Lagurus ovatus L.

Spice In the field Inflorescence

Family: GRAMINEAE (POACEAE)

Genus: Lagurus

Catalan common name: Cua de ca. Cua de llebre. Cua de rata. Moixos.

Spanish common name: Lágrimas de la Virgen. Rabillo de conejo.

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: Beaches and dunes, sandy soils. Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Rocky coastlines. Therophytic calicole fields. Therophytic silicolous fields. Uncultivated fields. Sandy soils and road sides.

Characteristics: Commonly known as "Cats" ("moixos" in the Mallorquin dialect of Catalan) are easily identified, as all spikelets are found in a dense oval inflorescence, covered with soft white hairs. The leaves are also covered with silky pilosity. It can only be confused with some of the Polypogon species, although these latter species have an elongated inflorescence, green (or reddish) in colour, and live in very humid places, while Lagurus ovatus are found in fields fairly dry in comparison.