1. Calligonum comosum L'Herit in Trans. Linn. Soc. London. 1:80. 1791; Boiss., l.c. 1000; Rech.f. & Schiman-Czeika, l.c. 44; R.R.Stewart, Ann. Cat. Vasc. Pl. W.Pak. Kashm. 201. 1972; Mandaville, Fl. East. Saudi Arabia 107. 1990; Chaudhary, l.c. (Fig.30, C-D).
Calligonum polygonoides L. subsp. comosum L’ Hér, Trans. Linn. Soc. London 1: 80. 1791; Boulos, Fl. Egypt 24. 1999.
Shrub, up to 2 m tall, stem branched, branches fascicled, somewhat whitish, glaucous. Leaves subulate, 1-5 mm long. Flowers in long clusters. Perianth segments 5, 3-4 mm long, 2-3 mm broad. Fruit 12-13 mm across. Nut fusiform, somewhat twisted, 7-8 mm long, 3 mm broad, 4-ribbed, ribs setose, setae seriate, 3-5 times branched, dilated and ± connate at the base, soft or little fragile.
Fl. Per.: March-April.
Type: In Aegypt, Lippi: Barbaria Desf.
Distribution: Notheast Africa, Egypt, Sinai, Palestine, Arabia to Pakistan.
This species is sometimes treated as a subspecies of Calligonum polygonoides L. but can easily be differentiated from the latter by having smaller leaves, larger nuts and pedicel mostly shorter or sometimes equalling the perianth lobes.
