Home PagePicture ArchivesFlora of QatarAsteraceaeRhanterium epapposum

Rhanterium epapposum Oliv.

Synonyms

Asteriscus arabicus

Common names

Arfaj

Extract from Wikipedia article

Rhanterium epapposum is a plant of the Asteraceae family. Native to the deserts of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait where it is known locally as Arfaj (Arabic: عرفج‎). The Arfaj plant consists of a complicated network of branches scattered with small thorny leaves and bright yellow flowers about 1.5 cm wide. The Arfaj flower is also the national flower of Kuwait. It is a very bushy shrub approximately 80 cm height. The leaves are small and narrow, and in late spring it will start flowering (April-May). It is considered one of the main desert forage plants for camels and sheep.[+]

Rhanterium epapposum (native name Arfaj) in desert near industrial zone of Ras Laffan, north from Doha. Qatar, March 23, 2013
LinkRhanterium epapposum (native name Arfaj) in desert near industrial zone of Ras Laffan, north from Doha. Qatar, March 23, 2013
Location on mapsRashid Street, Ad-Daẖirah, Qatar
Blooming Rhanterium epapposum (native name Arfaj) in desert near industrial zone of Ras Laffan, north from Doha. Qatar, March 23, 2013
LinkBlooming Rhanterium epapposum (native name Arfaj) in desert near industrial zone of Ras Laffan, north from Doha. Qatar, March 23, 2013
Location on mapsRashid Street, Ad-Daẖirah, Qatar
Arfaj (Rhanterium epapposum) in a small wadi near Green Circles (center-pivot irrigation) in Irkhaya Farms. South-western Qatar, March 29, 2014
LinkArfaj (Rhanterium epapposum) in a small wadi near Green Circles (center-pivot irrigation) in Irkhaya Farms. South-western Qatar, March 29, 2014
Location on mapsUnnamed Road, Qatar
Blooming arfaj (Rhanterium epapposum) in a small wadi near Green Circles (center-pivot irrigation) in Irkhaya Farms. South-western Qatar, March 29, 2014
LinkBlooming arfaj (Rhanterium epapposum) in a small wadi near Green Circles (center-pivot irrigation) in Irkhaya Farms. South-western Qatar, March 29, 2014
Location on mapsخط الوكير، Qatar
Rhanterium epapposum (local name Arfaj) on roadside of Route 77 to Ras Laffan. Qatar, February 6, 2016
LinkRhanterium epapposum (local name Arfaj) on roadside of Route 77 to Ras Laffan. Qatar, February 6, 2016
Location on mapsUnnamed Road, Qatar
Yellow flowers of Rhanterium epapposum (local name Arfaj) on roadside of Route 77 to Ras Laffan. Qatar, February 6, 2016
LinkYellow flowers of Rhanterium epapposum (local name Arfaj) on roadside of Route 77 to Ras Laffan. Qatar, February 6, 2016
Location on mapsUnnamed Road, Qatar
Arfaj (Rhanterium epapposum) on periphery of Green Circles (center-pivot irrigation) in Irkhaya (Irkaya) Farms. South-western Qatar, March 5, 2016
LinkArfaj (Rhanterium epapposum) on periphery of Green Circles (center-pivot irrigation) in Irkhaya (Irkaya) Farms. South-western Qatar, March 5, 2016
Location on mapsUnnamed Road, Qatar
Blooming bush of Arfaj (Rhanterium epapposum) on periphery of Green Circles (center-pivot irrigation) in Irkhaya (Irkaya) Farms. South-western Qatar, March 5, 2016
LinkBlooming bush of Arfaj (Rhanterium epapposum) on periphery of Green Circles (center-pivot irrigation) in Irkhaya (Irkaya) Farms. South-western Qatar, March 5, 2016
Location on mapsUnnamed Road, Qatar
Arfaj (Rhanterium epapposum) growing on gypsum pavement (selenite) in area of Jebel Al-Nakhsh (Khashm an Nakhsh) in south-western Qatar, March 11, 2016
LinkArfaj (Rhanterium epapposum) growing on gypsum pavement (selenite) in area of Jebel Al-Nakhsh (Khashm an Nakhsh) in south-western Qatar, March 11, 2016
Location on mapsSalwa Rd, Qatar
Arfaj (Rhanterium epapposum) growing on sand covering gypsum crystals (selenite) in area of Jebel Al-Nakhsh (Khashm an Nakhsh) in south-western Qatar, March 11, 2016
LinkArfaj (Rhanterium epapposum) growing on sand covering gypsum crystals (selenite) in area of Jebel Al-Nakhsh (Khashm an Nakhsh) in south-western Qatar, March 11, 2016
Location on mapsSalwa Rd, Qatar
Blooming Arfaj (Rhanterium epapposum) growing on sand covering layers of gypsum crystals (selenite) in area of Jebel Al-Nakhsh (Khashm an Nakhsh) in south-western Qatar, March 11, 2016
LinkBlooming Arfaj (Rhanterium epapposum) growing on sand covering layers of gypsum crystals (selenite) in area of Jebel Al-Nakhsh (Khashm an Nakhsh) in south-western Qatar, March 11, 2016
Location on mapsSalwa Rd, Qatar

Links

Outside links

How the web page was created

Acknowledgements

QNHG (Qatar Natural History Group) and associated people, for a possibility to participate in their field excursions and to learn about local nature.