Appearance
''Leptadenia pyrotechnica'' is heavily branched and reaches heights of up to 3 metres. The shrub's long roots reach up to 12 metres below the surface. The leaves of the green to grey-green branches tend to fall off early. When present, they are opposite, sessile, elongated to linear, glabrous and about 2 cm long and 3 mm wide.The very small, greenish-yellow, hermaphrodite and five-fold, short-stalked flowers with a double inflorescence have a diameter of 2 mm and stand in axillary, small cymous inflorescences. The flowers are fine-haired and have a minimal, fleshy corolla. The two ovaries are on top, whilst the stigma and stamens are fused into a very short gynostegium.
The narrow and bare, many-seeded, green, bean-shaped fruits are up to 8–11 cm long.
Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz identifies this species as the ''ma'aleh ashan'', which was part of the incense offered daily by the priests in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The shrub was known for its flammability, so adding it to the incense ensured that the smoke would rise perfectly vertically.
Uses
The plant is used in thatching huts. The pods of this shrub, known as khimpoli in Hindi, ripe in the month of March which are of medicinal value and used as vegetables. The plant fiber is used for making ropes. The plant is browsed by all stock, but especially by camels for which it is considered a good fodder.References:
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