About Virgin's Mantle

Fagonia cretica (Spanish: Manto de la Virgen, Virgin's Mantle) is a species of plant in the Zygophyllaceae, the Caltrop family, specifically the fagonbushes. It is found in Alicante province, Spain and the Balearic Islands.

The Manto de la Virgen is a plant of rocky coastlines, especially on Cabrera, Formentera, Ibiza, and Majorca of the islands. It is a creeping plant and has star-shaped, 5-narrow petal, violet to light violet flowers.

It is used as a local herbal remedy by Pakistani women where the leaves are infused into a tea locally called Dramah.

Properties & Medical Implications

Plant has sweet, bitter, sharp and sour taste according to different stages of growth and parts. This plant is found in Italy, Germany, middle-east countries, Pakistan and India. Fagonia cretica in powder form is known as Dhamasa and it has been accepted as treatment of cancers especially in blood and liver cancer. The color of flowers is purple. Plant has large number of small fruits near thorns.

Where can you find virgin's mantle?

Virgin's mantle (Fagonia cretica) is an herbaceous plant [5] that can be found mainly in in arid, desert regions of Pakistan, India, Africa and parts of Europe, as Alicante Province and the Balearic Islands in Spain, where it grows in rocky coastlines, especially on the Spanish islands of Cabrera, Formentera, Ibiza, and Majorca in the Mediterranean sea [6]. Fagonia cretica species extended also to Lower California and Chile due to the conditions of human civilization, commerce, etc.