Arbutus unedo
Incl. A. unedo L. var. tangerina Pau
Eng.: Strawberry-tree. Spa.: Madroño, madroñera. Fre.: Arbousier commun. Ara.: Mothrunia, qatelabihia, açir el dobb, henna hameur, bu sbiba, bu djbiba, bu jbiba, mutrun, hamra; the fruit: lendj, bu hennu. Tam.: Ticisnu, isisnu, sisnu, ichichnu, bekhannu, bahennu, sasnu; the fruit: uassasnu.
Shrub or small tree, evergreen, hermaphrodite, up to 8 m in height and even taller, but generally not exceeding 4 m. Irregular in shape, with ± dense foliage. Trunk tortuous, with brown-greyish or blackish bark, rugose, with outer layers peeling off into short strips. Branches extended-erect, greyish or reddish. Branchlets reddish, glabrous or villous-glandular. Leaves (4-11 × 1.5-4 cm) alternate, shortly petiolate, lanceolate, lauroid, with very variable margin (even in the same plant), serrate or serrulate, rarely crenate, subentire or entire, glabrous, deep bright green on the upper side, and slightly lighter and matt on the underside. Inflorescences in pendant panicles, terminal. Flowers with very small calyx, triangular sepals 1-1.5 mm. Corolla white (7-10 mm), ovate, with 5 revolute lobes at the top. Anthers included, with 2 entire appendages. Fruit a globose berry, (8)10-20(25) mm in diameter, covered with warts ending in obtuse or subacute tips, deep red. Seeds numerous, very small, angled.
Flowering:
In autumn to winter.
Fruiting:
About a year later, coinciding with the new flowering.
Habitat:
Siliceous and calcareous soils, from sea level up to 1,900 m. From subhumid to humid bioclimate, on thermomediterranean and mesomediterranean floors, with mild winters.
Distribution:
Mediterranean and Macaronesian regions, reaching towards the N up to Ireland. In North Africa it is relatively common throughout the less dry areas of the Mediterranean region (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia), reaching in the S to the Saharan Atlas and western Anti-Atlas.
Observations:
The fruits of this species are highly nutritious and palatable, frequently being collected for sale in the souks (markets) of towns and cities. These fruits are likewise highly valued by various species of birds and wild mammals. The strawberry-tree is also very valuable because it protects soils and moisture against erosion. But despite its economic and ecological values, this species is increasingly rarer because of its intense use for firewood and timber for domestic fires, for making charcoal or to heat lime kilns.
Conservation status:
Common and widespread species. Currently, it has not been assessed at a global level in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.