Achyranthes sicula -Algeria’s Overlooked Wildflower Gem

 

Taxonomy:       

Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophytes Class: Angiosperms Class: Eudicots Order: Caryophyllales Family: Amaranthaceae Genus: Achyranthes Species: A. sicula

             

While much attention goes to Algeria’s iconic Saharan cypress or wild thyme, few know about Achyranthes sicula ,a discreet yet fascinating member of Algeria’s native flora. This plant, sometimes classified as Achyranthes aspera var. sicula, is a botanical enigma hiding in plain sight.

 

Synonym:

·        Achyranthesa aspera var.sicula

·        Achyranthes Argentea lam

·        Achyranthes aspera auct

 

Why you’ve never heard of it?

Unlike more famous Algerian wild plants, this species suffers from:

• Few scholarly articles or nature blogs cover it
• Identification confusion: Often mistaken for its cousin A. aspera
• Habitat secrecy: Grows in scattered, hard-to-reach locations

Yet its story is key to understanding:
Algerian plant biodiversity mysteries
Ancient medicinal uses now forgotten

Survival strategies of Algerian desert plants

     

      How to identify it?

Leaves: Opposite, oval with wavy margins (unlike Achyranthes aspera)

Flowers:Greenish-white spikes that cling to clothing

Habitat: Rocky slopes and abandoned fields in Northern Algeria

Primary: Greenish-white to pale yellow

Distinctive Feature: Tiny flowers cluster on upright spikes with a texture (cling to clothing/fur).

Growth Form: Sprawling to semi-erect, often forming dense patches.

 

Field Tip: Look for its red-tinged stems and upward-curving flower spikes to distinguish it from common Achyranthes aspera.

 

 

Type Of Plant	Life Cycle	Height	Flowering Time	Altitude
Herbaceous	Perennial	30 to 70 cm	March to June	50 - 1200 m

Mediterranean	Edible	Color	Abundance	Toxicity
Yes-rare	Yes	Greenish-white	Non Common	No

 

Other Common Name:

Arabic	Berber/Targui	English	French	Other Name
dhil Elfar,Qatifa shouk	ⵜⴰⵙⵍⵉⵜ ⵏ ⵉⵖⵔⴼ Taslit n ighref	Devile's horsewhip	Queue de rat	prickly-chaff flower,abrojo rabo de gato

Where to Find this wild plant in Algeria?

This rare plant in Algeria favors:
The Kabylie region’s limestone outcrops
Abandoned olive groves near Constantine
Coastal cliffs east of Algiers

 

Pro Tip: Look for its sticky seed pods attached to animal fur, nature’s tracking device.

 

The Forgotten Uses

While not currently listed among medicinal plants in Algeria, historical records suggest:

• Berber communities used its roots for wound healing
• Leaves may have served as famine food (wild edible plants alternative)

Potential as a natural pesticide (research ongoing)

 

Related species:

Achyranthes aspera

Achyranthes aspera var.rubrofusca

Achyranthes aspera var. aspera

Achyranthes aspera var .pubscens

Achyranthes Sicula

• Achyranthes aspera var.sicula

·        Achyranthes argentea lam

·        Achyranthes aspera auct

• Achyranthes argentea var.viridescens 
• Achyranthesa aspera var.argentea  
• Achyranthes aspera f.suffruticosa

  

Another Web Photos: Achyranthes Argentea: