Blooming Filago desertorum (local name quTeyna) in desert of Harrarah, 40 miles south-west from Doha. Qatar, March 2, 2012Filago germanica, Filago spathulata
Alj al barr, alj al ghazal, gutaina, Quteyna
Plants found near Ziziphus bushes in Al Mardiya - Wasit area look similar to Filago prolifera from a book "The flora of Qatar" by Ekhlas M. M. Abdel Bary (Qatar University, 2012).
Filago desertorum, also known as Desert Cudweed, is an annual herb native to the Middle East and North Africa. In Qatar, it has been found growing in sandy and gravelly areas, often in disturbed or overgrazed habitats. It is a small, hairy plant with white or yellowish flowers, typically blooming from February to May. Studies have reported its presence in various regions of Qatar, including the northern and central parts of the country, where it can be found growing alongside other desert plant species.
Blooming Filago desertorum (local name quTeyna) in desert of Harrarah, 40 miles south-west from Doha. Qatar, March 2, 2012
Filago desertorum (local name quTeyna) growing in sand near Trainah in southern Qatar, February 14, 2014
Desert plant Filago desertorum (local name quTeyna) growing in sand near Trainah in southern Qatar, February 14, 2014
Woolly desert plant Filago desertorum (local name quTeyna) growing in sand near Trainah in southern Qatar, February 14, 2014
Desert plant Filago desertorum (local name quTeyna) in sand near Trainah in southern Qatar, February 14, 2014
Filago desertorum (local name quTeyna) in area of Ras Laffan farms. Northern Qatar, February 28, 2014
Pigmy cudweed Filago desertorum or may be F. prolifera found under Ziziphus bush in Al Mardiya - Wasit area. Northern Qatar, February 13, 2016Filago desertorum, locally known as quTeyna, was observed blooming in the desert of Harrarah, 40 miles south-west of Doha, on March 2, 2012. In southern Qatar, it was found growing in sand near Trainah on February 14, 2014, with flowers present. The plant was also spotted in the same area, described as a woolly desert plant, and was seen growing in sand with other observations noting its presence in the area. On February 28, 2014, it was found in the area of Ras Laffan farms in Northern Qatar. Two years later, on February 13, 2016, a similar plant, possibly Filago prolifera, was discovered under a Ziziphus bush in the Al Mardiya - Wasit area of Northern Qatar. The plant appears to thrive in sandy environments, often near other vegetation.
www.catalogueoflife.org
QNHG (Qatar Natural History Group) and associated people, for a possibility to participate in their field excursions and to learn about local nature.