tinus – from common name “laurustinus”, which refers to the resemblance of the leaves to laurel

Native range: Mediterranean

Leaves:

• opposite
• simple
• entire
• leathery (slightly wrinkled)
• narrowly ovate or lanceolate
• 4” long
• 1.5” wide
• lustrous dark green on top
• pale underneath & pubescent on veins
• veins connect before reaching leaf margin

Flowers:

• inflorescence – compound umbel
• umbel is convex
• white or pinkish florescence w/ wine-red calyx
• corolla tube much shorter than lobes

Fruit:

• ovoid, metallic-blue drupes

Other characteristics:

• bushy shrub w/ red branchlets
• evergreen

Relevant info:

• “red, white & blue shrub” - due to red branchlets, white flowers, and blue drupes
• sometimes said to be salt tolerant in gardens near coasts (e.g., North Carolina), but recent scientific literature indicates that the species is sensitive to (suffers physiological and structural damage from) salt spray
• in cultivation in English for 500 years

Ecology & Adaptations:

• native to and widely distributed in shrublands and oak forests of southern Europe, especially the Mediterranean region and northern Africa
• moist, well-draining sites
• shade tolerance via reducing demands for resources (i.e., shade leaves that are up to twice as large as, but thinner than, sun leaves, ↓ N concentrations & ↑ chlorophyll:N in leaves)
• drought tolerance:
  • morphological mechanisms:
    • reduced allocation to aboveground structures (production of smaller leaves)
    • increased root growth
  • physiological mechanisms:
    • reduced photosynthesis
    • reduced water content and water potential in tissues
    • closure of stomata to prevent evapotranspiration
• pollination by insects
• leaves contain bitter compounds that defend against herbivory (e.g., deer)
  • some insect larvae specialize in eating this plant tissue and sequestering the compounds in their own tissues, thereby re-using the defense compounds