Socotra and the Dragon's Blood Trees
On an island off Arabia grow trees shaped like upturned umbrellas that bleed red sap. Ancient people said it was the blood of a dragon.
What was reported
Socotra lies in the Arabian Sea between Yemen and Somalia, cut off from the mainland for millions of years. About a third of its plants grow nowhere else on Earth, so its landscapes look like another planet.
Its most famous tree, the dragon's blood tree, has a thick crown spreading like an umbrella and oozes a deep red resin. Ancient writers said it came from a battle between a dragon and an elephant, and the resin was traded as a medicine, a dye and a varnish.
Explanations offered
The island's isolation and harsh, dry climate led its plants to evolve along their own lines; the umbrella shape helps the trees catch moisture from mist and shade their roots. The red resin is still harvested. Socotra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- When
- Known since ancient times
- Where
- Socotra, Yemen
- Witnesses
- Ancient traders, travellers and botanists
- Status
- Explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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