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Commicarpus helenae (Schult.) Meikle

الرديف

Syn. Boerhavia helenae Schult.

Hogweed
Nyctaginaceae
  • Morphological Description
    • Description
      Perennial herb. Branches glabrous green to puberulous. Leaves petiolate, fleshy, lamina ovate to suborbicular, up to 6 x 6 cm, entire, sinuate or sinuately lobed, mostly obtuse. Flowers usually pink, small, sessile to short-pedicellate, arranged in whorls. Perianth 1.5-2.5 mm long, widely infundibuliform with the basal tube almost inconspicious. Stamens 2. Anthocarps nodding at maturity, 5-7 mm long, 10 ribs; the warty glands forming an apical whorl of stalked glands.
  • Habitat and Distribution
    • Geographical Distribution Range
      This Sudanian is distributed across Africa, Middle East and Indian subcontinent. Within the Arabian Peninsula, it is native to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Gulf States, Oman, Yemen, and Socotra.
  • Ecology
    • Phenology
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      Flowering
      Fructification
    • IUCN Red List Category
      Not Evaluated  IUCN Icon
      Not Evaluated
  • Uses and Values
    • Other Usages
      Palatable
    • Description of Traditional Uses
      Used primarily as a forage plant for livestock, particularly camels and goats, in arid regions. It is considered a reliable source of green fodder in desert ecosystems.