Forsskaolea tenacissima L.
لصاق، لزاق، اللزاق
For people
- Eaten by people
- Unknown
- Toxic to people
- Unknown
For livestock
- Grazed by livestock
- Limited fodder
- Toxic to livestock
- Not toxic
Edibility and safety notes
No reliable source documents people eating this plant, so it should not be treated as food. It belongs to the nettle family but does not sting; its hooked hairs cling tightly to skin and clothing and the dried powdered plant is reported to irritate the nose slightly. No poisoning of people or animals is reported. Sources disagree on grazing value: the book's grazing field says it is not grazed, while other sources say goats and sheep eat it.
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 nearly upright annual or perennial of the Urticaceae family, about 65 cm tall, with fleshy stiff-haired woody stems appearing after rains in rocky habitats. Non-stinging nettle relative.
Habitat
Stony soils, road edges, gravel wadis, rock crevices, and water-receiving depressions. Found in Mediterranean woodlands, shrublands, semi-steppe shrublands, deserts, and extreme deserts from sea level to 1200 m.
Distribution
Native from southern Spain across North Africa to western and northern India, including Afghanistan, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Pakistan, and throughout the Sahel region.
Pastoral value
Of limited grazing value. The book gives conflicting statements (not grazed / grazed by sheep and goats); elsewhere it is reported to be fed to goats and eaten by livestock.
Other uses
The inner bark is used by Saharan peoples for making rope. Traditionally applied externally for rheumatic pains in the UAE, and used for cough and headache in Baluchistan.
Sources
- الدليل الحقلي المصور للنباتات البرية في سلطنة عُمان (BOOK.pdf p.195)
- Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants of UAE (Dept. of Health Abu Dhabi) — Forsskaolea tenacissima — medicinalplants.doh.gov.ae
- Wikipedia — Forsskaolea tenacissima — en.wikipedia.org