Vegetable world Africa strikes the imagination with its diversity and unusual view. Thanks to different climatic zones, in which the continent is located, in some regions grow plants that are not found anywhere else in the world. Most of them have a bizarre shape, this is due to the hot climate, the constant lack of water. All African plants can be divided into two large groups: Growing near water and surviving in hellish desert conditions.

Breadfruit

Many flowers and trees on the hottest continent have very unusual and even edible names at first glance. These include the breadfruit tree, so named not because bread is made from it, but its fruits taste like baking. People do not use them for food, but monkeys eat them with great pleasure.

mango tree

Some African plants are also familiar to us, such as mango, the fruits of which are imported to our country. It is worth noting that African fruits are very different in taste. locals keep their secrets for the preparation of this product. They fry mango together with potatoes, it turns out a very tasty and original dish.

Baobab

Plants and animals of Africa are accustomed to survive in the harshest conditions, due to the constant lack of water, the hot sun, many trees take on bizarre shapes. So the baobab is compared either with an inverted carrot, or with a large nest, or even with a crab. This tree cannot be called beautiful, since its height, reaching 20 m, is absolutely not proportional to the thickness of the trunk, reaching 10 m in diameter. The crown is small, clumsy, branches with openwork leaves are scattered in different directions. The largest and oldest baobab grows in the area of ​​Lake Tanganyika, its approximate age is about 5000 years, height - 22 m, crown circumference - 145 m, trunk circumference - 47 m.

Kalanchoe Degremont

Plants in Africa are trying to adapt to the harshest conditions of survival. So, for example, Kalanchoe on each leaf has great amount embryos with a ready root system, falling off, they immediately fall on the ground, where they take root. This plant is not only beautiful, but also useful, its juice is used to treat many diseases.

palm trees

The most common plants in Africa are palm trees, they grow in almost every country on this continent. They are quite flexible thanks to cork wood, even in the most terrible storms, when the wind bends them to the ground, palm trees do not break. Their fruits - coconuts - are very difficult for an inexperienced tourist to get and peel. If you knock it down with a stick from a tree, the coconut will simply fall and break, and the milk will pour out, so you have to climb the tree. It is also difficult for visitors to clean the fruit with a machete, but the locals remove the hard fibrous layer with their teeth.

African exotic

The plants of Africa, despite their bizarre forms, are very beautiful. Local exoticism attracts many tourists, because some types of trees and flowers can no longer be found on any continent. Thanks to the different climatic zones, here you can see how lush greenery rainforest, and inconspicuous, gnarled trees with a minimum number of leaves. It is this contrast that causes great interest in the local nature.

November 14, 2012, 10:39 am

Each type of tree is unique in its own way. There are about 100,000 various kinds trees, including a quarter of all living plant species on Earth. But among the billions of trees around the world, there are completely unique and amazing representatives. Baobabs


