Cynanchum acutum L.

Spice Flowers

Family: ASCLEPIADACEAE

Genus: Cynanchum

Catalan common name: Corretjola blanca. Corretjola borda. Corretjola de bou. Corretjola de serp. Matagós.

Spanish common name: Correhuela lechosa. Matacán. Monea falsa.

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

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

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

Uses and properties: Medicinal.

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Chameophyte.

Habitats: Beaches and dunes, sandy soils. Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Rocky coastlines. Path and road sides, dunes and coastal areas.

Characteristics: A climbing plant with leaves opposite and coriforme; they exude latex if crushed or broken. The stems are very long as is the distance between nodes. The flowers are white in colour, small are grouped in axillary umbels and have a very characteristic morphology. The sepals are long, ovate white and star shaped; the petals are also white and fused at the base and very filiformis at the apex.