What plants grow in Africa. Rare plants of the world. Africa. Forestry in Africa

Sumac (Rhus lancea L. f.), Sumac family (Anacardiaceae) - evergreen shrub or a tree up to 9 m high with dark brown bark and reddish branches. The leaflets of compound leaves are narrow, dark green above and pale green below. The flowers are small, yellowish-green, in elegant inflorescences. The fruit is round, with a large seed and a thin layer of pulp (beer is prepared from it, birds eat berries). The wood is heavy, reddish-brown, well polished and worked. The plant is found in arid regions of South Africa along river banks and in depressions.

bottle tree, bumbo, pachypodium leela (Pachypodium lealii Welw. = P. giganteum Engl.), Kutrovye family (Apocynaceae) - a shrub or tree up to 7.6 m tall, with a bottle-shaped trunk, expanded at the base and narrowed towards the top. Around the main there are several side stems branching at the top. The bark is grey-green or light brown, often streaked with purple. The leaves are sessile, narrowly oblong, velvety, collected at the tops of the branches. Spines purple, up to 1.5-3 cm long, usually in pairs. Petunia-like flowers are clustered at the ends of twigs. It grows on dry rocky hills in the northern part of South West Africa.

1 - Pachypodium namakvansky (Pachypodium namaquanum(Wyley ex Harv.) Welw.), Kutrovye family (Apocynaceae) - a succulent tree up to 1.5-2 m in height, popularly called "ghost people". It has a cylindrical spiny, usually unbranched trunk. Greyish-green velvety leaves are crowded at the tops, quickly fall off. The crown is always inclined to the north (that is, to the sun, since this is a plant of the southern hemisphere). It has a very bizarre shape. In early September, its crown is dotted with tubular reddish-brown flowers with a jasmine scent. This plant is found on dry rocky hills near the river. Orange in Namaqualand and southwest Africa. It is under protection, a fine will be charged for its damage. 2 - succulent lily impala, or adenium obese (Adenium obesum(Forsk) Roem. et Schult. var. multiflorum (Klotrsch) Codd), Kutrovye family (Apocynaceae) - grows in tropical Africa: in the eastern and northern regions of the Transvaal, in the northern part of Zululand, in Kenya and in Swaziland. It is a shrub about 1.2 m tall. The leaves are succulent, light green, fleshy, sitting in funnels at the ends of the branches. The flowers are large, white with pink or red fringe, appearing in winter, often on leafless branches. The fruit is paired, each part is pea-shaped, the juice of the fruit is used as a poison for arrows. The plant is eaten by wild animals. The Impala lily has a tree-like form only in the protected areas of northern Rhodesia. 3 - Hand-shaped baobab, adansonia palmate, monkey breadfruit (Adansonia digitata L.), Baobab family (Bombacaceae) - a tree 10-25 cm tall with a powerful trunk, up to 12 m in diameter, and a huge crown. The leaves are large, palmately compound, falling during the dry period and turning green during the rainy period. The bark is very hard and smooth. Flowers up to 20 cm in diameter, appear in the rainy season. Fruits up to 40 cm long, similar to huge cucumber, with juicy pulp, mealy and sour, in which the mass of seeds is immersed. The wood is soft, light, porous, annual rings are absent. Often, during fires, huge hollows form in the tree (due to the burning of the core), but it continues to live. The roots grow hundreds of meters from the tree. Baobab is a typical tree African savannah. Due to the multilateral use, it becomes rare, therefore, in a number of states in South Africa, it is recommended to take it under protection. The oldest specimens are preserved in the Kruger National Park.

Baobabs are characteristic of tropical countries, especially tropical America. The family contains 28 genera and about 190 species. Often these are very large trees with thick barrel-shaped trunks. In the thickened trunks, parenchymal tissue is highly developed, storing water, which allows the plant to endure severe droughts.

1 - Boswellia Carter (Boswellia carteri Birdw.), the Burser family (Burseraceae) - is found in the uplands in Somalia, but its numbers are declining every year due to the collection of valuable incense resin. The genus includes more than 20 species. These are low trees or shrubs with a shapeless crooked trunk and weeping branches. Their leaves are feathery and hairy. The genus Encephalartos, the Cycadaceae family, is interesting for its ancient origin. It contains about 40 species. Basically, these are low palm-shaped plants with a trunk 1-4 m high, less often 8-15 m, there are also stemless species. Their trunk is simple, or branched from the base. The leaves are rigid, with spiny-pointed segments and usually teeth on one or both edges. The local name is "breadfruit tree": earlier, the trunks were split and collected hardened pieces of resin that were used as food. The seeds resemble dates, with a hard core, a layer of juicy pulp, and a hard, often brightly colored shell. In the past, many cycads were taken from Africa abroad or transferred to botanical gardens, parks, and private collections. Now all members of the genus are protected in Africa. 2 - Altenstein's encephalarthos (Encephalartos altensteinii Lehm.) - a plant with a height of usually 2-4, rarely 7 m, adult specimens are found surrounded by lower, almost stemless offspring. During the pollination period, yellowish female and male strobili emit a peculiar strong aroma that attracts a lot of insects, especially beetles. Megastrobili 40-50 cm long, up to 30 cm wide, weighing up to 40 kg. Grows in southeast Africa. Widely distributed in botanical gardens. 3 - Encephalarthos kaffir (Encephalartos caffer(Thunb.) Lehm.) - characterized by very slow growth, can live up to 500 years. Its range is small: it extends along the coast of the Indian Ocean in the Cape Province of South Africa from Port Elizabeth in the south and almost to Durban in the north. This plant has long been used as a food, but at present its stocks have been threateningly reduced due to the development of habitats for corn crops.

4 in fig. above - Cyathea Drega, Drega tree fern, Oriental tree fern (Cyathea dregei Kunze), the Cyathean family (Cyacheaceae) - reaches a height of 5.5 m, has a strong, thick, unbranched trunk and an arched crown of very long, graceful, thrice dissected leaves, dark green above and light below. It is found in South Africa (eastern Cape, Natal, eastern and central Transvaal) to the tropical zone. It usually grows on plateaus, at an altitude of 350 m above Ur. seas, in velds and on grassy slopes along streams. It is protected in the Natal National Park, but protection is also needed in the Transvaal.

