Valantia hispida L.

Spice In the field

Family: RUBIACEAE

Genus: Valantia

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

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

General distribution (Phytogeography): Some regions

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Therophytic calicole fields. Rocky surfaces and dry stone walls. Fields and stony soils.

Characteristics: A small herbaceous plant that lives in thicket/scrubland clearings. Its diminutive and compact leaves are worm-like in appearance. Its can be distinguished by its characteristic nose shaped fruit, that emerges from the leaf axils and is comletely covered with rigid hairs. It is very similar to Valantia muralis, which can be found in the same habitats although this latter specie has boat-shaped fruits with hairs on each side, and is much smaller than the fruit of Valantia hispida.