Arabis collina Ten.

Spice Fruit Image 2 In the field

Family: CRUCIFERAE (BRASSICACEAE)

Genus: Arabis

Province distribution: Balearic Islands.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Hemicryptophyte.

Habitats: Rock crevices and cliff faces. Rocky surfaces and dry stone walls. Stony soils.

Characteristics: A plant which in the Balearics lives in the cracks in the rocks of the Mallorcan mountains. It has a rosette of basal leaves which are strongly stuck in the ground; they are large and irregularly dentate. The inflorescence is very long, with a bunch of small white flowers; the fruits (silique, several-seeded) are erect and stuck on the stalk; this characteristic and the rosette of leaves clearly identify it. It can only be confused with Arabis hirsuta, but this species has smaller flowers (petals less than 6 mm) and an inflorescence with many flowers (over 20). It flowers at the end of spring.