2 - Encephalarthos umbelusian (Encephalartos umbeluziensis R.A. Dyer), Family Cycadaceae (Cycadaceae) - quite small, less than 4 m in height. It does not have a trunk above the ground: due to the retracting action of its roots, the trunk sinks into the ground as it grows, so that only the crown of leaves is visible above the surface, and the old leaf bases are on the underground part of the trunk. Grows in shady forests along the valleys of the tributaries of the river. Mgulizi, from where it goes through the mountains to Mozambique. 3 - Hairy Encephalarthos (Encephalartos villosus Lehm.) - distributed from the east of the Cape and Natal to Swaziland. This is also a stemless plant, differing from the previous species in longer and succulent leaves and much longer and thinner male cones. The Euphorbia genus is the most extensive in the Euphorbiaceae family - about 2 thousand species. It is well represented in Africa. Particularly interesting among the plants of this genus are tree-like succulents, which give a peculiar look to the South African landscape. All succulent spurges are included in Appendix II of the Convention on international trade endangered wild species of flora and fauna. The Cape Province of South Africa is distinguished by a significant diversity of spurges. The rarest species are euphorbia largehorn (Euphorbia grandicornis Goebel.) ( 1 in fig. left), spurge terrible (Euphorbia horrida Boiss.)( 4 in fig. left), spurge warty (Euphorbia mamillaris L.) ( 1 in fig. at the bottom), spurge melon (Euphorbia meloformis) (2 in fig. at the bottom), spurge plump (Euphorbia obesa Hook.) ( 4 in fig. at the bottom),and etc.

Euphorbia Cameroonian (Euphorbia cameronii N.E. Brown) is endangered. This is a succulent non-thorny shrub up to 3 m in height and 3.5 m in diameter, branches from the base and has a dense conical crown. The branches are cylindrical, 1.5-3 cm thick, with spirally arranged leaf scars. Leaves terminal, fleshy, obovate. The flowers are small, yellowish-green, located at the tops of the branches. This spurge is endemic to Somalia, known from 4-5 localities in the Golis Mountains. Disappears under the influence of overgrazing and as a result of changes in living conditions. As a succulent shrub with succulent, fleshy branches, it can be eaten by livestock, mainly camels, but also sheep and goats. During a drought, it is used as a source of moisture in an arid region. It grows mainly on rocky hills, but one locality is known on a sandy alluvial plain. 3 - A very rare species of the Cape is aloe variegated (Aloe variegata L.), whose numbers are declining as a result of the destruction of its habitats. Widespread in culture.

Lead tree, or elephant tusk tree (Combretum imberbe Wawra), the Combret family (Combretaceae) - reaches a height of 21 m and a diameter of 1 m. Its wood is heavy, a dead tree stands with branches for a long time. The trunk is pale gray, sometimes almost white, the bark cracks into small squares or rectangles, which is a characteristic feature of the tree. The main branches, almost white, are called " elephant tusks”, young twigs often end in hard spines. Leaves drooping (withered). The small, simple leaves are opposite, borne on petioles, silvery grey, pale greyish green or yellowish green, covered below and sometimes above with tiny silvery, golden or reddish scales. Small yellow or cream flowers are collected in loose cylindrical spikelets, sitting in the axils of the leaves or at the ends of the branches. The fruit is massive, rounded, up to 1.9 cm in diameter, 4-winged, yellowish green, the plant is characterized by slow growth, lives over 1000 years. Grows along rivers, in bush velds in Zululand, Swaziland, Transvaal, southwest Africa. The leaves serve as food for many animals, the juice is used as food, the wood, which burns very slowly and gives a lot of heat, is an excellent fuel. Africans consider the lead tree sacred, the progenitor of man, domestic and wild animals.

1 - African burkea, wild hevea (Burkea Africana Hook.), Legume family (Fabaceae) - a tree 4.5-8 (21) m in height, strongly branching almost from the base. The crown is flat, the branches are rough, the bark resembles the skin of a crocodile, dark red. The leaves are drooping, sitting at the ends of the branches in clusters, twice or thrice pinnate, young silvery, later dark greenish-blue, pale yellow flowers. It grows in tropical West Africa, usually on the sands, in the acacia savanna, in dry open shrub velds at an altitude of 600-1370 m above sea level. seas. 2 - African Longleaf Acacia (Peltophorum africanum Sond.), Rhodesian black locust, Legume family (Fabaceae) - wide-spreading tree up to 9 m in height. The trunk is often twisted or branched almost from the ground itself. The leaves are alternate, silvery-gray, twice separate. A flower with bright yellow curving petals and a pubescent calyx. Flowers are borne in racemes, terminal inflorescences or leaf axils. The wood is reddish, of medium weight, easily polished and processed, and is quite widely used. This acacia is found in Natal, Zululand, Swaziland, the northern and eastern parts of the Transvaal, Central tropical Africa, Botswana, southwestern Africa, Angola. Grows on sandy soils in dry scrub and open savannas: is a common plant in the Transvaal bushland. The number of populations is declining due to the development of territories under Agriculture, the use of beans for livestock feed. This is one of the rain trees of Africa: in late spring, drops of water appear on the branches and fall, like rain, to the ground under the crown. Good garden tree: seeds germinate together, resistant to cold weather. 3 - Lonchocarpus kapassky (Lonchocarpus capassa Rolfe), the Legume family (Fabaceae) is a small tree 4.5-12 m in height. Parts of the trunk are devoid of branches to a considerable height. The bark is smooth, white or gray, sometimes cracking, and then its inside is exposed creamy yellow, the juice is red. The leaves are compound, gray-green. The flowers are small, fragrant, similar to pea flowers, blue or purple, with a velvety calyx, on large unbranched peduncles at the ends of the branches. The wood is yellowish, the locals use it for making dishes, canoes, and for medical purposes. The bark and roots are highly toxic and are used as fish poison. It occurs in the bushes and lowland velds of Zululand, Swaziland, in the eastern and northern parts of the Transvaal. It also grows in the forests of the northeastern part of southwestern Africa, in Botswana, and to the north - in tropical Africa. A good garden tree, one of the rain or weeping trees of Africa.

4 in fig. top - Xanthocercis zambeziensis (Xanthocercis zambesiaca(Bak.) Dumaz-le-Grand), Legume family (Fabaceae) - evergreen tree up to 18 m in height with very thick several trunks of 0.5 to 2.4 m in diameter (sometimes one trunk). Branches "cry" at the ends. The leaves are alternate, of 5-12 alternate or opposite leaflets with a larger leaflet at the end. The flowers are small, white, with a grayish velvety cup, collected in small clusters at the ends of the branches. The fruit is unusual for legumes - 2.5 cm long and 1.3 cm wide, with a smooth brown skin, it contains a black seed in a thin juicy pulp. The wood is white and heavy. It grows in lowland forests, on deep sands along rivers, in a hot dry area between Soutpansberg and the river. Limpopo, in northern Kruger National Park, northern Botswana, Rhodesia and Zambia. Easily regenerated from seed. Little known in culture.

