Phillyrea angustifolia L.
Diagnostic description:
An evergreen shrub or small tree up to 3 m tall, with rather upright branches and smooth grey bark. Leaves opposite, dark green, linear-lanceolate; entire; 4 to 8 cm long and 0.5 to 1.5 cm wide. Flowers small, greenish-white, fragrant, in dense axillary racemes. Fruit more or less globose with an apical point, up to 6 mm long, bluish-black when ripe.
Distribution:
Local: Very rare in Gibraltar. Found on the East Side sand slopes.
Global: Found in southern Europe and north-west Africa.
Ecology:
Flowers from February, March to April.
Habitat:
A tree of the maquis and open woodland.