Pepper Trees of Cyprus
Imagine strolling through a sun-drenched village square or along a quiet coastal road in late summer. A graceful tree with feathery, weeping branches catches your eye, its small greenish-white flowers having given way to clusters of shiny pink-red berries that sparkle like strings of tiny jewels. These are the Schinus species of Cyprus – elegant South-American guests whose light, peppery fragrance and airy beauty have quietly woven themselves into the island’s everyday scenery. The Pepper Trees of the Cashew Family Schinus belongs to the Anacardiaceae family – the same remarkable group that includes pistachios (Pistacia vera), mastic trees (Pistacia lentiscus), cashews, mangoes and even sumacs. This family is known for resinous bark, compound leaves and often aromatic fruits. The genus Schinus contains about 30 species, nearly all native to South America. In Cyprus the two most common are Schinus molle (Peruvian pepper tree or false pepper tree) and Schinus terebinthifolius (Brazilian pepper tree). Locally they are called Αρτυμαθκιά (Artumathkiá – “pepper tree”) for S. molle, and Μαστισιά (Mastisiá – “mastic-like”) or Σχίνος η τερεβινθόφυλλη for S. terebinthifolius, evoking their resinous family ties. A Journey from the Andes to Cypriot Soil Both species are native to subtropical and tropical South America. Schinus molle comes from the Andes foothills of Peru, Bolivia and neighbouring countries, while S. terebinthifolius hails from Brazil, Argentina…
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