calligonum polygonoides L.

Phog is a profusely branched, hairless shrub with whitish to pale brownish bark, up to 1.5 m tall. Leaves are very scanty, stalkless, linear, falling off, long; ochreae short-long. Flowers are stalked, stalk 3-8 mm long, slightly accrescent in fruit, jointed in the center or near the base. Tepals are 3-4 mm long, 2-3 mm broad, broadly oblong, white, reflexed in fruit. Stamens are shorter than or equalling tepals.

Phog is a A fairly common plant of sand dunes of Thar desert. The wood is chiefly used as fuel. It is good sand-binder, and fodder of camel. The flowers are also eaten in Sindh.

Fl.& Fr.: Feb-May

PC: Priyanka suman

Date: March 2k25