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''Astragalus balearicus'', commonly known as the Balearic milkvetch or gatovell, is a small
''Astragalus balearicus'' is a small rotund bush with dense leafy foliage. Its leaves are long and commonly divide into between three and five leaflets. It has flowers that are between long and appear between March and July. Its legumes measure between , are glabrous and are slightly ovate.
In appearance, it resembles a hedgehog, hence its popular name of (hedgehog). It is also known locally as (nun's pad) and (black rat).
legume
A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock f ...
of the genus ''Astragalus
''Astragalus'' is a large genus of over 3,000 species of herbs and small shrubs, belonging to the legume family Fabaceae and the subfamily Faboideae. It is the largest genus of plants in terms of described species. The genus is native to tempe ...
'' that is found on the Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands ( es, Islas Baleares ; or ca, Illes Balears ) are an archipelago in the Balearic Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The archipelago is an autonomous community and a province of Spain; its capital is ...
off the coast of Spain.
Description
''Astragalus balearicus'' is a small rotund bush with dense leafy foliage. Its leaves are long and commonly divide into between three and five leaflets. It has flowers that are between long and appear between March and July. Its legumes measure between , are glabrous and are slightly ovate.
In appearance, it resembles a hedgehog, hence its popular name of (hedgehog). It is also known locally as (nun's pad) and (black rat).
Etymology and taxonomy
''Astragalus balearicus'' was first described by Arthur Oliver Chater in 1968. Assigned to the genus ''Astragalus'', derived from the Greek , Chater gave it a geographical epithet due to its prevalence on the Belearic islands. The species is similar to '' Astragalus massiliensis'' which is found in Sardinia, from which it probably diverged at the end of theOligocene
The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene Period and extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the epoch are well identified but the ...
when the islands separated from mainland France.
Distribution and habitat
The legume is endemic toMallorca
Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest island in the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain and located in the Mediterranean.
The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Bal ...
and Minorca
Menorca or Minorca (from la, Insula Minor, , smaller island, later ''Minorica'') is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca. Its capita ...
in the Mediterranean Sea, where the cushion-like thorns of the plant create a landscape typical of the islands. It is particularly abundant in the Serra de Tramuntana
The Serra de Tramuntana (, es, Sierra de Tramontana) is a mountain range running southwest–northeast which forms the northern backbone of the Spanish island of Mallorca. It is also the name given to the comarca of the same area. On 27 June 201 ...
.
It grows on limestone soils that are more than above sea level. It prefers dry, windy, particularly exposed mountainous or coastal, environments which have deep calcareous
Calcareous () is an adjective meaning "mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate", in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.
In zoology
''Calcareous'' is used as an adje ...
soils. It is found with species like Paeonia cambessedesii
''Paeonia cambessedesii'' is a Perennial plant, perennial Herbaceous plant, herbaceous species of peony about 45 cm high. It has pink flowers. The stems, major veins and undersides of the leaves remain purple red, while the upper surface of ...
. The species is considered to be of Least Concern in the IUCN Red List
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...
.
See also
*Wildlife of Spain
The wildlife of Spain includes the diverse flora and fauna of Spain. The country located at the south of France has two long coastlines, one on the north on the Cantabrian Sea, another on the East and South East on the Mediterranean Sea, and a sma ...
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5709828 balearicus Endemic flora of Spain Plants described in 1968