The Red Thumb Cynomorium
coccineum is a parasitic, leafless plant without chlorophyll. It is
a fleshy, reddish, club-shaped perennial herb that can grow up to 30 centimeters
high and is parasitic on the roots of desert shrubs. It is only visible above
ground during its spring flowering period. The flowering stems may emerge from
the ground singly but more often they are grouped several together. The
interflorescence is dark-red to purplish and is made up of minute scarlet
flowers that may be male or female. Flies are attracted by the smell given off
from the plant and are thought to be pollinators of the plant which once
pollinated turns black. They grow on sandy, saline, ground with this
plant photographed at Sabkhat Al Fasl next to one of the main lagoons. The
plant is known as 'tarthuth' by the Bedouin and is also known as Maltese Fungus
and Desert Thumb and is used in many herbal medicines around the world. Due to
its' dark red colour it was thought to be able to cure aneamia and other
blood-related diseases and dried spikes were carried by the Crusaders in order
to treat wounds. Research being carried out into the plants' actual medicinal
properties seems to provisionally confirm several of the traditional uses with
extracts of the herb appearing to inhibit HIV, improve blood flow and lower
blood pressure.
