The Morphological Characterization of a Lesser Known Species Zygophyllum olivieri ( DC .) Christenh. & Byng in India

ABSTRACT Zygophyllum olivieri (DC.) Christenh. & Byng is a spiny herbaceous plant found in the arid and semi‐arid biomes of the Middle East. Although some sources claim that this taxon is reported from India, the authors could not trace any herbarium sheet in any major herbaria of India. In this study, Z. olivieri was traced to the Bikaner district of Rajasthan, the state where more than 60% of its area lies under the vast Indian desert characterized by very low rainfall and perpetual dryness. This paper deals with its identification keys, plant description, distribution map, and photoplate for its easy identification.