Hello, I joined this forum seeking help with identifying a plant. Knowledge of this plant was passed on from my grandfather, and we have used its tea in the past to cure 6 cases of cancer and 1 case of rheumatoid arthritis, all of which I have witnessed first hand. Description: It looks like a round dense shrub about one to two feet in height and width. It has many closely packed branches with really small leaves and long spiky thorns. The leaves only 2-3mm long (very short) and very sparse, most of the plant is made of thorns and branches. The thorns look like needles, they are hard, thin, straight, around an inch or two in length and extremely sharp. I had to wear gloves to handle the plant as it can easily puncture skin. Location: Found at really high altitudes on Mt Olympus, in Greece. It was growing on very rocky dry terrain, literally between large rocks. After consulting some locals it seems is only found on this mountain. I have attached an image of branch node cutting. Is there anyone on this forum that has seen anything like this before? Or perhaps a similar plant?
This will be some Astragalus sp. Similar to this: BOTANY.cz » ASTRAGALUS ECHINUS var. CHIONISTRAE (H. Lindb.) Meikle – kozinec
