Calabar Bean - Congo (Brazzaville)

Physostigma venenosum is native to tropical Africa and produces the Calabar bean. The plant grows to heights of 15 meters and produces seed pods containing 2 to 3 chocolate brown beans. The beans contain physostigmine, an alkaloid. If accidentally ingested by humans, these beans produce an effects similar to having been exposed to nerve gas. The toxin disrupts communication between the central nervous system and respiratory organs, resulting in death by asphyxiation.

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The first known inhabitants to settle the area of present day Republic of Congo were the Bambuti people, a group belonging to Pygmy tribes. They were slowly replaced by the Kongo, a branch of the Bantu people. The Kongo began to dominate the region by establishing a loose confederation of tribal kingdoms along the mouth of the Congo River. At the height of power, this Kongolese kingdom had a population of 4 million inhabitants and covered an area of 300,000 square kilometers.

Gum Acacia - Senegal

Senegalia senegal - The gum acacia is a tree native to the arid regions below the Sahara Desert. It grows to a  height of 15 meters and has a trunk of 30 centimeters in diameter. The seeds are dried and eaten, crushed into powder to make dyes or used for making soap after extracting the essential oils. The bark of the tree secretes a gum, an important ingredient used as an emulsifier, stabilizer, and flavor enhancer. This gum is commonly found in items made by the confectionery industry.

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The Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest is a central bank located in Dakar, Senegal. It manages the currencies of the West African Economic and Monetary Union, a custom and currency union of several West African states. The Communauté Financière d'Afrique (CFA) was established in 1945 to serve as a unified currency in French colonial Africa against the devalued franc being used in France. There are currently 14 countries using the CFA.

Cockspur Coral Tree - Argentina

Erythrina crista-galli - The cockspur coral tree is native to Argentina, Southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, but can be found world wide. Its bright red flowers make it a desirable ornamental plant. The cockspur is known as “ceibo” in Spanish and “corticeira” in Portuguese. The tree is small, growing 5 to 8 meters in height and having a gnarled trunk with a diameter of 50 centimeters. In natural settings, it is often found along the banks of rivers and streams. The seeds are poisonous if ingested.

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Argentina, being a large country, had many indigenous people prior to the arrival of Europeans. The Diaguita, Guaraní, Kolla, Mapuche, Mocoví, Toba, and Wichí peoples are the more well-known of a list recognizing 35 individual groups. These groups consisted of basic and advanced hunter-gathers, successful farmers leading sedentary lives, or those flourishing by establishing thriving trading centers. Currently, only 1.5% of Argentina’s population ascribes themselves as Native American.

Pride of Barbados - Barbados

Caesalpinia pulcherrima - The pride of Barbados is a large evergreen shrub growing, on average, to 4 meters in height. This plant puts out striking flowers of red, yellow or orange petals. The fruit is contained in a long greenish pod. Upon maturity, the pod turns brown and bursts open for seed dispersal. Each pod contains 5 or 6 seeds and they are poisonous. The pride of Barbados is native to the West Indies and Mexico, but is cultivated throughout the world as an ornamental plant.

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In 1492, the Spanish became the first Europeans to visit Barbados. They were followed by the Portuguese who arrived in 1536. Both groups claimed the island for their respective country, but neither made any efforts to establish a settlement on Barbados. William Courten, an English merchant and trader, was granted letters-patent to Barbados in 1627 and began sending colonists to the island for the purpose of setting up tobacco plantations. England held Barbados until it became independent in 1966.

Bullhorn Acacia - Belize

Vachellia cornigera - The name for the bullhorn acacia tree is derived from the bull shaped hollow thorns at the base of the leaves. The plant has a symbiotic relationship with the pseudomyrmex ant. The bullhorn lacks the bitter alkaloid found in most acacia trees to deter insects and grazers. The ants harvest the leaf tips and eat the nectar flowing from the base of the leaf petioles. The plant is protected from other insects and animals by the ants residing in the hollow thorns.

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Following the decline and fall of the Maya civilization, Belize, along with most of the Americas, fell to Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century. British settlers, many being active or former pirates, were granted permission by the Spanish Crown to settle and log Belize, having agreed to forsake piracy. With the end of Spanish rule in Central America, the colony was formally ceded to Britain in 1836 and became British Honduras. In 1981, the colony was granted independence and renamed Belize.