The genus Aloe (family Liliaceae, Liliaceae) is widespread throughout the African continent, but tropical regions are especially rich in it. Aloe is a deciduous succulent, often tree-like, with strongly branched trunks at the top, carrying bunches of fleshy leaves at the ends of juicy green branches. In the lower part, the trunks often become woody and covered with brown bark. There are about 240 species in the genus. All species are included in Appendix II of the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species.

1 - Aloe tree (Aloe arborescens Mill.) - a beautiful branchy plant with a height of no more than 3.3 m. The stems branch from the base, each of them ends with a rosette of leaves. The leaves are long, rather fleshy, green or grey-green, with serrated edges. The inflorescence is usually unbranched. The flowers are light scarlet, cylindrical, densely cover the peduncle. The pulp of the leaves is used as a medicine. The range of the species is quite wide, the plant is found in South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Rhodesia and Malawi. This is one of the few aloes that have a significant altitudinal amplitude - it is distributed from sea level to the tops of mountains 1829 m. It grows both in coastal shrubs and on mountain slopes among stones. Widely cultivated. 2 - Aloe fibrous (Aloe fibrosa Lavranos et Newton) is a shrub with stems and branches up to 2.5 m long and 3 cm thick. The leaves are lanceolate, sharp, sometimes with a tip bent back, bright green (turning brown in the sun), sometimes with spots. Inflorescence simple or with 1-2 branches, about 100 cm tall, conical. Perianth orange-red with yellow margins. Grows in Kenya on sandy soils and among gneiss rocks in the woody savannah. Several types of aloe are endangered in the Cape Province - small-flowered (Aloe parviflora Baker) ( 3 in fig. left), Pillanza (Aloe pillansii Guthrie) striped ( Aloe striatum haw.), sessile-floral (Aloe sessiliflora Ple Evans). 4 - Aloe multileaf, Aloe Lesotho (Aloe polyphylla Schonl ex Pillans) is a succulent perennial with a round rosette of 75-150 usually straight leaves up to 80 cm across, arranged in a spiral. The leaves are strongly fleshy, ovate-oblong. Peduncle 50-60 cm tall, branching almost from the base, with flowers located at the tops of the branches. The flowers are pale red or pink, rarely yellow. Endemic to Lesotho (South Africa), found on the ridge. Thaba Putsoa and Maseru in the Dragon Mountains. This rare species is of great importance for horticulture, but stocks have declined due to digging up plants to sell to gardeners. Currently, about 3500 copies are known. in about 50 locations. The plant disappeared from 12 previously known locations.

1 - Nubian dragon tree (Dracaena ombet Kotschy et Peyr.), Agave family (Liliaceae) - included in the IUCN Red List. This tree 3-4 m in height has an umbrella-shaped crown, consisting of strong branches, regularly branching after flowering and carrying on their tops dense bunches of thick xiphoid leaves 40-70 cm long, broadly oval at the base. Numerous flowers are collected in cylindrical racemes. Flower with 6 white or pale pink narrow oblong-lanceolate perianth lobes. Berries globose, yellow. An ancient relic and one of the most remarkable plants of Djibouti, Ethiopia and Sudan (Eritrea and the Red Sea Hills), it may also grow along the northern coast of Somalia. It occurs in shrub thickets on dry hills along sandstones or quartzite outcrops, at an altitude of 750-1200 m, together with candelabra-like woody Abyssinian milkweed (Euphorbia abyssinica J.E. Gmelin) and various acacias. The vegetation of these hills suffers from overgrazing and is severely degraded. Separate specimens of dracaena are preserved only on bare rocks; earlier this species was a subdominant here. The number of the dragon tree has also decreased due to exploitation (extraction of juice, logging for firewood, collection of fibrous leaves for the manufacture of various wicker products). In the past, the species was protected in Sudan in the area of ​​the Erkovit oasis, but now the vegetation there has changed so much that already in 1961 only dead trunks were found. The only way to save the Nubian dragon tree is by breeding it in botanical gardens. All dracaena were used in the Mediterranean countries as a medicinal and coloring agent, and in India for religious ceremonies. There are about 50 species in the genus, and it is also protected uzumbara dragon tree (Dracaena usambarensis Engl.), known from a single point in the northeast of Tongaland and widely distributed in tropical Africa. 2 - Giraffe Acacia (Acacia giraffae Willd.), the Mimosa family (Mimosaceae) is a tree up to 9 m in South Africa and up to 2 m in Botswana. Usually has a wide crown of dense, delicate foliage and a straight trunk with dark red bark. Young branches bear 2 spines at the base, inflorescence - rounded yellow balls in bunches in the axils of the leaves. It is found in the deserts and savannas of South Africa - in the Central and Western Transvaal, west of the Orange Province, in Rhodesia and Angola, as well as in the south and southwest of Aphorica, in Botswana. It grows very slowly, the oldest specimens are hundreds of years old. Seeds germinate poorly, seedlings are photophilous.

3 in fig. above - Acacia Galpini, monkey thorn (Acacia galpini Burtt Davy), Mimosa family (Mimosaceae) - a tree up to 82 m high, if the underground part of the trunk is taken into account (usually the lower part is covered with silt over the centuries, it is possible that trees up to 120 m in height were known. The circumference of the trunk is 1 m above the ground reaches 23.2 m, and a crown diameter of 555 m, usually 25 m above the ground. The branches are wide-spreading, long curved spines on the trunk and branches, the foliage is light green. The wood is heavy, dense, with a darker middle part. Formerly monkey thorn grew along the banks of the Magalakwena River, a tributary of the Limpopo, in the northwest of the Transvaal.Now almost all the old trees are destroyed by fires and hurricanes, but in some places in the Transvaal trees up to 25 m in height are still preserved.

4 in the figure above - Angrekum two-row (Angraecum distichum Ldl.), Orchid family (Orchidaceae) - found in western tropical Africa along with another orchid - Eichler's angrecum (Angraecum eichlerianum Kranzl.). This genus is very characteristic of Africa and the island of Madagascar and has 206 species. Most of them are epiphytes with leafy stems and strongly developed aerial roots. Leaves two-row, belt-shaped, flowers solitary or in inflorescences. Many species have white flowers with a spur, they smell strongly at night, since they are pollinated by night butterflies, whose proboscis equal to length spur. The flowers of some species are used in the manufacture of tea because of their fragrance.

