Minuartia mediterranea (Ledeb. ex Link) K. Malý

Family: CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Genus: Minuartia

Sinònims: Minuartia hybrida (Vill.) Schischk. subsp. mediterranea (Ledeb. in Link) O. bolòs et Vigo

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Formentera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

Habitats: Therophytic calicole fields. Rocky surfaces and dry stone walls. Therophytics communities.

Characteristics: A small, yet very elegant herb, it grows erectly from the ground with very thin stems without hairs, it has sword-shaped leaves which are always opposite. The flowers are small and grow at the top of the plant, with stylised, sharp sepals. Minuartia hybrida is very similar and the distinction between these two species can be difficult, especially because there are populations with mixed features (as is the case of the specimen that illustrates this file). Minuartia mediterrania is smaller and has flowers with short leaf-stalks (shorter than the flower), hence the inflorescence is dense. Minuartia hybrida is larger in size and the flowers are very pedunculate, the inflorescence is much more lax. It lives in moors together with other annual cycle species.