Dracaena hanningtonii Baker

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Blue Sansevieria
Sword Sansevieria
Oldupai
East African Wild Sisal

In Omani studies: Miller & Morris (1988) wrote that: "This plant was used in Dhofar to make rope and twine. The leaves were cut, then taken and left to soak in water, (preferably the salty and stagnant water of the lagoons [J: xor] where livestock were taken to water), until the outer layer had split and rotted down, and could be easily separated from the fibrous matter inside. They were then removed from the water and taken to a hard flat surface and beaten with heavy clubs until the fibres were loosened. The fibrous material was then extracted, separated into strands and worked into cordage of various thicknesses, by rolling on the thigh or twisting between the fingers. Fibres from plant made short but very strong threads which were popular when making the slingshot [J: mexdifot] used in the rainfed agricultural plots of the mountains, as well as in the ... irrigated plantations of the plain, to scare away birds and other predators as the grain and beans ripened. They were also useful for patching and repairing leatherwork, or for rough sewing, such as stitching sacking to make saddle bags and panniers, and so on. Skin eruptions, and in particular the circular weeping sores, called in Jibbali misob, were treated with the juice squeezed out from a snapped off leaf. The leaf has an extremely hard and sharp-spiked tip, making it an unpleasant but effective extempore weapon. In years of drought, this plant was vital in sustaining cattle until the next rains – leaves or whole plants were pulled up and taken to an area of smooth rock [J: sarfait] where, when enough had been gathered, they were chopped up and beaten with heavy clubs to break them up and soften them, making them more palatable to the cattle. Unless so treated, this plant is not browsed by livestock, except by the odd very hungry camel when nothing else is to be found. The lengths of rope imported into Dhofar and sold in the market, called locally benj, were said to have been manufactured abroad from the same plant. However, this plant was never really important for fibre locally, Dhofar being well provided with alternative fibre plant". (Ref. Plants of Dhofar). In addition, Pickering & Patzelt (2008) mentioned that: "Grown as an ornamental. Fibers are used to make ropes". (Ref. Field Guide to the Wild Plants of Oman; 2008). Furthermore, Ghazanfar (2018) stated that: "Occasionally the leaves are used for extracting fibre and for making ropes. This practice, common in older times, is largely discontinued now as ropes are cheaply available throughout Arabia". (Ref. Flora of Oman; vol.4).

Ghazanfar, S. (2018). Flora of the Sultanate of Oman, vol.4: Hydrocharitaceae – Orchidaceae. Meise, National Botanic Garden of Belgium (Scripta Botanica Begica, Vol. 56). ISBN 9789492663153 ISSN 0779-2387. https://en.wikipedia.org https://www.malawiflora.com Miller, A., Morris, M. (1988). Plants of Dhofar, the Southern Region of Oman: Traditional, Economic, and Medicinal Uses. Published by Office of the Adviser for Conservation of the Environment, Diwan of Royal Court, Sultanate of Oman; ISBN 10: 0715708082 ISSN 13: 9780715708088. Pickering, H. Patzelt, A. (2008). Field Guide to the Wild Plants of Oman. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Garden, Kew. ISBN 9781842461778. POWO (2023). "Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org