On the beaches of Puglia, dozens of colorful plants grow and thrive. These are plants that grow on the sand and that in spring color the sandy coasts by giving them a continuous flowering.
One of the most frequent floral findings on the beaches is the , whose name could derive from the Greek sialon (saliva) for the rubbery exudation produced by the stem; or it could derive from Silenus, mythological faun, adoptive father of Bacchus. The genus includes between 400 and 500 species of annual, biennial and perennial herbaceous plants
Pollination is entomogamous (night butterflies). Flowering occurs in the period from April to June. It is a psammophilous plant, suitable and loving sandy environments.
314 / 5.000 A similar plant is Violaciocca marina. The name recalls the Sienese Pierandrea Mattioli, a doctor and naturalist (1500-1577) who, once he had achieved wealth with the medical profession, devoted himself completely to botany, documenting a vast direct knowledge with the description of over 100 new species.
The flower of the Violaciocca marina is scented, with purple petals and almost white in the center. The flower is hermaphrodite, that is, it has both sexual systems. The fruit is a siliqua, characteristic of brassicaceae. Spring sightings have been reported on the beautiful beaches of Alimini
Finally, let's talk about Sarcocornia fruttuosa or silicones, from the French , which in turn derives from the Latin It grows in salty coastal places and brackish marshes.
Also known as sea asparagus or sea fennel, it is eaten raw as a side dish or blanched and preserved in oil or vinegar. Rich in mineral salts and vitamins, especially C and D. It strengthens the immune system and is used to treat hypothyroidism. If you want to collect some and preserve it for the winter, we recommend the beach of Torre dell’Orso, which is particularly rich in it.
Mustaccioli
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