Cleome droserifolia (Forssk.) Delile
Rorida arabica J.F. Gmel., Roridula droserifolia Forssk., Roridula tetrandra Vitman
Eng.: Cleome herb, spider flower. Ara.: Samwa.
Subshrub or small shrub, aromatic, cushion-shaped, that usually does not exceed 30 cm in height, but may exceptionally reach 60 cm. Branching intricate. Greenish-yellow and densely glandular-hispid, viscous. Leaves orbicular (0.5-1.5 × 0.5-1.5 cm), alternate, with long petioles of about 1-2 cm, with 3 very conspicuous veins, diameter of 5-15 mm, glandular-hairy. Flowers greenish-yellowish, about 1 cm in length, with pedicels 1-1.5 cm, borne singly on leaf axils, at the end of the stems, forming loose racemes. Bracts same as the leaves. Flowers with 4 ± exserted stamens, with ovate-oblong, apiculate and dorsifixed anthers. Capsules ovoid-oblong, 8-12 mm long, with a style similar in length. They remain upright as an extension of the rigid and densely glandular peduncles. Seeds numerous, 0.75 mm in diameter, brown, glabrous, shinny and finely granulated surface.
Flowering:
In 2 periods, spring (February to May) in desert areas of the northern Sahara and summer (August to October) in areas with tropical rainfall.
Fruiting:
April to June and October to November.
Habitat:
Rocky or sandy wadis and plains in desert areas.
Distribution:
Jebel Uweinat, Sinai Peninsula, other areas of Egypt and Arabia, reaching in the N up to Syria.
Conservation status:
Rare but widely distributed species. Currently, it has not been assessed at a global level in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. In the Red List of vascular plants of Egypt (Flora Aegyptiaca Vol 1, 2000) it is listed as “Indeterminate”.