Polycarpaea repens
| Polycarpaea repens | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Polycarpaea repens in southern Qatar | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Spermatophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Caryophyllaceae |
| Genus: | Polycarpaea |
| Species: | P. repens |
| Binomial name | |
| Polycarpaea repens (Forssk.) Asch. & Schweinf.[1] | |
Polycarpaea repens is a low-growing herbaceous plant belonging to the Caryophyllaceae family. It is indigenous to arid and semi-arid regions across North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and into Pakistan.[1]
Description
[edit]Polycarpaea repens is an annual or short-lived perennial, with a woody base and spreading, slender branches. Its size ranges from 5 to 30 cm.[2] It forms low, hairy, sprawling mats. Small leaves bear rough stipules, and its flowers are diminutive. The fruit is a small, many-seeded capsule.[3]
Habitat
[edit]This species typically occupies sandy or stony soils and is frequently found in sabkha margins, sand sheets, and gravel plains.[3]
Distribution
[edit]It naturally occurs from the Sahara through the Persian Gulf States to Pakistan.[1]
Folk use
[edit]In Qatar, local Bedouin accounts note its traditional use in treating camel mange and as an antidote for snakebites.[2]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "Polycarpaea repens (Forssk.) Asch. & Schweinf". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- 1 2 "Kameela". Qatar e-Nature. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- 1 2 Abdel Bary, Ekhlas M.M. (November 2012). The Flora of Qatar (The Dicotyledons) (PDF). Vol. 1. Doha: Qatar University. p. 313.