Khat

Qat, or khat (Catha edulis, family Celastraceae; pronounced /ˈkɑːt/, kaht; Arabic: قات /qaːt/; Ge'ez ጫት č̣āt; Somali: qaad), is a flowering plant native to tropical East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

Qat contains the alkaloid called cathinone, an amphetamine-like stimulant which is said to cause excitement, loss of appetite and euphoria. In 1980 the World Health Organization classified qat as a drug of abuse that can produce mild to moderate psychological dependence. The plant has been targeted by anti-drug organizations like the DEA. It is a controlled or illegal substance in many countries, but is legal for sale and production in many others.

Qat is a slow-growing shrub or tree that grows to between 1.5 metres and 20 metres tall, depending on region and rainfall, with evergreen leaves 5–10 cm long and 1–4 cm broad. The flowers are produced on short axillary cymes 4–8 cm long, each flower small, with five white petals. The fruit is an oblong three-valved capsule containing 1–3 seeds.

History
Catha edulis appears to have originated in East Africa. It now occurs in Arabia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, the Congo, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and South Africa. Sir Richard Burton suggested that qat was introduced to the Yemen from Ethiopia in the 15th century, although this probably occurred much earlier. The ancient Egyptians considered the qat plant a "divine food" which was capable of releasing humanity's divinity. The Egyptians used the plant for more than its stimulating effects; they used it as a metamorphic process and transcended into "apotheosis", intending to make the user god-like.

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See Also: flower Malaysia, Malaysia flower, florist KL