Little European frostweed

Back to the wilderness (kinda) and the little weeds. Another one that I found in a forested area but with larger clear gaps covered in bushes. One that I never saw before and that has few looks apparently.

Tuberaria guttata

This one is also known as European frostweed or Spotted rock-rose. It is an annual plant native to Mediterranean region but it was also observed in central Europe.

As I mentioned I found it in a uncultivated area with plenty pine trees around, but with very sunny and hot spots. Majority was growing closer to the path with more sun exposure. The soil there is very dry and sandy and yet they did quite well.

The flowers, though very small (about 1 cm across), are quite pretty. Bright yellow petals with darker spots near the center. The skinny stem can produce few of them one by one.

Blooming starts around march and lasts until the end of July.
And here is a fun fact:

The flowers are cleistogamous, producing little pollen and no nectar, and attracting few insect visitors, and the petals fall off after only a few hours.
_source

Cleistogamous flowers can self-pollinate without actually blooming. One of my cactus can do that. I get the flower buds and then I get the seed pod. Silly thing.

A little bit further away I found more of them, but looking a little different. The spots are in different sizes.
It is still the same plant though.

Bonus bugger :)