Camel thorn, Caspian manna, Persian manna plant
Alhagi maurorum

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A small shrub. It has thorns. It grows 30-60 cm high. There are 3-8 flowers in short racemes. The flowers are small white pea flowers. The pods are hairless. They are constricted between the seeds.

Also as Papilionaceae.

Where it is found

It is a temperate and Mediterranean climate plant. It grows in salty places where the water is not far below the surface. It grows naturally in waste places and sand dunes in Turkey. It needs a sunny position and a light well drained soil. It can be in alkaline soil. It grows below 1,200 m altitude. It grows in areas with a rainfall below 1,016 mm. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, Algeria, Arabia, Asia, Australia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Caucasus, Central Asia, China, Cyprus, Egypt, Europe, France, Georgia, Greece, Himalayas, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mongolia, Morocco, Niger, North Africa, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Russian Federation - Ciscaucasia, Dagestan, Sahara, Sahel, Saudi Arabia, Western Siberia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, UAE, USA, Uzbekistan, West Africa

How it is used for food

A sweet sugary secretion is obtained from the plant. This is exuded in the hot season. A sweet-tasting manna is exuded from the twigs at flowering time. The root is cooked and eaten as a famine food. It can be ground into flour.

Edible parts

Roots, tubers, sap, manna, leaves

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed which should be pre-soaked for 12 hours in warm water before planting. It can be grown from cuttings of young shoots.

Its other names

Local names

Aguldikeni, Barbharram, Billiduruva, Durlava, Girikarmika, Hebrew manna, Jawasa, Jawaso, Sinai manna, Tamiya, Tella giniya chettu, Zoz, Zozani

Synonyms

Alhagi camelorum Fisch.; Alhagi mannifera Desv.; Alhagi persarum Boiss. & Buhse; Alhagi pseudalhagi (M. Bieb.) Desv. ex B. Keller & Shap.; Hedysarum alhagi Linn.; Hedysarum pseudalhagi M. Bieb.;