Thymelaea hirsuta (L.) Endl.

Spice Detail In the field

Family: THYMELAEACEAE

Genus: Thymelaea

Catalan common name: Bufalaga. Pala marina. Peu de milà.

Spanish common name: Bolaga. Borja marina. Pala marina. Prueba yernos.

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

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

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

Uses and properties: Furniture, construction and tools.

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Nanophanerophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Rocky coastlines. Wild olive trees and other sclerophyllous shrublands. Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata forest. Dry and stony soils.

Characteristics: A shrub with hanging branches, these are covered small a stiff leaves, superimposed upon each other like scales, green on the reverse and white (due to their pilosity) on the obverse. Flowers are very small and yellow. This plant can be found in the littoral zones but also can be found in the interior in abandoned fields. The other Thymelaea sps. have a distinct physiognomy, as their pilousity is greyish or light green in hue. Flowers in winter and during the spring.