Cynoglossum natolicum

Κυνόγλωσσο το ανατολικό

Etymology of Cynoglossum natolicum: The name of the genus, "Cynoglossum", derives from the Ancient Greek nouns "κύων" [kyon] meaning "dog", in possessive case "κυνός" [kynos] + "γλῶσσα" [glossa], meaning "tongue", hence "dog's tongue" referring to the roughness of the leaf. "Natolicum" is a corruption of the Ancient Greek "ανατολικό" [anatoliko or Latinized anatolicum], which means "eastern", referring to its geographical origin.

There are three Cynoglossum taxa in the wild Cypriot habitat.

Cynoglossum natolicum is an indigenous but not endemic plant of Cyprus. It is an uncommon plant encountered on limited altitudes of the Troodos Mountains Region, between 1675-1800 metres (the specimens in the pictures grow a few walking minutes south of the Troodos square, at around 1675 metres). Its flowering period is between May and July.