Aerva persica

Observations:

  • Upper Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat)
  • Middle and upper Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat), October 2005, following rain
  • Middle and upper Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat), October 2006, remnant vegetation of 2005 rains
  • Upper Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat), October 2006, following rain
  • Middle Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat), March 2007, remnant vegetation of 2005 rains
  • Middle and upper Wadi Handal (Jebel Uweinat), October 2006, remnant vegetation of 2005 rains
  • Lower Wadi Handal (Jebel Uweinat), October 2007, remnant vegetation of 2005 rains
  • Lower Karkur Murr (Jebel Uweinat)
  • Lower and upper Wadi Wahesh and adjacent western wadis (Jebel Uweinat)
  • Lower Karkur Idriss (Jebel Uweinat)
  • Lower Karkur Ibrahim (Jebel Uweinat)
  • Emeri Highland (Jebel Uweinat), observation by Alessandro Menardi Noguera, April 2006, following rain
  • Hassanein Plateau (Jebel Uweinat)

    Aerva persica is one a handful of perennial shrubs that are able to survive in a green state even in periods of drought. It has been noted in larger wadi beds, in the wadi runoffs to the south of the mountain, and at higher altitudes in several rocky valleys. In periods of drought, the leaves are small and appear almost white. The species was also observed in fresh growth in Karkur Talh following the rains of 2005 and 2006. In fresh growth, the leaves are much broader and greener than on specimens recorded during drought. The growth of the 2005 rains was still abundant in both Karkur Talh and Wadi Handal in October 2006, and some survived in Karkur Talh up to March 2007. A couple of live examples were noted in Wadi Handal in October 2007. Sporadically the species appears at higher altitudes, attested by the Emmeri Highland and Hassanein Plateau examples.

     
         
         
    Lower Wadi Wahesh (Jebel Uweinat), in gravely wadi bed on the plain to the south of the mountain, November 2004
       
    Middle Wadi Wahesh (Jebel Uweinat), close to flowering Pulicaria undulata, November 2004
         		  Upper side wadi of Karkur Ibrahim (Jebel Uweinat), in rocky wadi bed, October 2003
       
    Middle Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat), in sandy wadi bed following rains, 18th October, 2005

         
         
    Fresh growth of Aerva pesica in upper Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat) following rains, 18th October, 2005

     
    In southern tributary of south western branch of Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat) following rain, 19th October, 2005

       
    Same location as above one year later, October 2006
         		  Same location, March 2007

       
    Middle Karkur Ibrahim (Jebel Uweinat) after rains (Aerva in background), 11th October, 2005
    (Photos by Norbert Brügge)
         		  Emeri highland (Jebel Uweinat), April 2006
    (Photo by Alessandro Menardi Noguera)
       
    South western branch of Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat), October 2006

         
    South western branch of Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat),
    October 2006

         		  Hassanein Plateau (Jebel Uweinat), October 2006
         
         
    Upper Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat), intermingled with Fagonia indica, Cleome crysantha and Morettia philaeana, October, 2006

       
    Fresh growth in upper Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat), with Boerhavia coccinea and Morettia philaeana, October 2006

     
    Middle section of Wadi Handal (Jebel Uweinat), October 2006

         
    Upper northern tributary of Wadi Handal (Jebel Uweinat), intermingled with Pulicaria incisa, October 2006

       
    Middle Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat), March 2007

         		  Lower Wadi Handal (Jebel Uweinat), October 2007