Acridocarpus orientalis A.Juss.
قفص، القفص، اثبوت، أوثت
For people
- Eaten by people
- Unknown
- Toxic to people
- Unknown
For livestock
- Grazed by livestock
- Not grazed
- Toxic to livestock
- Unknown
Edibility and safety notes
No reliable information was found on whether any part can be eaten, and it is not recorded as a food plant; do not eat it. Its traditional uses are external only: seed oil rubbed on the head and joints, and a preparation of the reddish leaf hairs for tanning and for udder inflammation in cattle. The book says livestock do not graze it. Leaf extracts kill cells in laboratory tests, so its safety is unproven. It is a rare plant and should not be collected.
This guide is a hobby project, not expert advice. Never eat a wild plant, or feed it to animals, on the strength of this page alone. Read the disclaimer
Description
A much-branched shrub or small tree up to about 3 m tall. Young leaves and shoots are covered with reddish-brown hairs that are shed with age, leaving smooth, leathery leaves with prominent veins. Flowers bright yellow, in clusters. Fruits winged. Grows in rocky wadis and on mountain slopes up to about 1500 m; a rare species.
Habitat
Rocky areas, valleys and foothills of mountains in desert and dry shrubland biomes, up to 1500 m elevation.
Distribution
Native to NE Somalia, the Arabian Peninsula (UAE and Oman, especially around Jabal Hafeet and Jabal Shams), and Iran.
Pastoral value
Not a grazing plant.
Other uses
Traditionally, oil pressed from the seeds is rubbed on the head to ease fever and headache and on joints and muscles for pain, and is said to soften the skin. The reddish hairs of the young shoots are collected, dried, ground and mixed with water for tanning hides and for treating inflammations (such as udder inflammation) in livestock. The plant is also a source of yellow dye.
Sources
- الدليل الحقلي المصور للنباتات البرية في سلطنة عُمان (BOOK.pdf p.135)
- PMC - Differential Cytotoxic Potential of Acridocarpus orientalis Leaf and Stem Extracts (introduction: description, distribution, traditional uses) — pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- POWO - Acridocarpus orientalis A.Juss. — powo.science.kew.org
- RBGE Herbarium - Acridocarpus orientalis specimen from Oman (E00450452) — data.rbge.org.uk