Alkanna tinctoria, Alkanna tuberculata, Alkanet,
Dyer's bugloss, شنجار / خس الحمار ,אלקנת הצבעים
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| | Scientific name: |
| Alkanna tinctoria Tausch |
| Synonym name: |
| Anchusa tinctoria |
| Synonym name: |
| Alkanna tuberculata (Forssk.) Meikle |
| Common name: |
| Alkanet or Dyer's bugloss |
| Hebrew name: |
| אלקנת הצבעים |
| Arabic name: |
| شنجار / خس الحمار |
| Family: |
| Boraginaceae, זיפניים |
Date Picture Taken: March 22, 2008
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| | Life form: |
| Chamaephyte, semi-shrub |
| Leaves: |
| Alternate. rosette, entire |
| Flowers: |
| Purple, dark blue |
| Flowering Period: |
| February, March, April |
| Habitat: |
| Sand | | Distribution: |
| Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands, Semi-steppe shrublands |
| Chorotype: |
| Mediterranean |
| Summer shedding: |
| Perenating |
Date Picture Taken: February 2, 2008
Derivation of the botanical name:
Alkanna, Middle English alknet, from Medieval Latin alcannetta, from Arabic al-ḥanna, al-ḥinnā' the henna (Lawsonia inermis lythraceae).
tinctoria, tinctus, "to wet; to dye"; ori, "capability, functionality or resulting action". Used in dyeing.
- The standard author abbreviation Tausch is used to indicate Ignaz Friedrich Tausch (1793–1848), Austria.
- The standard author abbreviation Forssk. is used to indicate Peter Forsskål (1732–1763), a Swedish explorer, orientalist and naturalist.
- The standard author abbreviation Meikle is used to indicate Robert Desmond Meikle (born 1923), a Northern Irish botanist from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Alkanna tinctoria is also known as orchanet, dyer's bugloss, Spanish bugloss or bugloss of Languedoc.
The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)
Alkanna tinctoria/Alkanna tuberculata naturally grows in maritime sands, on the shores of the the eastern part of the Mediterranean. It has a dark red root of blackish appearance externally but inside showing a blue-red meat, surrounding a whitish core.
A red dye is obtained from the roots called Alkannin and used today as a food colouring. It is used by pharmacists as well as in perfumes and to stain wood or marble. It can make wood look like rosewood or mahogany. The dye is also used in thermometers and as a litmus to test for acids and alkalines.
Alkannin is used in folk medicine where it is claimed to possess, among other properties, wound healing and anti-inflammatory activity.
Alkannin is a pharmaceutical substance with a wide spectrum of biological properties.
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