Bellis annua L.

Spice Flowers In the field

Family: COMPOSITAE (ASTERACEAE)

Genus: Bellis

Catalan common name: Margalideta. Margaridoia anual. Picarol. Primavera.

Spanish common name: Bellorita. Margaritilla.

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

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

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. Therophytic silicolous fields. Therophytic communities. Path and road sides.

Characteristics: This small daisy flowers in winter and can cover dry wasteland in white. It has an annual cycle and is very frequent in the terophitic communities in the Balearics. It can be confused with Bellium bellidioides, although the latter flowers in spring and has all its leaves at the base. Bellium annua flowers in winter and has leaves all along its short stalks.