The majestic baobabs of Madagascar are very beautiful trees that can survive a very severe drought. Grow mainly in Africa. These baobabs grow on the wonder island of Socotra. bottle tree And this distant relative baobab, Australian bottle tree. In Australia, in the driest areas in the north of Queensland, bottle trees grow, which, like baobabs, can store water in the trunk. They really look like a bottle. Only in the "bottle" of this two compartments. In the lower part of the trunk, between the bark and the wood, there is a reservoir containing a significant amount of water. Another reservoir is placed in the middle part of the trunk - however, it does not contain water, but a large number of sweetish thick, like jelly, juice, very healthy and nutritious. These trees reach 15 meters in height and 1.8 meters in diameter. Bottle tree of Socotra island.
also known as the Desert Rose. dragon tree Dragon Tree in Icod de los Vinos in Tenerife, one of canary islands, is a unique representative of this species. It is believed that he is between 650 and 1500 years old, but experts find it difficult to draw accurate conclusions, since he has more than one trunk. Rather, it consists of many small trunks that hold on to each other as they grow upwards. The tree has a dense canopy of leaves and gets its name from the resin that is released when its bark and leaves are cut away. Residents believe that this is the dried blood of a dragon and have been using it since ancient times to treat various ailments. Dragon trees on the island of Socotra. The branches of these trees expand towards the sky, and from below they resemble many flying saucers ... From above, they look like huge mushrooms. The fact is that for the last 6 - 7 million years the Socotra archipelago was isolated from the mainland of Africa, which could not but affect the development of its flora and fauna. Also among interesting plants Socotra - strange and extremely rare cucumber tree
This is a plant with prickly wrinkled leaves, thorny, similar to ordinary cucumber fruits and a thick stem swollen with milky juice. The disproportion between the height and thickness of the trunk, as well as the sparse leaf cover, give it a funny look. Some specimens do not exceed one and a half meters in height, and the diameter is much larger. jar tree Its scientific name is moringa and it grows in Africa. During rains, the flask tree can absorb and store a huge amount of water, so that it is often pot-bellied. The flag tree can grow up to 6 meters in height. spiny fagara
An unusual fagara tree - a resident of humid evergreen forests east coast South Africa and the Transvaal. Its trunk is literally dotted with eight-centimeter cones with sharp spikes at the end, similar to short massive cow horns. The maximum diameter of the tree reaches half a meter, and the height sometimes exceeds 20 meters. African tulip tree One of the most beautifully flowering plants in the world in the world is the African tulip tree or Spatodea bell-shaped. Collected in lush inflorescences, the flowers of this tree have an orange-red color and resemble tulip flowers in shape. The tulip tree reaches a height of 7 to 25 meters and is native to the dry tropical forests of Africa. The open, cup-shaped flowers retain moisture from dew rain, which attracts many bird species, and the nectar is popular with birds. Another beautiful Blooming treeDelonix royal
It has many other names such as fire tree, fire tree, red flame, peacock flower, and phoenix tail. Can be found anywhere tropical climate. But his homeland is Madagascar.
jacaranda
His homeland is Brazil.
These tall, up to 15 meters, sprawling trees are one of the favorite decorative elements in the design of streets, squares and public gardens in Argentina and Buenos Aires. rainbow eucalyptus It is the only eucalyptus species native to the northern hemisphere. Motherland rainbow eucalyptus- Philippine Islands. In addition to the fact that eucalyptus grows up to 70 meters in height, it also shines with all the colors of the rainbow: its bark can be colored yellow, green, orange and even purple. Take a look at the photo, it seems as if this pattern was painted by some abstract artist, but in fact, such a coloring of the iridescent eucalyptus was created by nature itself. The unusual phenomenon is explained by patches of bark peeling off in different time. The different colors are indicators of the age of the bark: recently shed, the outer bark will be bright green. Over time, the bark darkens and changes from blue to purple and then maroon and orange. It turns out a kind of natural camouflage. Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines are the natural habitats of this tree. Trees-record holders A giant sequoia named General Sherman grows in Sequoia National Park in California. Its height is 83 meters, and its mass exceeds 6 tons. General Sherman - very beautiful tree With great history at 2200 years old. One of the most beautiful oaks in the world is the chapel oak of Allouville-Bellefosse in France. This is not only a tree, but also a structure, and religious monument. The wooden chapel was built in 1669 after a lightning strike. Pando aspens in Utah grow in a colony, one of a kind. Each tree here is genetically identical; in fact, it is a holistic living organism with an intertwined root system. Pando consists of 47,000 aspens growing on 107 acres. This is a unique natural formation, whose age exceeds 80,000 years!
One of the oldest living organisms on the planet is the Methuselah pine, which is almost 5 millennia old.
The record holder for crown diameter is the Indian banyan tree. According to the measurements of 1929, one of the banyan trees had a crown of 300 meters. Since then, the tree has grown even more.
Banyan tree, Cambodia
The cypress El Arboldel Thule in Mexico is so thick that its trunk spans 58 meters - the thickest tree in the world.
There was a version that these were three trees woven together, but the analysis showed that this is still one very beautiful specimen. Man-made masterpieces The next copies will be the creations of the farmer Axel Erlandson. He shapes his trees accordingly to give each of them a particular shape. Erlandson never told anyone how he achieves such forms, taking his secrets to the grave, and his trees were bought by a local millionaire and transplanted into an amusement park.

