Kingdom Plantae Family Salicaceae Rank Species | Order Malpighiales Genus Salix | |
Similar Salix breweri, Salix delnortensis, Salix arizonica, Salix floridana, Salix sessilifolia | ||
Salix libani (Lebanese willow, صفصاف لبناني ) is a species of willow native to the east of the Mediterranean Basin. It is found in Turkey, Syria and Lebanon and is threatened by water pollution.
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Distribution and habitat
Salix libani is an endemic species to the eastern Mediterranean basin. Its distribution is limited an area of 20,000 km², where Salix libani occupied more than 100 km² distributed on more than 20 locations. The small populationsof only a few individuals are found in the Amanus mountain rane in Turkey-in-Asia, in the anti-Lebanon mountainous range (Zebdani) and to the north of Lattaquié (Froulok) in Syria and in Lebanon it is found in on the lower mountains of Qrayé, Abey, Bhamdoun, Araya, Broummana, Bikfaya, Dhour El Choueir and on the middle mountains of Falougha, Ain Zhalta, Bqerqacha, Bcharre, Ehden, Aïnata, Mreijatte, Chtaura and Qabb Elias.
Status
The Lebanese willow is listed as being "Near Threatened" in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to industrial river pollution and logging to extract tannins but it is now protected in many parts of its range. Among the nature reserves where this can be seen are Horsh Ehden cedar reserve, Al Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve and Jabal Moussa Biosphere Reserve.