Scorpiurus subvillosus L.

Spice Flower-fruit Flowers Fruit In the field

Family: LEGUMINOSAE

Genus: Scorpiurus

Sinònims: Scorpiurus muricatus L. subsp. subvillosus (L.) Thell

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

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

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Cultivated soils.

Characteristics: Although this species belongs to the Leguminosae, Scorpiurus is a genus that has simple leaves, with a petiole that gradually forms the leaf lamina, more or less lanceolate in form. This fruit of this species is densely covered with small needle-like emergences, and the whole structure is a chaotic, three-dimensional mass of snailshell turns. To the contrary, the needles of Scorpiurus sulcatus are less dense and the fruit only spirals in a one-dimensional plane. Lives in dry-farmed fields, along paths and roadsides. Flowers from the end of winter to the beginning of summer.