Celtis australis

Celtis australis, the European nettle tree, European hackberry, Mediterranean hackberry, lote tree, southern nettle tree, or honeyberry,^[3][4] is a deciduous tree native to Southern Europe, North Africa, and Asia Minor.

The tree can grow to 25 metres (82 ft) in height, though 10 m (33 ft) is more common in cooler climates. The bark is smooth and grey, almost elephantine.^[5]

The alternate leaves are narrow and sharp-toothed, rugose above and tomentose below, 5–15 centimetres (2–6 in) long and dark grey/green throughout the year, fading to a pale yellow before falling in autumn.

The apetalous wind-pollinated flowers are perfect (hermaphrodite, having both male and female organs), small and green, either singly or in small clusters.

The fruit is a small, dark-purple berry-like drupe, 1 cm wide, hanging in short clusters.

The plant prefers light well-drained (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, including those nutritionally poor; it can tolerate drought but not shade. The Mediterranean climate is especially suitable for the plant but it can tolerate colder climate (USDA Zone 7B). An article on Nettle tree cultivation is brought down in Ibn al-'Awwam's 12th-century agricultural work, Book on Agriculture.^[6]

The tree was introduced to England in 1796.^[7]

The drupes are extremely popular with birds and other wildlife.

Trade names for the species include nettle wood and brimji.^[8] It is often planted as an ornamental as it is long-living and resistant to air pollution.

The fruit is sweet and edible raw or cooked. The leaves and fruit are astringent, lenitive, and stomachic. A decoction of both the leaves and fruit is used in the treatment of amenorrhoea, heavy menstrual and inter-menstrual bleeding, and colic. The decoction can also be used to astringe the mucous membranes in the treatment of diarrhea, dysentery, and peptic ulcers. A yellow dye is obtained from the bark.

The wood is very tough, pliable, durable, and widely used by turners; the flexible, thin shoots are used as walking sticks.

Se cree que Celtis australis era el loto de los antiguos, cuyo fruto Heródoto , Dioscórides y Teofrasto describen como dulce, agradable y saludable. Homero hace que Ulises se refiera a los « comedores de loto » y al «loto» en la Odisea, Libro IX . ^{[ 12 ]}

En la tradición islámica, los árboles de almez se consideran sagrados y los amuletos hechos con su madera se utilizan para exorcizar demonios. Se dice que los árboles de almez del Monte del Templo en Jerusalén son los más antiguos del mundo. ^{[ 13 ]}

Un ejemplar de gran tamaño, plantado en 1550, se alza frente a la iglesia en la aldea de Fox-Amphoux, en la región de Provenza , al sur de Francia. En 2013, el árbol medía 18 m (59 pies) de altura y tenía una circunferencia a la altura del pecho de 5 m. ^{[ 14 ]}   

La fruta y sus efectos se describen en el poema de Alfred Tennyson , Los comedores de loto .

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  En Muntić , Croacia, plantado a principios del siglo XVI.
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  En Panchkhal, Nepal
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  Flor
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  hojas de otoño