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Tree that grows in sand and silt pans that are rich in silicium
Scientific Name: Ziziphus nummularia
Common Name: Sidra Tree
Dimensions: Leaves are 1 to 2 cm long, 0.5 to 2.0 cm wide, the pedicel is 2 to 3 mm long The larger of the spines is about 10 mm long and the flower is 3 to 4 mm across, the lobes are 1.5 mm long The fruit is 5 to 10 mm in diameter
Medium: model
Registration Number: RPN.2018.0120
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The sidra tree is a shrub with a bushy appearance, featuring flexible branches covered in gray fuzz. The leaves are simple, with either round or elliptical shapes, and can be smooth or serrated. They are dark green on top and fuzzy beneath. The shrub has pairs of unequal spines, with the smaller one curving backward. The flowers are greenish-white or yellowish-white, arranged in clusters, and have five broad petals. Stamens and pollen are white, and the ovary is wide and flat. The fruit is round, turning dark reddish to black when ripe, and contains two seeds in hard stones.
Habitat and Biology
The sidra tree grows in moderately compact to very compact soils found in sand and silt pans that are rich in silicium. It also grows in larger natural depressions that might become inundated during rainy periods. This tree produces flowers during the months of March and April, and these flowers are pollinated by insects. The seeds of the sidra tree possess a hard seed coat that allows them to remain dormant for extended periods.
ECO System Qatar
Rawda, which means garden, are pockets of green in the desert. They form in depressions in the desert surface. Fine soils blown by the wind are gradually deposited and compacted in the depressions, allowing plants to grow in it. These soils hold water far better than the rocky or sandy surroundings. Rawda are known as sweet soil areas, as they are so fertile. Many different plants and animals thrive in these hospitable conditions. People use them for farming and date plantations.
PUBLICATIONS AND RESEARCH
Abdel Bary, Ekhlas M. M. (2012). The Flora of Qatar. 2 volumes (700 pages, 199 pages) : color illustrations, maps ; 28 cm. Doha: Qatar University Environmental Studies Center. OCLC: 875112803. MMS ID: 991000252609706691. English. Volume 1: The Dicotyledons -- Volume 2: The Monocotyledons
UNESCO Office in Doha. (n.d.). An Illustrated Checklist of the Flora of Qatar. Authors: John Norton, Sara Abdul Majid, Debbie Allan, Mohammed Al Safran, Benno Böer, & Renee Richer. [Unpublished manuscript]. Richer, R., Knees, S., Norton, J., & Sergeev, A. (2022). Hidden Beauty: An Exploration of Qatar’s Native and Naturalised Flora. Hardcover. April 30, 2022.
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Gallery 2