Fabaceae / Papilionaceae

Capparidaceae
Capparis decidua (Forssk.) Edgew.
(Syn: Capparis aphyla Roth.)
English name: Caper Berry.
Local name: Sindhi- Pussi, Kirrir. Urdu- Tatali, kareel, Punjabi-
Karil, karia, kirra,
karrir.
Description:
Drought tolerant leafless shrub to small tree, up to 5 m (rarely more) high, branches
dark green crooked, spiny. Leaves appear for very short period in the young plant or
in young shoots,
very narrow and minute. Flowers orange to almost red, longstalked
in dense clusters, fruits bright red at maturation.
Flowering Period:
January to September.
Habitat:
Found very commonly in the sandy plains of desert areas
and slopes and tops of foothills.
Uses:
Its wood is used for fuel, the wood is hard and resistant to
attacks of termites; it is used for making knees of boats in
Sindh. Ripe fruit is sweet and edible consumed by locals,
unripe fruit is used as vegetable and also used for making
pickle. Ripe fruit is relished by many bird species
particularly Houbara Bustard.
Distribution:
One of the common shrubs of arid plains of Sindh,
Balochistan and Punjab. Distributed in Northern and
Tropical Africa, Arabia, eastward to India.
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