Arbutus pavarii
Arbutus pavarii is a species of the genus of strawberry trees (Arbutus ) in the family Ericaceae ( Ericaceae ). It occurs only in Libya.
Description
Arbutus pavarii is an evergreen shrub or small tree with a height of 1.5 to 3 ( to 6) m. Trunk and branches have a cracked, red-brown bark that peels off in small pieces. Young branches have a glandular - bristly hairs. The leathery, glossy on the upper side of leaves are ovate, obovate or oblong - lanceolate, pointed, 4 to 11 cm long and 1.5 to 4 cm wide. The leaf margin is almost entire, cut up finely. The petiole is 4 to 10 mm long.
The inflorescences are terminal, drooping racemes. The individual flowers are in the armpit of a carrier sheet and are stalked 2-3 mm long. The approximately 1 mm long calyx is glabrous and has five triangular- ovate lobes. The deformed crown is off-white colored to pink, pitcher -shaped, about 8 mm long, with five recurved, only 0.7 to 1 mm long lobes. The fruit is spherical with a diameter of 15 to 20 mm, fleshy, with first yellow or orange, later deep carmine or scarlet, irregularly warty surface and many seeds in each compartment. The seeds measure 3.5 × 2 mm, are pear-shaped, with brown, ribbed surface.
Arbutus pavarii blooms from late October to February. The fruit takes eight months to maturity.
Occurrence
Arbutus pavarii is endemic to the mountain Jabal al - al - Akhdar in Cyrenaica (Libya ), which he inhabited annual precipitation at altitude 150-550 meters and in regions with more than 350 mm. It grows with high continuity in Macchien as characteristic species of its own phytosociological association, the Junipero - Arbutetum pavarii, together with Rhamnus lycioides subsp. oleoides, Juniperus phoenicea var turbinata, Pistacia lentiscus, Olea europaea var sylvestris, Smilax aspera, Phillyrea latifolia, Asparagus aphyllus, Ceratonia siliqua, Viola scorpiuroides, Calicotome villosa, Arum cyrenaicum, Cyclamen rohlfsianum and other species. Also in kermes oak and cypress forests comes before this strawberry tree.
In the Red List of Threatened Species IUCN Arbutus is pavarii because of the small distribution area, the climatic boundary layer and the human factors ( use of timber, expansion of agriculture, urbanization, overgrazing ) rated as threatened ( Vulnerable ).
Use
Arbutus pavarii delivers an estimated, also used for medicinal purposes, " Ashmari " said Honey. The fruit tastes a bit bland, but are processed fresh or as jam edible. The wood is used for the firing and as charcoal.