1 - Chondropetalum Akoksky (Chondropetalum acockii Pillans), family Restionaceae (Restionaceae) is a rush-like perennial with creeping rhizomes and very thin, straight, unbranched stems 70 cm in height. Male inflorescences - in sprawling panicles 5-10 cm long; women's are similar to men's, but smaller. Several localities of this species are known in South Africa, in a very populated area between Cape Town and Mair for 45 km. Searches for other populations in the remaining areas of relict vegetation were unsuccessful. It grows on poorly drained sands, located on clays that retain moisture, at an altitude of 100-300 m above sea level. seas. 4 populations are known in areas of natural vegetation preserved in this developed area. The area of ​​each population is less than 2 ha. 2 - Bulbophyllum bearded (Bulbophyllum barbigerum Ldl.), Orchid family (Orchidaceae) - found in West Africa. It has wide oval tubers 3 cm long with a single leaf. Peduncle up to 15 cm high bears 8-14 brownish-purple flowers. All species of this genus are epiphytes. Of interest is the original, very mobile lip of their flowers. 3 - Diza one-flowered (Disa uniflora Berg), Orchid family (Orchidaceae) - a very showy plant, the flowers are collected in inflorescences. About 80 species are found in the genus Disa, distributed in Africa, Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands. The Cape region is especially rich in them. It grows in damp and wetlands, in meadows. Genus hyphene, doom palm or fan palm has about 11 species distributed in tropical Africa, Arabia and the Mascarene Islands. One species is found in South Africa and another in South West Africa and Botswana. Unlike all other palm trees, hyphene has a branched crown. Leaves are fan-shaped, with xiphoid segments, fruits with scaly peel. The juice of the fruit is used to make palm wine.

4 in fig. top - Egyptian ginger palm (Hyphaene thebaica(L.) Maert.) has almost disappeared from the face of the Earth. This tree is 10 m high with 3-4 branches, each of which ends with a bunch of fan-shaped leaves, flowers appear among them. In females, flowers are replaced by large clusters of reddish, shiny, yellow-brown fruits (up to 200 in one bunch). The fruits are edible, their fibrous mealy husk tastes like gingerbread but is very dry. In Upper Egypt, this palm is called the “dum palm.” It grows in oases along with other rare plants. Its number was reduced due to irrigation works in the Nile Valley. The Egyptian palm tree is also known in the region of Chad and the Chad Sakhali.

Another type of doum palm - Hyphaene ventricosa Kirk. - is found in the north of South-West Africa and in Botswana, and to the north it penetrates into tropical Africa. This tree is 15-18 m tall with a simple trunk, often with a characteristic bulge in the middle or lower part. The crown consists of large fan leaves collected at the top of the trunk. The plant is dioecious. The fruits have a hard brown shell, under it is a layer of edible pulp, in which a hard core is immersed. Milk from young fruits resembles coconut milk. The top of the stem is often chopped off to extract the juice used to make palm wine. Its numbers have also declined significantly.

In general, Africa is one of the centers of origin of palm trees. Two species of African palms are endangered, many are rare.

1 in fig. at the bottom - Medemia argun (Medemia argun(Mart.) Wurttemberg ex H. Wendl.), Palm family (Palmaceae) - a palm tree up to 10 m in height with a bare unbranched trunk bearing a crown of fan-shaped leaves up to 1.4 m in length, sitting on the same long petioles. The leaf lobes are rigid, xiphoid, the lateral ones are much shorter and narrower than the middle ones. Male and female flowers are on different trees. Male small, with 3 spreading petals 3-4 mm long, hidden in felt bracts and collected in dense spikes about 15-28 mm long and 1 cm thick. Female flowers 5 mm in diameter, rounded, on strong petioles 1 cm long. The fruits are elliptical, 2-5 cm long, with a shiny brownish-violet surface. This palm tree is found in only a few places in Egypt and Sudan. In Egypt, 3 locations are known - an uninhabited oasis 220 km southwest of Aswan, 200 km west of Aswan and on the east bank of the Nile (in the south). Known from one locality in Sudan, about 200 km southeast of Wadi Halfa. Grows in shallow rivers, wadis and oases. Apparently, in the past it was much more widespread, and widely - in ancient Egypt: in the ancient Egyptian pyramids there are numerous images and fruits of it). In general, palm populations are at a critically low level due to exploitation (edible fruits, and leaves are used to make mats).

2 - Wissmann keeled (Wissmannia cariensis(Chiov.) Burret), Palm family (Palmaceae) - a palm tree with a single grayish-brown trunk up to 15-20 m in height and 40 cm in diameter. Its crown consists of 40 fan leaves. Petioles 120 cm long, armed along the edge with spines bent back and yellowish-green on the lower surface. Leaf blades up to 95 cm long, green on both sides. The inflorescences are axillary, each branch bears a yellow bisexual flower. Ripe fruit is round. The palm is very similar to some species of the widely cultivated genus Livistona. Vissmannium is known from Somalia, Djibouti and South Yemen. It grows along river banks, in valleys and oases, and in Djibouti near brackish waters. Its numbers have drastically decreased. The decrease in the number is associated with logging (wood is valued as a building material), grazing of sheep and cattle, which prevents its renewal. Cultivated in Kenya, is in the Kew Botanical Garden (England). Both described palm species are listed in the IUCN Red List. 3 - Orotamius Zeichera, swamp rose (Orothamnus zeyheri Pappe ex Hook.), Proteaceae family - classified as a vulnerable species. This is a single-stemmed tree or low-branched shrub 1-4 m in height. The leaves are densely arranged on twigs, elliptical, leathery, hairy, especially along the edges. Flower heads (AO 1-3 at branch tips) subulate, 5-7 cm long, with pink-red pubescent bracts 4-6 cm long, surrounding lemon yellow flowers. The fruit is oblong, about 6 mm. There is a marsh rose only in South Africa. 9 populations and several small groups of this plant are known in the Kogelberg mountains in the southwest of the Cape region and one population near Germanus, 25 km east of the previous ones. Grows on steep slopes of southern exposure, at an altitude of 500-850 m. May disappear due to uncontrolled burning of vegetation, fungal diseases and damage by rats. This is the most beautiful view of all proteas. The rose-like red bracts of the heads are very decorative and have long attracted the attention of florists.

4 in fig. above - Velvichia amazing (Welwitschia bainesii(Hook.f.) Carr= W. mirabilis Hook. f.), the Welwitschiaceae family, is a unique desert dwarf tree that has only 2 leaves throughout its life. The trunk usually reaches a height of 30 cm, very rarely 1.5 m, but under the ground it can be up to 3 m long. The trunk diameter is more than 1 m. The wood is as dense and hard as that of a sequoia. The leaves appear small, but as they grow they become broad, thick, leathery, ribbed, up to 3.7 m long, greenish-brown in color. They never fall and continue to grow, heaping on the sand. Male and female cones appear at the base of the leaves, on different individuals. Males are pink, while females are greyish-green at first and red when ripe. Seeds are winged, light, dispersed by the wind. All organs of the plant secrete a transparent resin. It is found in southwestern Africa only along the western coast, from southern Angola to the south, reaching the southern tropic in the bend of the river. Caseb in the Namib Desert. The range is limited by the region of ocean fogs, the greatest distance from the sea is 80 km. It grows in sandy deserts scattered, single specimens, never forming groups. It is under the protection of the law. Velvichia is a transitional plant between the types of gymnosperms and angiosperms.

