Indigofera oblongifolia Forssk.

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The leaves of this plant has been used to treat various skin problems including, skin ulcer, old wounds, and skin sore. (Ref. Oman Botanic Garden). Miller & Morris (1988) wrote that: "The importance of Indigofera oblongifolia [J: ahsit] lay in the suppleness and strength of its stems which were used to make the once important fish traps [J: kerkor]. This plant, which grows to the height of a man and more and is found mainly in the deeper wadis of the drier parts of Dhofar, was much used (especially in the area between Taqa and Hasik) for the manufacture of these fish traps. Although Acacia senegal was also used, in the drier eastern areas not only was this acacia not common, but also it was much more valued as a fodder than it was in the wetter areas where alternative sources of browse were more numerous. The long stems were ... cut, stripped of their leaves, and taken to soak in water, preferably in the salty water of the sea lagoons [J: xor]. The best place for this retting stage was the end of the lagoon furthest away from the sea, where the water was more stagnant and often contaminated by urine and faeces of the watering livestock - qualities which were just right for the suppling and strengthening neccessary to prepare the stems for weaving. Once considered ready they were removed from the water, and were split along their length into canes which were used to weave the various parts of the trap, section by section. Finally, the sections were stitched together, using more of the fibre obtained from the plant. These fish traps formed the basis of the livelihood of many coastal people in this area. Indeed, many who lived inland came down to the coast for the short season when the fish called locally sisan [J: sizob] were running, to join in this economically important industry (much as they dp now during the crayfish and abalone fishing seasons which have replaced frankincence in the area). The inhabitants of the Kuria Muria islands for instance, were almost entirely dependent on the sale of these fish at one stage in their history. The traps had to be set, inspected and emptied, the fish collected, cooked in great drums of sea-water, then skinned, filleted and spread out to dry on hard, flat areas above the tide line where they had to be protected from hungry seabirds and crabs. The fully dried fish were then packed and stored ready for the boats which plied up and down the southern seaboard between India and East Africa. These dried fish were in great demand in Adan, and the trade in the fish along with the trade in frankincense was as vital to the people of the drier coastal areas in Dhofar as was the trade in butter to the cattle herders of the wet mountains. The fish traps were carried down at low tide and wedged in a semicircle of stones, covered with more stones until almost invisible. Then the mouth of the tra was baited with a certain kind of seaweed known to be irresistible to many kinds of fish. It was left for a full tide and then at the next low tide the catch was inspected. Those fish not suitable for sale were taken back for home consumption, and the valuable sisan were taken to be sold to the merchants who were reponsible for preparing them for sale and for the commercial organisation of the trade - much as the crayfish and abalone fishing industry operates today. Medicinally, only the roots were of any importance. They were crushed and applied as a paste to the site of a snake bite, as well as other bites and stings, as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory (Ref. Plants of Dhofar).

*POWO (2022). ""Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org *Ghazanfar, S. (2007). Flora of the Sultanate of Oman, vol.2: Crassulaceae – Apiaceae. Meise, National Botanic Garden of Belgium (Scripta Botanica Begica, Vol. 36). ISBN 9789072619747 ISSN 0779-2387. *https://en.wikipedia.org *Gledhill, D. (2008). The Names of Plants. Fourth Edition. Cambridge University Press, UK. ISBN 978-0-521-86645-3 ISSN 978-0-521-68553-5. *Miller, A., Morris, M. (1988). Plants of Dhofar, the Southern Region of Oman: Traditional, Economic, and Medicinal Uses. Published by Office of the Adviser for Conservation of the Environment, Diwan of Royal Court, Sultanate of Oman; ISBN 10: 0715708082 ISSN 13: 9780715708088.