Olive (Olea europaea) • The olive is an evergreen tree. It can grow to 15 metres tall and live for more than 1 000 years. It has greyish-green lance-shaped leaves and its fruit is also called the olive. • It is found in regions with a Mediterranean climate. • Olive tree cultivation probably began 6 000 years ago in the Near East and spread across the Mediterranean. The Spanish word aceite probably comes from the Arab az-zait. This means ‘olive juice’. Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) • The maritime pine is a coniferous tree and can grow to 40 metres tall. It has a thin trunk and needle-shaped leaves that grow in pairs. • There are two subspecies. The Mediterranean one is found all over the peninsula. It can grow in poor, sandy soils, such as coastal dunes. The Atlantic subspecies grows in the north, mainly in Galicia and Asturias. • In the Sierra de Segura, the pine from the extensive forests is used to make boats. That is why it is called the maritime pine. Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) • The strawberry tree is an evergreen shrub or small tree. It is usually about 3 metres tall. It has smooth lance-shaped leaves with serrated edges. Its fruit is a yellow berry. This turns red when it is ripe. • It is found in Mediterranean regions. It grows in sunny areas with mild winters. • The name unedo means ‘only eat one’. The berries are edible, but they can cause indigestion and headaches because they contain alcohol. For this reason, this tree is called borrachín ("little drunkard") in some parts of Spain. Spanish juniper (Juniperus thurifera) • The Spanish juniper is a coniferous tree. It is 4 to 12 metres tall and has rough squamiform leaves. • It can survive extreme temperatures and droughts, so it usually grows on high moorland. It is abundant in the centre, north and east of the peninsula. The oldest junipers in Europe are in the provinces of Soria and Guadalajara. • The name thurifera refers to its use in the production of incense. Juniper wood produces a pleasant, intense aroma when it is burnt. Holm oak (Quercus ilex) • The holm oak is an evergreen tree. It grows fast, but not very tall and can live for hundreds of years. Its leaves are dark green and it produces fruits called acorns in the autumn. • The tree grows in areas with hot, dry summers. It can survive water shortages, extreme temperatures and fires. • It is one of the most emblematic trees on the peninsula and the main species in the dehesas. These are Mediterranean meadows that humans have transformed for farming. They are of great ecological importance. Spain has one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world . It is home to between 8 000 and 9 000 of the 12 000 plant species in Europe. In addition to vascular plants, Spain has a great variety of ferns and br yophytes. There are also important endemic species, such as the Alpine poppy (Papaver suaveolens), the Sierra Nevada violet and the Canarian dragon tree. Many of these plants are in danger of extinction . About 1 200 species are at risk and 300 of these are in serious danger. Trees and bushes in Spain 210
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