Spurge family – Euphorbiaceae
The Euphorbiaceae is a large family of flowering plants with 280 genera and around 6.000 species. Most species are herbs, but some are also shrubs or trees. The leaves are alternate, seldom opposite, with stipules. The radially symmetrical flowers are unisexual, with the male and the female flowers usually occurring on the same plant. The fruit is usually a dry fruit that develops from multiple carpels with three or more cells, each of which splits open at maturity into separate parts and then breaks away explosively, scattering the small seeds. An often toxic milky sap or latex is a characteristic of the subfamiliy Euphorbioideae. More than 1.000 species are succulent plants.
Aloe Vera – Aloe barbadensis
There are about 400 different species of Aloe. The succulent plant Aloe Vera can reach an age of ten years. Its inflorescence is about one metre high and has reddish flowers. The leafs are arranged in a rosette, between 40 and 50 cm long and 6 to 7 cm wide. Each leaf contains three layers: The grey-green leatherlike outer layer protects the plant from drain. The yellow resinous juice of the middle layer is bitter and protects the plant from animals. The inner layer consists of a gel with 96% water. The gel contains substances which are believed to strengthen the human immune system and to stimulate the healing of wounds. Alexander the Great already treated his soldiers injuries with the Aloe Vera juice, and Nefertiti and Cleopatra used an Aloe paste for skin and beauty treatments.
Euphorbia
Euphorbia is a genus of the family Euphorbiaceae, which encompasses nearly 2.000 types. The name Euphorbia comes from a Greek surgeon named Euphorbus, who supposedly used the milky latex of these plants in his potions. The genus ranges from small trees, shrubs, vines to herbaceous plants. A significant percentage of these are succulent plants, meaning they store water in their enlarged fleshy leaves, stems or roots over a long period.
Elephant’s Foot – Pachypodium rosulatum
From the known 25 types of Pachypodium, 18 species can be found on Madagascar. The Elephant’s Foot is endemic to Madagascar. The word Pachypodium comes from the Greek and means “thick-footed”. This very slow growing, short and thick succulent has a large tuberous stem. It branches into cylindrical arms with a rosette of leafs on the top. It takes ten years from germinating to blooming. The flowers are long-stalked and sulphur-yellow. One can speculate that in Madagascar there are still unidentified Pachypodium species.
The Euphorbiaceae is a large family of flowering plants with 280 genera and around 6.000 species. Most species are herbs, but some are also shrubs or trees. The leaves are alternate, seldom opposite, with stipules. The radially symmetrical flowers are unisexual, with the male and the female flowers usually occurring on the same plant. The fruit is usually a dry fruit that develops from multiple carpels with three or more cells, each of which splits open at maturity into separate parts and then breaks away explosively, scattering the small seeds. An often toxic milky sap or latex is a characteristic of the subfamiliy Euphorbioideae. More than 1.000 species are succulent plants.
Aloe Vera – Aloe barbadensis There are about 400 different species of Aloe. The succulent plant Aloe Vera can reach an age of ten years. Its inflorescence is about one metre high and has reddish flowers. The leafs are arranged in a rosette, between 40 and 50 cm long and 6 to 7 cm wide. Each leaf contains three layers: The grey-green leatherlike outer layer protects the plant from drain. The yellow resinous juice of the middle layer is bitter and protects the plant from animals. The inner layer consists of a gel with 96% water. The gel contains substances which are believed to strengthen the human immune system and to stimulate the healing of wounds. Alexander the Great already treated his soldiers injuries with the Aloe Vera juice, and Nefertiti and Cleopatra used an Aloe paste for skin and beauty treatments.
Euphorbia Euphorbia is a genus of the family Euphorbiaceae, which encompasses nearly 2.000 types. The name Euphorbia comes from a Greek surgeon named Euphorbus, who supposedly used the milky latex of these plants in his potions. The genus ranges from small trees, shrubs, vines to herbaceous plants. A significant percentage of these are succulent plants, meaning they store water in their enlarged fleshy leaves, stems or roots over a long period.
Elephant’s Foot – Pachypodium rosulatumFrom the known 25 types of Pachypodium, 18 species can be found on Madagascar. The Elephant’s Foot is endemic to Madagascar. The word Pachypodium comes from the Greek and means “thick-footed”. This very slow growing, short and thick succulent has a large tuberous stem. It branches into cylindrical arms with a rosette of leafs on the top. It takes ten years from germinating to blooming. The flowers are long-stalked and sulphur-yellow. One can speculate that in Madagascar there are still unidentified Pachypodium species.
