Calligonum comosum

Calligonum comosum L’Hér., Trans. Linn. Soc. London 1: 180 1791. (Syn: Calligonum polygonoides subsp. comosum L’Hér.; Pallasia comosa Raeusch. (Unresolved));
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N. Africa to Sahara, Socotra (Abd al Kuri), W. Asia to Pakistan and Arabian Peninsula: Afghanistan, Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Gulf States, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sinai, Socotra, Sudan, Tunisia, Western Sahara as per POWO;
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Request for ID : Oman : 310511 : AK-3 :

Taken at Muscat, Oman….first two pictures on the 8th of Feb, 2008 and other two on the 22nd of Feb, 2008.
Bushes found growing in the sand.
… had identified similar bushes from Rajasthan if I am not wrong, but those had no flowers/pods. They were only bushes.

Calligonum polygonoides
Family: Polygonaceae

Other plant was most probably Capparis decidua. This is a true representation of desert flora.

I think I have found the correct id of this bush from Oman.
Had borrowed a book recently ‘Wild Plants of Oman’ by Helen Pickering & Annette Palzelt.
This seems to be Calligonum comosum, common name Fire Bush.
Kindly validate.

many thanks … for sending me such a beautiful photograph of desert plants
I am in Jharkhand and without any literature
yes this is Calligonum speceis
I remember … show me one of fruit photograph when we were in WII and i told him about the genus Calligonum but not sure about the species because

you can check in following link in Flora of Pakisthan

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=242100034

This species is sometimes treated as a subspecies of Calligonum polygonoides L. but can easily be differentiated from the latter by having smaller leaves, larger nuts and pedicel mostly shorter or sometimes equalling the perianth lobes.

“1. Calligonum comosum L’Herit in Trans. Linn. Soc. London. 1:80. 1791; Boiss., l.c. 1000; Rech.f. & Schiman-Czeika, l.c. 44; R.R.Stewart, Ann. Cat. Vasc. Pl. W.Pak. Kashm. 201. 1972; Mandaville, Fl. East.
Saudi Arabia 107. 1990; Chaudhary, l.c. (Fig.30, C-D).

Calligonum polygonoides L. subsp. comosum L’ Hér, Trans. Linn. Soc. London 1: 80. 1791; Boulos, Fl. Egypt 24. 1999.

Shrub, up to 2 m tall, stem branched, branches fascicled, somewhat whitish, glaucous. Leaves subulate, 1-5 mm long. Flowers in long clusters. Perianth segments 5, 3-4 mm long, 2-3 mm broad. Fruit 12-13
mm across. Nut fusiform, somewhat twisted, 7-8 mm long, 3 mm broad, 4-ribbed, ribs setose, setae seriate, 3-5 times branched, dilated and ± connate at the base, soft or little fragile.
Fl. Per.: March-April.
Type: In Aegypt, Lippi: Barbaria Desf.
Distribution: Notheast Africa, Egypt, Sinai, Palestine, Arabia to Pakistan.”

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Polygonaceae Fortnight : 1 – 14 May 2014 : Calligonum comosum : Oman : 140514 : AK-17 : 3 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (5).
Commonly known as Fire Bush, found growing in the sand dunes.

References:

POWO The Plant List GRIN Flora of Pakistan FoP illustration FAO

Updated on December 24, 2024

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