About Dianthus strictus Banks & Sol.
Dianthus strictus Banks & Sol. is a perennial plant species that is highly variable in form. Its leaves have ciliate bases and scabrous (rough to the touch) margins. The inflorescence is loose and shows more or less branching. The calyx scales are pale, membranous, and end in a short awn. The calyx itself is conical-cylindrical, slightly tapered at its apex, and is greenish-white, sometimes with a purple tinge. Visible striations on the calyx are often restricted to the apex of the calyx teeth and to certain bands below the sinuses. The petals are pink, with fan-shaped, denticulate laminae that bear dotted markings – these markings are the origin of the species name. This species is native to the Aegean Islands of Greece (including Crete), Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestine region, the Sinai Peninsula, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen.
