Dragon Tree. Scientific Name : Dracaena draco
If a person carries an umbrella in a storm, there is no need to tell what will happen to the umbrella and to him! But a tree that stands as an umbrella to the sky is not affected by a storm there. Let's see about that.
The name of the tree is often determined by the appearance of the tree. In that way, the name of reverced umbrella tree has been used for this tree. Because its branches and leaves grow upwards, the general appearance of the tree is like an umbrella turned upside down. Its bark exudes a blood-red resin. The name dragon wood must have come from the fact that the resin resembles the blood of a dragon.
We can understand this analogy if we first know what kind of animal this dragon is. What is a dragon? A dragon is a fictional animal. The animal is symbolic of different beliefs in Indian, Greek, and Norwegian cultures. According to the hypothesis of the human culture researcher "David Jones", it is in the tradition of humanity that came from the monkey way that it is natural to be afraid of snakes, lions, tigers and eagles.
As a response to that fear, the dragon[1] has emerged as a mystical beast that combines all three animals. Some scholars believe that the fictional dragon was inspired by dinosaurs that disappeared in the Ice Age Flood. "Vritra[2]refers to an animal in Indian cultures. A three-headed dragon called 'Ahi' can be found in Indian Vedic and Puranas. But in ancient Greek Maya mythology, the hundred-headed serpent-bodied dragon named “Ladon”[3] killed by Hercules is famous.
The red color of this resin resembles dragon's blood, hence the name dragon wood. The rough and rugged appearance of the dragon tree can be a little intimidating, just like the dragon. However, it is true that the dragon is an imaginary monstrous animal and it is because of its symbolism that this giant tree got its name as the dragon tree.
What is the place of the dragon tree - what country?
Although there are 6 species of dragon tree in different countries, the most popular species of dragon tree grows in large numbers in Chacotra, a separate island of the Republic of Yemen, a country in the south-east of the Arabian continent. Its botanical name is its sister species, the dragon tree, which is popular in the Canary Islands. Our marula is a distant relative of the dragon tree.
Chacotra Island is an important part of a four-island conglomerate at the northern end of the Indus Sea at the tri-junction of the African Arabian continent and the Arabian Gulf. It is a conjecture that the root word for the name of this island of Chakotra is “Suhadhara” which means purity holy in Sanskrit.
Although part of the ancient a "gondwana"[4]it was isolated by a continental rift thousands of years ago and has acquired unique topography, different climates, and correspondingly peculiar assemblages. The gondwana is home to the largest number of endemic species in the world.
The dragon tree is the unique tree of such an island. This type of subtropical umbrella tree is characterized by a climate of four months between hot, dry and heavy storms and a climate of rain like snow for four months and a soil type of rock, limestone and soil.
A tree or a plant?
This tree is a species thuat produces only one cotyledon when sprouting like a coconut palm. In fact, it is a plant species that does not fit in the grammar of tree! Coconut and banana are plants just like that!! But visually they look like trees. A tree must keep on branching. There should be two types of growth namely direct growth and transverse growth. There is a difference between soft wood on the outside and hard wood on the inside.
Monocots don't have these characteristics, but even as a monocot, this dragon produces a strange strain with round branches like umbels after vertical growth to a certain height, and woody stems by atypical transverse growth. It can be considered the most dicotyledonous of monocotyledonous plants.
Tricks for hot weather
In the environment of land, rock, air heat, the only comfort is rain like snow for four consecutive months. The dragon tree is a self-sculptor that carves its own shape and structure to the extent that such a habitat can be used usefully! Come see the magnificence of that natural sculpture. The double-branched branches spread out like an umbrella and reach about 60 cm in order to facilitate the pouring of the drops of water available in the four-month rains into the rock crevices. An oblong leaf 3 cm long and 3 cm wide
One side is the miracle of storing water by turning the leaves into angular canals and allowing the rainwater to flow through the earth. The sculpture of the dragon tree is on the one hand the social sense of keeping the water stored under the same umbrella from evaporating and making its fallen seeds and companion plants grow.
Once in 3 or 4 years all the leaves fall off and new leaves grow green. Flowering time varies from place to place but usually in February the white, fragrant flowers appear in clusters at the tips of the branches. Five months after flowering, green pods develop and turn dark and then red fruits. It feeds on birds and animals and disperses the seeds inside.
Imaginary benefits and real benefits.
The saffron-red resin extracted from dragon tree bark is known as dragon's blood. In ancient times it was considered a valuable magical substance and medicinal powder. It has a special place in the magical ("voodoo")[4] and alchemical medicine of African tribes. During that time, the tantras of turning the red powder into a magic wand and leaving smoke to ward off evil energy from homes have taken place.
Similarly, there was a custom of mixing this powder with red ink and making amulets. But this same resin has been used as a colored varnish for polishing violins in Italy and other countries since the 19th century. Rumi, a town on the island of Chacotra, has been considered by some to be the main cure for many ailments.
Its list of medicinal properties goes on and on, from treating wounds to anticoagulation to reducing fever and controlling diarrhoea. But it can be said that its use has declined in modern times. Resins obtained from different parts of the dragon tree, croton tree, and a type of rattan tree are also known as dragon's blood.
Although the thick, tough and tasteless nature of dragon tree leaves is not a preferred fodder for sheep, dragon leaves become an indispensable fodder during droughts.
spread and habitate
Although it is still prevalent today as the main tree of Chacotra Island, its habitat has started to be threatened due to drought season fodder, climate change and tourism increase. Efforts are being made to save Ative's flora. Chacotra Island has been declared as one of the World Cultural Symbols and one of the World's Biodiversity Areas.
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