Silene gallica L.

Spice Flowers In the field

Family: CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Genus: Silene

Spanish common name: Carmentilla.

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: Terophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Therophytic silicolous fields. Cultivated fields, path and road sides.

Characteristics: An annual cycle plant, not very large, which grows erectly in small, terophitic meadows, sometimes in neglected farmlands. It develops a raceme of flowers with white or pink petals, with two lobules; the calyx is quite narrow and faces upwards. It can be distinguished from other species of this genus because it is one of the few Silene that flowers during the day in small, dry meadows, but an identification key is always useful if we are not sure.