What plants grow in Africa. Exotic fruits and fruits

Africa is one of the largest continents on the planet, second in size only to Eurasia. It is equally divided by the equator, stretching from the tropics in the north to the tropics in the south. Only on the outskirts of the mainland are the subtropics slightly “clung”.

Africa is probably the last continent on the planet where there is still an untouched wild nature. There are harsh, harsh survival conditions here, strong, dangerous animals live here. There are a large number of unusual plants that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

Today we will talk to you about plants growing in Africa interesting plants African and unusual. We will learn about plants that benefit humans, as well as those that are no less dangerous than predatory animals:

Plants with unusual properties

Bottle tree:

The name of this tree speaks for itself. It very much resembles a pot-bellied bottle. A large volume of rainwater accumulates between the bark and wood of the lower part of the trunk. The middle part plays the role of a reservoir, which contains healthy, nutritious sweetish juice. It is thick and very jelly-like.

Bottle tree water is actively used by local residents, and the sweetish juice is one of their favorite delicacies. Well, the leaves of this tree themselves are excellent food for livestock. Residents make fiber from the bark and weave fabrics.

Sinsepalum:

This plant is native to West Africa. Synsepalum berries have an amazing property. Eating them before meals adds flavor sweet food bitter, and makes bitter or sour food sweet. Therefore, before drinking palm wine, which has a sour taste, the natives eat several sinsepalum berries to improve the taste.

Carnivorous plants

Nepenthes:

This unusual vine grows in Madagascar. Its long flexible branches reach a length of 10-15 meters and are covered with leaves. The appearance of these leaves resembles pitchers, which serve as a live trap for small animals. Inside the jugs, a sticky liquid is produced that traps a mouse, lizard or frog that gets inside.

Genlisey:

This is a low, modest-looking grass on which large, unusual shape, yellow flowers. This spectacle is overshadowed only by the fact that long flowers are nothing more than a trap for insects. In addition, Genlisea has underground leaves, with the help of which the carnivorous plant lures and then digests insects and small animals living in the soil.

Pemphigus:

This plant loves water very much. Therefore it grows on wet soils or directly in fresh water. This predatory plant is interesting because it has a bubble trap. In most species of this plant, the traps are very small and only catch small, protozoa. However, some species have traps of larger diameter (0.2 to 1.2 cm). They can already catch even water fleas and tadpoles that get there along with the water.

“Peaceful” plants that are useful to people

Dish pumpkin:

When talking about interesting and unusual plants growing in Africa, one cannot fail to mention the gourd or gourd. When it ripens, the flesh of the vegetable dries out greatly, and the dense peel becomes hard as a stone. Local residents use these ripened pumpkins as hollow vessels for water or bulk products. At the same time, people have learned to change their shape using special clamps where the developing ovary is placed.

As a result, you can get deep dishes, jugs, as well as flat plates and trays. Spoons, toys, smoking pipes, snuff boxes and various souvenirs are carved from the hard shell of the dish gourd.

Pumpkin - luffa:

Wonderful washcloths are made from the fruits of another type of pumpkin - luffa. Fiber is woven from fruit fibers, and then hats, swimming shoes, and other products needed by people are made.

Madagascar liana:

The vines of this plant play a large role in the economy of some tribes who use them in their farming. The branches of the plant are very flexible, elastic and durable. Therefore, they are used as ropes, weaving baskets and mats.

The Madagascar vine secretes a substance that repels ants and insects, which damage everything made of wood. Therefore, the branches of this plant are used in the construction of houses. Well, large vine pods, if their halves are opened, will protect the building from rain better than any tile.

Africa is an amazing continent where you can find many interesting and unusual plants. All of them, useful and not so useful, play an important role in the lives of people and nature. It is impossible to talk about everyone at once, and we will definitely return to our conversation next time.

Exotic fruits have firmly entered the diet of modern people. However, there are also not very well-known and common tropical fruits and fruits, which you can familiarize yourself with in this material. The mysterious king of fruits, durian and mangosteen, is introduced. Asian fruits and plants that grow in Africa and South America.

