''Herniaria lusitanica'' subsp. ''berlengiana'' is an

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inva ...

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

of flowering plant in the family

Caryophyllaceae Caryophyllaceae, commonly called the pink family or carnation family, is a family of flowering plants. It is included in the dicotyledon order Caryophyllales in the APG III system, alongside 33 other families, including Amaranthaceae, Cactacea ...

. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the Berlengas Archipelago,

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

Description

''Herniaria lusitanica'' subsp. ''berlengiana'' is a biennal or perennial plant much smaller than its mainland counterpart (subsp. ''lusitanica''). Stems are thin and grow up to about , leaves are and have short hairs, curly when young. Glomeruli have 4-7(10) flowers, .

Distribution and habitat

''Herniaria lusitanica'' subsp. ''berlengiana'' inhabits the

Berlengas The Berlengas are a Portuguese archipelago consisting of small Atlantic islands off the coast of Peniche, Portugal, in the Oeste region. These islands were traditionally known to British mariners as "the Burlings". The only inhabited island is ...

on Berlenga Grande, the Farilhões Islets and Inês Islet off mainland

. The plant has thin herbaceous communities growing mainly in arid sites, skeletal soils and in fissures of granite rocks as well as along hiking trails.

Threats

It is mainly threatened by invasive plant species, namely the sour fig (''

Carpobrotus edulis ''Carpobrotus edulis'' is a ground-creeping plant with succulent leaves in the genus '' Carpobrotus'', native to South Africa. Its common names include hottentot-fig, sour fig, ice plant or highway ice plant. Description ''Carpobrotus edulis' ...

''), and clearing of hiking paths. Trampling is actually beneficial for this plant as it reduces its competition by keeping surrounding vegetation low.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q19709408 lusitanica subsp. berlengiana Endemic flora of Portugal