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In these days the newspapers are almost full of articles regarding the elections for the country president. In an attempt for balance we hereby release a small issue of the Atlas Admirabilis, as light fare for our valued readers.





The islands of Socotra are a small archipelago east of the Horn of Africa in the Indian Ocean. Consisting of four islands, the largest one is also called Socotra.



Like the Galápagos Islands it is very isolated and so many endemic species evolved, meaning species which are completely unique to this location. In fact, more than one third of Socotras plant life is found nowhere else on the planet. Combined with its drought and heat many wonderful plants developed and the impression of Socotra is often very alien-like, as if the visitor would dwell on a foreign planet.

The strange looking Dragon's Blood Tree has red sap, hence the "Dragon Blood", because it was believed to be the dragon's blood of the ancients which was used as medicine and dye in europe since the time of the Roman Empire.



Dorstenia Gigas is a succulent plant with bulbous appearance.





The Cucumber Tree is a relict from primeval times. Recent molecular analysises found that the lineage of the Cucumber Tree is twice as old as Socotra as island itself, and seems to be a relict of a progenitor lineage now extinct on the mainland. It is the only member of the Cucurbitaceae family to grow as a tree. A better known member of this family would be the melon.



Another endemic plant, and our last one, is the Aloe perryi, member in the well known genus Aloe.





Have a nice and calm weekend.

Your (hard working and poorly paid) editorial team of The Concordian Post.