Valantia muralis L.

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): Mediterranean

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. Therophytics communities.

Characteristics: This is a small herbaceous plant that frequents many places but often goes unnoticed because of its diminutive stature. Leaves are compact and reduced, often greenish yellow, and together with its rigid stem it resembles a worm. It flowers are extremely small and rapidly bear fruit. The fruits, in contrast are very characteristic, boat-shaped, with stiff hairs on each side. Lives in thicket clearings and also between rocks. It can be easily confused with Valantia hispida, which is larger, but more importantly, does not have boat-shaped flowers and is completely covered by spiny emergences.