Cistanche tubulosa - The desert hyacinth is a plant widely distributed throughout the Arabian Peninsula. It is a holoparasitic plant, a plant lacking the ability to produce chlorophyll and having to rely on other nearby plants for nutrients. The desert hyacinth grows into the shape of a steep pyramid and produces yellow flowers emitting a pungent odor. This odor attracts flies and other insects acting as pollinators in carrying the pollen from one plant to another.
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Qatar had been ruled by nearby Bahrain, the Ottoman Turks, and by the British. The end of World War I placed Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani into a position of leadership of an semi-independent Qatar, an area including the entire Qatar Peninsula; his dynastic line continues to this day. By 1935, Qatar and Great Britain had negotiated several treaties placing Qatar under a British protectorate. In 1971, after a brief stint as a member of the Trucial States, Qatar opted for full independence.
