Il-Bjanka tal-Irdum
An evergreen shrub of sheer sea cliffs found only in the Maltese Islands, listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Maltese cliff orache is a branched, woody shrub up to about 1 m tall. It grows on sheer coastal cliffs on Malta and Gozo and never occurs more than about 100 m from the cliff edge. Its small flowers are inconspicuous and appear from August to October.
For many years botanists called it Cremnophyton lanfrancoi. Genetic studies led to its move into the genus Atriplex in 2010.
It is a strictly protected endemic species and is listed in the Red Data Book of the Maltese Islands as threatened.
How to help
Admire it where it grows and leave it undisturbed: it is protected by law. Report damage to plants or their habitat to ERA.
Text: Wikipedia; Online Flora of the Maltese Islands, licence CC BY-SA 4.0. Edited by the Editorial Team.
