Salvadoraceae
Salvadora

Salvadora persica L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 122 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Africa to Syria and Arabian Peninsula. It is a shrub or tree and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Distribution

Native to:

Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Burkina, Caprivi Strip, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Northern Provinces, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sinai, Socotra, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Introduced into:

Cameroon

Accepted Infraspecifics

Classification

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Publications

POWO follows these authorities in accepting this name:

  • Boudet, G., Lebrun, J.P. & Demange, R. (1986). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Mali: 1-465. Etudes d'Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux.
  • Boulos, L. (2000). Flora of Egypt 2: 1-352. Al Hadara Publishing, Cairo.
  • Collenette, S. (1999). Wildflowers of Saudi Arabia: 1-799. National commission for wildlife conservation and development (NCWCD), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  • Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Dobignard, A. & Chatelain, C. (2013). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 5: 1-451. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.
  • Exell, A.W. & Wild, H. (eds.) (1960). Flora Zambesiaca 1(1): 1-336. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14: 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Ghazanfar, S.A. (1992). An Annotated Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Oman and their Vernacular names. Scripta Botanica Belgica 2: 1-153.
  • Hedberg, I. & Edwards, S. (eds.) (1989 publ. 1990). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 3: 1-659. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.
  • Hutchinson, J., Dalziel, J.M. & Keay, R.W.J. (1954-1958). Flora of West Tropical Africa, ed. 2, 1: 1-828.
  • Kalema, J. & Beentje, H. (2012). Conservation checklist of the trees of Uganda: 1-235. Kew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Kotiya, A., Solanki, Y. & Reddy, G.V. (2020). Flora of Rajasthan: 1-769. Rajasthan state biodiversity board.
  • Lebrun, J.-P., Audru, J., Gaston, A. & Mosnier, M. (1972). Catalogue des Plantes Vasculaires du Tchad Méridional: 1-289. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort.
  • Lebrun, J.P., Toutain, B., Gaston, A. & Boudet, G. (1991). Catalogue des Plantes Vasculaires du Burkina Faso: 1-341. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort.
  • Mannheimer, C.A. & Curtis, B.A. (eds.) (2009). Le Roux and Müller's field guide to the trees and shrubs of Namibia, rev. ed.: 1-525. Macmillan Education Namibia, Windhoek.
  • Miller, A.G. & Morris, M. (2004). Ethnoflora of Soqotra Archipelago: 1-759. The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.
  • Mosti, S., Raffaelli, M. & Tardelli, M. (2012). Contributions to the flora of central-southern Dhofar (Sultanate of Oman). Webbia; Raccolta de Scritti Botanici 67: 65-91.
  • Musselman, L.J. (2011). Checklist of Plants of Lebanon and Syria http://ww2.odu.edu/~lmusselm/plant/lebsyria/Checklist%20of%20Lebanon%20Plants.pdf.
  • Onana, J.M. (2011). The vascular plants of Cameroon a taxonomic checklist with IUCN assessments: 1-195. National herbarium of Cameroon, Yaoundé.
  • Peyre de Fabregues, B. & Lebrun, J.-P. (1976). Catalogue des Plantes Vascularies du Niger: 1-433. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort.
  • Verdcourt, B. (1968). Flora of Tropical East Africa, Salvadoraceae: 1-9.
  • Wood, J.R.I. (1997). A handbook of the Yemen Flora: 1-434. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Kew Species Profiles

  • Al Sadhan, R. I. & Almas, K. (1999). Miswak (chewing stick): a cultural and scientific heritage. The Saudi Dental Journal 11: 80–88.
  • Ghazanfar, S. A. (2011). Medicinal plants of the Middle East. In: Genetic Resources, Chromosome Engineering and Crop Improvement, ed. Ram J. Singh, pp. 163–180, CRC Press, Florida, USA.
  • Paull, R. E. (2008). Salvadora persica. In: The Encyclopedia of Fruit and Nuts, ed. J. Janick & R. E. Paull, pp. 791–792, CABI International, Wallingford, UK.
  • Sher, H., Al-Yemeni, M. N., Masrahi, Y. S. & Shah, A. H. (2010). Ethnomedicinal and ethnoecological evaluation of Salvadora persica L.: a threatened medicinal plant in Arabian Peninsula. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research 4: 1209–1215.
  • World Agroforestry Centre (2013). Salvadora persica, Agroforestree database.

