# ID thos Mediterranean shrub (photo and description) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 27, 2015, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-thos-mediterranean-shrub-photo-and-description/723619 "2015-06-27T12:22:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-thos-mediterranean-shrub-photo-and-description/723619/1 "2015-06-27T12:22:12Z")
On a recent trip to Spain, I found a lot of these plants growing on semi-arid scrub environments: [http://1drv.ms/1dnuBBT](http://1drv.ms/1dnuBBT) The plant was a spreading, fairly low growing shrub with bipinnate leaves which were deep green and slightly glaucous. Small, sharp spines were hidden in the leaf joints) It was conspicuously green at a time when most other plants were baked to brown crispy remnants, so maybe it has a deep root system or water storage taproot. The flowers were about 7cm across, fragrant and opening in the evening, closing early morning. The fruit was a tough rubbery green ovoid with longitudinal stripes (resembling a small melon), hanging vertically downwards from the stem, I broke one open and it was filled with a mass of small black seeds and whitish, juicy pulp. The plant has many features that I would expect of a legume, and my initial searches suggested Albizia, but the fruit of that plant is a dry, flat pod. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-thos-mediterranean-shrub-photo-and-description/723619/2 "2015-06-27T12:25:50Z")
Ha. I just found it. Its the caper bush. (on a whim, I googled ‘spinosa’, figuring the Latin name might mention the prickles) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-thos-mediterranean-shrub-photo-and-description/723619/3 "2015-06-27T14:38:45Z")
You’ve never eaten capers before? _You_, of all Dopers? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-thos-mediterranean-shrub-photo-and-description/723619/4 "2015-06-27T15:02:07Z")
So those are caper berries in the picture? Cool. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-thos-mediterranean-shrub-photo-and-description/723619/5 "2015-06-27T19:14:08Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > You’ve never eaten capers before? _You_, of all Dopers? Sure, I like them, but the plant doesn’t particularly resemble the condiment. Or rather, I was wowed by the flowers and hardly noticed the buds. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-thos-mediterranean-shrub-photo-and-description/723619/6 "2015-06-27T20:01:57Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > So those are caper berries in the picture? Cool. Those are capers (buds). Caper berries are the immature form of the fruit I described (I don’t think there are any visible in the photo).