Hippocrepis biflora Spreng.

Spice Fruit detail Fruit In the field In the field 2

Family: LEGUMINOSAE

Genus: Hippocrepis

Sinònims: Hippocrepis unisiliquosa L. Hippocrepis unisiliquosa L. subsp. biflora (Spreng.) O. Bolòs et Vigo

Province distribution: Balearic Islands.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Therophytic calicole fields. Fields and road sides. Therophytic communities.

Characteristics: A small, annual cycle plant; when bearing fruit it is easy to recognise as a Hippocrepis because of its articulated pods with the seeds occupying each of the strangulations and the leaves with numerous leaflets, one of which is terminal. This species has flowers which are normally isolated on very short peduncles, which makes them look as if they were sitting down; this feature differentiates it from Hippocrepis multisiliquosa which has several flowers at the tip of a peduncle which is nearly as long as the corresponding leaf.