Africa is an amazing continent, captivating with its natural charm and naturalness. Many scientists consider it the cradle of civilization. Indeed, on this big land human civilization began to develop. Slightly open unusual world, which lives on the mainland, a selection will help, which presents all the most amazing things about Africa.

Interesting facts about the local population

Africa is home to 16% of the world's population. Of these, experts identify about 3 thousand ethnic groups. The second largest continent of the planet has 54 states.

Among the 2 thousand languages ​​spoken on this mainland, Arabic is the most common.

Not everyone knows the amazing fact about Africa that the smallest people on the planet live on its lands. Negrilli - group undersized peoples, better known as pygmies. The height of adult men of people of a special race varies between 125-150 cm. The growth limiter in pygmies starts even during fetal development. Children are originally born vertically challenged and grow much slower than Europeans.

At the same time, it is quite remarkable that among the black residents of other African countries a lot of tall people. The tallest people in the world are the representatives of the Nilotic people. Their average height is 184 cm.

This continent has the lowest life expectancy. Men live on average 50 years, and women even less - 48 years. Among the total number of cases of malaria in the world, 90% of cases occur in the inhabitants of this continent. About 3,000 African children die from this disease every year. The number of HIV-infected people living in the south of the Sahara is also estimated in the hundreds of thousands.

Attractive countries of the continent for tourists

Africa is considered both the poorest and richest on the planet at the same time. Here marked the most low level welfare. At the same time, there are lands on the mainland with amazing flora and fauna, the depths of which are rich in such precious metals and stones as gold, emerald, diamond, garnet, tanzanite, amethyst, ruby.

The most populous state is Nigeria. The second place in terms of number and attractiveness for tourists is occupied by Egypt. The list of peaceful and safe countries for tourists also includes: Botswana, Ghana, Namibia, Cape Verde, Zimbabwe.

It is in Africa that you can see the only surviving wonder of the world - the pyramids of Cheops. But few people know the amazing fact about Africa that the pyramids were built not only on the lands of Egypt. In Sudan, the number of "desert temples" reaches 223 pieces. True, the dimensions are much smaller.

Among the most amazing countries in Africa are:

  1. Kenya. The equatorial line passes through the lands of this state. Tourists are interested in the country because it gives them the opportunity to witness the great migration of animals, including representatives of the "African Big Five": buffaloes, rhinos, elephants, leopards and lions. Fans of studying the peculiarities of the cultures of different nationalities can get acquainted with the tribes that have preserved the traditional way of life: measure, samburu, maasai.
  2. Uganda. The pearl of the mainland is located in the fault zone earth's crust. She is famous for being amazing and diverse nature. Of the natural attractions, popular among locals and visitors: Cabarega waterfall, mountain river White Nile, as well as picturesque lakes Edward, Kyoga, Victoria, Alberta. On state-protected natural parks Uganda can meet representatives of the fauna of endangered species, including mountain gorillas.
  3. Tanzania. This country is attractive due to its primeval jungle. Tourists come here in an effort to admire exotic animals during a safari. In Tanzania there is the legendary Kilimanjaro volcano and formed at the bottom of the crater salt Lake Ngoro-Ngoro.

But still, most of the mainland countries belong to the third world countries that are still on the path of development. Visiting them for an ordinary tourist may be associated with a risk to life.

Breathtaking corners of nature

Since Africa is crossed by the central line earth's surface and the zero meridian, it is rightfully considered the hottest and most symmetrical among all continents. The area of ​​the mainland is 29.2 million square kilometers. And four-fifths of that was swallowed up by rainforests and deserts.

One of amazing facts about Africa is the moment that the Sahara is the most big desert not only across the continent, but throughout the planet. It accounts for 30% of the area of ​​the entire continent. The area of ​​this uninhabited expanse of land is larger than the total territory of the United States. At the same time, the Sahara continues to expand. Every year it increases in size, expanding its boundaries to 10 km. In the middle of the Sahara there are lakes with salt water. But their life-giving moisture is not able to quench their thirst.

