Elaeagnus angustifolia (Gintzburger et al., 2003)
| Elaeagnus angustifolia (Gintzburger et al., 2003) |
Local name:
- Russian: Лох узколистный, жида, игда - loh uzkolistnyj, žida, igda
- Uzbek: Dzhida, Igda, Ingichkabarg jiyda
Chromosome number: 2n = 12 (Sobolewska 1926); 28 (Araratyan 1938a; Fedorov 1969).
Description and morphology: Perennial tree (height up to 5–8 m). Leaves: alternate (4.5– 8.0 cm long, 1.5–2.0 wide), entire, covered with silvery-white indumentum. Perianth segments yellow, pentamerous, silvery-white above, covered by numerous thin scales. Flowers: bisexual, campanulate tetramerous; 4 stamens. Ovary superior, monolocular.
Reproduction: Sexual. Entomophilous. Flowering: May–August. Fruit maturation: September– November. Fruit: false, drupiform, soft; dark brown or yellowish, oblong (1.7–3.0 cm long, 1.3 cm wide), with numerous small furrows. Seed: large, erect embryo. Seed coat thin, membranous. Dormancy A2–B3 type. Long-term (more than 3 months) stratification (1–10 °C) and treatment with sulphuric acid increase germination. Removing the soft fruiting body and stone stimulates germination.
Pastoral importance: None on open rangeland. Only interest is as a wind-break on irrigated and cultivated land. Poor quality fuelwood.
Fodder value: None; camels may occasionally eat the leaves.
Economic interest: Fruit tree in many places, such as gardens and oases. Fruits are consumed as delicacies as they are rich in sugar. Also used as feed for domestic birds. Local medicine for respiratory and digestive problems. Good for bee-keeping and honey production. Wood harvested occasionally.
Habitat: Phreatophyte.
Distribution: Widely distributed in Central Asia, both native and cultivated. Common in natural stands in Uzbekistan on the floodplain and valleys of the Amu-Darya, Syr-Darya, Zerafshan and other rivers. Present in tugaï ecosystems in monospecific stands.