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Dictamnus albus, the only species in the genus Dictamnus, is known variously as False Dittany, White Dittany, Gas-plant or Burning-bush. It is a perennial herb in the rue family Rutaceae, native to southern Europe, north Africa and much of Asia. It is a plant about 60 cm high. Its flowers form a loose pyramidal spike, and vary in colour from pale purple to white. It normally grows in woods in warm places. It is a popular garden plants both for its flowers and for its fragrance. Some use has been made of the plant (chiefly the powdered root) in herbalism. However, as the alternative name "False dittany" implies, it is unrelated to the Dittany found in Crete, which has a much more significant history of medicinal use. The name 'Burning-bush' derives from the volatile oils produced by the plant, which can catch fire readily in hot weather, leading to comparisons with the Burning bush of the Bible, including the (unprovable) suggestion that this is the plant involved there.
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