Amazing natural sights of Africa:

  • Nile- the river with a length of 6850 km is considered the longest on the planet.
  • Victoria- a fresh lake, the impressive size of which makes it the second largest on Earth.
  • ink lake – natural phenomenon. Instead of transparent water, it contains ink created naturally, but at the same time poisonous to living organisms.
  • "Thundering Smoke"- the grandiose Victoria Falls, over 100 m high and almost 1000 m long, the noise from falling streams in which spreads over 40 km in the district.
  • Oh Doinio Legai- A volcano spewing black natrocarbonate lava is rightfully considered the coldest in the world.

Very amazing trees grow on the mainland. For example: soap, the fruits and leaves of which have soapiness, or candle, the elongated seeds of which contain a high concentration of oils. Dairy, sausage and breadfruit trees also grow here.

A large number of rare animals also live in the desert lands: elephants, bongos, giraffes, rhinos, cheetahs, gazelles, zebras, hippos, lions, okapi, aardvarks. Some species are not found anywhere else in the world.

The most dangerous African animals are hippos. Previously, they were widely distributed throughout the territory. Today, hippos live only in the southern part on the border with the Sahara. Therefore, they have been given the status of a rapidly declining species. Despite this, individual tribes continue to hunt forbidden animals.

Among the most amazing animals of Africa special attention deserve rodents "naked diggers", skin which do not grow old and do not feel pain from exposure to fire and cuts. live here and lungfish, which in critical dry periods are able to dig into the ground.

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.

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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. On international markets vegetable appeared 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.

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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 females on another. 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. Plants are very well hidden among the stones, their color blends with environment so good that sometimes it's hard to see them.

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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 tropical forests South-East Asia. evergreen tropical, herbaceous plant reaching 90-120 cm in height. The flowers are edged with maroon, almost black, wing-span-like bracts. bat or butterflies with long, threadlike antennae.

- 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.

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Venus flytrap - view 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. Grows in damp temperate climate on Atlantic coast USA. 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.

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The dragon tree is a plant of the genus Dracaena, which grows in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and on the islands. South-East 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”. The indigenous population of the Canary Islands considered the tree sacred, and its resin was used in 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 greyish-green, leathery, linear sword-shaped 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.

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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.

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Baobab is a species of trees from the genus Adansonia of the Malvaceae family, characteristic of dry savannahs. 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 those who pollinate them. bats. 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.

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Victoria amazonica is a large herbaceous tropical plant family Water lilies, 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. Bottom part purple-red with a mesh of ribs dotted with spikes to protect against herbivorous fish, air bubbles accumulate between the ribs to help the leaf swim. In one season, each tuber can produce up to 50 leaves, which, growing, cover a large surface of the reservoir, covering 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.

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Sequoia is a monotypic genus woody plants, 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", at the same time the plants related species sequoiadendrons are known as "giant sequoias".

Their diameter at the level of the human chest is about 10 meters. Most a big 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. Species of the genus are mostly shrub or semi-shrub lianas growing in humid 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.

At different types Nepenthes pitchers vary 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. Most often, the jugs are painted in bright colors: red, matte white with a 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.

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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 chemical substances that thin the blood. It is possible that soon this mushroom will become a replacement for penicillin. main feature of this fungus is that it can feed on both soil juices and insects, which are lured 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.

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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 known species genus, 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 aroma 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 scent that attracts wild nature to pollinating insects. Flowering continues for two weeks. Interestingly, the cob is heated up to 40 ° C. The tuber during this time is greatly depleted due to overspending 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.

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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 approximately 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. The flowers of Velvichia look like small cones, and in each female bump only one seed, and each seed is provided 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.

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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 broadcasts, there are deserts in Africa, there all year round the hot sun kills all life. 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! There is also a safari National parks, Where live lion prides, families of giraffes are slowly moving and ferocious rhinos are running. 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, all year long in the courtyard of your house there is (growing) a 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 the South and Central Africa. Looks like big 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 feature.


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