American pokeweed
Phytolacca americana
Phytolacca americana, commonly known as American pokeweed, is a large herbaceous perennial native to North …
Frosty pokeweed (Phytolacca pruinosa)
Levantine Pokeweed
Levant kermesbær
Лаконос сизый
الصًبغة المتلالئة
Phytolacca pruinosa: Levantine Pokeweed Details & Ecology
Hailing from the mountainous regions of the Eastern Mediterranean, the toxic perennial Phytolacca pruinosa populates high-altitude roadsides and forest clearings.
Commonly referred to as the Levantine pokeweed, this species grows at altitudes between 3,000 and 5,600 feet, inhabiting forest clearings, dry rocky hillsides, and disturbed roadsides. It is native to southern Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and the Troödos Mountains of Cyprus.
Like other members of its genus, this plant is highly toxic to mammals and humans. However, it serves as a critical food source for local bird species, which disperse its seeds across its natural montane habitats.
Taxonomy
- ∟ царство Plantae
- ∟ division Tracheophytes (Vascular Plants)
- ∟ subdivision Spermatophytes (Seed plants)
- ∟ Angiosperms
- ∟ mesangiosperms (Core angiosperms)
- ∟ eudicots
- ∟ core eudicots
- ∟ Superasterids
- ∟ order Caryophyllales
- ∟ family Phytolaccaceae (Pokeweed family)
- ∟ genus Phytolacca (Pokeweed)
- ∟ species Phytolacca pruinosa (Frosty pokeweed)
Morphology
This perennial herb develops upright, robust stems that reach heights of 3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters). The large, bluish-green leaves are lanceolate in shape and arranged alternately along the stems.
Its small flowers are clustered in dense racemes, initially displaying a yellow-green hue that matures into a distinct reddish shade as the plant ages. The flowers bloom from April to July.
Upon successful pollination, the infлоресценции produce fleshy, shiny black berries. These fruits contain seeds protected by a hard coat that passes intact through the avian digestive tract.
Flowering season
Blooming occurs from April to July.
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Interesting facts
- This species can be distinguished from its North American relative, Phytolacca americana, by its yellow-green flowers that turn red on maturity, compared to the violet-tinged blooms of the latter.
- It is highly adapted to high-altitude Mediterranean climates, growing on rocky, dry hillsides and in open pine forests.
Geography of distribution
- Turkey
- Cyprus
- Syria
- Lebanon
Sources
- POWO (Plants of the World Online)
- WFO (World Flora Online)
- Wild flowers of Cyprus, George Sfikas, 1993
- Flora of Cyprus Volume 2, R.D. Meikle, 1985
See also
Ombu
Phytolacca dioica
Phytolacca dioica, known as the ombú, is a massive South American plant with a broad …
Indian pokeweed
Phytolacca acinosa
An upright perennial herb from the Himalayas and East Asia, notable for its rigid spikes …
Button pokeweed
Phytolacca icosandra
A tall neotropical perennial herb in the pokeweed family bearing dense cylindrical spikes of flowers …