Published according to the book: Belousova L.S., Denisova L.V. Rare plants of the world. M.: Lesnaya promyshlennost', 1983. 344 p.

Species pelargoniums are a fairly large group of plants (about 230), divided into sections, or sections. At the moment, there are 15 such sections, and in each section, plants are combined according to certain characteristics. If we compare representatives of different sections, we can hardly believe that they belong to the same genus. Species pelargoniums can be annual and perennial, herbaceous and woody shrubs, sometimes approaching trees in growth, evergreen or seasonally shedding foliage. Some have tubers or are succulents, there are tree-like and creeping, creeping ones. The height of some reaches two meters, while others barely reach ten centimeters ...

Not surprisingly, plant care is also different. And here knowledge about belonging of pelargonium to a certain section will help.

Succulents of the Otidia section, which includes P. alternans, P. carnosum, P. ceratophyllum, P. laxum and others, have adapted to drought by storing nutrients and water in fleshy stems. Small, narrow, dissected leaves also help retain moisture by reducing evaporation. natural environment they were not spoiled, therefore, even under artificial conditions, they are content with poor, well-drained soils with a small addition of clay and rare, better wick watering. They do not grow quickly, but willingly, if they are kept warm and receive a lot of light.

A rosette of leaves emerges directly from the ground. These are slow-growing geraniums with a long dormant period, they are difficult to propagate. At the same time, the plants are very decorative, and the flowering of many species justifies the long wait for this joyful event.

In their natural habitat, they usually grow in sandy soils, so they choose a well-drained substrate, such as peat and sand.

Plants from the Hoarea section are very susceptible to excess water, especially during the hibernation period that we have in the summer. Dry pelargonium tubers begin to be watered in September-October, very carefully to bring the plants out of dormancy. As the leaves grow, watering is increased. As soon as the leaves turn brown and begin to die, flowers will appear right from the top of the tuber. This is a signal to gradually reduce watering. In the short growing season, plants need bright light, in small quantities, the use of liquid fertilizers is acceptable.

They are propagated by seeds or by the separation of daughter nodules after flowering. They bloom in winter, but for this they need a temperature of + 16-17 degrees.

One of the easy-to-cultivate species of pelargonium is P. citronellum. Its leaves have a bright, refreshing lemon scent. It grows best in full sun in regular commercial soil or a mixture of peat, sod, leafy soil and sand. Water moderately. In partial shade, the foliage becomes more decorative, but flowering is less plentiful. Needs shaping.

Another favorite of mine, P. odoratissimum, is also easy to keep. It smells strongly, its smell is dominated by an apple and shades of spices, mint, lemon, rose are heard.

I raised my P. odoratissimum from seed. In the picture she is a little more than a year. During flowering, the bush seems untidy due to the long flowering whiskers. But in summer, this feature allows you to keep the plant in a hanging basket in the fresh air. The plant is evergreen, perennial, does not require cool maintenance.

In the species P. grossularioides (section Peristera), the leaves have a subtle fruity scent with hints of coconut and peaches. In addition, this pelargonium has an ampelous shape, which makes it popular in home collections.

Species pelargoniums are rarely bothered by pests and diseases. Almost the only disease that affects mainly rooted cuttings remains the black leg. It can be prevented by light soil (with a high proportion of vermiculite), low soil moisture, air temperature of about +20 degrees, and bright lighting.

All species of pelargonium in wild nature propagated by seeds. But even in a small collection, it is difficult to protect plants from insect pollination and guarantee the purity of the species. Therefore, as a rule, either cuttings or underground nodules are taken from species pelargoniums. The cuttings are rooted in the same way as the cuttings of pelargoniums of other groups. It is important that they are not lignified. Separated nodules are planted so that the place of their attachment to the maternal roots is directed upwards. They germinate for at least a month.

On our planet there is a huge number of all kinds of plants, seeing which one can only be surprised at how nature could come up with something like this. An incredible number of species and subspecies of plants, many of which amaze with their qualities - from survival and adaptability, to colors and sizes. In this ranking of the most unusual plants, we will show the full scope of natural creativity.

14

Romanesco is one of the cultivars of cabbage, belonging to the same varietal group as cauliflower. According to some reports, it is a hybrid of cauliflower and broccoli. This type of cabbage has long been grown in the vicinity of Rome. According to some reports, it was first mentioned in historical documents in Italy in the sixteenth century. The vegetable appeared on international markets in the 90s of the XX century. Compared to cauliflower and broccoli, Romanesco is more delicate in texture and has a milder creamy nutty flavor without a bitter note.

13

Euphorbia obesum is a perennial succulent plant in the Euphorbiaceae family that resembles a stone or a green-brown soccer ball in appearance, without spines or leaves, but sometimes forms "branches" or suckers in strange-looking sets of spheres. It can grow up to 20-30 cm in height and up to 9-10 cm in diameter. Euphorbia obese is a bisexual plant, it has male flowers on one plant, and female flowers on the other. For fruit set, cross-pollination is necessary, which is usually performed.

The fruit looks like a slightly triangular three-nut, up to 7 mm in diameter, containing one seed in each nest. When ripe, it explodes and scatters small, round, speckled-gray seeds 2 mm in diameter, the pedicels fall off after seeding. in full sun or partial shade. The plants are very well hidden among the rocks, their colors blending in with the environment so well that sometimes they are hard to spot.

12

Tacca is a plant of the Tacca family, growing in a wide variety of environmental conditions and numbering 10 species. They settle in open and heavily shaded areas, in savannas, in thickets of bushes and in rain forests. Young parts of plants, as a rule, are pubescent with tiny hairs that disappear as they grow older. Plant sizes are usually small, from 40 to 100 centimeters, but some species sometimes reach a height of 3 meters. Although takka is becoming more and more widespread as a houseplant, it should be borne in mind that it is not easy to successfully keep takka in rooms due to the special demands of the plant on the conditions of detention. The Tacca family is represented by one genus Tacca, numbering about 10 plant species.

- Takka pinnatifida grows in tropical Asia, Australia, and in the tropics of Africa. Leaves up to 40-60 cm wide, from 70 cm long to 3 meters long. A flower with two bedspreads, large, reaching 20 cm wide, the color covered is light green.

