Herbario Virtual del Mediterráneo Occidental
Àrea de Botànica, Departament de Biologia, Universitat de les Illes Balears
Matthiola fruticulosa (Loefl. ex L.) Maire
Family : CRUCIFERAE (BRASSICACEAE)
Genus : Matthiola
Province distribution : Alicante. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Lérida. Valencia.
Distribution in the islands : Ibiza.
General distribution : Mediterranean
Flowering time : March. April. May. June.
Life-forms : Chameophyte.
Habitat : Garriques and dry soils.
IUCN Category : Poco preocupante
Characteristics : We can find this wonderful plant in the moors and wasteland of the Pitiüses (Eivissa and Formentera). It is recognised when it is in flower because it has four petals in a cross, sometimes facing backwards, which are strangely wavy, moreover the colour of the flowers is also amazing changing in the same place: violet, pink, yellowish, or white. The fruits, like all the Matthiola are long, rigid capsules (siliques). It is a perennial plant, bush-shaped which does not grow above 40 cm, with flat, linear, greyish leaves. It flowers in spring.
