Calligonum comosum, the fire bush,[2] arta[citation needed] or abal,[3] is a species of flowering plant in the family Polygonaceae.[2]

Calligonum comosum
Flowers
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Polygonaceae
Genus: Calligonum
Species:
C. comosum
Binomial name
Calligonum comosum
Synonyms[1]
  • Calligonum mejidum Al-Khayat
  • Calligonum mejidum var. thirtharicum Al-Khayat
  • Calligonum polygonoides subsp. comosus (L'Hér.) Soskov
  • Pallasia comosa (L'Hér.) Raeusch.

The plant grows to around 1.2 metres (4 feet) tall, with green branches that split off from the main stem like the wisps of a broom. The plant is high in sugar and nitrogen.[3][4]

It is native to the Sahara, Socotra, the Arabian Peninsula, and in the Middle East as far east as Pakistan[1] and the Rajasthan desert in western India.[4]

The flowers can be eaten fresh.[3] It is useful as a stabilizer of sand dunes, forage for livestock, smokeless firewood, and an indicator of fresh water.[2]

Fruit maturing

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Calligonum comosum L'Hér". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Louhaichi, Mounir (29 January 2018). "Managing rangelands: Promoting sustainable native shrub species - Calligonum comosum". hdl:20.500.11766/7727. Retrieved 1 February 2022. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. ^ a b c The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants. United States Department of the Army. New York: Skyhorse Publishing. 2009. p. 15. ISBN 978-1-60239-692-0. OCLC 277203364.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  4. ^ a b U.S. Department of the Army (2019). The Official U.S. Army Illustrated Guide to Edible Wild Plants. Guilford, CT: Lyons Press. p. 7. ISBN 978-1-4930-4039-1. OCLC 1043567121.