- Tacca Chantrier grows in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. Evergreen tropical herbaceous plant, reaching 90-120 cm in height. The flowers are framed with maroon, almost black, bracts, similar to the wingspan of a bat or butterfly with long, threadlike tendrils.

- Whole-leaved takka grows in India. The leaves are wide, glossy, up to 35 cm wide, up to 70 cm long. A flower with two bedspreads, large, reaching 20 cm wide, the color is white, purple strokes are scattered over the white tone. The flowers are black, purple or dark purple, located under the bedspreads.

11

Venus flytrap is a species of carnivorous plants from the monotypic genus Dionea of ​​the Rosyankovye family. It is a small herbaceous plant with a rosette of 4-7 leaves that grow from a short underground stem. Leaves are three to seven centimeters in size, depending on the time of year, long trap leaves usually form after flowering. Feeds on insects and spiders. It grows in a humid temperate climate on the Atlantic coast of the United States. It is a species cultivated in ornamental horticulture. Can be grown as a houseplant. Grows in soils with a lack of nitrogen, such as swamps. Lack of nitrogen is the reason for the appearance of traps: insects serve as a source of nitrogen necessary for protein synthesis. The Venus flytrap belongs to a small group of plants capable of fast movements.

After the prey is trapped and the edges of the sheets close, forming a "stomach" in which the digestion process takes place. Digestion is catalyzed by enzymes that are secreted by glands in the lobes. Digestion takes approximately 10 days, after which only an empty chitinous shell remains of the prey. After that, the trap opens and is ready to capture new prey. During the life of the trap, an average of three insects fall into it.

10

The dragon tree is a plant of the genus Dracaena that grows in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and on the islands of Southeast Asia. Grown as an ornamental plant. An old Indian legend tells that a long time ago in the Arabian Sea on the island of Socotra, there lived a bloodthirsty dragon who attacked elephants and drank their blood. But one day one old and strong elephant fell on the dragon and crushed it. Their blood mixed and wetted the ground around. At this place, trees have grown, called dracaena, which means “female dragon”. Indigenous people canary islands the tree was considered sacred, and its resin was used for medicinal purposes. The resin was found in prehistoric burial caves and was used for embalming at that time.

On its thick branches grow bunches of very sharp leaves. Thick branched trunk up to 20 meters high, diameter at the base up to 4 m, has a secondary growth in thickness. Each branch of branching ends with a dense bunch of densely arranged grayish-green, leathery, linear-xiphoid leaves 45-60 centimeters long and 2-4 centimeters wide in the middle of the plate, somewhat tapering towards the base and pointed towards the apex, with prominent veins. The flowers are large, bisexual, with a corolla-shaped dividing perianth, in bunches of 4-8 pieces. Some trees live up to 7-9 thousand years.

9

The genus Gidnora includes 5 species growing in the tropical regions of Africa, Arabia and Madagascar, it is not very common, so just walking in the desert, you will not find it. This plant is more like a mushroom until its unusual flower opens. In fact, the flower is named after the hydnor mushroom, which means mushroom in Greek. Hydnoraceae flowers are rather large, solitary, almost sessile, bisexual, petalless. And what we usually see on the surface of the soil is what we call a flower.

These features of color and structure, as well as the putrid smell of flowers, serve to attract beetles that feed on carrion. Beetles, climbing into flowers, crawl into them, especially in their lower part, where the reproductive organs are located, contributing to their pollination. Often, female beetles not only find food in flowers, but also lay eggs there.

The inhabitants of Africa - willingly use the fruits of hydnora for food, like some animals. In Madagascar, the hydnora fruit is considered one of the best local fruits. Thus, the peddlers of hydnora seeds are the most and humans. In Madagascar, the flowers and roots of Hydnora are used by locals to treat heart disease.

8

Baobab is a species of trees from the genus Adansonia of the Malvaceae family, characteristic of the dry savannahs of tropical Africa. The lifespan of baobabs is controversial - they do not have growth rings, which can be used to reliably calculate age. Radiocarbon dating has shown more than 5,500 years for a tree 4.5 meters in diameter, although baobabs are more conservatively estimated to live for about 1,000 years.

In winter and during the dry period, the tree begins to consume moisture reserves, decreasing in volume, sheds foliage. Baobab blossoms from October to December. Baobab flowers are large - up to 20 cm in diameter, white with five petals and purple stamens, on hanging pedicels. They open in the late afternoon and live only one night, attracting the scent of bats that pollinate them. In the morning, the flowers wither, acquiring an unpleasant putrefactive odor, and fall off.

Next, oblong edible fruits develop, which resemble cucumbers or melons, covered with a thick, hairy peel. Inside the fruits are filled with sour mealy pulp with black seeds. The baobab dies in a peculiar way: it seems to crumble and gradually settle, leaving behind only a pile of fiber. However, baobabs are extremely tenacious. They quickly restore the stripped bark; continue to bloom and bear fruit. A cut down or fallen tree is able to take on new roots.

7

Victoria amazonica is a large herbaceous tropical plant of the Water Lily family, the largest water lily in the world and one of the most popular greenhouse plants in the world. Victoria amazonica was named after Queen Victoria of England. Victoria Amazonian is common in the Amazon in Brazil and Bolivia, it is also found in the rivers of Guyana that flow into the Caribbean Sea.

Huge water lily leaves reach 2.5 meters and, with a uniformly distributed load, can withstand weight up to 50 kilograms. The tuberous rhizome is usually deeply recessed into the muddy bottom. The upper surface is green with a repellent wax layer. excess water, also has small holes for removing water. The lower part is purplish red with a mesh of ribs studded with spikes to protect against herbivorous fish, air bubbles accumulate between the ribs to help the leaf float. In one season, each tuber can produce up to 50 leaves, which, growing, cover a large surface of the reservoir, blocking sunlight and thereby limiting the growth of other plants.

Victoria Amazonian flowers are under water and bloom only once a year for 2-3 days. Flowers bloom only at night, and with the onset of dawn they fall under water. During flowering, flowers placed above the water, in the open state, have a diameter of 20-30 centimeters. On the first day, the color of the petals is white, on the second they are pinkish, on the third they turn purple or dark crimson. In the wild, the plant can live up to 5 years.

6

Sequoia is a monotypic genus of woody plants of the Cypress family. Growing on the Pacific Coast North America. Individual specimens of sequoia reach a height of more than 110 meters - these are the tallest trees on Earth. The maximum age is more than three and a half thousand years. This tree is better known as the "mahogany", while plants of the related species sequoiadendron are known as "giant sequoias".

