scrub, vegetation, generally rather dense, composed of much branched, thorny and often aromatic shrubs, found in the Mediterranean region in areas where climax forest has been destroyed, metsik tihnik Vahemeremaades, vahemeremaadel kasvav tihe võsa, mille moodustavad igihaljad ja astlalised põõsad (tsistus, oleander, ruskus) ning madalad kõvalehised puud (pistaatsia, pukspuu, õlipuu). M. on tekkinud igihalja tamme