Vella spinosa Boiss.

Species

Family: CRUCIFERAE (BRASSICACEAE)

Genus: Vella

Catalan common name: Cadireta de pastor. Coixí groc. Creuadeta. Ericó groc..

Spanish common name: Crucecilla espinosa. Piorno de crucecillas..

Province distribution: Alacant.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean (Eastern-Iberian)

Plants protected by law: País Valencià Catalogue.

IUCN Category: VUVulnerable

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Chameophyte.

Habitats: Xero-acanthic shrubs of the mountanous regions, and steppe-grasslands of Ampelodesmos mauritanica. Xeroacanthic scrub in steep high-mountain limestone habitats, typically in windy, cold, and rainy areas.

Characteristics: Cushion-forming shrub, 10–60 cm tall. Stems very intricate and spiny. Leaves 5-10 mm, linear-lanceolate or linear, entire (sometimes with 1-2 lobes), acute. Flowers on pedicels 1-2 mm long, or slightly longer in fruit, slightly rough. Sepals caducous. Petals 10-14 mm, yellow with purplish veins. Fruit divided into two parts: a lower elliptical section containing 2-4 seeds, and an upper section resembling a spoon.