South American fruits

Many tropical fruits South America, now common in southern countries, began to be grown by the Indians. The fragrance of guava trees in the Indian gardens was so wonderful that, according to legend, spanish conquerors Having inhaled it, they considered that they had entered heaven. Their fruits - strawberry guava, the size of a plum, or guava, the size of an orange, are still popular in tropical America just like apples in our country. These tasty, juicy and aromatic fruits are grown in the southern United States, Asia, and Australia. The Indians ate the fruits of many cacti, but none of them can compare in popularity with pithaya (dragon fruit), the fruit of an epiphyte cactus from Mexico. Covered with a bright pink shell, the fruit hides tasty white, red or purple pulp with many small black seeds.

The large green cones hanging among the foliage on tall trees are cherimoya fruits. This fruit was grown by the Incas, and now it grows in the gardens of Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia and Southern Europe. The cherimoya fruit is cut and the white pear-flavored pulp is eaten out of the scaly peel with a spoon.

Sapodilla is a slow-growing evergreen tree native to Mexico. The Indians liked sapodilla fruits, and now they are valued all over the world for the juiciness and tenderness of the pulp with a milky-caramel taste. Since ancient times, they have been eaten fresh, made into pie fillings, and fermented into wine.

Is avocado a fruit or vegetable?

What is an avocado - a fruit or a vegetable? It looks like a pear, and its second name is alligator pear. But the avocado tastes buttery and not sweet at all. This dietary fruit, rich in vitamins and proteins, nourishing and tender, was considered by the Mayans to be the most valuable product. The name avocado comes from the Mayan language. The Indians also grew the melon tree (papaya). At the top of the papaya trunk, under a crown of huge leaves, melon-like fruits with red juicy pulp, in the core of which black seeds are collected, ripen.

Avocados and papaya are grown on plantations not only in their homeland in Central America, but in many tropical countries. They are also supplied to Russia. But the fruit of South America - feijoa - is also grown in the south of our country. Green feijoa berries, reminiscent in taste, are rich in iodine and very healthy. Feijoas are not very juicy, and they are often used to make compotes and jams rather than eaten fresh.

Asian fruits

In the countries of Southeast Asia, for example, in India, Thailand, and the Philippines, different Asian fruits are grown than in our area, and many of them are unknown to those who have not been to these countries.

One of the most popular Asian fruits there is the lychee, or Chinese plum. Evergreen lychee trees bear fruit well in the subtropics, and the Chinese were the first to grow lychees, more than 4,000 years ago. Under the red, pimply skin of the lychee fruit lies white gelatinous pulp with a grape flavor. Lychees are eaten fresh and made into jelly and ice cream. Lychee is similar to its relative, rambutan, whose hairy skin hides tasty and vitamin-rich flesh.

Mangosteen fruit and its photo

The mangosteen fruit, native to tropical Asia, is now grown in the tropics around the world, considered one of the most exquisite fruits. Evergreen mangosteen trees begin to bear fruit late, at the age of 10-20 years. The mangosteen fruit is the size of an apple and is covered with a thick peel, inside which there is white pulp divided into segments with the taste of a mixture of apricot, melon, rose and lemon. Grows in tropical Asia tall tree carambola, related to our forest grass sorrel, hare cabbage. The cut carambola fruit looks like a star and has a pleasant floral taste. Sweet carambola is eaten fresh; unsweetened varieties are used to prepare salads, drinks and sauces.

Look at the photo of the mangosteen fruit, which can be eaten in any form:

King of fruits durian

A relative of mallow and Chinese is the durian fruit tree. Large as melons, covered with a prickly skin, the fruits of the king of fruits, durian, are disgusting and have a strong smell. It is even forbidden to bring it into public places - its smell is so nauseating.

But the one who, having overcome disgust, tastes the pulp of durian, will experience real pleasure. Its taste has no equal; it is not without reason that it is called the “king of fruits.”

Tropical fruits and fruits and their photos

Look at the tropical fruits in the photo: it’s amazing what shapes nature could come up with. They say about white-handed ones: “They think that buns grow on trees.” But in tropical countries, natives of New Guinea, breadfruit trees, related to figs and ficus, grow on plantations. Huge round fruits weighing up to 20 kg ripen right on their trunks - twice as large as a watermelon. The pulp of the fruit is very nutritious. Before harvesting, a hole is dug around the trunk, lined with banana leaves, and the fruits are knocked down from the trunk with sticks. In the pit, the fruits are pierced with sticks so that the pulp begins to ferment. After some time, the fermented fruits are peeled and dumped back into the pit. They are covered with leaves and pressed down with stones. This is how the dough “reaches” in the pit, turning into a thick mass. Then it is diluted with water and coconut milk and kneaded. Ready dough portions are wrapped in banana leaves and baked in the oven. This is how “tropical” bread is made. Breadfruit-like jackfruit is eaten raw, and its sticky flesh tastes like a pear.

