Woodfordia uniflora (A. Rich.) Koehne

No data

maintenanceAr.Item1 maintenanceAr.Item3

Fire Flame Bush
Red Bell Bush

Miller & Morris (1988) wrote that: "Woodfordia uniflora is very common in the foothills of the monsoon mountains, and its attractive red-tinged leaves and stems are readily recognisable in the field. As Acacia etbaica was the principal tanning agent of the drier and desert areas, so was this Woodfordia species in the wetter areas, though most would agree that the latter was inferior, especially as regards the durability of the finished leather. To tan a skin or a hide the growing shoots were gathered and dried, and when needed, sufficient were extracted from the store and pounded down to a powder. This was mixed to a paste with a little water and smeared over a skin from which the hair has already been removed. The skin was then kneaded and pounded over a hard, smooth surface until considered to be supple enough and sufficiently impregnated with the tanning agent. Making ... a leather sleeping mat [J: reke, migneb] from a whole cow-hide, for instance, often took as many as six women to complete the tanning process, on their knees on the stretched out hide with their backs to one another, slowly moving outwards, kneading and rubbing as they went. Once they had finished rubbing in the tanning medium, the hide was pulled and stretched out hard and pegged firmly down. Once it was dry, and the tanning agent has been knocked off (and put aside to be used again), more co-operative effort was needed to soften and oil the hide. The foliage is browsed by livestock only if they are very hungry and alternative fodder is not easily available. The wood was appreciated as fuel because it burned with a particularly bright flame, and also it was easily gathered and plentifully available". (Ref. Plants of Dhofar). Ghazanfar (2007) mentioned that: "Traditionally the shoots and wood were used to tan leather". (Ref. Flora of Oman; vol.2).

*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 *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. *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. *POWO (2023). ""Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org