Anastatica hierochuntica

Anastatica hierochuntica

The Maryam’s flower or flower of St Mary, St. Mary’s flower, Mary’s flower, white mustard flower, rose of Jericho (Anastatica hierochuntica L.) is a herbaceous species belonging to the Brassicaceae family.

Systematics –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota domain,
Kingdom Plantae,
Subkingdom Tracheobionta,
Spermatophyta superdivision,
Magnoliophyta division,
Class Magnoliopsida,
Subclass Dilleniidae,
Capparales Order,
Brassicaceae family,
Genus Anastatic,
Species A. hierochuntica.
The terms are synonyms:
– Anastatica littoralis Salisb.;
– Myagrum hierochunticum (L.) Crantz.

Etymology –
The term Anastatica comes from the Greek ἀνάστασις, anástasis, resurrection: that resurrects, a plant that lives in deserts and has the particularity of drying, curling up and keeping the seeds inside, to then release them at the first rains, when it reopens.
The specific hierochuntica epithet comes from hiericuntis, genitive of Hiericus, classic name of Jericho, an ancient city in the West Bank: of Jericho.
The common name Rose of Jericho is linked to its “perpetual rebirth”, like the biblical city of Jericho, which has never ceased to be reborn from its own ashes.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Anastatica hierochuntica is a plant native to desert and semi-desert regions of North Africa, the Middle East and western Asia and occurs in arid areas of the Middle East and the Sahara Desert, including parts of North Africa and regions of Iran, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Pakistan and India.
This plant is adapted to survive in extremely arid environments and can withstand prolonged periods of drought. Its habitat is that of sandy and rocky soils, often in coastal or desert areas with poor vegetation cover, where it is able to bear high temperatures and intense light conditions.

Description –
Anastatica hierochuntica is a small herbaceous annual plant that rarely grows more than 15 centimeters.
The stem is branched from the base and with generally ascending branches, often coiled inward in dry conditions, densely pubescent with stellate hairs.
The leaves are 10 to 20 mm long, 5 to 10 mm wide, spatulate, 3-5 lobed towards the apex or entire, supported by a short petiole.
The flowers are white, small, about 2 mm in diameter, axillary, subsessile, hermaphrodite with paired lateral nectariferous glands, each semi-lunar in shape.
The anthesis is between March and April.

Cultivation –
The life cycle of Anastatica hierochuntica is annual and ends at the beginning of the dry season, when the dehydrated plant folds the branches into a compact spheroidal mass.
It is a plant with great resistance to desiccation; its branches have the property of contracting with dryness, remaining closed and dry for many years, reopening with humidity or contact with water, regaining all its freshness and beauty. After the rainy season, the plant dries up, dropping leaves and curling branches into a tight ball, and summers. Inside the ball, the fruits remain attached and closed, protecting the seeds and preventing them from dispersing prematurely.
The seeds are very hardy and can lie dormant for years. Re-moistened in a later rainy season, the ball unfurls and the plant awakens from its dormant state, which causes the capsular fruits to open to disperse the seeds. If water is sufficient, the dispersed seeds germinate within hours. After it has curled up, it is easy for the wind itself to lift and drag it great distances, making them obligatory travelers across steppes and deserts crossing the borders of various countries in Asia and sowing their seeds for all of them.
A fraction of the seeds are dispersed in the vicinity of the mother plant by raindrops hitting a spoon-like appendage on the seeds. The seeds have a sticky coating which helps them adhere to the ground but they can also be carried downstream by surface flowing waters; however, the seeds transported downstream do not survive.
The curling and relaxing process is completely reversible and can be repeated many times. The ability of the plant to do this is attributed to the presence of trehalose, a disaccharide sugar involved in several mechanisms of cryptobiosis. Although the rehydrated plant is sometimes described as putting forth new leaves, flowers, and fruit, this is disputed; instead, the seeds can sometimes germinate into new plants while still in the fruit of the dead mother plant.
It is a plant typically found in the driest and hottest desert areas where it is common in areas receiving an average annual rainfall of less than 70mm. It is found in sandy areas, rocky places and silty plains.
In its habitat, dry plants are able to “wait” for the next rain for 5-10 years without damaging their seeds. Interestingly, only a rain of more than 10mm will cause the inner stems to absorb enough water and open. Less rain does not cause any openings. In fact, the dead mother plant is a water meter that opens and scatters its live seeds only when there is enough water for them to germinate, flower and bear fruit.

Customs and Traditions –
Anastatica hierochuntica is the only species of the genus Anastatica and was described by Carlos Linnaeus and published in Species Plantarum 641. 1753.5.
Since ancient times it has been used as a plant to guess the climate, since being a plant hygrometer, the sage or shaman predicted it successfully. In dry weather the plant remains completely closed; in case of rain it opens slowly; if rain threatens, it opens in a very conspicuous way and with more or less speed depending on the proximity of the discharge of the clouds.
The story goes that in the past the merchants of Jericho brought them from Arabia as precious talismans to bless their homes and businesses.
The plant is also called the “rose of Jericho” and this is taken from the Bible. In fact, in Sirach, regarding God’s delivery of Wisdom to the people of Israel, we read: Wisdom grows …… like a palm tree in Engaddi, like rose plants in Jericho, like a majestic olive tree in plains…. (Siracide 24,14) even if, probably, the plant mentioned is not A. hierochuntica but another species, perhaps it could be the oleander (Nerium oleander L.).
In Arab countries, this plant is widely consumed as a drink.
It is also used in traditional medicine to treat various health ailments. The whole plant, reduced to powder and mixed with honey, is used as a remedy for difficult childbirth and uterine hemorrhage.
The whole plant, boiled in water, is used to prepare pelvic compresses against infertility.
The plant, in the form of a decoction, is also used to treat asthma, gastrointestinal disorders, depression, hypertension, indigestion, headaches, colds, fever, malaria, epilepsy, fatigue, diabetes, heart disease.
Recent research has highlighted the chemical composition and properties of this plant; these studies confirm the beneficial effects of popular tradition. The presence of eight minerals (Mg, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu and Zn) and phenolic compounds was found in the leaf buds, stem and root. Antioxidant activity and the presence of free radical scavengers have also been found.
Furthermore, it has been observed that the plant has hepatoprotective properties because it is capable of significantly reducing the activities of transaminases and alkaline phosphatase. Its ability to activate phagocytes and to possess antimicrobial activity has also been seen. Finally, it has been demonstrated that extracts of the whole plant, in vitro, have specific anticancer properties on breast cancer cells.

Method of Preparation –
Anastatica hierochuntica is a plant linked to the traditions and customs of the nomadic peoples of the desert.
It has found use as a drink but also as a medicinal plant used in the folk medicine of nomadic tribes.
The whole plant is reduced to powder and mixed with honey, used as a remedy in case of difficult delivery and uterine bleeding.
The whole plant is also boiled in water and used to prepare pelvic compresses against infertility.
A decoction of the plant is also used to treat asthma, gastrointestinal disorders, depression, hypertension, indigestion, headaches, colds, fever, malaria, epilepsy, fatigue, diabetes, heart disease.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Acta Plantarum – Flora of the Italian Regions.
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
– Useful Tropical Plants Database.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (ed.), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora of Italy, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Treben M., 2000. Health from the Lord’s Pharmacy, Advice and experiences with medicinal herbs, Ennsthaler Editore.

Photo source:
– https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/107567002/original.jpeg

Attention: The pharmaceutical applications and alimurgical uses are indicated for informational purposes only, they do not in any way represent a medical prescription; we therefore decline all responsibility for their use for curative, aesthetic or food purposes.