This shrub with a Mediterranean distribution occurs in the wild in all Italian regions south of the Po River (except in the Marche, Umbria and Molise), and along the coast of Veneto and Friuli. It is one of the most typical components of the evergreen Mediterranean maquis, and is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental in parks and gardens. The species is sporadic on the edge of the Sardinian temporary ponds, in contact with the Mediterranean maquis vegetation. The genus name comes from the Greek 'philyra', a term already used by Dioscorides and Theophrastus; the species name refers to the leaves, that on average are narrower than those of other congeneric species. Flowering period: March to May.

Italian name(s): Aliderru (Sardegna, Sard. settentr.), Arrideli (Sardegna, Cagliari), Fermagnolillu (Campania, Terra di Lavoro), Filaria (Toscana), Filaria sottile (Italia), Fillirea (Toscana), Fillirea angustifoglia (Italia), Ilatro (Toscana, Lucca), Ilatro sottile (Italia), Iletro (Toscana, Lucca), Latierno (Campania, Ischia), Lilatro sottile (Italia), Lillatro (Toscana, Orcia), Lillatro di foglie strette (Toscana, Volterra), Olivastro (Toscana), Olivetta (Liguria, Noli), Uliv mat (Friuli), Uliv salvadgh (Emilia-Romagna, Bologna), Ulivastro (Toscana).