African fruits and their photos

Fruits from Africa have long and firmly won the hearts of people around the world. Look at the African fruits in the photo and read their characteristics.

"Bible berry" Figs, figs, fig trees, wineberries - so many different names People gave this fruit, which has been grown for 5000 years in Arabia, Syria, Egypt and Greece. The fig tree is mentioned more than once in the Bible; the fig leaf was the first “clothing” of the first man Adam. Figs are a relative of ficus trees, and their inflorescences are collected in the same boxes - syconia. From each flower a miniature fruit develops - a drop of pulp with a seed. Collected inside a pear-shaped syconium with a soft skin, the miniature fruits form a common infructescence - the fig. Figs are eaten fresh with the peel, made into jam or dried. Dried figs are often found on the shelves of our stores.

"Queen of the Desert". Dates are one of the oldest known to man fruits Date palms grow in deserts, where there are underground springs, forming green islands among the sands - oases. Man “tamed” this “queen of the desert” 6,000 years ago; it was grown in ancient states: Egypt, Sumer, Assyria and Phenicia, which gave the date its name. Dried dates, a nourishing and non-perishable product, were taken with them by traders leading caravans to distant lands; both rich and poor people ate them. The Arabs still treat these palm trees with respect; they are grown even in places where there is no underground water, watering them with water that is precious in deserts. Wild, ownerless date palms are long gone - each one is accounted for and has an owner who monitors the health of its nurse.

The African continent ranks second in the world in terms of area and population. Due to the variable climate, Africa has a diverse range of plant and animal species: large predators roam the vast savannas among peacefully grazing herds of herbivores. Monkeys and snakes reign in the dark, dense forests. Africa is home to some of the most interesting animals in the world.

Vegetable world

IN equatorial Africa The world's largest areas of endangered tropical forest remain.

Some plants are endangered, including the baobab. These trees are probably the oldest inhabitants of the continent, with some estimated to be over 3,000 years old. Baobab tree trunks are used to store water, and the bark and leaves are used for medicinal purposes.

Ebony or ebony is also endangered. It has heavy wood, which is highly valued among indigenous peoples and in the international market.

Acacia is the symbol tree of Africa. These trees are adapted to hot and dry climates and grow across most of the black continent. Often acacia leaves are the only greenery that animals can get. To protect against starving people, the tree grew thorns, and now only giraffes can feast on acacia leaves.

Many types of aloe grow in Africa, including aloe vera. These are succulent plants with sweet nectar that attracts many birds. Aloe juice is widely used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes.

Animal world

Africa boasts more than 1,100 species of mammals, including herd animals such as wildebeest, buffalo and antelope, as well as zebras, giraffes and elephants. Rodents are represented by squirrels and rats various types, there are also rabbits and hares. There are more than 60 species of carnivores on the continent: lions, cheetahs, hyenas, leopards and others. Africa is also home to four species of great apes, including Western and eastern gorillas, chimpanzees, pygmy chimpanzees, and many other species of primates.

Thanks to Africa's varied climate, there are many species of reptiles and amphibians. There are chameleons, cobras, vipers, pythons, geckos, and rare species of frogs. Large turtles and crocodiles also inhabit the dark continent.

Many representatives of the savanna fauna are listed in the Red Book. Among them are cheetahs and african lions. They are threatened by habitat loss and climate change.

The black rhinoceros is a huge animal weighing one and a half tons and has three horns. Unfortunately, the horns have medicinal properties, which has led to a decrease in the number of rhinoceroses. African elephants and rare zebras may also become extinct due to habitat loss. Poachers do not stop their hunt for valuable tusks, horns and skins.

Africa is an amazing continent; perhaps this is where the first life originated. There are still many unexplored areas and areas that are difficult for scientists to reach. This means that Africa will surprise us with new discoveries more than once.

Video: Nature of Africa. Nature conservation, environmental problems.

The second largest continent on planet Earth is the continent of Africa. The first in size is the continent of Eurasia. There is another part of the world that is also called Africa. This article will look at Africa as the continent of the planet.

