Ruscus hyrcanus
{{Short description|Species of plant}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Ruscus hyrcanus (3).png
|image_caption=Aerial parts of the plant
|taxon = Ruscus hyrcanus
|name =
|authority = Woronow (1907)[https://www.ipni.org/n/540454-1 Ruscus hyrcanus Woronow]. ipni.org[https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/6X9F5 Ruscus hyrcanus Woronow]. catalogueoflife.org
|synonyms =
}}
Ruscus hyrcanus is a perennial evergreen woody shrub-like or small compact bush plant. It is in the asparagus family.
Description and habitat
The species grows to approximately {{convert|30-50|cm|in|abbr=on}} tall and is very prickly. Stems always are green; ordinary woody, rigid, branched at the end in a whorl with spreading-procumbent branches. Cladodes have a length of {{convert|10–25|mm|abbr=on|sigfig=1}}; they are flattened, ovate, lanceolate, leathery, rigid, and tapering to a thorn at their extremity; their both sides are shiny green. R. hyrcanus leaves are very reduced, small and bractiform.
File:Ruscus hyrcanus 159382910.jpg
The flower is purplish or whitish, dioecious, marcescent with six spreading divisions, and solitary or geminate, arising in the axil of a lanceolate, firm bract on the median rib of the upper face of cladodes. Male flower has three stamens and sweating in a tube; female flower has an ovary with three biovulated lobes. The fruit is a red globular berry, about one centimeter in diameter.{{cite book |title=Qirmizi Ki̇tabazərbaycan Respubli̇kasi |date=2013 |publisher=Azərbaycan Respubli̇kasi Ekologi̇ya Və Təbi̇i̇ Sərvətlər Nazi̇rli̇yi̇, Azərbaycan Mi̇lli̇ Elmlər Akademi̇yasi |location=Baku |edition=2}} It is native to Iran, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Crimea.{{cite web |title=Ruscus hyrcanus Woronow {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:540454-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |access-date=10 July 2021 |language=en}}
Conservation
The species is of conservation concern in Azerbaijan, where it is listed in the Red Book of Azerbaijan.{{cite journal |title=Existing Measures and Programmes for Biodiversity Conservation |journal=Country Study on Biodiversity and First National Report, the Republic of Azerbaijan |date=April 2004 |volume=2 |page=102 |url=https://www.cbd.int/doc/world/az/az-nr-01-p2-en.pdf |access-date=5 December 2021 |publisher=Convention on Biological Diversity}} It is protected on lands such as Hirkan National Park.
References
{{Taxonbar|from=Q4197378}}