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History: It came under the spotlights in 1998, when Blooming plants ofGundelia tournefortiiwere placed on the Shroud during its flowering period of

February to May.

In Modern Hebrew it is called "Akuvit ha-galgal." This name combines the Talmudic

name for the plant (akkub), which survives in the modern Arabic name for the plant,

with the Biblical Galgal. The use of this plant is apparently quite

old, being mentioned in the Babylonian Talmud and the Bible.

Some biblical scholars have also suggested that this spiny plant may have been

.crown of thorns" worn by Jesus"lthe actua

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Local: Jerash, Rumtha, Mafraq, karak, Ajloun, North Jordan

Regional: found in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine

Derivation of the botanical name:

German), a17151668(GundelsheimerAndreas, named forGundelia

in his journey into the Levant.Tournefortbotanist, who accompanied

French),17081656(

Tournefort

dePittonJoseph, named foritourneforti

in Paris.PlantesdesJardinwho was professor of botany at thebotanist,

1707(

LinnaeusCarlis used to indicateL.The standard author abbreviation

botanist, physician, and zoologist, the father ofSwedisha),1778

modern taxonomy

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Ecology:

drained soil. The-The plant prefers light (sandy) peaty and medium (loamy) well

plant requires sunny position. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

The plant is described as white with the exception of peak spinal green, the

fertile soil isenvelope membranes vegetable colors vary by region of onset,

sandy soil to give it the color yellow.withgranting the color brownThe whole plant is round-so that it can roll like a ball. When the seeds of the dead

fruit are ready to be dispersed, the base of the stem is disconnected from the thick

root by means of an especially weak tissue which develops at just the right time.The plant then rolls, driven by the wind, dispersing its seeds on steppe and field.

plant's name probably derived from its habit ofalso means wheel in Hebrew; theGalgal(

rolling across the fields like a wheel).

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The sound of dry galgal plants rolling with the wind is a memorable experience to those

who live amid these plants.

Part Used:The edible parts are the leaves, stems, roots, and undeveloped flower buds, the last

mentioned being the most popular.A plant is rich in salts and minerals, especially K (to strengthen the nerves) and Fe (foranemia), in addition to the wealth of vitamins.

Uses of GundeliaCulinary: The use of this plant is probably quite ancient (more than 2000 years old).Therefore, we hereby provide a short description of the way in which Akub is currently

utilized. G. tournefortiiplants have a thick perennial rootstock from which new growth

arises each season.

The young heads, while still at ground level are consumed as a fresh or cooked artichoke

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The thick flowering stem, with the young and still undeveloped flower buds, Immature

flowering heads - cooked. Leaves, Roots and Seeds - cooked.

Gundelia is best eaten, and traditionally eaten, on theday they are harvested. The fresh heads and the bases of the rosette leaves aretrimmed to remove the short, soft thorns before cooking.

Seeds used to stop the bleeding in the treatment of hemorrhoids

Due to intensive clipping around villages and a decline ofG. tournefortii

populations, groups of gatherers drive distances of more than 100 km to find

locations where this wild plant is still abundant.

(Gene Erosion)

The decline ofG. tournefortii populations caused by an increased demand due to

human population growth, and by modem transportation (as aid for gatherers)

threatens this wild plant. As a result, the picking of this plant should be restricted by

law to domestic use only.

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In desert parts mature A'kub plants are sometimes used as fodder for camels

in Central Anatolia, plants are also collected and dried for winter fodder

In Iranian Kurdistan, A'kub straw was reported to have been used in

preparing dung cakes

A recent modern use of dry A'kub plants as an ornamental plant, and as such

the dry plants are sometime dyed in different colors.

The economic value of A'kub might increase should spineless types be

available for planting. We assume that commercial cultivation of spineless

A'kub could provide a source of income to many small farmers in a rather low

investment. Such initiative might contribute to the well-being of many

households in Jordan.

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