Crucianella maritima L.
Diagnostic description:
A small shrub with decumbent or ascending, woody, hairless, whitish stems up to 50 cm long. Leaves up to 13 mm long and 9 mm wide, glaucous, in whorls of 4, closely overlapping; ovate to ovate-lanceolate, subulate, spiny-tipped, leathery, hairless, with a white margin which is sometimes rough-hairy; mid-vein clearly marked on the underside. Bracts are similar to the leaves. Flowers have two bracteoles about 8 mm long. Corolla 5-lobed, 10 to 14 mm long, yellowish, with a tube up to 1 cm long, protruding well beyond the bracts.
Distribution:
Local: Not common in Gibraltar. Found on the East Side sand slopes.
Global: Found throughout the western Mediterranean region.
Ecology:
Flowers from (April) May to June (July).
Habitat:
Grows on coastal rocks and sands.