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Calligonum

Scientific Name: Calligonum

Family: Polygonaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth:

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Calligonum: A Desert Shrub

Calligonum is a genus encompassing approximately 80 species of plants belonging to the Polygonaceae family. These plants are primarily found across the Mediterranean Sea region, Asia, and North America.

Considerations for Pets

  • Some Calligonum species are shrubs.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Family: Polygonaceae
  • Major Group: Angiosperms (Flowering plants)
  • Examples of species and synonyms:
    • Calligonum comosum L`Her.
    • Synonym: C. polygomoides subsp. comosum (L`Her.) Soskov.
    • Calligonum cordatum Korovin ex Pavlov (Accepted)
    • Calligonum dielsianum K. S. Hao
    • Calligonum potaninii Losinskaja
    • Calligonum leucocladum (Schrenk) Bunge

Common Names

  • Calligonum polygonoides: Phog (Hindi: &#2347&#2379&#2327)
  • Calligonum comosum: Arta, A`bal, Waragat Alshams
  • Calligonum leucocladum: Dan zhi sha guai zao (&#28129&#26525&#27801&#25296&#26531) (Chinese)

Distribution and Habitat

  • Calligonum polygonoides is found in Thar Desert areas.
  • Calligonum bakuense is endemic to Azerbaijan and grows on coastal sands along the Caspian shore.
  • Calligonum comosum is found throughout the Sahara to the northern edge of West Africa, also reported in Saudi Arabia and Tunisia.
  • There are 23 species of Calligonum in China.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • Calligonum polygonoides is a small shrub, usually 4 to 6 feet high, but can sometimes look like a tree at old age.
  • Calligonum bakuense is a shrub with pinkish flowers.
  • Calligonum dielsianum is a shrub 25-150 cm tall with old branches spreading and flexuous, grayish white or light yellow-gray.
  • Calligonum aphyllum is an evergreen shrub growing to 1.2 m (4ft).

Ecological Role

  • Calligonum comosum is a sand dune stabilizer in arid and semi-arid rangelands.

Traditional Uses

  • Calligonum comosum is traditionally used in folk medicine in Tunisia to treat rural population microbial infections.
  • Calligonum polygoniods is traditionally used for treatment.

Genetic and Cytological Information

  • Studies focus on the karyotype characters, mitotic metaphase chromosomes, monoploid idiograms, and karyograms of Calligonum.
  • Genome sizes of some Calligonum species in Xinjiang, China, have been studied.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • The phytotoxic effect of Calligonum polygonoides extracts on the germination of Abelmoschus esculentus (okra) and Helianthus annuus (sunflower) has been studied.

Quirky Facts

  • Calligonum comosum produces numerous flowers in the early spring (March, April).

Further Information

  • IUCN Red List: http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T63467A12665829.en
  • International Plant Names Index
  • Catalogue of Life
  • ARKive (for Fire bush, though relationship to Calligonum unclear from text)