Phylum: Magnoliophyta - Class: Equisetopsida - Order: Fabales - Family: Fabaceae
This impressive plant with its racemes of creamy-green flowers is one of the earliest to bloom in the Mediterranean and can be seen from February until May. The seed pods which are green at first eventually turn brown and then black as they ripen.
This plant is a member of the Fabaceae family of which there are so many species throughout Europe. This one can be found in Spain, Portugal and NW Africa. It grows in dry and rocky places and in the garrigue.
The specimens shown on this page were photographed in the Algarve region of Portugal in late February.
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