Plocama aucheri (Guill.) M. Backlund & Thulin
الخرمان
For people
- Eaten by people
- Unknown
- Toxic to people
- Unknown
For livestock
- Grazed by livestock
- Limited fodder
- Toxic to livestock
- Unknown
Edibility and safety notes
No reliable information was found on people eating this plant, and it should not be eaten. It has an unpleasant smell and is poor forage: the field guide says it is grazed mainly by donkeys, and the UAE Red List notes it appears to be grazed although other sources say livestock do not browse it. No poisoning reports for people or animals were found.
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Description
A stiff, whitish shrub 20-100 cm tall with forked, rigid, hairless branches ending in spine-like tips, and an unpleasant smell. Leaves are small, simple, opposite, stalkless, narrow (linear to spatulate), fleshy and hairless, borne on short side shoots. Flowers are in axillary or terminal clusters of 3-7 (rarely solitary); the calyx is hairy with 5 linear teeth, and the corolla is funnel-shaped, white or pink, about 5 mm long, downy outside, with 5 lobes. The fruit splits into two parts about 3 mm long. Flowers from February to July.
Habitat
Sandy and gravelly soils, wadis, terraces and hillsides at low altitude; tolerates moderate salinity.
Distribution
Sinai and the Arabian Peninsula (including northern Oman and the UAE) to southern Iran, Afghanistan and southern Pakistan.
Pastoral value
Poor forage; it has an unpleasant smell and is grazed mainly by donkeys.
Other uses
Traditionally an infusion of the leaves and flowers was used for liver complaints and fever, and a poultice of the leaf paste for back pain. Honeybees collect its nectar.
Sources
- الدليل الحقلي المصور للنباتات البرية في سلطنة عُمان (BOOK.pdf p.182)
- UAE National Red List - Plocama aucheri — nationalredlist.org
- Flora of the UAE - Plocama aucheri (خرمان) — uaeflora.ae
- Plants of the World Online - Plocama aucheri — powo.science.kew.org