About Rhamnus glandulosa Aiton
Rhamnus glandulosa Aiton is a small tree that typically grows 5 to 8 meters (16 to 26 feet) tall, and can reach up to 10 meters (33 feet) tall when growing in healthy Laurisilva forest. It has a gray trunk and evergreen, leathery, serrated leaves, with small glands located in the axils of the leaf veins. Its flowers are yellow-green and arranged in clusters, and its fruit is a globose drupe that turns purple-black when fully ripe. This species is endemic to Madeira and the Canary Islands, and is a characteristic tree of laurel forest. It is an uncommon tree in Madeira. In the Canary Islands, where it is listed as Vulnerable, it is only found on Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, and Gran Canaria, and is only commonly encountered on Tenerife. On Madeira, it grows at mid to high altitudes, especially alongside rivers. In the Canary Islands, it is restricted to Laurisilva forest. On Madeira, the species is threatened by invasive species, changing fire regimes in the forest, and increasing fire intensity.