Sideroxylon spinosum L.
Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels
Eng.: Argan. Spa.: Argán. Fre.: Arganier. Ara.: Argan. Tam.: Argan, afiyach, zekmun, abelziz, abau, tafayucht; the fruit: luz el barber; the almond: tiznint.
Evergreen tree, hermaphrodite, up to 10(15) m in height, regular in shape, with a wide and rounded crown, somewhat reminiscent of the shape of the Quercus ilex. Trunk rather tortuous, sometimes is the result of the fusion of several intertwined stems. Bark greyish, highly fissured, longitudinally and transversely rugose. Branches extended, slightly upright. Branchlets short, ending in strong spines, with ot without leaves. Leaves (15-50 × 4-10 mm) alternate, often grouped in fascicles (sometimes solitary), lanceolate, oblanceolate or spatulate, obtuse, entire, petiolate, coriaceous, glabrous, deep green on the upper side and slightly lighter on the underside. Inflorescence in sessile fascicles, usually axillary. Flowers sessile, greenish-yellowish, with whitish tints. Calyx with 5 sepals (3-3.6 × 1-1.6 mm) obovate, pubescent, with scarious margins. Corolla with 5 petals (5-5.5 × 1-1.8 mm), glabrous, stamens borne at the base of the petals. Anthers exserted. Ovary hairy. Style glabrous, exserted. Fruit an ovoid or subglobose berry, 1.5-4 × 1.5-2.5 cm, greenish-yellowish. Seeds 2-3, inside a kind of hard nut.
Flowering:
March to June.
Fruiting:
About a year later, in late spring and early summer.
Habitat:
It seems indifferent to the type of substrate, as it is found in almost all types of terrain (silty-sandy depressions, rocky outcrops, deep soils, etc.), from almost sea level to about 1,500 m. From arid to dry bioclimate, on inframediterranean and thermomediterranean floors, with mild winters.
Distribution:
Endemic to North Africa. More highly densely distributed in the Macaronesian region (western High Atlas, Sus Valley and western Anti-Atlas), where it originally formed an immense forest. Small populations or isolated stands are also found: to the S to Saguia el Hamra and nearby wadis (NW Sahara); to the SE up to Tinduf, the Merkala area and the river El Ma (Algeria); to the N through the coastal and subcoastal Atlantic zone near Rabat. There is also a curious isolated population in Tarhit (between Berkane and the Muluya river —NE Morocco—).
Observations:
Species of great economic value because its forests have been exploited since ancient times, in a similar way to the Iberian “pasture”, clearing the forests, but without eliminating them altogether, so that grazing and cultivation can be done in between the trees. This selective deforestation in plains is a reasonable form of exploitation of natural resources, but in slopes it leads to a strong loss of fertile soil through erosion, especially aggravated by livestock. It has been estimated that over 1,000,000 people used to live directly or indirectly from the exploitation of SW Moroccan argan fields, which gives an idea of the economic importance of these trees in a semiarid region. One of the most common and interesting uses of argan is the extraction of a highly nutritious oil from its seeds, which also has cosmetic and medicinal properties.
Conservation status:
Common species, but with a small distribution. In the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species it is listed as Vulnerable (VU) at global level (Oldfield, 2022.). In the Livre Rouge de la flore vasculaire du Maroc (Fennane, 2021) it has been considered as Near Threatened (NT). In Algeria, it is included in its List of protected non cultivated flora (Executive Decree 12-03 on 4-Jan-2012).