Virgin’s Hand

Conservation status:

Native

Description:

Growth form: Annual herb. Flowering. Mar–Apr. Status: Native. Very common. Also recorded: Bahrain, Kuwait, E Saudi Arabia, UAE. Habitat & distribution: Occasional to abundant in shallow sandy deposits, including runnels and small depressions. The plant is extremely common in the west (Renee Richer). Uses: Its use as a charm and herbal aid in childbirth is widely reported. Batanouny mentions that it is sold in markets of Qatar as well as other Arabian countries. The dried plant is soaked in water and when it has unfurled the water is drunk by the expectant mother. Further information is given in Phillips and Rizk & El-Ghazaly.