Family |
Cucurbitaceae
Bryonia syriaca
Boiss.
Bryonia syriaca Boiss.
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 3, Pl. CLXXXVI nº 1 a, b et c; 1983)
Life-form & habit: Perennial, climbing or trailing herb, similar to B. multiflora but generally more delicate.
Leaves: Cordate at the base, palmately veined, obtusely lobed or nearly entire, soft and green.
Inflorescence & flowers: Male flowers larger, grouped in loose clusters of 3–4 (or more); female flowers solitary or in pairs.
Fruit: Red berries, up to 1 cm in diameter.
Phenology: Flowers in spring.
Habitat & elevation: Hedgerows, thickets, and bushy places.
Lebanese distribution: Ct. 3 km N of Tyre, Saïda, N of Damour, Khaldé, Kfar Chima, Hazmiyé, Beirut, ‘Asfouriyé, Nahr el-Kelb, Ras Chekka; Mi. ‘Abey; Mm. ‘Aïn Zehalta; Sud. Kfar Tilmt to Jisr-el-Khardali.
Syrian distribution: A.L. Homeiré; Sud. above Lake Tiberias, Hammé.
Native range: Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Transjordan (KEW, GBIF)