Pistacia falcata Becc. ex Martelli
P. chinensis Bunge subsp. falcata (Becc. ex Martelli) Rech.f.
Ara.: Hra el mali, hria el mali.
Tree 4-10 m in height. Leaves deciduous, 13-21 cm long, imparipinnate (with the terminal leaflet smaller or rudimentary) or paripinnate, with (6)7-15 leaflets 5-10 × 1-2 cm, narrowly lanceolate, subfalcate, attenuated, acuminate or subcuspidate, glabrous, from opposite to subopposite at the base, with terminal leaflet generally present, smaller than the lateral leaflets or rudimentary; the midrib divides the leaflet into 2 unequal halves. Inflorescences in panicles up to 8 cm, branched from the base, similar to spikes. Female inflorescences unbranched from the base, thick. Unisexual flowers, with sepaloid bracteoles. Male flowers with 1-2 bracts, pilose, with (2)4-7 or more bracteoles, (3)4-5 stamens. Female flowers with an oblong-lanceolate bract, pilose, with 4-7(8) bracteoles. Pistil with globose ovary and 3 stigmas. Fruit a drupe globose or obovoid-globose, somewhat laterally compressed, apiculate, up to 7 mm, green when immature, reddish when ripe.
Flowering:
February to April, August to November.
Fruiting:
February to November. Flowering and fruiting varies greatly, depending on the latitude and thermopluviometric regime of the populations.
Habitat:
Found in savannahs, deciduous forests or evergreen shrubland, on limestone substrate, rocky slopes and relatively recent volcanic flows, at altitudes between 1,100-2,600 m. The Egyptian populations survive sheltered in the Jebel Elba, thanks to the abundant fog, allowing the survival of many species of tropical origin.
Distribution:
Species with its centre of distribution in the Horn of Africa (Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia), although it reaches the Arabian Peninsula to the NE (Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman). In Sudan it is found in the regions of the Red Sea (Al Bahr al Ahmar) and eastern region (Kassala and Al Qadarif), reaching towards the N at least up to the Jebel Elba.
Observations:
This species is considered close to and different from P. chinensis Bunge, and therefore it is commonly found in the literature as a subspecies or variety of such species. However, it often presents imparipinnate leaves and subfalcate leaflets, as well as a separate distribution area with an Asian centre of distribution, so that the current trend is to consider it as separate species.
Conservation status:
Common and widespread species. Currently, it has not been assessed at a global level in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.