In terms of area, Africa is 29.2 million km2 (with islands - 30.3 million km2), which is about 20% of the planet's total land surface. The continent of Africa is washed Mediterranean Sea on the northern coast, the western coast is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, in the south and east the continent is washed by the Indian Ocean, and the north-eastern 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 continent is Cape Blanco, which is located in the Tunisian Republic.

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 southern point mainland Africa is Cape Agulhas, which is located in the territory Republic of South Africa(SOUTH AFRICA).

Relief of Africa

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

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

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

African climate

The climate of Africa can be ranked first among all continents in terms of warmth. This is the hottest continent, as it is completely in the hottest climatic zones planet Earth and is intersected by the equator line.

Central Africa is located in the equatorial belt. This belt is characterized by high precipitation and a complete absence of seasons. To the south and north of the equatorial belt there are subequatorial belts, which are characterized by a rainy season in summer and a dry season in winter. high temperatures air. If you follow further south and north after subequatorial belts, then the northern and southern ones follow respectively tropical zones. 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 is the Nile River (the length of its system reaches 6852 km), and the full-flowing river The Congo River is considered (the length of its system reaches 4374 km), which is famous for being the only river that crosses the equator twice.

There are also lakes on the mainland. The largest lake is Lake Victoria. The area of ​​this lake is 68 thousand km2. Greatest depth reaches 80 m in this lake. The lake itself is the second largest freshwater lake on planet Earth in terms of area.

30% of the landmass of continent Africa is deserts, in which bodies of water can be temporary, that is, at times they dry up completely. But at the same time, usually in such desert regions there can be observed The groundwater, which are located in artesian basins.

Flora and fauna of Africa

The continent of Africa is famous for its diversity of both flora and fauna. Tropical rainforests grow on the continent, which give way to open forests and savannas. 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 savannas you can most often find thorny bushes and small trees. The desert is characterized by a small variety of plants growing in it. Most often these are herbs, shrubs or trees in oases. Many desert areas have no vegetation at all. A special plant in the desert is considered to be the Velvichia amazing plant, which can live for more than 1000 years, it produces 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 areas of the savannah, 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 may seem uninhabited at first glance, but in fact there live many reptiles, insects, and birds that hunt mainly at night.

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

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Sumac (Rhus lancea L. f.), Sumac family (Anacardiaceae) - evergreen shrub or tree up to 9 m high with dark brown bark and reddish branches. The leaflets of the compound leaves are narrow, dark 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 made from it, the berries are eaten by birds). The wood is heavy, reddish-brown, highly polished and processed. The plant is found in the arid regions of South Africa along river banks and in depressions.

Bottle tree, bumbo, Pachypodium Lila (Pachypodium lealiii Welcome. = P. giganteum Engl.), Kutrov family (Apocynaceae) - a shrub or tree up to 7.6 m tall, with a bottle-shaped trunk, widened at the base and narrowed towards the apex. Around the main one there are several side stems that branch at the top. The bark is gray-green or light brown, often streaked with purple. The leaves are sessile, narrow-oblong, velvety, collected at the tops of the branches. The spines are purple, up to 1.5-3 cm long, usually arranged in pairs. The flowers, reminiscent of petunia flowers, are collected in clusters at the ends of the branches. It grows on dry rocky hills in the northern part of South-West Africa.

1 - Pachypodium namakwanis (Pachypodium namaquanum(Wyley ex Harv.) Welw.), Kutrov 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. Grayish-green velvety leaves are crowded at the tops and quickly fall off. The crown is always inclined to the north (that is, towards the sun, since this plant southern hemisphere). It has a very strange shape. In early September, its crown is dotted with tubular reddish-brown flowers with the scent of jasmine. This plant is found on dry rocky hills near the river. Orange in Namaqualand and southwest Africa. It is under guard and a fine will be charged for damage. 2 - Succulent Impala lily, or adenium obese (Adenium obesum(Forsk) Roem. et Schult. var. multiflorum (Klotrsch) Codd), Kutrov family (Apocynaceae) - grows in tropical Africa: in eastern and northern regions Transvaal, northern Zululand, Kenya and Swaziland. This is a shrub about 1.2 m in height. The leaves are succulent, light green, fleshy, and sit 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 poison for arrows. The plant is eaten by wild animals. The Impala lily has a tree-like form only in protected areas of northern Rhodesia. 3 - Baobab palmate, adansonia palmate, monkey breadfruit (Adansonia digitata L.), Baobab family (Bombacaceae) - a tree 10-25 cm in height with a powerful trunk, up to 12 m in diameter, and a huge crown. The leaves are large, palmately compound, falling during the dry season and turning green during the rainy season. The bark is very hard and smooth. Flowers up to 20 cm in diameter appear during the rainy season. The fruits are up to 40 cm long, look like a huge cucumber, with juicy pulp, mealy and sour, in which a mass of seeds is immersed. The wood is soft, light, porous, and there are no annual rings. Often during fires, huge hollows are formed in the tree (due to burning out of the core), but it continues to live. The roots grow hundreds of meters from the tree. Baobab is a typical tree of the African savanna. Due to its versatility, it is becoming rare, so it is recommended that it be protected in a number of countries in South Africa. The oldest specimens are preserved in the Kruger National Park.

