Maerua crassifolia: Difference between revisions
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'''''Maerua crassifolia''''' is a species of [[plant]] in the [[Capparaceae]] family. It is native to Africa, tropical Arabia, and [[Israel]], but is disappearing from [[Egypt]]. Foliage from this plant is used as [[fodder]] for animals, especially [[camel]]s, during the dry season in parts of Africa. |
'''''Maerua crassifolia''''' is a species of [[plant]] in the [[Capparaceae]] family. It is native to Africa, tropical Arabia, and [[Israel]], but is disappearing from [[Egypt]]. Foliage from this plant is used as [[fodder]] for animals, especially [[camel]]s, during the dry season in parts of Africa. |
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The plant grows commonly in Yemen, where it is called ''Meru''. In the 18th century the plant's Arabic name ''Meru'' was used as the source for the genus name ''Merua''. The 18th century taxonomist was [[Peter Forskal]] who visited Yemen in the 1760s.<ref>[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=U2qasRVcD78C&pg=PA366&lpg=PA366 ''Flora of the Arabian Peninsula and Socotra'', Volume 1, year 1996, page 366].</ref> |
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It is used as a common nutrition source in central Africa, where it is called ''jiga'' and made into soups and other dishes. ''Maerua crassifolia'' was considered sacred to the ancient Egyptians. There are a number of historical medicinal uses. The plant has an entry in the 11th century Arabic encyclopedia ''[[The Canon of Medicine]]'' under the name ''"meru"'' and this name became the source for the Latin genus name Maerua.<ref>Entry for Maerua crassifolia in Ibn Sina's "The Canon of Medicine" (11th century) at [http://ddc.aub.edu.lb/projects/saab/avicenna/book-two.html]. Entry for Maerua crassifolia in "CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names" (1999) at [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=3lCQPKCUUf4C&pg=PA1589&lpg=PA1589&dq=maerua+from+arabic+name+meru&source=bl&ots=vW9M-6yiC6&sig=HNKQwzZ0IbPPlQrDFGMwIy_sZm0&hl=en&ei=U48wTPWdNIvu0gTbpMykAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBUQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=maerua%20from%20arabic%20name%20meru&f=false].</ref> |
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It is used as a common nutrition source in central Africa, where it is called ''jiga'' and made into soups and other dishes. ''Maerua crassifolia'' was considered sacred to the ancient Egyptians.{{citation needed}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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Revision as of 21:49, 18 December 2012
| Maerua crassifolia | |
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| Species: | M. crassifolia
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| Maerua crassifolia | |
Maerua crassifolia is a species of plant in the Capparaceae family. It is native to Africa, tropical Arabia, and Israel, but is disappearing from Egypt. Foliage from this plant is used as fodder for animals, especially camels, during the dry season in parts of Africa.
The plant grows commonly in Yemen, where it is called Meru. In the 18th century the plant's Arabic name Meru was used as the source for the genus name Merua. The 18th century taxonomist was Peter Forskal who visited Yemen in the 1760s.[1]
It is used as a common nutrition source in central Africa, where it is called jiga and made into soups and other dishes. Maerua crassifolia was considered sacred to the ancient Egyptians.[citation needed]
External links
References
- Cook, J.A. et al. (1998). Nutrient content of two indigenous plant foods of the estern Sahel: Balanites aegyptiaca and Maerua crassifolia. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 11:3 221-30.
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