Xel-Ha is a nature reserve where a variety of plants species can be found. It is a great experience to walkthrough paths watching the vegetable richness.
MANGROVE
Its wood is used by local people to elaborate of posts or coal manufacture. Bark and leaves are tannin; it is used to leather tanned.
They are considered biological filters or the ocean’s kidneys. Mangrove’s branches send oxygen to roots which works like filters against pollutants and are a refuge to a lot of little organism like fish, crustaceans, mollusks and birds. Mangrove is the only one plant which can to live inside saltwater. Its leaves and wood are fairly resist to plagues and leaves fallen on water are useful to fertilize coasts. Tides and ocean currents carry nutrients from mangrove to reefs and marine grass. It is an integral part of the ocean ecosystem. When human being destroy mangrove, also destroy reefs and this is an environmental tragedy.
CHIT PALM
Leaves are used to build roofs of houses, its trunk to trap for lobsters. Its medical use is aphrodisiac, balsamic, diuretic, tonic and is useful to tuberculosis treatment.
It is until 10 meters high and it is resist to floods and salinity. It is distributed along the Yucatan Peninsula, but it is endangered because of overexploitation. Its scientific name is: Thrinax radiata
GUANO
It is distributed from Veracruz to Quintana Roo. It is a palm of 20 meters high, straight trunk and smooth bark. Leaves are hand-held fan shape of 20 meters diameter. Flowers have white petals and as fruits it has globe nuts. This palm blooms from June to October.
Leaves are used to build roofs to rural houses because it is a leave fairly resist to rottenness and trunks are used to build houses and bridges. It has an aphrodisiac, aperitif, painkiller, digestive and tonic use by local people.
ZAPOTE
It is distributed along tropic thunders of Yucatan Peninsula, Chiapas, Quintana Roo and Veracruz as well as Guatemala and Belize. It is a 40 meters high tree, too ranched and leafy. Bark is dark and exudes a milky substance. Its wood is beautiful, strong and reddish. Flower can be found in bunch at the top, they are dun. Fruits are globe, pulp and sweet berries.
Zapote was used from prehispanics eras. Its fruit was praise by colonizers because of its superior taste compare with European known fruits. Its wood of excellent quality and beauty color is used to glue, varnish and insulator manufacture.
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