SimplePlant

Fabaceae

Prickly scorpion's-tail

Scorpiurus muricatus L.

Family
Fabaceae
Genus
Scorpiurus

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Prickly scorpion's-tail: Prickly Caterpillar near Cala Ses Salinas, Mallorca.
Photo: Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons

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Common names

By language (13)
Arabic
ذنب العقرب الشائك
Croatian
Vlasnatodlakavi crveni mač
Czech
Štírovka měkkoostenná
English
Prickly scorpion's-tail, Prickly caterpillar
German
Stacheliger Skorpionsschwanz
Hebrew
זנב-עקרב שיכני
kab
Tagrit
Persian
دم عقربی
Slovenian
Navadna škorpijonka
Spanish
Cagarria, Granillo oveja, Hierba del alacran, Hierba del alacrán, Hierba del escorpion, Hierba del escorpión, Orejicas de liebre, Oruga erisada
Swedish
Skorpionärt
Ukrainian
Личинник колючий
Welsh
Ffacbysen arw

Synonyms

  • Scorpioides elegans Bubani
  • Scorpioides muricata (L.) Medik.
  • Scorpioides sulcata (L.) Medik.
  • Scorpiurus acutifolius Viv.
  • Scorpiurus echinata Lam.
  • Scorpiurus echinatus Lam.
  • Scorpiurus echinatus prol. subvillosus (L.) Samp.
  • Scorpiurus echinatus var. laevigatus Samp.
  • Scorpiurus echinatus var. muricatus (L.) Samp.
  • Scorpiurus echinatus var. subvillosus (L.) Brot.
  • Scorpiurus echinatus var. subvillosus Brot.
  • Scorpiurus echinatus var. sulcatus (L.) Brot.
  • Scorpiurus laevigata Sm.
  • Scorpiurus laevigatus Sm.
  • Scorpiurus laevigatus var. glaberrimus Maire
  • Scorpiurus laevigatus var. papillosus Maire
  • Scorpiurus margaritae P.Palau
  • Scorpiurus minimus Losinsk.
  • Scorpiurus muricatus subsp. laevigatus (Sm.) Thell.
  • Scorpiurus muricatus subsp. subvillosus (L.) Thell.
  • Scorpiurus muricatus subsp. sulcatus (L.) Thell.
  • Scorpiurus muricatus subvar. eriocarpus (Godr.) Thell.
  • Scorpiurus muricatus var. acutifolius (Viv.) Kuntze
  • Scorpiurus muricatus var. breviaculeatus (Batt.) Thell.
  • Scorpiurus muricatus var. eriocarpus (Godr.) Briq.
  • Scorpiurus muricatus var. laevigatus (Sm.) Boiss.
  • Scorpiurus muricatus var. margaritae (P.Palau) E.Domínguez & E.F.Galiano
  • Scorpiurus muricatus var. subvillosus (L.) Fiori
  • Scorpiurus muricatus var. subvillosus (L.) Lam.
  • Scorpiurus muricatus var. sulcatus (L.) Fiori
  • Scorpiurus oliveri P.Palau
  • Scorpiurus subvillosa L.
  • Scorpiurus subvillosus L.
  • Scorpiurus subvillosus subsp. sulcatus (L.) Hayek
  • Scorpiurus subvillosus subsp. sulcatus (L.) Bonnier
  • Scorpiurus subvillosus subvar. eriocarpus (Godr.) Rouy
  • Scorpiurus subvillosus subvar. eriocarpus Rouy
  • Scorpiurus subvillosus var. acutifolius (Viv.) Burnat
  • Scorpiurus subvillosus var. angustifolius Pau
  • Scorpiurus subvillosus var. breviaculeatus Batt.

and 13 more.

Characteristics

Growth habit
Forb/herb
Lifespan
Annual
In the US and Canada
Lower 48 states: introduced

Photos

More in Scorpiurus

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.