Ibrahim
07-11-2012, 05:38
well, I've been translating an Arabic dictionary to english, and I've run into a few problems: all of which are species of trees. part of the problem is that the names of the trees in Arabic keep changing, and that makes it hard to identify species.
one notable example is a tree that the dictionary calls an "alaa'ah" (pl. alaa'; Arabic: "ألاءة"). It's pretty accurately described, but not accurately enough (the dictionary is from the 13th century). here is it's description:
1-evergreen tree
2-grows in sandy soil or in valleys.
3-bitter fruit, resembling seeds of corn (think wheat, not maize)
4-resembles Myrtles.
5-has applications in tanning (the text specifies that the leaves and "what it carries" (i.e., fruit) are the organs needed)
6-fine looking, pleasant smell
7-has a smaller almost identical cousin, called a "sulamaan" (السُّلامانُ), used traditionally as a source of natural toothbrushes (though it makes no implication it's an Arak tree (Salvadora persica).
there are pictures of what might be it, but It's called a 3aathir (العاذر), I'll attach it in the links:
http://www.moqatel.com/openshare/Behoth/ModoatAma1/--Sahra/pic10.jpg_cvt.htm
http://www.thomala.com/vb/showthread.php?t=76333
my suspicion is that it is indeed a species of Salvadora, but I'm not quite sure.
so, my question is: anyone here know a thing about botany? I figured there might be a person good for this.
one notable example is a tree that the dictionary calls an "alaa'ah" (pl. alaa'; Arabic: "ألاءة"). It's pretty accurately described, but not accurately enough (the dictionary is from the 13th century). here is it's description:
1-evergreen tree
2-grows in sandy soil or in valleys.
3-bitter fruit, resembling seeds of corn (think wheat, not maize)
4-resembles Myrtles.
5-has applications in tanning (the text specifies that the leaves and "what it carries" (i.e., fruit) are the organs needed)
6-fine looking, pleasant smell
7-has a smaller almost identical cousin, called a "sulamaan" (السُّلامانُ), used traditionally as a source of natural toothbrushes (though it makes no implication it's an Arak tree (Salvadora persica).
there are pictures of what might be it, but It's called a 3aathir (العاذر), I'll attach it in the links:
http://www.moqatel.com/openshare/Behoth/ModoatAma1/--Sahra/pic10.jpg_cvt.htm
http://www.thomala.com/vb/showthread.php?t=76333
my suspicion is that it is indeed a species of Salvadora, but I'm not quite sure.
so, my question is: anyone here know a thing about botany? I figured there might be a person good for this.