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

1 - Boswellia Cartera (Boswellia carteri Birdw.), Burseraceae family, is found in highlands 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, Family Cycadaceae, is interesting for its ancient origin. It contains about 40 species. These are mainly low palm-shaped plants with a trunk 1-4, less often 8-15 m high; there are also stemless species. Their trunk is simple or branched from the base. The leaves are tough, with spiny-pointed segments and usually serrated on one or both edges. The local name is “breadfruit”: previously, the trunks were split and hardened pieces of resin were collected for 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 exported from Africa abroad or transferred to botanical gardens, parks, and private collections. Now all representatives of the genus are protected in Africa. 2 - Encephalartos Altenstein (Encephalartos altensteinii Lehm.) - a plant usually 2-4, less often 7 m high; 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. Megastrobiles are 40-50 cm long, up to 30 cm wide, weighing up to 40 kg. Grows in southeast Africa. Widely distributed in botanical gardens. 3 - Encephalartos kaffir (Encephalartos caffer(Thunb.) Lehm.) - characterized by very slow growth, can live up to 500 years. Its habitat 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 plant, but currently its reserves have decreased alarmingly due to the development of habitats for corn crops.

4 in Fig. top - Cyathea Drega, Drega tree fern, oriental tree fern (Cyathea dregei Kunze), Family Cyacheaceae - reaches a height of 5.5 m, has a strong, thick, unbranched trunk and an arched crown of very long, graceful, triple-dissected leaves, dark green above and light below. Found in South Africa (eastern Cape, Natal, eastern and central Transvaal) to tropical zone. It usually grows on plateaus, at an altitude of 350 m above sea level. seas, in the velds and on grassy slopes along streams. Protected in the Natal National Park, but protection is also required in the Transvaal.

2 - Encephalartos umbelusianus (Encephalartos umbeluziensis R.A. Dyer), Family Cycadaceae - quite small, less than 4 m in height. It has no trunk above the surface of the ground: thanks to the retracting action of its roots, the trunk goes 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 tributaries of the river. Mgulizi, from where it goes through the mountains to Mozambique. 3 - Encephalartos shaggy (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 significantly longer and thinner male cones. The genus Euphorbia is the most extensive in the Euphorbia family (Euphorbiaceae) - about 2 thousand species. It is well represented in Africa. Particularly interesting among plants of this genus are tree-like succulents, which give a unique appearance to the South African landscape. All succulent milkweeds are included in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna. The Cape Province of South Africa is distinguished by a significant diversity of euphorbias. The rarest species are spurge bighorn (Euphorbia grandicornis Goebel.) ( 1 in Fig. left), spurge terrible (Euphorbia horrhida 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. The leaves are terminal, fleshy, obovate. The flowers are small, yellowish-green, located at the tops of the branches. This milkweed is endemic to Somalia, known from 4-5 localities in the Golis Mountains region. 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 drought, it is used as a source of moisture in arid regions. It grows mainly on rocky hills, but one locality is known on a sandy alluvial plain. 3 - A very rare species of the Cape Province is aloe variegated (Aloe variegata L.), whose numbers are declining as a result of the destruction of its habitats. Widely distributed in culture.

