Rhamnus L. Rhamnus alaternus, L. Rhamnus ludovici-salvatoris, Chodat

3. Rhamnus L. View in CoL 1

Germination epigeal. Winter buds with scales. Stipules subulate, caducous. Flowers 4-merous or sometimes 5-merous, usually unisexual but monoecious. Styles 3—4; stigmas small. Fruit a drupe with 2-4 pyrenes. Literature: S. Rivas Martinez, Anal. R. Acad. Farm. {Madrid) 28: 363-397 (1962). W. Vent, Feddes Reperì. 65: 3-132 (1962) (Sect. Rhamnastrum). 1 Leaves evergreen

2 Spines present; flowers usually 4-merous, in cymose fascicles or rarely solitary 3. lycioides

2 Spines 0; flowers 5-merous, in racemes, or rarely solitary

3 Leaves entire or remotely denticulate 1. alaternus

3 Leaves strongly and closely spinose-denticulate 2. ludovici-salvatoris

1 Leaves deciduous

4 Leaves all alternate; spines 0

5 Leaves tomentose on both surfaces 13. sibthorpianus

5 Leaves glabrous or somewhat hairy but not tomentose on both surfaces

6 Usually erect, 100-400 cm; leaves with (5-)7-20 pairs of lateral veins 11. alpinus

6 Procumbent, 5-20 cm; leaves with 4—9(—13) pairs of lateral veins 12. pumilus

4 Lower leaves mostly opposite or subopposite; lateral twigs usually spinescent

7 Lamina of leaves on short shoots 1-2| times as long as petiole; petiole 2-3 times as long as stipules

8 Lamina of leaves on short shoots 2 -2 | times as long as petiole, ovate to elliptical 8. catharticus

8 Lamina of leaves on short shoots about as long as petiole, usually orbicular 9. orbiculatus

7 Lamina of leaves on short shoots 3-6 times as long as petiole; petiole not or scarcely longer than stipules

9 Leaves mostly less than 1 cm; lateral veins inconspicuous

10 Leaves oblong or ovate 7. prunifolius

10 Leaves obovate 3. lycioides

9 Leaves 1-6 cm; lateral veins conspicuous

11 Mature leaves pubescent beneath

12 Leaves 3 |-4 | times as long as wide, glabrous above

10. persicifolius

12 Leaves rarely more than 3 times as long as wide, pubescent above 5. rhodopeus

11 Mature leaves glabrous or with hairs on veins and petiole only

13 Leaves ± orbicular 6. intermedius

13 Leaves lanceolate, ovate or obovate

14 Leaves crenate-serrate 4. saxatilis

14 Leaves entire 3. lycioides

Sect. Alaternus (Miller) DC. Not spiny. Leaves alternate, evergreen. Flowers 4- to 5-merous, in racemose inflorescences, rarely solitary.

1. R. alaternus L. View in CoL , Sp. Pl. 193 (1753) View Cited Treatment .

Nearly glabrous shrub up to 5 m, very variable in habit. Leaves (1 —)2—6 cm, lanceolate to ovate, acute to obtuse, often mucronate, entire or remotely denticulate, coriaceous; petiole 1-8 mm. Inflorescence dense, more or less pubescent; bracteoles ciliolate, usually caducous. Calyx-lobes lanceolate, acute, yellow; petals absent. Drupe 4-6 mm, not fleshy, obovoid, reddish becoming black; pyrenes 3. Mediterranean region, extending to Portugal. Al BI Co Ga Gr Hs It Ju Lu Sa Si [Rs (K)].

R. myrtifolius Willk. , Linnaea 25: 18 (1852), from Spain, was distinguished on account of its procumbent habit, small, oblong- lanceolate leaves, solitary flowers and smaller drupe. There appears, however, to be intergradation between this and typical R. alaternus .

2. R. ludovici-salvatoris Chodat View in CoL , Bull. Soc. Bot. Genève ser. 2,1: 242 (1909)

( R. balearicus (DC.) Willk. , non Link).

Nearly glabrous shrub up to 2 m. Leaves 1-2-5 cm, elliptical to suborbicular, strongly and closely spinose-denticulate. Inflorescence dense; bracteoles glandular-denticulate, usually persistent. Calyx-lobes ovate-lanceolate, yellow; petals absent. Drupe obovoid-globose. • Islas Baléares; E. Spain (near Valencia). BI Hs.

The bracteoles are said to be persistent in 2 and caducous in 1, but this is by no means always true.