Helichrysum crassifolium D.Don

Spice In the field

Family: COMPOSITAE (ASTERACEAE)

Genus: Helichrysum

Sinònims: Helichrysum ambiguum (Pers.) C. Presl.

Catalan common name: Maçanella.

Province distribution: Balearic Islands.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Dragonera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean (Balearic)

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Chameophyte.

Habitats: Rock crevices and cliff faces. Rock creviceses and cliff faces.

Characteristics: This is a light grey shrub, practically white, with broad leaves, which always lives hanging out of the crevices in shady, rocky wall faces. It is always rounded in shape, like many other mountain species. If it is not in flower it can be mistaken for other species of this habitat, above all for Scabiosa cretica and for Silene mollissima, both of which have less consistent leaves and are clearly greener, while their flowers are pinkish instead of yellow. There can also be some confusion with Helichrysum rupestre, but this species has linear leaves rather than having spear-shaped ones.