Ifloga spicata, (Forskal) Schultz Bip.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1976, Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae), Cambridge University Press : 123

1. I. spicata (Forskâl) Schultz Bip. in Webb & Berth., Phyt. Canar. 2: 310 (1845).

Stems 3-12 cm, with rigid, procumbent or ascending branches. Leaves (5-)8-14(-20) x 1-1-5 mm, filiformsubulate, patent, shiny green above, greyish-lanate beneath, longer than the clusters of capitula. Capitula 3-4 x c. 2 mm, subglobose to cylindrical. Involucral bracts c. 3 x 1 -4 mm, reddishbrown, scarious, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, shortly acuminate. Functionally male florets 1 -4 mm, yellowish-orange above. Achenes 0- 8 x 0-3 mm, ovoid, glabrous, brownish-green. S.E. Spain (near Almería). Hs. (N. Africa, S. W. Asia.)

Very polymorphic. The above description applies to subsp. spicata , the only one found in Europe.