RIYADH: The perennial herbaceous plant Teucrium Oliverianum has spread extensively throughout Saudi Arabia’s Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve, indicating a balanced ecosystem, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
Citing experts, the report noted that the reserve has had a remarkable expansion in healthy and stable vegetation cover, “the best condition since its establishment in 2018.”
This has helped to combat desertification and soil erosion, the SPA reported.
Known locally as Al-Aihlan or Ahneh, the plant has long, thin stems and delicate leaves, coated with fine bristles that help minimize water loss, adding to its adaptability to harsh environments.
Renowned for its striking blue-violet flowers, Teucrium oliverianum has become an iconic symbol of the flora of the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve. (SPA)
Native to the Arabian Peninsula, the plant is highly valued for grazing. It also provides shelter and sustenance for various small desert animals and insects, making it an essential part of the natural food chain.
In an earlier report, SPA quoted wild plant expert Abdullah Al-Barrak as saying Teucrium Oliverianum was also a valuable food source for honeybees.
Renowned for its evergreen or semi-evergreen leaves and striking blue-violet flowers, the plant has become an iconic symbol of the flora of the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve.
Teucrium oliverianum also provides shelter and sustenance for various small desert animals and insects, making it an essential part of the natural food chain. (SPA)
The 91,500 sq. km reserve, formerly known as Al-Taysiyah Natural Reserve, is the second-largest of its kind in the Kingdom, spread across regions of Hail, Qassim, Al-Jouf, Northern Borders and the Eastern Province.
The reserve’s vegetation cover has surged from 1.5 percent in 2018 to an impressive 6.7 percent, and now has over 179 plant species, including 113 seasonal and 66 perennial varieties, officials have said.
