Daphne gnidium L.

Spice Flower Fruit

Family: THYMELAEACEAE

Genus: Daphne

Catalan common name: Astruc. Baladre. Matapoll. Tell. Tintorell.

Spanish common name: Matapollo. Torvisco.

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: Nanophanerophyte.

Habitats: Oakforest. Pine wood and shrubland with rosemary and thyme garigue. Pine woodlands, garriques and fields.

Characteristics: This is a bush with a lot of leaves all of which point upwards and are shaped like a sword tip; some people could mistake it for Euphorbia but by quickly cutting off a leaf we can see that it does not give off white latex. It forms white flowers at the end of summer and in autumn. It is necessary to be careful with this plant because it is an irritant.