Lead tree or elephant tusk tree (Combretum imberbe Wawra), Combretaceae family - reaches a height of 21 m and a diameter of 1 m. Its wood is heavy, the 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 characteristic feature tree. The main branches, almost white, are called "elephant tusks", young branches often ending in hard spines. The foliage is drooping (withered). The small, simple leaves are opposite, mounted on petioles, silver-gray, pale grayish-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, round, 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 shrub velds in Zululand, Swaziland, Transvaal, southwest Africa. The leaves serve as food for many animals, the juice is used as food, and the wood, which burns very slowly and produces a lot of heat, serves as an excellent fuel. Africans consider the lead tree to be sacred, the ancestor of humans, domestic and wild animals.

1 - Burkea africa, wild Hevea (Burkea africana Hook.), family Legumes (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 crocodile skin, dark red. The leaves are drooping, sit at the ends of the branches in clusters, double- or triple-pinnate, young silvery, later dark greenish-blue, flowers pale yellow. Grows in tropical West Africa, usually on sand, in acacia savanna, in dry open shrub veld at an altitude of 600-1370 m above sea level. seas. 2 - African longleaf acacia (Peltophorum africanum Sond.), Rhodesian black acacia, Legume family (Fabaceae) - a wide-spreading tree up to 9 m in height. The trunk is often twisted or branched almost from the ground. The leaves are alternate, silver-gray, twice divided. 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, medium weight, easy to polish and process, 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, southwest Africa, and Angola. Grows on sandy soils in dry scrubland and open savannah: is a common plant of the Transvaal bushland. Population numbers are declining due to the development of territories under Agriculture, consumption 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. A good garden tree: the seeds germinate quickly and are resistant to cold weather. 3 - Lonchocarpus capasian (Lonchocarpus capassa Rolfe), Legume family (Fabaceae) - 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 cracks, revealing its creamy-yellow interior and red sap. 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; local residents use it to make dishes, canoes, and for medicinal purposes. The bark and roots are highly toxic and are used as fish poison. Found in the bushes and lowland velds of Zululand, Swaziland, and the eastern and northern Transvaal. It also grows in the forests of the northeastern part of southwestern Africa, in Botswana, and further north in tropical Africa. A good garden tree, one of the rain or weeping trees of Africa.

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

The genus of aloe (family Liliaceae, Liliaceae) is widespread throughout the African continent, but tropical areas are especially rich in it. Aloe is a deciduous succulent, often tree-like, with highly branched trunks at the top, bearing bunches of fleshy leaves at the ends of succulent 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 arborescens (Aloe arborescens Mill.) is a beautiful branched plant no more than 3.3 m high. The stems branch from the base, each of them ends in a rosette of leaves. The leaves are long, rather fleshy, green or gray-green, with serrated edges. The inflorescence is usually unbranched. The flowers are light scarlet, cylindrical, densely covering the peduncle. The pulp of the leaves is used as medicine. The species' range 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 - distributed from sea level to mountain tops of 1829 m. It grows both in coastal bushes 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 in length and 3 cm in thickness. The leaves are lanceolate, sharp, sometimes with a bent back tip, bright green (turning brown in the sun), sometimes with spots. The inflorescence is simple or with 1-2 branches, about 100 cm in height, conical. The perianth is orange-red with yellow edges. It grows in Kenya on sandy soils and among gneiss rocks in woody savanna. Several species of aloe are endangered in the Cape Province - small-flowered (Aloe parviflora Baker) ( 3 in Fig. left), Pillanza (Aloe pillansii Guthrie), striped ( Aloe striatula Haw.), sessile-flowered (Aloe sessiliflora Ple Evans). 4 - Aloe multifolia, Aloe Lesotho (Aloe polyphylla Schonl ex Pillans) is a succulent perennial with a rounded rosette of 75-150 usually straight leaves up to 80 cm in diameter, arranged in a spiral. The leaves are very fleshy, ovate-oblong. Peduncle 50-60 cm in height, branching almost from the base, with flowers located at the tops of the branches. The flowers are pale red or pink, less often yellow. Endemic to Lesotho (South Africa), found on the ridge. Thaba Putsoa and to Maseru in the Drakensberg Mountains. This rare species has great importance for gardening, but supplies have dwindled due to the digging up of plants for sale to gardeners. Currently, about 3,500 specimens are known. in about 50 places. The plant has 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 that branch regularly after flowering and bearing at their tops dense bunches of thick sword-shaped 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. The berries are spherical, yellow. An ancient relic and one of the most remarkable plants of Djibouti, Ethiopia and Sudan (Eritrea and the Red Sea Hills), it is possible that it grows along the northern coast of Somalia. It is found in bush thickets on dry hills along sandstones or quartzite outcrops, at an altitude of 750-1200 m, together with candelabra-shaped tree Abyssinian spurge (Euphorbia abyssinica J.E. Gmelin) and various acacias. The vegetation of these hills suffers from overgrazing and is severely degraded. Some specimens of dracaena are preserved only on bare rocks; previously this species was a subdominant here. The number of dragon trees has also declined due to exploitation (extraction of sap, cutting 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 preserve the Nubian dragon tree is by breeding it in botanical gardens. All dracaenas were used in Mediterranean countries as a medicinal and coloring agent, and in India for religious ceremonies. There are about 50 species in the genus, and they are also protected Uzumbara dragon tree (Dracaena usambarensis Engl.), known from a locality in northeastern Tongaland and widely distributed in tropical Africa. 2 - Acacia giraffe (Acacia giraffae Willd.), family Mimosa (Mimosaceae) - a tree up to 9 m in height in South Africa and up to 2 m in Botswana. It 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, the inflorescence is round 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 Aforika, in Botswana. It grows very slowly, the oldest specimens are hundreds of years old. The seeds germinate poorly, the seedlings require light.

