Definition: Malecot refers to a tree-like, spindly plant. It's an ancient name for a flowering shrub native to Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), Greece, and parts of Europe. Malecot stems are usually thick, branching down into small branches. The leaves can be pinnate or lanceolate, with a shallow gash in the upper surface for petioles. They have a distinctive pointy tip at the base of their leaf axils, which is used as a seed holder during the flowering season.