Flora of West Tropical Africa

  • Aubrév. Fl. For. Soud.-Guin. 352, t. 73, 7.
  • Chev. Bot. 399
  • Sleumer in E. & P. Pflanzenfam. 20B: 238, fig. 74, A & G–J (1942).
  • —F.T.A. 4, 1: 23

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Audru, J., Cesar, J. & Lebrun, J.-P. (1994). Les Plantes Vasculaires de la République de Djibouti. Flore Illustrée 1: 1-336. CIRAD, Départerment d'Elevage et de Médecine vétérinaire, Djibouti.
  • Boudet, G., Lebrun, J.P. & Demange, R. (1986). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Mali: 1-465. Etudes d'Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux.
  • Boulos, L. (2000). Flora of Egypt 2: 1-352. Al Hadara Publishing, Cairo.
  • Collenette, S. (1999). Wildflowers of Saudi Arabia: 1-799. National commission for wildlife conservation and development (NCWCD), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  • Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Dobignard, A. & Chatelain, C. (2013). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 5: 1-451. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.
  • Exell, A.W. & Wild, H. (eds.) (1960). Flora Zambesiaca 1(1): 1-336. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14: 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Hedberg, I. & Edwards, S. (eds.) (1989 publ. 1990). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 3: 1-659. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.
  • Hutchinson, J., Dalziel, J.M. & Keay, R.W.J. (1954-1958). Flora of West Tropical Africa, ed. 2, 1: 1-828.
  • Kalema, J. & Beentje, H. (2012). Conservation checklist of the trees of Uganda: 1-235. Kew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Kotiya, A., Solanki, Y. & Reddy, G.V. (2020). Flora of Rajasthan: 1-769. Rajasthan state biodiversity board.
  • Lebrun, J.P., Toutain, B., Gaston, A. & Boudet, G. (1991). Catalogue des Plantes Vasculaires du Burkina Faso: 1-341. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort.
  • Mannheimer, C.A. & Curtis, B.A. (eds.) (2009). Le Roux and Müller's field guide to the trees and shrubs of Namibia, rev. ed.: 1-525. Macmillan Education Namibia, Windhoek.
  • Miller, A.G. & Morris, M. (2004). Ethnoflora of Soqotra Archipelago: 1-759. The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.
  • Mosti, S., Raffaelli, M. & Tardelli, M. (2012). Contributions to the flora of central-southern Dhofar (Sultanate of Oman). Webbia; Raccolta de Scritti Botanici 67: 65-91.
  • Musselman, L.J. (2011). Checklist of Plants of Lebanon and Syria http://ww2.odu.edu/~lmusselm/plant/lebsyria/Checklist%20of%20Lebanon%20Plants.pdf.
  • Onana, J.M. (2011). The vascular plants of Cameroon a taxonomic checklist with IUCN assessments: 1-195. National herbarium of Cameroon, Yaoundé.
  • Peyre de Fabregues, B. & Lebrun, J.-P. (1976). Catalogue des Plantes Vascularies du Niger: 1-433. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort.
  • Quézel, P. (1958). Mission Botanique au Tibesti: 1-357. Université d'Alger.
  • Verdcourt, B. (1968). Flora of Tropical East Africa, Salvadoraceae: 1-9.
  • Wood, J.R.I. (1997). A handbook of the Yemen Flora: 1-434. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Flora of Somalia

  • Flora Somalia, Vol 2, (1999) Author: by Abdi M. Dahir [updated by M. Thulin 2008]
  • Verdcourt in Kew Bull. 19: 147–154 (1964).

