368 NATURAL HISTORY OF ARABIA. 



men Phytographiae." The Ocymum, the most beautiful spe- 

 cies of the Basilic, is much valued for its perfume, as are 

 also an Inula, a sort of elecampane ; a Cacalia from the heart 

 of Africa ; and the genus Dianthera, of which Forskal dis- 

 covered eight species. The same traveller gave the name of 

 Moscharia to a plant of a new genus, on account of its musky 

 smell. Among the odoriferous herbs of which he collected 

 specimens were lavender, marjoram, lilies, and pinks. The 

 most fragiarit, as well as the most remarkable for their fine 

 flow^ers, were those common to India and Arabia, such as an 

 IpomcBa, resembling the rope-weed ; a Pancraticum, with a 

 flower of the purest white, which he called the sea-daffodil, 

 and a species of Hibiscus, whose flower is singularly large, 

 and of the brightest red colour. The Arabs are by no means 

 indifferent to the beauties of Flora, as the peasants in many 

 parts retain the ancient custom of crowning themselves ou 

 festive occasions with chaplets and garlands. 



There are certain plants used for purposes of domestic 

 economy, while others are universally esteemed for their me- 

 dicinal qualities. A mean-looking herb like orache is men- 

 tioned by Forskal, and ranked by him as a distinct genus, by 

 the name of Suceda, vv'hich affords abundance of an alkaline 

 salt excellent for whitening linen, and employed instead of 

 soap by the common people. Burckhardt states, that the 

 Bedouins of Wady Genne, near Sinai, use for the same pur- 

 pose the herb ajrern, which they dr\' 9,nd pound between two 

 stones. In the same valley he found several people occupied 

 in collecting shrubs, v.'hich they burn into charcoal for the 

 Cairo market. The thick roots of the rethern (the Genista 

 ratan of Forskal), which grows there in great plenty, is the 

 kind they prefer. For its well-known properties in d-ying, 

 the indigo-shrub {Indigofera, Linn.) is universally cultivated 

 here, blue being the favourite colour of the Arabs. We are 

 told, that when this plant happens to be scarce the natives 

 contrive to extract indigo from a species of Polygala. The 

 common kali {Salsola kali, Linn.) grows in great abundance 

 on the coasts and in the islands of the Red Sea. There is 

 one plant which, though not a native of Arabia, deserves to 

 be noticed, as it serves a very important economical purpose 

 both in that country and in Eg}^pt. It is a gray-coloiired herb, 

 called schcebe, an infusion of which, mixed with a certain quan- 

 tity of meal, forms a leaven for the fermentation both of bread 



