The Tongue of Rock

Habit: Biennial plant with erect stems, noticeably thickened at the base and entirely covered in soft, woolly hairs. Leaves: The basal leaves are spatulate, with a petiole and an elliptical blade. The cauline leaves are sessile, semi-amplexicaul, linear, entire, and slightly rough in texture. Flowers: Initially gathered in dense cymes, which then elongate into a pyramidal panicle. The corolla is tubular, wine-red in color, with five lobes, from which the stamens clearly protrude. The calyx is covered in soft down, with linear teeth with rounded edges divided almost to the base. Fruit: Concave, hemispherical mericarps (nuts), 6-8 mm in size, with dense, short spines, especially on the edge. Flowering: May - July.

Chorological type: Endemic to Italy. Distribution in Italy: Present in the central-southern Apennines. Habitat: Grows in grassy areas, sparse woodlands, and clearings typical of the mountainous plains of the Apennine region, at altitudes between 800 and 2,000 meters above sea level.

Genus (Cynoglossum): The name derives from the Greek words cyon, cynòs, meaning dog, and glossa, meaning tongue, literally meaning "dog's tongue," referring to the shape and slight roughness of the leaves.

Species (apenninus): A geographical epithet derived from Latin to indicate the exclusive connection with the Apennine mountain range, where the plant grows and is distributed.