Flora of Tropical East Africa

  • Bak. in Flora of Tropical Africa 4(1): 23 (1902).
  • Cufod., Enumeratio Plantarum Aethiopiae Spermatophyta (Supplement in Bull. Jard. Bot. Brux.) p. 487 (1958).
  • Dale & Greenway, Kenya Trees and Shrubs p. 496(1961).
  • Engl., Die Vegetation Der Erde, IX, Pflanzenwelt Afrikas 3(2): 250, fig. 122/A, G–J (1921).
  • F. W. Andr., The Flowering Plants of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan 2: 287, fig. 103 (1952).
  • F. White, Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia p. 221(1962).
  • Hutch., Fam. Fl. Pl. 1: 237, fig. 180 (1926)
  • Hutch., Fam. Fl. Pl., ed. 2, 1: 313, fig. 171 (1959).
  • J.P.M. Brenan, Check-lists of the Forest Trees and Shrubs of the British Empire no. 5, part II, Tanganyika Territory p. 547 (1949).
  • Keay in Flora of West Tropical Africa, ed. 2, 1: 644(1958).
  • L., Sp. Pl.: 122 (1753).
  • Sleumer in A. Engler & K. Prantl, Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien, ed. 2, 20B: 238, fig. 74/A, G-J (1942).
  • Verde, in Kew Bulletin 19: 147 (1964).
  • W.J. Eggeling, Indigenous Trees of the Uganda Protectorate, ed. 2: 371 (1952).

