixa, Alentejo, and Algarve.

Portuguese Subspecies Conservation Status

According to the "Lista Vermelha da Flora Vascular de Portugal Continental", both L. amethystea subsp. amethystea (Vent.) Hoffmanns. & Link and L. amethystea subsp. multipunctata (Brot.) Chater & D.A.Webb have insufficient data for classification under IUCN criteria, and are categorized as Data Deficient (DD).

Subsp. amethystea Spanish Distribution

In Spain, L. amethystea subsp. amethystea occurs in Meseta Central, Andalusia, Extremadura, and Galicia, and is absent from eastern and southeastern parts of the country.

Subsp. ignescens Spanish Distribution

L. amethystea subsp. ignescens is only found at the southern tip of Spain, near Cádiz.