Thymelaea hirsuta
Thymelaea hirsuta | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Malvales |
Family: | Thymelaeaceae |
Genus: | Thymelaea |
Species: | T. hirsuta
|
Binomial name | |
Thymelaea hirsuta (L.) Endl.
|
Thymelaea hirsuta, boalaga (Spanish),[1] bufalaga (Catalan and geolectal Spanish), mitnan (Arabic) or shaggy sparrow-wort, is a xerophytic shrub which can grow to 2 metres in height and has a root system reaching depths of up to 3.5m. Some noteworthy characteristics of this species are the tiny size of its leaves and flowers and that both are also fleshy. Like many other species belonging to the family Thymelaeaceae, it is a toxic plant[2] with medicinal properties that also yields a strong fibre used in the making of rope and paper.[3]
Etymology
The genus name Thymelaea is a combination of the Greek name for the herb thyme θύμος (thúmos) and that for the olive ἐλαία (elaía) - in reference to its thyme-like foliage and olive-like fruit; while the English name sparrow-wort (used by Thomas Green in his 18th century Universal Herbal) is a translation of the name of the genus Passerina, (in which Thymelaea was formerly placed), derived from the Latin word passer "sparrow" - given the plant because of a perceived similarity of the shape of the fruit to a sparrow's beak. The qualification "shaggy" in the name shaggy sparrow-wort refers to the plant's indumentum of woolly trichomes (plant hairs) - referenced also in the Latin specific name hirsuta "hairy".[4]
Distribution
Circum-Mediterranean: in dry coastal regions of Southern Europe, Turkey, and desert areas of the Levant and North Africa.
Medicinal uses
Thirteenth century
Thymelaea hirsuta is also valued in the traditional
Useful fibre
The inner bark of Thymelaea hirsuta yields a strong fibre, well suited to the making of ropes and paper. Bedouin cordage made from mitnan ranges from a type of simple cable, braided from the flexible branches of the shrub in an unworked state, to fully finished rope. Such rope is strong enough to support the weight of an adult human, to provide guy ropes for a tent, to tether, girth and yoke beasts of burden, such as donkeys and camels, and to lash together heavy water vessels so they may be carried by such animals.[3][5]
Gallery
-
Straggling growth habit of Thymelaea hirsuta growing on sea cliff, Calvi, Corsica.
References
- ^ "Documento: Proyecto Informativo después de la Información Pública. Análisis de soluciones para el vertido cero del Mar Menor proveniente del Campo de Cartagena" (PDF). miteco.gob.es (in Spanish). March 2019. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
- ^ "revista01.pdf" (PDF) (in Spanish). p. 55. Retrieved 2019-12-09.
- ^ a b c Kew Plants of the World Online https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:832995-1 Retrieved at 8.47 on Monday 4/5/20.
- ISBN 0-19-869106-8
- OCLC 959573975., s.v. (Thymelaea hirsuta)