Drimia maritima in Petra, Jordan

[aykhan]

I was wondering what this plant was scattered all over the landscape in Petra, Jordan one of the new 7 wonders of the world, in my visit there last month. I investigated and asked the local beduoins there and they said it is a poisonous plant and gives scapes of white flowers. Being an environmentalist I didn't have the heart to pull some out for myself since I could have as there is really not much check there my the authorities. However, God has his way with gardeners and I found a local bedouin girl selling these alrady ruthlessly pulled out of the ground and got a bargain. Some internet search revealed these to be Drimia maritima or Urgenia maritima. Now they are in my lawn in pots, all four of them and lets see if they bring the magic of that place here to Lahore

[Farhan Ahmed]

Interesting Plant......was reading about it and came across some interesting facts
1.The bulb contains cardiac glycosides
2.The juice of the bulb causes blisters when put in contact with skin.
3.The plant has been used as a rodenticide.

By the way how do you transport these plants from abroad....isn't there any restriction on luggage?

Look at the soil color of Jordan.......

Sir what doctorate you specialize in?

[M Farooq]

Very interesting information. I am also curious as to how they allowed agricultural products in the plane. They seem to pretty strict about plants.

What are those ruins...looks like a highly progressive nation which was wiped out like quam-e-Aad and Samud. Same style of making palaces in mountains.

[aykhan]

Authorities in Pakistan are not strict on plants since I've never had a problem. They're usually looking for electronics to get some money out of you. I am specialized in acute medicine and critical care. Petra was inhabited by the Nabateans 2500 years ago who were pagan Arabs. Aad and Thamud were also Nabateans but their ruins are in Mada'in Saleh in Saudi Arabia.

[KBW]

Very interesting share Khab sb. I was surprised to read that the bulb of Drimia maritima grows over 5 lbs
The flowers are stunning. Seeing its native habitat, I assume the plants should need very less water and extra good drainage. Extremely hot and cold weathers should not effect it much. Have you planted them in ground or they are in pots?
regards

[aykhan]

I have these in pots for now. I did get an Urginea maritima from California and that bulb was huge! It's size, planting and progress is posted by me in the link below

http://www.gardeningpakistan.com/viewto ... a+maritima

I'm not sure these ones will grow that big since there were thousands there but they all had similar sized foliage. I could be wrong since I wasn't seeing the actual bulb.

[newton]

We should always be self concious of bringing plants from foreign wild sources back to our country as sometimes foreign fungi, diseases and pests can cause untold damage to our native flora and fauna that maybe dont have defence mechanisms against foreigners.
I personally have witnessed whole species of wild river fish almost wiped out through fungus infection brought in by a foreign water plant

[aykhan]

Newton it's a tough land. Idhar sab chalta hai You will restrict us terribly since I don't think there is a list of plants the Govt of Pakistan does not want. Someone should look into this though.

I don't think Drimia is like that. It's non-invasive and no known diseases and is relatively common.

[newton]

http://dawn.com/2011/03/28/invasive-pla ... diversity/

Many non-native plants have been introduced into new territories, initially as either ornamental plants or for erosion control, stock feed, or forestry. Whether an exotic will become an invasive species is seldom understood in the beginning, and many non-native ornamentals languish for years before suddenly naturalizing and becoming invasive.
Japanese knotweed grows profusely in many nations. Human beings introduced it into many places in the 19th century. It cost the UK government in excess of 7 million pounds to remove it from the site of the Olympic games in London. With Pakistan’s socio and economic problems I would find it hard to believe such an investment would ever be made. The origin of the devastating alga in the Mediterranean was thought by many to be an accidental introduction from an aquarium. In Pakistan Eucalyptus camaldulensis has severe impacts on local ecology. In Malakand hills of NWFP, its dire impacts on the growth of grasses, herbs, and shrubs have been documented while almost eliminating associated species of scrub Dodonaea.

Studies indicate that in Pakistan 700 alien species are found, among these six species are considered to have extreme invasive nature, i.e. Broussonetia papyrifera, Prosopis juliflora, Eichhornia crassipes, Salvinia molesta, Parthenium hystrophorus, and Lantana camara. There is generally lack of awareness among nursery growers, general public, and even managers about the effects of these species.

Broussonetia papyrifera having East Asian origin is an invasive species in the Himalayas foothills which not only threatens natural vegetation of Islamabad and South Azad Jammu and Kashmir but has also become prime source of pollen allergy to about 46 per cent people of Islamabad. Prosopus juliflora has allelopathic effects which have replaced the native species in Sindh, irrigated plantation in Punjab and in tropical areas of NWFP.

Because of its toxic nature herbivores avoid the plant which also suppresses growth of indigenous plants. Its extended root bio-mass enables it to thrive through extreme climatic conditions of high temperatures and water scarcity. This adaptation predominate the native plants that are vulnerable to these extremes.

Similarly, Eucalyptus camaldulensis is also an aggressive invasive species in the mountainous areas and farm forestry. Besides their capacity of high water and nutrient intake, allelopathic effect, wind vulnerability, the tree has no fodder value and does not support nesting of birds. Lantana camara being native to the US is one of the 10 worst weeds of the world, it is a major pest in the Punjab affecting natural flora.

The Parthenium hystrophorus, originating in the Gulf of Mexico and Central South America was introduced in India which later invaded Pakistan is an aggressive weed in wastelands, road sides, water courses, and plantations. It can thrive well in high temperature zones; global warming scenario will even favour this invader.

In addition purebred naturally evolved region specific wild species can be seriously threatened with extinction through the process of genetic pollution i.e. uncontrolled hybridization] introgression and genetic swamping which leads to homogenization or replacement of local genotypess as a result of either a numerical and/or fitnesss advantage of introduced plant or animals. Nonnative species can bring about a form of extinction of native plants and animals by hybridization and introgression either through purposeful introduction by humans or through habitat modification, bringing previously isolated species into contact. These phenomena can be especially detrimental for rare species coming into contact with more abundant ones where the abundant ones can interbreed with them swamping the entire rarer gene pool creating hybrids thus driving the entire original purebred native stock to complete extinction. Attention has to be focused on the extent of this under appreciated problem that is not always apparent from morphological (outward appearance) observations alone. Some degree of gene flow may be a normal, evolutionarily constructive process, and all constellations of genes and genotypes cannot be preserved however, hybridization with or without introgression may, nevertheless, threaten a rare species' existence.

Pakistan may have some very lax border and import controls but it should be our own moral and social duty to preserve our own environment and biodiversity. We should all be conscious of the effects of our actions lest we lose some of our own beautiful and native flora.

Please don’t take this the wrong way as the purpose of including this information is not to criticise but to educate as to the proven factual effects of some our seemingly innocent actions.

regards
Ifzal

[aykhan]

Very informative article. Still not sure how laymen like me with little knowledge about plants and their invasive nature can browse a 700 specie long list each time we purchase a plant overseas. It has to be like overseas eg USA where the nurseries,the prime source for importing billions of plants, are monitored. In Pakistan I did investigate and all they require in a phytosanitary certificate but since they never check I don't think it's worth the effort getting one since by default most business' in the USA are closely monitored and responsible themselves and generally all plants are a bit too healthy almost look artificial to me when they arrive. Your concern is well taken and appreciated. Thanks.