Trigonella monspeliaca L.

Spice In the field Legume

Family: LEGUMINOSAE

Genus: Trigonella

Catalan common name: Alfolva de Montpeller.

Spanish common name: Albolba menor. Alholva de frutos estrellados. Alholva menor.

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

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

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Therophytic calicole fields. Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Therphytic communities.

Characteristics: A small, prostrate annual herbaceous species that lives in wastelands and in the clearings of dry thickets/scrubland Like many leguminous plants, its leaves are trifoliolate, and are small and hairy. The flowers are yellow in colour, very small and grouped at the leaf axils, seeming to lack a peduncle. The legumes are a safe and sure characteristic for identification, as they look like small green bananas, clinging to the stem. When it is in the fruit bearing stage, it cannot be confused with another plant, only Astragalus hamosus can have similar fruits, but this later species is much larger, and the leaves have many folioles. Flowers at the beginning of spring.