This annual plant with a Mediterranean distribution is present in all regions of Italy except in the Valle d'Aosta, Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Friuli Venezia Giulia. It grows in openings of garrigue vegetation, in dry grasslands, in pastures and on stony uncultivated ground, from sea level to about 1200 m. The species is sporadic on the edge of the Sardinian temporary ponds, in contact with dry grasslands and garrigue vegetation. The genus is dedicated to Tommaso Parentucelli (1397-1455), pope in 1447 under the name of Nicholas V, who had run a translation of Theophrastus and had founded a garden of medicinal plants in the Vatican; the species name in Latin means 'with broad leaves'. Flowering period: March to June.

Italian name(s): Parentucellia a foglie larghe (Italia), Parentucellia latifoglia (Italia), Perlina rossiccia (Italia).