Centranthus calcitrapae (L.) Dufresne

Spice Fruit In the field

Family: VALERIANACEAE

Genus: Centranthus

Catalan common name: Pedrosa. Roseta.

Spanish common name: Valeriana española.

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

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Formentera. Cabrera. Dragonera.

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. Rocky surfaces and dry stone walls. Dry soils and walls.

Characteristics: An annual cycle species, it lives in dry wasteland, but can also be found in walls or rock faces. The arrangement of the small, pink flowers, which look like an umbel, is quite characteristic; the leaves on the stalk are greatly divided, but the ones at the base are only dentate; there is not much chance of mistaking it for other plants.