Libyan desert

1. Libyan desert By: Noor Al Thani www.google.com.qa

3. Plants

4. The Colocynth The Colocynth is a wild gourd that is native in the Sahara desert and it's scientific name is Citrullus Colocynthis. It is a lemon sized fruit that is yellowish green with a spongy texture. It's seeds have many uses and is most commonly used for medicinal purposes to treat illnesses such as constipation because it is an effective laxative. The small seeds of the Colocynth are used by Desert Bedouins to make bread and they are known to be nutritious. Another use for the Colocynth is the powder of the vegetable which can be used to treat parasitic worms in the body. As well as this the vegetable has be known to help treat scorpion stings. The Colocynth has a very bitter taste and has quite an unpleasant smell. The Colocynth is a creeping plant that grows along the ground and thrives in the desert climate. Although there is not a lot of rainfall in the Libyan desert, when it does rain the seeds in the Colocynth germinate much easier and the plants grows more wildly. http://www.ehow.com/facts_5159413_plant-life-sahara.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citrullus_colocynthis http://traveltips.usatoday.com/plants-live-sahara-desert-61705.html http://www.wildcrafting.net/forage/plant/117/

5. The Branbakh The Branbakh or as it is scientifically known, CalotropisProcera, has purple star like flowers and large, fuzzy gray leaves that has a sticky sap. The Branbakh is commonly known as Sodom's Apple. Sodom's Apple grows a highly toxic green fruit. The Branbakh is a drought resistant plant and can tolerate a lot of salt. It also disperses many seeds easily and can sometimes grow so wildly that it becomes a weed in its unnatural environment. The stems of the Branbakh are very good for fire because they act like a charcoal. The floss from the seeds is very strong and has a lot of uses such as stuffing for mattresses and pillows, and it is used for making ropes and nets. Rainfall helps this plant to germinate more easily. Small insects like bees and butterflies help to pollinate this plant and help it to continue growing.  http://www.gardenguides.com/123439-native-plants-libya.html http://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org/sea/products/afdbases/af/asp/SpeciesInfo.asp?SpID=421

6. The African Peyote Cactus The African Peyote Cactus is found in the Lybian desert. It has very thick stems that helps to hold water for a very long time. The leaves of the cactus help to prevent evaporation. The Peyote Cactus also has some medicinal uses such as the alkaloid found in the plant is used to treat schizophrenia. The pink flowers on the Peyote Cactus grow to become a small edible pink fruit. Some native tribes use the this cactus to treat pain such as toothache and fever. The Peyote cactus is not affected by heat but rainfall helps it to hold more water which helps it to continue to grow.  http://www.buzzle.com/articles/sahara-desert-plants.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peyote

7. Animals

8. Camels Camels are a native animal to the Libyan Desert. Most camels have one hump and can survive for about two weeks without drinking water which is ideal for an animal that lives in such dry conditions. A camel can carry about 100 litters of water and unlike popular belief the water is not stores in the hump. The hump of a camel is mostly fat. Camels are used for transporting people and their belongings and have been used for this for thousands of years. The native people of the Libyan desert use camels for meat, milk and fur. A fully grown camel is usually about 6 feet tall and weigh about 1,500 pounds. The camel has special feet that have leathery pads and two toes. The feet are very tough and ideal for walking along hot sand and rough, stony grounds. The toes of a camel are also very useful as they walk over the sand they spread their toes http://www.animalport.com/desert-animals/Camels.html http://www.temehu.com/Wild-life-in-sahara.htm

9. reptilesPython In the Lybian desert you can find many different reptiles but one to avoid is the Python. The python is a venomous snake that kills its prey by coiling its body around it and suffocating it. The python has very thick skin which helps to reduce water loss. The python is a cold blooded animal that can not produce its own heat so the desert is an ideal place for it to live because of the climate. Native Lybians believe that all snakes are harmless if they are left alone. There are different types of pythons in the Lybian desert but the reticulated python grows up to 25 feet long and the African ball python is larger and can grow longer, however, it is less dangerous • http://www.ehow.com/list_6952897_reptiles-live-sahara_.html • http://www.temehu.com/Wild-life-in-sahara.htm

10. Fennec fox ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fennec_Fox http://expertscolumn.com/content/desert-fox-sahara-bat-earred-fennec-fox • The Fennec fox is native to the Libyan desert and is a nocturnal animal. The Fennec fox can survive very high temperatures and small amounts of water because their coat, ears and kidneys have adapted over time. The Fennec fox has unusually large ears which help them to hear prey and it is very small in size averaging about 1kg. The coat of the Fennec fox is cream and this helps to deflects the harsh desert heat during the day but also helps to keep the animal warm at night. The Fennec fox also has thick fur on the bottom of their feet to help them to deal with the hot sand.