In the 1960s, a rhyme was taught to elementary school children to help them learn the names of the months. For March, the nursery rhyme went, “March, mad fellow, if there is sun, take the umbrella,” highlighting the unpredictable nature of early spring weather, often marked by temperature fluctuations and sudden changes.
During this month, grasses that started sprouting in mid-February begin to bloom. Plums and almonds are now nearly in full bloom. And the fruits? Wild fruits ripening in March are very rare. As in February, animals that rely on fruit or seeds must make do with those that ripened in autumn and still linger on the branches.
However, if we take a walk in shady and cool woods or rocky and ruderal places, it is easy to spot, already in the middle of the month, the fleshy scarlet berries of the Arum: This genus common throughout temperate Europe, comprises 25 species, five of which belong to the spontaneous Italian flora. The different species have slight variations more in color than in shape and are called with the generic name of Gigaro.
They are monoecious species with separate male and female flowers arranged along an axis called the spadix. Sterile flowers partially block the entrance to the sheathing section of the spathe, serving to trap insects that, in their struggle, assist in pollinating the female flowers. After fertilization, the spathe quickly wilts, revealing the berries. It is common to observe the red panicles without surrounding vegetation. These berries are also referred to as “Pan di serpe” (Snake bread) due to the belief that their ripe fruits were the food of green whip snake. However, this is not true, as snakes are carnivorous, and the fruits, along with the entire plant, are toxic.
As we continue our walk in the woods, we can still spot the holly (Ilex aquifolium) with its vibrant red berries. This evergreen tree grows slowly but can live for several hundred years. As a dioecious species, it produces female and male flowers on separate plants.
It is commonly found in hedges and groves across the plains and mountains of central-western Europe, thriving at elevations of up to 1400 meters. Its ecological requirements closely resemble those of the Beech (Fagus sylvatica), which it often accompanies in various habitats.
The plant has developed a self-defense mechanism, where the lower leaves are more pungent than the upper ones to deter grazing animals.
The berries produced by the plant are toxic to humans and should not be consumed or used in infusions, as they contain a harmful substance called ilicin. However, birds such as thrushes and blackbirds can eat the berries without any adverse effects.
Mediterranean vegetation is often described as “impenetrable.” This description is particularly fitting due to the various liana species that climb trees and form a dense “fabric” between the trunks.
Among these lianas, two stand out for their ecological importance as they produce berries that support many bird species during the winter. These are the Honeysuckle or Mediterranean Honeysuckle (Lonicera implexa) and the Sarsaparilla (Smilax aspera).
The honeysuckle is an evergreen climbing shrub with twining branches that thrive at altitudes ranging from 0 to 800 meters above sea level. It typically grows alongside shrubs that serve as support, particularly the lentisc (Pistacia lentiscus) in holm oak (Quercus ilex) woodlands, as well as within scrublands and hedges. Its fruit is an ovoid, red-orange berry that begins to ripen in autumn and remains on the branches for an extended period. A characteristic component of the Mediterranean scrub, it is commonly found not only in wooded areas but also in abandoned agricultural lands.
The berries of the Sarsaparilla, which ripen in autumn, can remain on the plant until April. These red berries, clustered in bunches, contain small, round seeds. While tasteless and unappealing to humans, they serve as a vital food source for various bird species. Sarsaparilla thrives naturally in woodlands and scrublands. It is closely associated with the sclerophyll environment, ranging from holm oak forests to their degraded forms and garrigue, at altitudes from sea level to 1,200 meters.
It is an evergreen plant, very thorny, which is why it is commonly known as “stracciabraghe”, “stracciabrache”, and “strazzacausi” (trouser tearer). In the Sannio Benevento area, it is also referred to as “rascolaiatti” (cat scratcher). The scientific name, Smilax, originates from a nymph in Greek mythology who was hopelessly and unhappily in love with the young Crocus. Unable to win his love due to the opposition of the gods of Olympus, she was transformed into a climbing plant, while he was turned into a Crocus flower.
Author: Anna Lacci is a scientific popularizer and expert in environmental education and sustainability and in territory teaching. She is the author of documentaries and naturalistic books, notebooks and interdisciplinary teaching aids, and multimedia information materials.
Translated by Maria Antonietta Sessa
