Coriaria myrtifolia L.

Spice Leaf - fruit detail Fruit Leaves

Family: CORIARIACEAE

Genus: Coriaria

Catalan common name: Roldor. Tinter.

Spanish common name: Emborrachacabras.

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

Distribution in the islands: Ibiza.

General distribution (Phytogeography): West Mediterranean

Uses and properties: Dye industry. Medicinal.

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Nanophanerophyte. Semicaducifolious.

Habitats: Non-saline wetlands (intermittent watercourses, streams, artesian wells, ditches). Torrents.

Characteristics: This is the only species of this family which lives in the archipelago, and can only be found on the island of Eivissa. It is quite a tall shrub which can easily exceed two metres. It is characteristic for its lanceolate leaves displayed in pairs, the shape of the leaves is reminiscent of murtle, but they are clearly larger and do not smell; the obverse of the leaves has three nerves which run from the base to the tip and which reliably identify it. The flowers appear in racemes, they are greenish. The fruits are also very characteristic, they are fleshy, almost black when they ripen; they are made up of five clearly differentiated parts. The fruits are very toxic. It flowers at the beginning of spring.