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Pistacia terebinthus
Also known as turpentine tree. It is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Anacardiaceae. It is a small deciduous tree or large shrub growing to 10 m tall. The leaves are compound, 10–20 cm long, odd pinnate with five to eleven opposite glossy oval leaflets, the leaflets 2–6 cm long and 1–3 cm broad. The flowers are reddish-purple, appearing with the new leaves in early spring. The fruit consists of small, globular drupes 5–7 mm long, red to black when ripe. All parts of the plant have a strong resinous smell. It is a dioecious tree, i.e. exists as male and female specimens.
Native to the Canary Islands, and the Mediterranean region from the western regions of Morocco, and Portugal to Greece and western Turkey. It prefers relatively moist areas, up to 600 m in height. Spotted in open mediterranean forest. Parque Nacional de Monfragüe
It is used as a source for turpentine, possibly the earliest known source. The turpentine of the terebinth is now called Chian, Scio, or Cyprian turpentine.
Spotted on Apr 1, 2012
Submitted on Apr 26, 2012
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