Crucianella maritima L.

Spice Flower In the field

Family: RUBIACEAE

Genus: Crucianella

Catalan common name: Crucianel·la marítima.

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

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

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Chameophyte.

Habitats: Beaches and dunes, sandy soils. Coastal sandy soils.

Characteristics: This is a strictly psammophile plant, it colonises the central area of dunes after the community of Ammophila arenaria, forming a low, open, woody community. Like all Rubiaceae, it has verticilate leaves, but there are so many on top of each other that this characteristic is not easy to see. It forms yellow flowers in summer.