Plants in Israel: Desert Cotton

Aerva javanica, Aerva persica, Desert Cotton,
Hebrew: לובד המדבר , Arabic: شجرة النعجة , شجرة الغزال , يرة

Scientific name:   Aerva javanica (Burm. fil) Schultes
Synonym name:   Aervan tomentosa, Aerva persica (Burm. fil) Merr.
Common name:   Desert Cotton, Kapok bush
Hebrew name:   לובד המדבר
Arabic name:   شجرة النعجة , شجرة الغزال , يرة
Family:   Amaranthaceae, ירבוזיים


Life form:   chamaephyte, semi-shrub
Leaves:   Alternate, entire
Flowers:   White
Flowering Period:   January, February, March, April, May, June, December
Habitat:   Desert, thermophilous (heat-loving)
Distribution:   Semi-steppe shrublands, Shrub-steppes, Deserts and extreme deserts
Chorotype:   Tropical
Summer shedding:   Perennating


Derivation of the botanical name:

Aerva, from the Arabic name (Ra’a) of the plant.

javanica, from Java.
tomentosa,tomentum, “dense interwoven hair covering”, osus (adjective suffix for nouns), plenitude or notable development; thickly and evenly covered short more or less apressed curled or curved matted hairs.

persica, Persian.

The Hebrew word: לובד, lobd, felt; the entire plant is covered with a flourish cover of unpleasant hairs, hence the Hebrew name lobd.

  • The standard author abbreviation Burm. is used to indicate Johannes Burman (1707 – 1779), a Dutch botanist and physician.
  • The standard author abbreviation Schultes is used to indicate Josef August Schultes (1773–1831), an Austrian botanist and professor in Vienna.
  • The standard author abbreviation Merr. is used to indicate Elmer Drew Merrill (1876 – 1956), an American botanist.