The Dividivi (Caesalpinia coriaria) is a tree-like shrub that originally grows in the barren, extremely windy coastal areas in Northern Venezuela, Colombia and the islands closeby (like Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire, which were part of the Province of Venezuela until the third decade of the XVII century).
The pods can be used to get tannin, a very versatile compound. Locals also treat a lot of ailments with different parts of this plant.
When Juan Martín de Ampués and later the Germans under the Welser arrived in Venezuela, this was one of the first trees they saw in the very arid region of Coriana, now around Coro, in Falcón.
In the beginning 90s lots of the Divi trees on the ABC island went sick. There were specialist from the US and Europe on the islands to find out what it was but nobody came up with the reason.
ReplyDeleteIn the years since some of the small trees have been growing and look healthy ....
I will send you some pictures PM
Hi, Brigitte. Thanks for the pictures! I haven't been to the ABC islands yet but I know well the region of Falcón and those plants are quite common there. I love them. They are not colourful or something, but they show the persistence of nature...and you definitely know where the wind blows.
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