Flowers in Israel: Arabian pea

Bituminaria bituminosa, Psoralea bituminosa, Bitumen Trefoil, Pitch Trefoil, Scurfy Pea,

Hebrew: שרעול שעיר, Arabic: بسوراليا أسفلتية الرائحة

Scientific name:   Bituminaria bituminosa (L.) Stirton
Synonym name:   Psoralea bituminosa L.
Common name:   Arabian pea, Bitumen Trefoil
Hebrew name:   שרעול שעיר
Arabic name:   بسوراليا أسفلتية الرائحة
Plant Family:   Fabaceae, קטניות


Life form:   Hemicryptophyte
Stems:   Erect, numerous branches and sub-branches, pubescent
Leaves:   Alternate, petiolate, trifoliate, entire
Flowers:   Cluster with stalked White lilach papilionaceous flowers
Fruits / pods:   Light brown legume; one brown seed per fruit, ovoid, 5 mm long
Flowering Period:   March, April, May, June, July
Habitat:   Batha, Phrygana
Distribution:   Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands, Semi-steppe shrublands, Deserts and extreme deserts, Montane vegetation of Mt. Hermon
Chorotype:   Mediterranean
Summer shedding:   Perennating


Derivation of the botanical name:

Bituminaria, Latin and Greek bitumen, Greek asphaltos, concerning bitumen, tar-smelling weed.

bituminosa, resembling bitumen.
Psoralea, ψωραλέος psoraleos, scurfy, scabby, mangy; referring to the glandular dots on the leaves.
The Hebrew name שרעול שעיר Shar-ul sa-ir: שרעול sharul, covered, “masked”, שעיר sa-ir, hairy.

  • The standard author abbreviation L. is used to indicate Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778), a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, the father of modern taxonomy.
  • The standard author abbreviation Stirton is used to indicate Charles Howard Stirton; 1946- , South Africa,, the Founding Director of the National Botanic Garden of Wales.