Agrostemma githago L.

Spice Flower detail

Family: CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Genus: Agrostemma

Catalan common name: Ballaruma. Clavell de blat. Clavell de moro. Herba de git. Herba de la geneta. Niella. Niella de blat.

Spanish common name: Candelaria. Clavel de asno. Esturbión. Negrilla. Negrillón. Neguilla. Ojo de Cristo.

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

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Holoartica

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

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

Characteristics: An erect plant, (up to 100 cm.) annual with a thin and pilose stem. The leaves are opposite, lacking a petiole and lanceolate. Flowers are solitary with a tubular calyx and ending in five narrow, very long and characteristic terminal segments. The flower is pink to violet and the fruit is in the shape of a capsule and covered by a calyx.