Paliurus-spina-christi_11

Description:

Paliurus spina-christi Mill., syn.: Paliurus trinervatus Moench, Rhamnus paliurus L., Paliurus microcarpus Wilmott, Paliurus australis Gaertn.Family: Rhamnaceae Juss.EN: Christ's Thorn, Jerusalem Thorn, DE: Echter Christusdorn, Gemeiner StechdornSlo.: navadni derak, Kristusov trnDat.: Aug. 10. 2008Lat.: 45.32789 Long.: 13.54918 (WGS84)Code: Bot_0288/2007_DSC2481Habitat: dirt road side; bushes, flat terrain; calcareous ground; sunny, warm, dry place; elevation 10 m (30 feet); average precipitations 800-900 mm/year, average temperature 12-13 deg C, Sub-Mediterranean phytogeographical region. Substratum: soil.Place: Pineta settlement west of town Novi grad, Istria, Croatia EC.Comment: (relates to the album Paliurus spina-christi):Paliurus spina-christi is a perennial thorny shrub up to 3 m tall of widespread distribution in dry and stony places all around the Mediterranean region. It is also known in Asia. Its strangely formed fruits make it unmistakable to identify. Along the Adriatic Sea shore, it is a quite common bush. It has generally an open habit growing often in garrigue, but sometimes it is forming much denser and, because of nastily sharp, long and hard thorns, almost impenetrable stands. Many times it is associated with Pistacia terebinthus and Punica granatum bushes. The flowers are tiny but many and important for honey production. The fruits are used for different medical purposes.Ref.(1) A. Martini et all., Mala Flora Slovenije (Flora of Slovenia - Key) (in Slovenian), Tehnina Zaloba Slovenije (2007), p 357. (2) M.A. Fischer, W. Adler, K. Oswald, Exkursionsflora fr sterreich, Liechtenstein und Sdtirol, LO Landesmuseen, Linz, Austria (2005), p 547.(3) I. Schnfelder, P. Schnfelder, Kosmos Atlas Mittelmeer- und Kanarenflora, Kosmos, (2002), p 116.