Epilobium hirsutum L.

Spice Flower detail Flower In the field

Family: ONAGRACEAE

Genus: Epilobium

Catalan common name: Epilobi. Mata jaia. Niella de rec.

Spanish common name: Adelfilla pelosa. Clavelillos de San Antonio. Hierba de san Antonio. Laurel de San Antonio. Rosadelfilla.

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

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Some regions

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Hemicryptophyte.

Habitats: Litoral marshes and riparian. Non-saline wetlands (intermittent watercourses, streams, artesian wells, ditches). Non-saline wetlands (intermittent watercourses, streams, artesian wells, ditches).

Characteristics: Near moist places but without entering the water, we can find this relatively large herb, since it can reach over a metre in height. It is characterised by its soft hairy covering, its wide, opposite and wide leaves, and its flowers with bright pink petals more than one centimetre long, and a deeply lobulate stigma. Like all the species of this genus, it forms a long capsule which the seeds come out of with long, silky hair which allows them to be dispersed by the wind. The other species of this genus in the Balearics have smaller flowers (less than one centimetre). Like many other plants in moist areas it flowers at the end of spring and in summer.