When plants are injured, they actually bleed?

When walking in the Garden Expo Park, have you ever seen a plant that bleeds? When its surface is damaged, a blood-like liquid will slowly flow out...

What kind of plant is this? In fact, its name is Hainan Dragon Blood Tree, also known as Cambodian Dragon Blood Tree, Small Flower Dragon Blood Tree, Latin name Dracaena cambodianaPierre ex Gagnep., is a national second-level rare and endangered protected plant belonging to the genus Dracaena of Agave family, and is distributed in Hainan, Yunnan, Chongqing in my country, as well as Vietnam, Cambodia and other places abroad. According to legend, in ancient times, a giant dragon fought with an elephant, and the dragon's blood was spilled on the earth. The soil soaked by the dragon's blood absorbed the dragon's blood, and later a plant with an upright posture grew from such soil. Because it is said that it grew by absorbing dragon's blood, it is called dragon blood tree.

And its "dragon blood" is really useful! When the Hainan dragon blood tree is injured, the sticky "dragon blood" will slowly flow out of the injured area, slowly covering the wound, acting as a "bandage" for the tree, so that the damaged area will slowly heal. For humans, "dragon blood" is also the raw material for the production of a precious Chinese medicinal material - dragon blood jelly (also called "kylin jelly"), which has the effects of stopping bleeding and relieving pain, killing bacteria and reducing swelling, and promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. The records in the history of traditional Chinese medicine can be traced back to more than 1,500 years ago. The "saint doctor" Li Shizhen also called dragon blood jelly a "blood-activating holy medicine" in the "Compendium of Materia Medica". In addition to its medicinal value, "dragon blood" can also be used to make dyes and paints. In addition, it also has an antiseptic effect, so it was also used as a "natural preservative" in ancient times to preserve corpses.

The brothers of the same genus as Hainan Dragon Blood Tree also have the characteristic of "bleeding", but they look really different! Dragon Blood Trees can be divided into two categories according to their ethnic groups: one is the tree-like Dragon Blood Tree, and the other is the shrub-like Dragon Blood Tree. The tree-like Dragon Blood Tree mostly grows in hot and arid semi-desert areas. The Soco Dragon Blood Tree in Socotra Province, Yemen is a very representative tree-like Dragon Blood Tree. Its branches and leaves are upturned, and the crown is umbrella-shaped, which can provide enough shade, reduce evaporation, and protect the seeds under the tree. There are 5 species of Dragon Blood Tree in my country, all of which are shrub-like Dragon Blood Trees, namely Longhua Dragon Blood Tree, Hainan Dragon Blood Tree, Twig Dragon Blood Tree, Sword-leaf Dragon Blood Tree and Dwarf Dragon Blood Tree. Among them, the most common is Hainan Dragon Blood Tree, and Hainan Dragon Blood Tree is also commonly used for extracting blood. The Dragon Blood Tree family has a large number of branches, a wide distribution, and various forms. Don't be afraid when we see strange plants that "bleed" in the future. Maybe it is also a member of the Dragon Blood Tree family!

Author: Chongqing Garden Expo Park Management Office

Audit expert: Li Yuanyuan

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