Helleborus foetidus L.

Spice Basal leaves Fruit In the field

Family: RANUNCULACEAE

Genus: Helleborus

Catalan common name: Marxívol. Peloni borda.

Spanish common name: Pie de grifo.

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

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca.

General distribution (Phytogeography): West Mediterranean

Uses and properties: Medicinal.

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Chameophyte.

Habitats: Oakforest. Xero-acanthic shrubs of the mountanous regions, and steppe-grasslands of Ampelodesmos mauritanica. Serra de Tramuntana mountains.

Characteristics: A perennial plant which can reach half a metre in height. It grows in the Serra de Tramuntana in Mallorca. Some authors consider it a particular race of the island. It has characteristic leaves divided into leaflets in an irregularly palmate disposition; they are of coriaceous consistency. It forms flowers with sepals which have the shape of petals with reddish margin. It is a plant typical of roadsides and clearings in mountain holm-oak woods. It flowers in winter or at the beginning of spring. Helleborus lividus is easy to distinguish because the leaves only have three oval leaflets and the top of the leaves is usually purple.