Ruscus hyrcanus | |
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Aerial parts of the plant | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Asparagaceae |
Subfamily: | Nolinoideae |
Genus: | Ruscus |
Species: | R. hyrcanus
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Binomial name | |
Ruscus hyrcanus |
Ruscus hyrcanus is a perennial evergreen woody shrub-like or small compact bush plant. It is in the asparagus family.
The species grows to approximately 30-50 centimeters tall and is very prickly. Stems always are green; ordinary woody, rigid, branched at the end in a whorl with spreading-procumbent branches. Cladodes have a length of 10–25 millimeters; they are flattened, ovate, lanceolate, leathery, rigid, and tapering to a thorn at their extremity; their both sides are shiny green. R. hyrcanus leaves are very reduced, small and bractiform.[3]
The flower is purplish or whitish, dioecious, marcescent with six spreading divisions, and solitary or geminate, arising in the axil of a lanceolate, firm bract on the median rib of the upper face of cladodes. Male flower has three stamens and sweating in a tube; female flower has an ovary with three biovulated lobes. The fruit is a red globular berry, about one centimeter in diameter.[3]
It is native to Iran, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Crimea.[4]
The species is of conservation concern in Azerbaijan, where it is listed in the Red Book of Azerbaijan.[5] It is protected on lands such as Hirkan National Park.[3]