Desert beauty

Desert plants are by and large dull-looking. Their flowers are also not so attractive.

But, I am amazed to see two species of parasitic plants that have the most attractive flowers among all plants across the coastline of Abu Dhabi to Ras Al Khaimah, from the fringes of the desert to the foothills of the Jebel Hafeet, near Al Ain.

One of these is the Red Thumb Cynomorium Coccineum, belonging to the Cynomoraceae plant family. On first sight, one may be surprised to see such a huge reddish thumb-like object rising out of the desert soil.

Its fleshy body (inflorescence) is covered with tiny scarlet flowers (difficult to see with naked eyes). These give the thumb a fuzzy look.

It doesn’t have any leaf, so, unlike green plants, it cannot manufacture its own food. Hence, it’s a parasite on others.

For most of the year, it remains underground as a dormant fleshy stem called rhizome. But after the winter rain, it springs out of the desert crust and projects up to 30cm skyward. The rhizome always remains attached to underground roots of a nearby plant, mostly species of Zygophyllum, Cornulaca, Helianthe-mum etc.

Locally, the Red Thumb is known as ‘Tarthuth’ and Bedouins consider it to have many medicinal properties. It looks quite colourful in a dull desert setting.