Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter

Family: COMPOSITAE (ASTERACEAE)

Genus: Dittrichia

Sinònims: Inula viscosa (L.) Ait.

Catalan common name: Olivarda.

Spanish common name: Olivarda. Pulguera valenciana.

Province distribution: Balearic Islands.

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

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

Uses and properties: Aromatic.

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Nanophanerophyte. Semicaducifolious.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Rocky coastlines. Fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones.

Characteristics: False yellowhead is a small bush covered in yellow flowers in autumn, it is a species which colonises abandoned fields, roadsides and disturbed places. This plant gives off a particular smell which some people consider unpleasant. There are other yellow Compositae which can coexist with false yellowhead. Dittrichia graveolens looks like it but has much smaller flowers and leaves; sow thistles (Sonchus spp.) are herbaceous.