Osyris lanceolata Hochst. & Steud.

First published in Exsicc. (Unio Itin.) 1832: [s.n.] (1832)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Canary Islands, S. Iberian Peninsula Baleares, Sahara to S. Africa, Socotra, Indian Subcontinent to S. China and Indo-China. It is a hemiparasitic shrub and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Santalaceae, P.M. Polhill, B.A., Ph.D., F.L.S. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2005

Morphology General Habit
Shrub or small tree, 1.5–9(–14) m tall, all parts glabrous; bark coarsely furrowed; slash bright crimson; branches somewhat flattened and sometimes rather pendent.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves usually alternate, elliptic or elliptic-oblong, rarely obovate, 1.5–6.5x0.7–4 cm, abruptly apiculate, base cuneate, veins ± immersed, only midvein raised beneath and running back down stem in a narrow ridge; petiole 1–3 mm long, articulated to a small cushion.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers either hermaphrodite or male, plants androdioecious, hermaphrodite flowers in axils of upper leaves; peduncles solitary, usually 1-flowered, occasionally flowers in 2–3-flowered dichasia; male flowers both axillary and terminal, often panicled, each peduncle usually terminating in an umbellate cluster of flowers, rarely flowers solitary or in a 2–3-flowered dichasium; peduncles 4–28 mm long; bracts and bracteoles linear-lanceolate, 1–3 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth yellowish green, leathery; hermaphrodite flowers:tube 0.5–0.6 mm long, obscured inside by disk, lobes 3(–4), spreading, ovate-deltate, 1.5–2x1.8–2.2 mm, tips slightly hooded; male flowers similar.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 3(–4); filaments 0.5–0.7 mm long; anthers 0.5 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary 2–2.8 mm long, ovules 3(–4) in hermaphrodite flowers, ovules and placenta aborted in male flowers; style 0.8–1 mm long, thick, cylindric; stigma in hermaphrodite flowers normally 4- rarely 3-lobed, lobes ellipsoid, prominent; in male flowers both style and stigma aborted or rudimentary.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit ellipsoid, 5–6.5 mm in diameter when dry, epicarp thin, fleshy, red when ripe.
Figures
Fig. 5 (page 24).
Habitat
Upland dry evergreen forest and mist forest, with associated bushland and grassland, extending down rivers and from there marginally into deciduous woodland; (50–)900–2700 m
Distribution
K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 widespread in Africa from Algeria to Ethiopia and south to South AfricaEurope (Iberian peninsula and Balearic Is.), Asia (India to China), Socotra
[FTEA]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/200642/2675362

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 9, Part 3. Polygonaceae-Myriaceae. Pope GV, Polhill RM, Martins ES. 2006.

Type
Type from Algeria.
Morphology General Habit
Shrub or small tree, 1.2–6 m tall, all parts glabrous Shrub or small tree, 1.2–6 m tall, all parts glabrous.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves usually alternate, 15–65 × 7–40 mm, elliptic or elliptic.oblong, rarely obovate, apex abruptly apiculate, base cuneate, veins ± immersed, only midvein raised below and running back down stem in narrow ridge; petiole 1–3 mm long, articulated to a small cushion Leaves usually alternate, 15–65 × 7–40 mm, elliptic or elliptic-oblong, rarely obovate, apex abruptly apiculate, base cuneate, veins ± immersed, only midvein raised below and running back down stem in narrow ridge; petiole 1–3 mm long, articulated to a small cushion.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers either hermaphrodite or male, plants androdioecious, hermaphrodite flowers in axils of upper leaves; peduncles solitary, usually 1-flowered, occasionally flowers in 2–3-flowered dichasia; male flowers both axillary and terminal, often panicled, each peduncle usually terminating in an umbellate cluster of flowers, rarely flowers solitary or in a 2–3-flowered dichasium Flowers either hermaphrodite or male, plants androdioecious, hermaphrodite flowers in axils of upper leaves; peduncles solitary, usually 1-flowered, occasionally flowers in 2–3-flowered dichasia; male flowers both axillary and terminal, often panicled, each peduncle usually terminating in an umbellate cluster of flowers, rarely flowers solitary or in a 2–3-flowered dichasium.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 2–2.8 mm long, ovules 3 (rarely 4) in hermaphrodite flowers, ovules and placenta aborted in male flowers; style 0.8–1 mm long, thick, cylindric; stigma in hermaphrodite flowers normally 4- rarely 3-lobed, lobes ellipsoid, prominent; in male flowers both style and stigma aborted or rudimentary
Ecology
Forest and woodland, often along streams, in gullies, under cliffs and in other rocky sites; also granite outcrops and other rocky places on open hillsides; c. 1100–2300 m.
Note
Great variation in leaf size and shape has elicited a considerable synonymy. The above synonymy is not exhaustive. Bark used in tanning; fruits edible.
Distribution
Also in Europe (Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands), Asia (India to SE Asia) and widespread in Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Socotra, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Dem. Rep. Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Angola, South Africa, Namibia). Mozambique Malawi Zimbabwe Zambia BOT N, ZAM N, ZAM C, ZIM N, ZIM W, ZIM C, ZIM E, ZIM S, MAL N, MAL C, MOZ N, MOZ Z, MOZ M, MOZ S Botswana
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles
Peduncles 4–28 mm long. Peduncles 4–28 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts and bracteoles c. 1–3 mm long, linear-lanceolate. Bracts and bracteoles c. 1–3 mm long, linear-lanceolate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth yellowish-green, leathery; hermaphrodite flowers: tube 0.5–0.6 mm long, obscured inside by disk, lobes usually 3, rarely 4, 1.5–2 × 1.8–2.2 mm, spreading, ovate-deltoid, tips slightly hooded; male flowers similar. Perianth yellowish-green, leathery; hermaphrodite flowers: tube 0.5–0.6 mm long, obscured inside by disk, lobes usually 3, rarely 4, 1.5–2 × 1.8–2.2 mm, spreading, ovate-deltoid, tips slightly hooded; male flowers similar
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens normally 3, rarely 4; filaments 0.5 mm long; anthers 0.5 mm long. Stamens normally 3, rarely 4; filaments 0.5 mm long; anthers 0.5 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary 2–2.8 mm long, ovules 3 (rarely 4) in hermaphrodite flowers, ovules and placenta aborted in male flowers; style 0.8–1 mm long, thick, cylindric; stigma in hermaphrodite flowers normally 4- rarely 3-lobed, lobes ellipsoid, prominent; in male flowers both style and stigma aborted or rudimentary.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit 5–6.5 mm in diameter when dry, ellipsoid, epicarp thin, fleshy, red when ripe. Fruit 5–6.5 mm in diameter when dry, ellipsoid, epicarp thin, fleshy, red when ripe.
[FZ]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images