Amaranthus graecizans L. subsp. sylvestris (Vill.) Brenan

Spice

Family: AMARANTHACEAE

Genus: Amaranthus

Catalan common name: Blet.

Spanish common name: Bledo.

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

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. Cultivated fields, disturbed zones.

Characteristics: A plant that can infest cultivated fields, forming dense single species communities or mixed in with other Amaranthus. Leaves are rhomboidal with an acute apex, green in colour without any white spots. The shape of the leaves tells it apart from Amaranthus blitoides, which lives in the same spots and can also massive occupy stretches of dry-land farmed fields; the leaf of this latter species has an obtuse apex and a white spot on the lamina. Flowers from the summer and throughout the fall.