Phagnalon saxatile (L.) Cass.

Spice In the field Inflorescence

Family: COMPOSITAE (ASTERACEAE)

Genus: Phagnalon

Catalan common name: Herba morenera. Ullastre de frare.

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Lleida. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Formentera. Cabrera. Dragonera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Life-forms: Chameophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Rock crevices and cliff faces. Pine wood and shrubland with rosemary and thyme garigue. Rocky surfaces and dry stone walls. Stony soils, walls.

Characteristics: A small shrub that colonizes abandoned cereal cropped fields, also can be found atop of stonewalls and rocks. Leaves are linear with a marked colour difference between the obverse and reverse side. The capitula are solitary upon each stem, to the contrary, Phagnalon sordidum, which has the capitula arranged in groups. Can be confused with Phagnalon rupestre, but can be told apart as the former has narrower leaves and the bracts of the involucre are pointed, with the extremes directed outwards.