Ptilostemon hispanicus

Ptilostemon hispanicus Spanish mountain thistle

Cardo perruno

This attractive thistle is endemic to southern Spain and flowers from June to August. It can grow to an height of 1 metre. It likes rocky, calcareous, stony or sandy soils.

Helianthemum apennium

Helianthemum apennium

Sun rose

Perdiguera blanca

This pretty little plant flowers from March to July over large parts of Europe. It grows to a height of 50cms. The flowers grow in clusters of 3 to 10 per stem.

Helianthemum apennium x

Helianthemum apennium x

This small plant was first seen in May 2009 and together with a friend we believed it to be a cross of H. appeninum and H. hirtum, though we were not sure. It flowers from April to July and was about 20cms tall. Siera de las Nieves.

Helianthemum hirtum

Helianthemum hirtum

Jarilla romero

This lovely Rock rose flowers from March to June and can grow to a height of 40cms tall. It is native to west of the Mediterranean and Libya.

Helianthemum ledifolium

Helianthemum ledifolium

Hierba tumera

This annual sunrose can grow to a height of 40cms tall, and is native to the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands.

Anthyllis tetraphylla

Anthyllis tetraphylla Bladder vetch

This unusual, annual plant flowers from April to June and can grow from 5~25cms tall. It is native to the Mediterranean.

Anthyllis vulneraria ssp arundana

Anthyllis vulneraria ssp arundana Kidney vetch

Vulneraria

This beautiful Kidney vetch could be a subspecies, but I need the basal leaves for identification, which I don't have. Next year...It flowers from April to June and was growing out of rocks. This is endemic to the Ronda mountain area.

Erophaca baetica ssp baetica /Astragalus lusitanicus

Erophaca baetica ssp baetica  Iberian milkvetch

Synonym Astragalus lusitanicus

Garbancillos

This plant has undergone a name change to Erophaca baetica and it flowers from January to April. It is one of my favourite plants as it appears so early and is so beautiful. It grows to a height of 30-70cms and can be found at an altitude of 300-1,500metres. This specie is endemic to southern Spain and NW Africa. It is found on dry slopes and also in Holm and Cork oak woods. This photograph was taken near to Grazalema. It's beans are highly toxic to man and beast.

Cytisus grandiflorus

Cytisus grandiflorus Spanish broom

This lovely broom flowers from March to June and can grow to 3 metres tall. It is an endemic to south of the Iberian peninsula, and the Rif and Atlas mountains in north Africa. It is found in cork and pine forests, and also on the coast. It has now been widely cultivated.

Dorycnium pentaphyllum

Dorycnium pentaphyllum Prostrate Canary clover

Bocha
This attractive plant flowers from April to July and grows to 25-50cms. It is native to the Mediterranean and is loved by insects. It tolerates all soil types.

Dorycnium pentaphyllum with a Common Blue butterfly (I think), taken 12.7.2013.

Echinospartum boissieri

Echinospartum boissieri

Piorno fino

This shrub forms dense, spiny mounds and is an endemic of the mountains in southern Spain. It can grow to a height of 40cms and flowers in June and July. Photo taken at Sierra de las Nieves.
It occurs in semi~coniferous and conifer forests. This plant is on the Red list of threatened plants.

Erinacea anthyllis

Erinacea anthyllis Hedgehog broom

April to July
Just starting to bloom at Sierra de Loja 17.4.2013

Genista umbellata

Genista umbellata
Bolina
April to July

Hedysarum boveanum ssp europaeum

Hedysarum boveanum ssp europaeum

Zulla silvestre

This pretty flower is in bloom from February to June and is native to the western Mediterranean. It can grow from 10~35cms tall.

Hedysarum coronarium

Hedysarum coronarium Italian sainfoin

Zulla

This plant can be grown for fodder and can reach a height of over a metre tall. It is native to Spain, southern Italy, Malta and north Africa. It can also be a bee crop, used for honey production.

Hedysarum glomeratum

Hedysarum glomeratum Clustered sulla

This plant is native to the Mediterranean and can grow to a height of  60cms, though often it is found growing low on the ground. It flowers from May to July.

Astragalus glaux

Astragalus glaux Milkvetch

This plant flowers from April to June and can grow from 5-25cms tall. It is found west of the Mediterranean and North Africa.

Astragalus echinatus

Astragalus echinatus Milkvetch