Their diameter at the level of the human chest is about 10 meters. The largest tree in the world "General Sherman". Its height is 83.8 meters. In 2002, the volume of wood was 1487 m³. It is believed that he is 2300-2700 years old. Most tall tree in the world - "Hyperion", its height is 115 meters.

5

Nepenthes is the only genus of plants of the monotypic Nepentaceae family, which includes about 120 species. Most species grow in tropical Asia, especially on the island of Kalimantan. Named after the herb of oblivion from ancient Greek mythology - nepenfa. Types of the genus for the most part shrub or semi-shrub vines growing in wet habitats. Their long thin herbaceous or slightly lignified stems climb the trunks and large branches of neighboring trees to tens of meters in height, carrying their narrow terminal racemose or paniculate inflorescences to sunlight.

In different types of Nepenthes, jugs differ in size, shape and color. Their length varies from 2.5 to 30 centimeters, and in some species it can reach up to 50 cm. More often, jugs are painted in bright colours: red, matt white with spotted pattern or light green with spots. The flowers are small and inconspicuous, actinomorphic and petalless, with four imbricate sepals. The fruit is in the form of a leathery box, divided by internal partitions into separate chambers, in each of which seeds with a fleshy endosperm and a straight cylindrical small embryo are attached to the column.

It is curious that large nepenthes, in addition to eating insects, also use the droppings of tupaya animals, which climb onto the plant like on a toilet bowl to feast on sweet nectar. In this way, the plant forms a symbiotic relationship with the animal, using its droppings as fertilizer.

4

This fungus, belonging to Agaricus mushrooms, looks like chewed chewing gum, oozing blood and smelling of strawberries. However, you should not eat it, because it is one of the most poisonous mushrooms on the ground, and even just licking it can be guaranteed to get serious poisoning. The mushroom gained fame in 1812, and then it was recognized as inedible. Surface fruit bodies white, velvety, slightly pitted, becoming beige or brown with age. On the surface of young specimens, drops of a poisonous blood-red liquid protrude through the pores. The word “tooth” in the title is not just that. The fungus has sharp formations along the edges that appear with age.

In addition to its external qualities, this mushroom has good antibacterial properties and contains chemicals that thin the blood. It is possible that soon this mushroom will become a replacement for penicillin. The main feature of this fungus is that it can feed on both soil juices and insects, which are attracted by the red liquid of the fungus. The diameter of the cap of a bloody tooth is 5-10 centimeters, the length of the stem is 2-3 centimeters. The bloody tooth grows in coniferous forests Australia, Europe and North America.

3

The top three among the most unusual plants in the world is closed by a large tropical plant of the genus Amorphophallus of the aroid family, discovered in 1878 in Sumatra. One of the most famous species of the genus, it has one of the largest inflorescences in the world. The aerial part of this plant is a short and thick stem, at the base there is a single large leaf, above - smaller ones. Leaf length up to 3 meters, and up to 1 meter in diameter. Petiole length 2-5 meters, thickness 10 cm. Matte green, with white transverse stripes. The underground part of the plant is a giant tuber weighing up to 50 kilograms.

The scent of the flower resembles a mixture of rotten eggs and rotten fish, and in appearance the flower resembles a decomposing piece of meat. It is this smell that attracts pollinating insects to the plant in the wild. Flowering continues for two weeks. Interestingly, the cob is heated up to 40 ° C. The tuber during this time is greatly depleted due to the overexpenditure of nutrients. Therefore, he needs another rest period of up to 4 weeks in order to accumulate strength for leaf development. If there are few nutrients, then the tuber “sleeps” after flowering until next spring. The life expectancy of this plant is 40 years, but during this time it blooms only three or four times.

2

Velvichia is amazing - a relic tree - is one species, one genus, one family, one order of the Velvichievs. Velvichia grows in southern Angola and Namibia. The plant is rarely found further than a hundred kilometers from the coast, this roughly corresponds to the limit reached by fogs, which are the main source of moisture for Welwitschia. Her appearance you can’t call it grass, bush, or tree. The scientific world learned about Velvichia in the 19th century.

From afar, it seems that Velvichia has many long leaves, but in fact there are only two of them, and they grow throughout its plant life, adding 8-15 centimeters per year. In scientific works, a giant was described with a leaf length of more than 6 meters and a width of about 2. And its life expectancy is so long that it is hard to believe. Although Velvichia is considered a tree, it does not have annual rings, as on tree trunks. Scientists have determined the age of the largest Velvichii by radiocarbon dating - it turned out that some specimens are about 2000 years old!

Instead of a social plant life, Velvichia prefers a lonely existence, that is, it does not grow in a group. Velvichia flowers look like small cones, with only one seed in each female cone, and each seed is equipped with wide wings. As for pollination, the opinions of botanists differ here. Some believe that pollination is carried out by insects, while others are more inclined to the action of the wind. Velvichia is protected by the Namibian Conservation Act. The collection of its seeds is prohibited without special permission. The entire territory where Velvichia grows has been turned into a National Park.

1

Africa is the second largest continent on planet Earth. The first in size is the mainland Eurasia. There is another part of the world, which is also called Africa. This article will consider Africa as the mainland of the planet.

In terms of its area, the size of Africa is 29.2 million km2 (with islands - 30.3 million km2), which is about 20% of the entire land surface of the planet. Mainland Africa washed by mediterranean sea on the north coast West Coast it is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, in the south and east the continent is washed by the Indian Ocean, and the northeast coast is washed by the Red Sea. There are 62 states in Africa, of which 54 independent states, and the population of the entire continent is about 1 billion people. By clicking on the link you can see the full list of African countries in the table.

The size of Africa from north to south is 8,000 kilometers, and when viewed from east to west, it is approximately 7,500 kilometers.

Extreme points on mainland Africa:

1) The easternmost point of the mainland is Cape Ras Hafun, which is located on the territory of the state of Somalia.

2) The northernmost point of this mainland is Cape Blanco, which is located in the Republic of Tunisia.

3) The westernmost point of the continent is Cape Almadi, which is located on the territory of the Republic of Senegal.

4) And finally, the most south point The mainland of Africa is Cape Agulhas, which is located on the territory of the Republic of South Africa (South Africa).

Relief of Africa

Most of the mainland is made up of plains. The following relief forms predominate: highlands, plateaus, stepped plains and plateaus. The mainland is conditionally divided into High Africa (where the heights of the mainland reach a size of over 1000 meters - the southeast of the mainland) and Low Africa (where the heights reach a size mostly less than 1000 meters - the northwestern part).

The highest point on the mainland is Mount Kilimanjaro, which reaches a height of 5895 meters above sea level. Also in the south of the mainland there are the Drakon and Cape Mountains, in the east of Africa there is the Ethiopian Highlands, and to the south of it is the East African Plateau, in the northwest of the continent are the Atlas Mountains.

