Bituminaria bituminosa, Psoralea bituminosa,
Bitumen Trefoil, Pitch Trefoil, Scurfy Pea,
Hebrew: שרעול שעיר, Arabic: بسوراليا أسفلتية الرائحة

Scientific name:		Bituminaria bituminosa (L.) Stirton
Synonym name:		Psoralea bituminosa L.
Common name:		Arabian pea, Bitumen Trefoil
Hebrew name:		שרעול שעיר
Arabic name:		بسوراليا أسفلتية الرائحة
Plant Family:		Fabaceae, קטניות

Life form:		Hemicryptophyte
Stems:		Erect, numerous branches and sub-branches, pubescent
Leaves:		Alternate, petiolate, trifoliate, entire
Flowers:		Cluster with stalked White lilach papilionaceous flowers
Fruits / pods:		Light brown legume; one brown seed per fruit, ovoid, 5 mm long
Flowering Period:		March, April, May, June, July
Habitat:		Batha, Phrygana
Distribution:		Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands, Semi-steppe shrublands, Deserts and extreme deserts, Montane vegetation of Mt. Hermon
Chorotype:		Mediterranean
Summer shedding:		Perennating

Derivation of the botanical name: Bituminaria, Latin and Greek bitumen, Greek asphaltos, concerning bitumen, tar-smelling weed. bituminosa, resembling bitumen. Psoralea, ψωραλέος psoraleos, scurfy, scabby, mangy; referring to the glandular dots on the leaves. The Hebrew name שרעול שעיר Shar-ul sa-ir: שרעול sharul, covered, "masked", שעיר sa-ir, hairy. The standard author abbreviation L. is used to indicate Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778), a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, the father of modern taxonomy. The standard author abbreviation Stirton is used to indicate Charles Howard Stirton; 1946- , South Africa,, the Founding Director of the National Botanic Garden of Wales.