10 February 2020

The Three horned stock Matthiola tricuspidata is an annual herbaceous plant, 10-30 cm tall, of the Brassicaceae family. Flowers have 4 pink or violet petals and the fruit is a long, cylindrical siliqua (a sort of legume) with three apical acute horns. The species name refers to this morphological characteristic.

This plant flowers from March/April to July and is typical of coastal and island habitats. Its distribution is limited to the Mediterranean coasts.

The Three horned stock is among the rarest plant in the Lazio region. Presently, it occurs only on the islands of Palmarola and Ventotene, especially along the coastal cliffs and in the archaeological area of Punta Eolo. In the 20th century it was found also on the mainland coastline near Nettuno (Astura).

In Italy it is present also in Tuscany, and in all southern regions and islands.

In the last picture of gallery you can see the recovery of Three horned stock and other species in one of the sites where the Hottentot fig Carpobrotus sp. has been eradicated.