3 in Fig. top - Acacia Galpini, monkey thorn (Acacia galpini Burtt Davy), Family Mimosa (Mimosaceae) - a tree up to 82 m high, if you take into account the underground part of the trunk (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 trunk circumference is 1 m above the ground reaches 23.2 m, and the diameter of the crown is 555 m, the height above the ground is usually 25 m. The branches are widely spreading, on the trunk and branches there are long curved spines, the foliage is light green. The wood is heavy, dense, with a darker middle part. grew along the banks of the Magalakwena River, a tributary of the Limpopo, in the north-west of the Transvaal. Currently, almost all the old trees have been destroyed by fires and hurricanes, but in some places in the Transvaal there are still trees up to 25 m in height.

4 in the rice above - Angrekum two-row (Angraecum distichum Ldl.), Orchid family (Orchidaceae) - found in western tropical Africa along with another orchid - Angrecum Eichler (Angraecum eichlerianum Kränzl.). 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 highly developed aerial roots. Leaves are double-rowed, belt-shaped, flowers are solitary or in inflorescences. Many species have white flowers with a spur; they smell strongly at night, since they are pollinated by moths, the proboscis of which is equal to the length of the spur. Flowers of some species are used in making tea for their aroma.

1 - Chondropetalum akoki (Chondropetalum acockii Pillans), Family Restionaceae, is a rush-like perennial with creeping rhizomes and very thin, straight, unbranched stems 70 cm in height. Male inflorescences are in spreading panicles 5-10 cm long; Women's are similar to men's, but smaller. There are several known localities of this species in South Africa, in a very populated area between Cape Town and Mair over a distance of 45 km. The search for other populations in the remaining areas of relict vegetation was unsuccessful. It grows on poorly drained sands located on clays that retain moisture at an altitude of 100-300 m above sea level. seas. Four populations are known from areas of natural vegetation remaining in this developed area. The area of ​​each population is less than 2 hectares. 2 - Bulbophyllum barbella (Bulbophyllum barbigerum Ldl.), Orchid family (Orchidaceae) - found in West Africa. It has wide oval tubers 3 cm long with a single leaf. A 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 - Disa single-flowered (Disa uniflora Berg), Orchid family (Orchidaceae) is a very spectacular plant, the flowers are collected in inflorescences. There are about 80 species in the genus Disa, distributed in Africa, Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands. The Cape region is especially rich in them. Grows in damp and marshy places, in meadows. Genus Hyphene, Palma doum 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. The leaves are fan-shaped, with xiphoid lobes, the fruits have a scaly skin. The juice of the fruit is used to make palm wine.

4 in Fig. top - Egyptian ginger palm (Hyphaene thebaica(L.) Maert.) almost disappeared from the face of the Earth. This tree is 10 m high with 3-4 branches, each of which ends in a bunch of fan-shaped leaves, flowers appear among them. In females, the flowers are replaced by large clusters of reddish, shiny, yellow-brown fruits (there are up to 200 of them in one cluster). The fruits are edible, their fibrous powdery 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 numbers have decreased due to irrigation work in the Nile Valley. The Egyptian palm tree is also known in the region of Chad and Chadian Sakhali.

