Family |
Santalaceae
Osyris alba
L.
Osyris alba L.
First published in Sp. Pl.: 1022 (1753).
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 1, p. 378, Pl. CXXIV, 4; 1966)
Description
Life-form & habit: Broom-like shrub, about 1.25 m tall or taller among scrub, branching strongly near the base. Slender, upright, angular branches are smooth and hairless, green to grey-green, with few leaves toward their tips.
Leaves: Alternate, linear-lanceolate, 2–3 cm long, pointed and entire, with very short stalks or nearly sessile.
Inflorescence & flowers: Male and female flowers occur on separate plants. Male flowers form small clusters; female flowers are solitary and nearly sessile. Flowers are green outside and yellow inside, with three perianth segments.
Fruit: Scarlet drupe, 8–9 mm across.
Flowering and habitat
Phenology: Flowering March–May.
Habitat & elevation: Wooded places, hedges and scrub.
Distribution
Lebanese distribution: Beirut, Nahr el Kalb, Tripoli, Maasser, Aley, Kahale, Jamhour, above Choueifat, Beit Meri, Dar es Salib, Bikfaya, Dhour Choueir, Ras el Meten, Antoura, Ras Chekka–Hamate, Jabal Terbol, Mayrouba, Ana, Rachaya, near Hasbaya, Kfertay and Baskinta.
Syrian distribution: South of Kessab, Bhamra, Eriha and Jabal Semaane.
Native range: Albania, Algeria, Baleares, Bulgaria, Corse, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., France, Greece, Italy, Kriti, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Morocco, NW. Balkan Pen., Palestine, Portugal, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Tunisia, Türkey, Türkey-in-Europe, Western Sahara.