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 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Polygonaceae |
| Genus: | Calligonum |
| Species: | C. comosum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Calligonum comosum | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
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]
References
edit- ^ a b "Calligonum comosum L'Hér". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
- ^ 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) - ^ 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) - ^ 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.
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