Mangrove, Qaram, Showra.

Conservation status:

Native

Description:

Family: Acanthaceae. Growth form: Tree. Flowering. Mar. Status: Native. Local. Also recorded: Bahrain, E Saudi Arabia, UAE. Habitat & distribution: Sheltered bays and creeks, often along the tide line; usually dominant where it occurs. Main surviving areas are at Umm Tais, Ras Laffan, Al Dhakhira, Al Khor, all in NE Qatar and Al Wakra. Abulfatih et al. report finding a stunted specimen in a muddy inlet on the W coast and suggested the conditions were too saline there. A Government programme to restore mangrove vegetation has been in place since 1988, with successful work being carried out at Ras Laffan, but recently a large area has been cleared at Al Wakra and some of the area at Al Khor has also been destroyed. Areas at Umm Tais and Al Dhakhira are protected as natural reserves. Uses: Probably not very palatable to animals. ‘Sometimes browsed by camels when other plants are not available’ (Mandaville). ‘White mangrove is a source of tannin’ (Cornes & Cornes). The bark, roots and seeds have various medicinal uses.