Phillyrea angustifolia L.

Spice In the field 1 In the field 2

Family: OLEACEAE

Genus: Phillyrea

Catalan common name: Áladern de fulla estreta. Fràngula. Vern menut.

Spanish common name: Labiérnago blanco. Olivillo. Picadera.

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Formentera. Cabrera. Dragonera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): West Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Nanophanerophyte.

Habitats: Wild olive trees and other sclerophyllous shrublands. Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata forest. Pine wood and shrubland with rosemary and thyme garigue. Pine woodlands and garriques.

Characteristics: A small bush, very branched at the base with very narrow and elongated leaves in that end in the form of a lance point, leaves are sclerophyllic with an entire margin. It's not easy to tell them apart from other species of the genus (which in itself is not very well know in the Balears). Can be distinguished from Ph. latifolia because this latter species has dentate margins with a heart shaped base; and from Ph. media, because although this latter species has lanceolate leaves, they are larger and wider, with some teeth along the margin and the overall plant is much larger.