Caralluma flava

N. E. Brown

ApocynaceaeFlowersShoots
Caralluma flava
iNaturalist · cc-by-nc
(c) James Bailey, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Caralluma flava
iNaturalist · cc-by-nc
(c) James Bailey, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Caralluma flava
iNaturalist · cc-by-nc
(c) James Bailey, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

What to Eat

Edible parts: Stems, Flowers

The young stems are eaten fresh and have a mildly bitter taste.

Where to Find It

It is a Mediterranean plant.

Middle East, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Israel, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen

How to Identify

A succulent herb. It is angular and without leaves. It forms clumps 30 cm tall and 50 cm across. The stems are pale green and can have a reddish tinge. The stems are 4 angled and 1.5-2 cm across. The flowers are at the tip of the shoots and there can be 15-30 flowers in a group. They are yellow. The fruit are follicles in pairs. These are 10-11 cm long by 0.5 cm wide.

Medicinal Uses

It can inhibit some cancer cells.

Notes

There are about 56-100 Caralluma species. These are sometimes put in the Asclepiadaceae. It can inhibit some cancer cells.

Names & Synonyms

Dhaba, Dhagohom, Uruz

Crenulluma flava (N. E. Br.) PlowesDesmidorchis flavus (N. E. Br.) Meve & Liede
References (3)
  • Al-Fatimi, M. A., Wild Edible Plants Traditionally Collected and Used in Southern Yemen. Research Square. University of Aden. p 18 (As Desmidorchis flavus)
  • Marwah, R. G., et al, 2006, Antioxidant capacity of some edible and wound healing plants in Oman. Journal of Food Chemistry.
  • Miller, A. G., Morris, M. & Stuart-Smith, S., 1988, Plants of Dhofar. The Southern Region of Oman, Traditional, Economic and Medicinal Uses. Sultanate of Oman. p 50

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