Bituminaria bituminosa (L.)C.H. Stirt.

Spice Flower Flower 2 In the field

Family: LEGUMINOSAE

Genus: Bituminaria

Sinònims: Psoralea bituminosa L.

Catalan common name: Cabrulla. Herba bruna. Herba cabruna. Trèvol pudent.

Spanish common name: Hierba cabrera. Hierba cabruna. Hierba gitana. Hiperuelo. Trébol bastardo. Trébol del mal olor.

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

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

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

Uses and properties: Aromatic.

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Hemicryptophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Rocky coastlines. Wild olive trees and other sclerophyllous shrublands. Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata forest. Pine wood and shrubland with rosemary and thyme garigue. Garriques, path and road sides.

Characteristics: This is probably one of the easiest Leguminosae to recognise. On the one hand due to its blue flowers, on the other hand because of the plants unmistakable smell (smell one leaflet between your fingers) of bitumen (shoe polish), hence its name. The size of the plant is fairly large: it grows to more or less one metre in height. It is very frequent along path- and road- sides and in fields. It flowers at the end of spring.