Maytenus senegalensis (Lam.) Exell subsp. europaea (Boiss.) Rivas-Mart. ex Güemes & Crespo

Species

Family: CELASTRACEAE

Genus: Maytenus

Sinònims: Gymnosporia senegalensis (Lam.) Loes. subsp. europaea (Boiss.) Rivas Goday & Rivas Mart. Celastrus europaeus Boiss.

Spanish common name: Maitén. Arto. Espino cambrón..

Province distribution: Alacant.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Southern Mediterranean

Plants protected by law: País Valencià Catalogue.

IUCN Category: NTNear threatened

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Phanerophyte. Nanophanerophyte. Perennial.

Habitats: Wild olive trees and other sclerophyllous shrublands. Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata forest. Subdesertic xerosteppes, espartaes. Spiny, dry and sunny shrublands of arid south-coastal environments, on predominantly stony soils

Characteristics: Rigid shrub, up to 2 metres tall, with grey, intricately branched stems ending in strong spines. Leaves small (1-4 cm), entire, leathery, elliptic to spatulate in shape, generally glaucous, with loosely toothed margins. Flowers pentamerous and small (5 mm), with whitish petals, arranged in more or less dense inflorescences. Fruit small, nearly spherical, dark red. Seeds reddish-brown and shiny