In the north of the mainland is the largest desert on the planet - the Sahara, in the south is the Kalahari Desert, and in the southwest of the mainland there is the Namib Desert.

At the same time, the lowest point of the mainland is the bottom of the salt lake Assal, the depth of which reaches 157 meters below sea level.

Climate of Africa

The climate of Africa can be put in first place among all the continents in terms of warmth. This is the hottest continent, since it is completely located in the hot climatic zones of the planet Earth and is crossed by the equator line.

Central Africa is located in the equatorial belt. This belt is characterized by high precipitation and there is no change of seasons. To the south and north of the equatorial belt are the subequatorial belts, which are characterized by the rainy season in summer and the dry season in winter. high temperatures air. If you follow further south and north after the subequatorial belts, then the northern and southern tropical belts follow, respectively. Such belts are characterized by low precipitation at fairly high air temperatures, which leads to the formation of deserts.

African inland waters

The inland waters of Africa are uneven in structure, but at the same time vast and extended. On the mainland the most long river- this is the Nile River (the length of its system reaches 6852 km), and the Congo River is considered the most full-flowing river (the length of its system reaches 4374 km), which is famous for being the only river that crosses the equator twice.

There are lakes on the mainland. The largest lake is Lake Victoria. The area of ​​this lake is 68 thousand km2. The greatest depth in this lake reaches 80 m. The lake itself is the second in its area on planet Earth from fresh lakes.

30% of the land mass of mainland Africa is desert, in which water bodies can be temporary, that is, dry up completely at times. But at the same time, usually in such desert regions, groundwater can be observed, which are located in artesian basins.

Flora and fauna of Africa

The African continent is renowned for its diversity. flora, as well as the animal. Tropical rainforests grow on the continent, which are replaced by light forests and savannahs. IN subtropical zone mixed forests can also be found.

The most common plants in the forests of Africa are palms, ceiba, sundew and many others. But in the savannas, most often you can find thorny shrubs and small trees. The desert is distinguished by a small variety of plants growing in it. Most often these are grasses, shrubs or trees in oases. Many areas of the desert have no vegetation at all. A special plant in the desert is the amazing Velvichia plant, which can live for more than 1000 years, it releases 2 leaves that grow throughout the life of the plant and can reach a length of 3 meters.

Diverse in Africa and animal world. In savannah areas, grass grows very quickly and well, which attracts many herbivorous animals (rodents, hares, gazelles, zebras, etc.), and, accordingly, predators that feed on herbivorous animals (leopards, lions, etc.).

The desert at first glance may seem uninhabited, but in fact there are many reptiles, insects, birds that hunt mainly at night.

Africa has become famous for such animals as elephant, giraffe, hippopotamus, a wide variety of monkeys, zebras, leopards, dune cats, gazelles, crocodiles, parrots, antelopes, rhinos and much more. This continent is amazing and unique in its own way.

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Ask this question to anyone on the street and you will get a standard answer. Which flowers? Are there deserts? There are no flowers in Africa! According to ideas drawn from the school curriculum and news programs, there are deserts in Africa, where the hot sun kills all life all year round. Live wild or at worst semi-wild tribes. Everyone is completely poor. There is a terrible Ebola virus, which can be caught by eating the brains of a monkey or just standing next to such a gourmet.

Oh yes! Safaris are still held there, there are national parks where lion prides live, families of giraffes move slowly and ferocious rhinos run around. There is no water, but a lot of sand. Everything seems to be. I hasten to dissuade you. Everything is so and not so. Scientists say that it was in Africa that life originated. Once, millions of years ago, it was completely covered with giant plants and resembled the Amazon jungle. Over time, the ruthless sun turned part of the continent into a lifeless desert, but did not manage to kill life to the end.

And you can safely answer the question about flowers: “There are a lot of them in Africa, but those that don’t grow anywhere else.” The succulent family has long and firmly settled on the Black Continent. And the most beautiful of them is the Impala, or succulent lily.

Have you ever seen how aloe blooms? In almost every home, this unpretentious flower used to occupy a worthy place on the windowsill. The agave successfully coped with our abscesses and various minor diseases. It turns out that there are many varieties of aloe, and it blooms with very cute little buds. Of course, not luxurious, but modest flowers. And the tulip tree will offer you luxury.

Spatodea bell-shaped - one of the most beautiful plants in the world. The locals call it the "Fire Tree" and believe that it is a gift from heaven. The tulip tree blooms all year round. Imagine, the whole year in the courtyard of your house stands (grows) huge bouquet!

Gloriosa is just as beautiful. This wonderful representative of the Colchicum family feels great in Africa. It tolerates heat well, although it does not refuse water, but it does not particularly suffer from a lack of moisture. Ten varieties. It happens to be dwarf, it grows only 25-30 centimeters in height. But the climbing gloriosa envelops its support, lulls its vigilance with its beautiful red flowers with a yellow border. The support plant does not even suspect that this luxury is poisonous. This is probably very reasonable: beauty should be able to protect itself.

Each country has its own national flower. Zimbabwe chose the variety of Gloriosa, to the name of which botanists add the word "Luxury". With its sharp petals, it resembles flames, and from a distance it seems that the whole tree is on fire. And the word "gloriosa" is translated as "glorified", and the Zimbabweans, in the hope of the future glory of their country, use her image everywhere.

Of course, one cannot but say about insectivorous plants. You can learn more about them by reading the article "What plants kill to live?" dated 01.03.15 Yulia Dvornikova. I just want to note that there are many such people in Africa. The most common are Gignora africa, which lives in South Africa, and Amorphophallus, which lives everywhere from West Africa to the Pacific Islands. They are beautiful and unusual in their own way, but they cannot boast of aroma - insects, as you know, are attracted by the smell of carrion.

And another miracle Yudo can only be seen in Africa. This lithops. The natives call them "living stones". And all because it is almost impossible to distinguish a small plant - only 5 centimeters in height - from stones. In South Africa, these living stones grow on granite ruins, in rock crevices and on limestone soils. Only two small but very fleshy leaves can be seen above the ground. In the middle they have a new leaf or flowers. They are small, yellow or white. But the root stretches several meters deep, because only there you can get precious water.

And another curiosity is kniforia. It grows in South and Central Africa. It looks like a large bouquet, consisting of many small bells. It grows everywhere, like a weed, and brought from its native expanses, it is most often used in landscape design in order to highlight some part of the site, to emphasize its peculiarity.

Of course, this article lists only a small part of the flowering plants of the Black Continent. The proverb “It is better to see once” is one hundred percent right. Meeting with the amazing world of flowers growing in the expanses of Africa is a real holiday for nature lovers