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Despite an average rainfall of only
40mm a year, there are about 250 different kinds of
plants in the Sanctuary. Eleven of these species are not
found outside Oman, making this a botanically important
area. The picture shows Salvadora persica called in
English the ‘tooth-brush tree’ as it is a well known
source of twigs used by people as simple but effective
tooth-brushes. |
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The importance of fog
Fog water is the reason so much vegetation is able to grow
in the Sanctuary. Acacia tortilis trees are perfectly
adapted to take advantage of this reliable if limited source
of water. Their umbrella shape and thousands of spiky leaves
collect fog water very efficiently. They can absorb water
through their leaves and have a shallow root system to use
the water that drips to the ground. |
Trees
The tallest trees in the Sanctuary are Prosopis cineraria
that are found in sandy haylahs. The tops of these trees
often have a flat base caused by browsing camels. The most
common tree, Acacia tortilis grows on the limestone ridges.
The seedpods and leaves of these trees are collected by
local people for animal feed.
After the rain
When it does rain, seeds, which may have lain dormant for
many years, germinate. The grass Stipagrostis spp. is one of
the many plants that come to life after rainfall. It is a favourite food of the oryx. Fog water can help it recover
from grazing and stay green long after rain.
A living resource
Many of the plants in the Sanctuary are grazed by goats and
camels and used by local people for shade and herbal
medicines. The leaves of the dwarf palm are used for
weaving. Traditional practices to preserve this delicate
resource include not cutting live wood.
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