About Alhagi pseudalhagi (M.Bieb.) Desv. ex Wangerin
Alhagi is a genus of Old World plants belonging to the family Fabaceae, commonly known as camelthorns or manna trees. There are four currently accepted species in this genus, with a distribution that extends from northern Africa and Greece through western and central Asia, all the way to India and northern China. Alhagi species have proportionally the deepest root system recorded among all plants; a shrub that reaches 1 meter (3 feet 3 inches) in height may have a main root over 15 meters (49 feet) long. Thanks to this deep root system, Alhagi species are drought-avoiding plants that access groundwater, allowing them to adapt perfectly to hyper-arid environments. Alhagi species serve as food plants for the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including Coleophora argyrella, which feeds exclusively on A. maurorum. The genus name originates from the Arabic word for pilgrim. In Persian, Alhagi is called خارشُتُر (xâr-e šotor), meaning "thistle of camels", because camels are able to eat this plant despite its thorns. Its foliage provides habitat for a scale insect that produces Manna of hedysarum, also called Tarangabeen, which is used as a remedy for neonatal jaundice.