Other Data

Other Kew resources that provide information on this taxon:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Apr 1, 1978 Erens, J. [236] Botswana K000285516 No
Apr 1, 1978 Munro, H.K. [ML. 16] Zambia K000233346 Type Yes
Apr 1, 1978 Chase, N.C. [6967] Zimbabwe K000285523 Yes
Apr 1, 1978 Erens, J. [236] Botswana K000285521 No
Apr 9, 1943 Greenway, P.J. [802] Tanzania K000233348 Isotype Yes
Apr 9, 1943 Greenway, P.J. [802] Tanzania K000233347 Type Yes
Apr 9, 1943 Greenway, P.J. [802] Tanzania K000233349 Type Yes
Story, R. [5691] Namibia K005442977 Yes
[Baatan] [s.n.] K005442523 Yes
Kerfoot, O. [3068] Yemen K005442502 Yes
[M. Am. Grazovsky] [7] West Bank K005442540 Yes
Collenette, S. [165] Saudi Arabia K005442514 Yes
Grey-Wilson, C.; Hewer, T.F. [124] Iran K005442544 Yes
[D. N. Juuren] [586] Namibia K005442974 Yes
Bent, J.T. [141] K005442524 Yes
Rogers, F.A. [315] Namibia K005442968 Yes
[F.J. Madgwick] [34] Yemen K005442492 Yes
Smith, P.A. [737] Botswana K000285518 Yes
de Winter, B. [3115] Namibia K005442960 Yes
[Wykem Perry] [s.n.] K005442530 Yes
Collenette, S. (Mrs.) [72-126] Saudi Arabia K005442513 Yes
Headley, P.M. [178] Ethiopia K:SPC-06049.063 No
Smith, P.A. [163] Botswana K000285520 No
Collenette, I.S. [1151] Saudi Arabia K005442511 Yes
[Lyun Gillspic] [105] Yemen K005442507 Yes
Vahrmeijer, J. [2195] Namibia K005442958 Yes
Rodin, R.J. [9185] Namibia K005442952 Yes
Giess, W. [10511] Namibia K005442954 Yes
van der Schijff, H.P. [826] South Africa K005442982 Yes
Zohary, M. [s.n.] Jordan K005442543 Yes
de Winter, B.; Leistner, O.A. [5726] Namibia K005442973 Yes
Popov; [Tillin]; Gilliland [4306] Saudi Arabia K005442533 Yes
Gillett, J.B. [5506] Yemen K005442531 Yes
Wood, J.R.I. [1839] Yemen K005442505 Yes
Schweinfurth, G. [[16]] Yemen K005442529 Yes
Leistner; Oliver; Steenkamp; Vorster [210] Namibia K005442953 Yes
[Alpini Feasson] [7567] South Africa K005442963 Yes
van der Schijff, H.P. [5683] South Africa K005442981 Yes
Cope, T.; Murtland, R. [87] Yemen K005442493 Yes
Sanadiki, N. [36] Yemen K005442498 Yes
Lunt, W. [175] Yemen K005442525 Yes
[Galpin Tassen] [7448] South Africa K005442969 Yes
Collenette, I.S. [962] Saudi Arabia K005442512 Yes
Sanadiki, N. [47] Yemen K005442499 Yes
Acres [57] Yemen K005442506 Yes
s.coll. [Cat. no. 1042] K001110834 Unknown Type Material Yes
Leistner; Oliver; Steenkamp; Vorster [267] Namibia K005442956 Yes
Bester, S.P. [9168] Angola K001604405 Yes
Popov, G.; Gilliland, H.B. [4155] Saudi Arabia K005442500 Yes
Meyers, F.S.; Dinsmore, J.E. [7220] West Bank K005442537 Yes
Keet, J.D. [1588] Namibia K005442978 Yes
Rodin, R.J. [2751] Namibia K005442971 Yes
de Winter, B. [3639] Namibia K005442972 Yes
Collenette, I.S. [1217] Saudi Arabia K005442510 Yes
Edwards, D. [04468] Namibia K005442959 Yes
Lowne, B.T. [s.n.] Syria K005442535 Yes
Dinsmore, J.E. [[11218]] West Bank K005442536 Yes
de Marchesetti, C. [s.n.] Saudi Arabia K005442504 Yes
Hilbert, E. [203] Namibia K005442980 Yes
Gillett, J.B. [15787] Jordan K005442542 Yes
Davis, P.H. [3799] West Bank K005442539 Yes
Story, R. [5707] Namibia K005442975 Yes
Lowne, B.T. [s.n.] Syria K005442534 Yes
s.coll. [Cat. no. 1042] K001110836 Unknown Type Material Yes
Mrs V I Dickson [762] Saudi Arabia K005442532 Yes
Pierce, E. [s.n.] Pakistan K005442547 Yes
Pearson, H.H.W. [9165] K005442961 Yes
Story, R. [5805] Namibia K005442976 Yes
s.coll. [Cat. no. 1042] K001110835 Unknown Type Material Yes
de Winter, B. [2643] Namibia K005442950 Yes
Seydel, R. [349] Namibia K005442965 Yes
s.coll. [Cat. no. 1042] K001110837 Unknown Type Material Yes
Hart, H.C. [s.n.] K005442519 Yes
[Galpin Teasson] [[7475]] South Africa K005442962 Yes
Ghazanfar, S.A. [4181] United Arab Emirates K005442518 Yes
Ash [715] Ethiopia K:SPC-37989.000 No
Cope, T.; Murtland, R. [175] Yemen K005442491 Yes
Abdallah. c.s. [1044] K005442521 Yes
[Rautanen] [s.n.] K005442964 Yes
Burtt Davy, J. [22779] Yemen K005442501 Yes
Smook, L. [462] Botswana K000285519 Yes
s.coll. [s.n.] Yemen K005442528 Yes
Collenette, S. [199] Saudi Arabia K005442515 Yes
[IPA] [[29]] Yemen K005442508 Yes
Smith, P.A. [1781] Botswana K000285522 No
El-azazi, E. [26] Qatar K005442517 Yes
Eig, A. [s.n.] West Bank K005442541 Yes
[Dr Bromfield] [113] Egypt K005442527 Yes
de Marchesetti, C. [[105]] Saudi Arabia K005442503 Yes
Merton, L.F.H. [3543] Iran K005442545 Yes
Rodin, R.J. [8904] Namibia K005442955 Yes
Lamaton, R.M. [1302] Zambia K000285524 Yes
Tölken, H.; Hardy, D. [824] Namibia K005442979 Yes
El-azazi, E. [2] Qatar K005442516 Yes
s.coll. [113] K005442526 Yes
[Burton] [s.n.] K005442520 Yes
Polhill, R. Kenya K:SPC-23387.000 No
Young, R.G.N. [s.n.] Namibia K005442966 Yes
s.coll. [5914] Iran K005442546 Yes
Boulos, L.; Rowaished, A.K.; Gifri, A.N.; Saeed, W.A.; Hussein, M.A. [s.n.] Yemen K005442496 Yes
Kotze, T.J. [119] Namibia K005442957 Yes
Ehrenberg, C.G. [s.n.] Sudan K005442522 Yes
s.coll. [Cat. no. 1042] K001110833 Unknown Type Material Yes
Boulos, L.; Gifri, A.N.; Saeed, W.A. [s.n.] Yemen K005442495 Yes
Worsdell, W.C. [s.n.] K005442967 Yes
Cope, T.; Murtland, R. [174] Yemen K005442490 Yes
Davis, P.H. [3799] West Bank K005442538 Yes
Strey, R.G. [RSB2405] Namibia K005442951 Yes

Sources

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    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

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    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

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    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Kew Species Profiles

    • Kew Species Profiles
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0