Taxon:  Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile



Summary
Genus:
Balanites
Family:
Zygophyllaceae
Subfamily:
Tribuloideae
Nomen number:
6322
Place of publication:
Descr. Egypte, Hist. nat. 221, t. 28, fig. 1.  1813-1814 ("1812")
Comment:
Balanites was treated as a masculine genus before conservation, so this taxon appears as Balanites aegyptiacus in some publications
Verified:
08/24/2005 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
5 (0  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Basionym
Ximenia aegyptiaca L.

Images (2 total. Click on image for more.)
Embryo drawing

Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. Ali, S. I. & S. M. H. Jafri, eds. 1976-. Flora of Libya.
  2. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  3. Applequist, W. L. 2014. Report of the Nomenclature Committee for Vascular Plants: 66. Taxon 63:1358. DOI: 10.12705/636.20. Note: Balanites conserved as feminine, contrary to Melbourne ICN Art. 62.4
  4. Borlaug, N. et al., eds. 2008. Fruits: Balanites (desert date, lalob). In: National Research Council, Lost crops of Africa. 3:23-39.
  5. Boulos, L. 1995. Flora of Egypt checklist.
  6. Boulos, L. 1999-. Flora of Egypt
  7. Boutelje, J. B. 1980. Encyclopedia of world timbers, names and technical literature
  8. Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
  9. Facciola, S. 1990. Cornucopia, a source book of edible plants Kampong Publications.
  10. Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
  11. Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6 Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
  12. Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
  13. Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
  14. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
  15. Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
  16. Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
  17. Robyns, W. et al., eds. 1948-1963. Flore du Congo belge et du Ruanda-Urundi
  18. Sands, M. J. S. 2001. The desert date and its relatives: a revision of the genus Balanites. Kew Bull. 56:51-74. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
  19. Sands, M. J. S. 2013. (2138) Proposal to conserve Balanites, nom. cons. (Zygophyllaceae) as being of feminine gender. Taxon 62:410-411. DOI: 10.12705/622.25.
  20. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
  21. Wood, J. R. I. 1997. A handbook of the Yemen flora.
  22. Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishdesert-date  1Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
Englishsoapberry-tree  1Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Arabicheglig  2Boulos, L. 1999-. Flora of Egypt
Frenchdattier du désert  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Frenchdattier sauvage  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Frenchhéglik  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
GermanZachunbaum  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Indiabetu  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Indiahingotia  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Indialalo  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Indiazachun  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanishmirobalano de Egipto  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaKenya  Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaTanzania  Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaUganda  Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaChad   
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaEritrea   
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaEthiopia  Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaSomalia   
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaSudan   
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaAlgeria  Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaEgypt  Boulos, L. 1995. Flora of Egypt checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaLibya  Ali, S. I. & S. M. H. Jafri, eds. 1976-. Flora of Libya.
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaAngola   
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaMozambique  Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaZimbabwe  Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaBotswana  Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaNamibia  Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaBurkina Faso   
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaCôte D'Ivoire   
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaGhana   
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaGuinea   
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaMali   
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaMauritania   
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaNiger   
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaNigeria   
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaSenegal   
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaTogo   
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaRwanda   
1NativeAsia-TemperateArabian PeninsulaSaudi Arabia   
1NativeAsia-TemperateArabian PeninsulaYemen  Wood, J. R. I. 1997. A handbook of the Yemen flora.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaJordan  Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
2CultivatedAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaEthiopia  Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6 Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
2CultivatedAfricaNorthern AfricaEgypt  Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6 Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
2CultivatedAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndia  Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6 Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
Native
Africa
  • NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Egypt, Libya
  • NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, Chad
  • EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
  • WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Rwanda
  • WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Burkina Faso, Côte D'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo
  • SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe
  • SOUTHERN AFRICA: Botswana, Namibia
Asia-Temperate
  • ARABIAN PENINSULA: Saudi Arabia, Yemen
  • WESTERN ASIA: Jordan
Cultivated
Africa
  • NORTHERN AFRICA: Egypt
  • NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ethiopia
Asia-Tropical
  • INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India

Reference(s)
  1. Ali, S. I. & S. M. H. Jafri, eds. 1976-. Flora of Libya.
  2. Boulos, L. 1995. Flora of Egypt checklist.
  3. Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
  4. Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
  5. Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6 Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
  6. Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
  7. Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
  8. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
  9. Wood, J. R. I. 1997. A handbook of the Yemen flora.
  10. Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Food additivesflavoring Sands, M. J. S. 2001. The desert date and its relatives: a revision of the genus Balanites. Kew Bull. 56:51-74. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
Human foodfruit Sands, M. J. S. 2001. The desert date and its relatives: a revision of the genus Balanites. Kew Bull. 56:51-74. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
Human foodgum/mucilage Sands, M. J. S. 2001. The desert date and its relatives: a revision of the genus Balanites. Kew Bull. 56:51-74. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
Human foodoil/fat Sands, M. J. S. 2001. The desert date and its relatives: a revision of the genus Balanites. Kew Bull. 56:51-74. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
Human foodvegetable Sands, M. J. S. 2001. The desert date and its relatives: a revision of the genus Balanites. Kew Bull. 56:51-74. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
Materialsbeads Sands, M. J. S. 2001. The desert date and its relatives: a revision of the genus Balanites. Kew Bull. 56:51-74. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
Materialsessential oils Sands, M. J. S. 2001. The desert date and its relatives: a revision of the genus Balanites. Kew Bull. 56:51-74. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
Materialsfiber Sands, M. J. S. 2001. The desert date and its relatives: a revision of the genus Balanites. Kew Bull. 56:51-74. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
Materialsgum/resin Sands, M. J. S. 2001. The desert date and its relatives: a revision of the genus Balanites. Kew Bull. 56:51-74. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
Materialstannin/dyestuff Sands, M. J. S. 2001. The desert date and its relatives: a revision of the genus Balanites. Kew Bull. 56:51-74. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
Medicinessource of pharmaceutical agentpotentialSands, M. J. S. 2001. The desert date and its relatives: a revision of the genus Balanites. Kew Bull. 56:51-74. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
Medicinessource of pharmaceutical agentpotentialMcGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
Non-vertebrate poisonsdisease vector controlpotential use against invertebrate-borne diseases, bilharzia & Guinea-wormSands, M. J. S. 2001. The desert date and its relatives: a revision of the genus Balanites. Kew Bull. 56:51-74. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
Vertebrate poisonsfish Sands, M. J. S. 2001. The desert date and its relatives: a revision of the genus Balanites. Kew Bull. 56:51-74. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
Vertebrate poisonsmammals Sands, M. J. S. 2001. The desert date and its relatives: a revision of the genus Balanites. Kew Bull. 56:51-74. Note: lists as "aegyptiacus"
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=6322. Accessed 17 April 2026.