Plants

Researchers at East China Normal University in Shanghai have found that a substance - D-chiro-inositol - found in fig-leaf gourd (Cucurbita ficifolia) pulp extract can replace insulin.

Rowan varieties, specially adapted for the food industry, have been created.

Some trees are connected by a root system and form a colony.

Flowering of poinsettias takes place from November to January.

Tallest saguaro cactus recorded so far was 23,8 m (78 ft) high.

Its blooms are pink or white and spread a sweet and spicy fragrance.

The largest producers of lemon balm are Egypt, Hungary, and Italy.

Corn is a staple food in many regions of the world.

In mature trees the leaves are palmately compound, but seedlings and regenerating shoots may have simple leaves.

Fruits are used to produce bioinsecticides and deodorants.