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Electronic Flora of South Australia
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Electronic Flora of South Australia genus Fact Sheet

Family: Fabaceae
Alhagi

Citation: [Alhagia] Gagnebin, Acta Helvet. 2:59 (1755).

Derivation: From haj, the Arabic and Aramaic name of the plant, with the Arabic definite article prefixed.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: None

Description:
Perennial herbs or shrubs, stem much branched, ultimate divisions spinose; leaves simple, entire; stipules minute.

Flowers in lax rather few-flowered axillary racemes; rhachis rigid, spine-tipped; bract and bracteoles small; calyx tube campanulate; calyx teeth subequal, short or almost obsolete; petals pink, purple or crimson; standard obovate, cucullate, with inflexed margins and a very short claw; keel obtuse, about as long as the wings and standard; stamens diadelphous in 2 bundles of 5; anthers uniform; ovary subsessile, many-ovulate, glabrous.

Pod elongate, subterete or slightly compressed, indehiscent, frequently constricted between the seeds, but not transversely articulated, walls rather thick and corky; seeds reniform, exarillate; embryo enveloped in a thick gelatinous translucent membrane.

Distribution:  About 3 species in the eastern Mediterranean and North Africa to central Asia.

Biology: In hot weather they exude a gum called "Persian manna".

Author: Not yet available


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