Chenopodiaceae 

Synonyms: A. haussknechtii, A. aphylla

Common names: For A. articulata: berry bearing glasswort (English); anabase (French); Kalibraut, beerige Salzpflanze (German); anabaside (Italian); shnān (Arabic), other vernacular names: ‘ushnān, balbal, tartīr, ‘ajram (also for A. aphylla).

Description

Glabrous perennial (hemicryptophyte i.e. it dies back almost to the ground during the dry season.), green-greyish, 20-50 cm. Stems woody in lower part. Leaves reduced to a short cupule with two triangular, acute lobes. Flowers solitary, opposed at each node.

Flowering

September.

Habitat

Steppes; heavy alluvial loess soil.

Distribution

West Irano-Turanian, Syrian desert, Palestine, Sinai

Use

In the badia: Al-Khatīb: to treat animals (wounds and skin diseases). Field data: skin diseases, soap, wounds. In literature: for partum; running sores (ashes of dry plants or infusion of fresh leaves for A. articulata); for animals. Also as a detergent (after maceration in water) for its potassium content. In autumn, the concentration of alkaloids falls, according to the temperature, the anabasine splits, and the plant becomes edible for animals. Al-Khatīb treats only animals with it, but it is widely used for men too, according to many Bedouin informants.

Palatability and importance as forage

Grazed by livestock

Chemical Data

Alkaloids: anabasine, lupinine, aphyllyne, oxyaphillidine and anabasamine.

References

Bedevian, A. K. 1936. Illustrated Polyglottic Dictionary of Plant names. Cairo, Argus D Papazian Presses. Ozenda, P. 1991. Flore et végétation du Sahara. Paris, Ed. du CNRS.

Edited by: F. Guiso Gallisai
Information taken from: Sincich, F. 2002. Bedouin Traditional Medicine in the Syrian Steppe. Rome, FAO. 114-115.

All pictures and drawings belong to the author.

The presentation of material in this profile do not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and has been taken from interviews with the traditional Bedouin doctor, Al-Khatīb and from data collected directly from Bedouins informants