Curiosities of Egypt

     Recently I was in Egypt, one of my favorite places in the world.  I found a few interesting plants there, in spite of the desert conditions.

     The first photo is of a shrub inside St. Katharine Monastery, built in the 6th Century.  Its location is at the spot where Moses is believed to have received the Ten Commandments on top of nearby Mt. Sinai.  He first was supposed to have received directions from God after he was drawn to a "burning bush" that was not consumed by fire.  This shrub is believed by many to be that same bush, alive after all the years since that event.  It is Rubus ulmifolius sanctus, the last epithet reflecting its religious significance.  Who knows for sure?   

   The next two photos of a tree in a park in the city of Aswan appears to be in the family Leguminaceae.  I thought the stem growing out of the trunk was interesting.

   The next two photos are of a neat desert shrub that I do not recognize.  I would appreciate an ID.

   I thought the last photo was kind of cute, with a statue of King Ramses II having a "halo" of palm leaves.  It was taken in the famous Karnak Temple in the city of Luxor.