Santalaceae

T. billardieri Boiss., Diagn. ser. 1(5):48 (1844). Syn: T. heterophyllum Boiss. in Ann. Sci. Nat. ser. 4, 2:354 (1854). Ic: Tchihat., Asie Min. Bot., Atlas: t. 38(1860).
Biennial (or perennial). Leaf and bract margins (and rarely whole plant) scabrid. Stems simple or somewhat branched, procumbent to ascending, 10-30 cm. Leaves often heterophyllous; cauline narrowly oblanceolate, 3-30 x 1-1.5 mm, often secund; basal thickened, obovate, 11-25 x 4.5-7 mm. Inflores-cence a panicle, lateral cymes compact, l-3(-5)-flowered. Bracts l-3(-4) x as long as fruit. Flowers white with green veins, perianth campanulate, (1.75-) 2.75-3(-3.5) mm, lobes linear-oblanceolate, l-1.5(-3) mm. Fruit 4-5.5 x 2-2.75 mm, nut obovate, reticulate-nerved, glabrous, rarely scabrescent, persistent perianth 1/3-2/3 x as long as nut. Fl. 4-7. Quercus scrub and limestone slopes, 600-1350(-2600) m.
Type: [Lebanon] in Syriae monte Djebel-Cher, Labillardière (holo. FI).
S. & Inner Anatolia. A3 Ankara: Ankara to Nallihan, Akman 750! A5 Kastamonu: Tossia (Tosya), Kavak Çeşme, Sint. 1892:3973! B4 Ankara: Beynam, 1300 m, Akman 531! B7 Malatya: 44 km S. of Malatya, 1000 m, Hub.-Mor. 10413! B9 Bitlis: Nemrut Da. above crater lake, 2600 m, Peşmen 3194. C2 Burdur: 3 km N. of Dirmil (Altinyayla), 1250 m, Hub.-Mor. 8112! C3 Antalya: Korkuteli, 1050 m, Wängsjö 2747! C4 Konya: E. of Ermenek, 1300 m, Hub.-Mor. 17156! C5 Içel: Portes Ciliciennes (Gülek Boğazi), Bal. 1855:767! C6 Hatay: Beilan(Belen), 1200 m,Kotschy 1862:6390! C8 Mardin: Sultan, 20 km N. of Mardin, 1000 m, M. Zohary & Plitm. 1968:35!
Lebanon, Anti-Lebanon, Palestine. Ir.-Tur. element. T. billardieri is an extremely variable species, particularly in the persistent perianth to nut ratio. I have been unable to recognise any infraspecific taxa although two specimens are especially noteworthy: Fitz et al. from C2 Antalya: Elmali differs in having a branched, not capitate rootstock at ground level and Akman 9103, from A3 Ankara: Nallihan, differs in facies and fruit shape.