Another type of doom palm - Hyphaene ventricosa Kirk. - found in the north of South-West Africa and Botswana, and to the north it penetrates into tropical Africa. This tree is 15-18 m tall with a simple trunk, often having a characteristic convexity 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, underneath there is a layer of edible pulp, in which the hard core is immersed. The milk from the young fruits resembles the milk of coconuts. The top of the trunk is often cut off to extract the sap used to make palm wine. Its numbers have also decreased significantly.

In general, Africa is one of the centers of origin of palm trees. Two species of African palms are endangered and 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 hard, xiphoid, the lateral ones are much shorter and narrower than the middle ones. Male and female flowers - on different trees. The males are small, with 3 spreading petals 3-4 mm long, hidden in tomentose bracts and collected in dense spikes about 15-28 mm long and 1 cm thick. Female flowers are 5 mm in diameter, round, on strong petioles 1 cm long. The fruits are elliptical, 2-5 cm long, with a shiny brownish-purple surface. This palm tree is found in just a few places in Egypt and Sudan. There are 3 known locations in Egypt - an uninhabited oasis 220 km southwest of Aswan, 200 km west of Aswan and on the eastern bank of the Nile (in the south). In Sudan it is known from one locality, approximately 200 km southeast of Wadi Halfa. It grows in river shallows, wadis and oases. Apparently, in the past it was widespread much more widely, and widely in ancient Egypt: in the ancient Egyptian pyramids there are numerous images and fruits of it). In general, palm populations are at critically low levels due to exploitation (the fruits are edible, and the leaves are used to make mats).

2 - Wissmannia 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. The petioles are 120 cm long, armed along the edge with spines bent back and yellowish-green on the lower surface. Leaf blades are up to 95 cm long, green on both sides. The inflorescences are axillary, each branch bears a yellow bisexual flower. The ripe fruit is round. The palm is very similar to some species of the widely cultivated genus Livistona. Vissmannia is known from Somalia, Djibouti and South Yemen. It grows along river banks, in valleys and oases, and in Djibouti near brackish water bodies. Its numbers have noticeably decreased. The decrease in numbers is associated with logging (wood is valued as construction material), grazing of sheep and cattle, which prevents its resumption. Cultivated in Kenya, found in botanical garden Kew (England). Both described palm species are included in the IUCN Red List. 3 - Orotamius Zeichera, swamp rose (Orothamnus zeyheri Pappe ex Hook.), Proteaceae family - classified as vulnerable species. This is a single-stemmed tree or low-branched shrub 1-4 m in height. The leaves are densely arranged on the branches, elliptical, leathery, hairy, especially along the edges. The flower heads (AO 1-3 at the tips of the branches) are subulate, 5-7 cm long, with pink-red pubescent bracts 4-6 cm long surrounding the lemon yellow flowers. The fruit is oblong, about 6 mm. Swamp rose is found only in South Africa. There are 9 known populations and several small groups of this plant in the Kogelberg mountains in the south-west of the Cape region and one population near Hermanus, 25 km east of the previous ones. It grows on steep slopes of southern exposure, at an altitude of 500-850 m. It may disappear due to uncontrolled burning of vegetation, fungal diseases and damage by rats. This is the most beautiful view of all Proteaceae. The rose-like red bracts of the heads are very decorative and have long attracted the attention of flower traders.

4 in Fig. above - Velvichia is amazing (Welwitschia bainesii(Hook.f.) Carr = W.mirabilis Hook. f.), Family Welwitschiaceae - a unique dwarf desert tree that has only 2 leaves throughout its life. The trunk usually reaches a height of 30 cm, very rarely 1.5 m, but underground 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 wide, thick, leathery, ribbed, up to 3.7 m long, greenish-brown in color. They never fall and continue to grow, piling up on the sand. Male and female cones appear at the base of the leaves, on different individuals. The males are pink and the females are greyish-green at first and red when ripe. The seeds are winged, light, and carried by the wind. All organs of the plant secrete a transparent resin. It is found in southwestern Africa only along the west 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 to the area of ​​ocean fog, the greatest distance from the sea is 80 km. Grows in sandy deserts scattered, in single specimens, never forming groups. Is protected by law. Velvichia is a transitional plant between the types of gymnosperms and angiosperms.

Published based on the book: Belousova L.S., Denisova L.V. Rare plants peace. M.: Forest industry, 1983. 344 p.