Red Mangrove By: Amberle Vasey

General Information  16 families and 20 genera with a total of 54 species of different mangroves  the red mangrove, Rhizophora mangle  Phylum : Tracheophyta Kingdom: Plantae Kingdom: Plantae Class: angiosperm Class: angiosperm Order: Myrtales Order: Myrtales Family: Rhizophoraceae Family: Rhizophoraceae Genus: Rhizophora Genus: Rhizophora

How can you tell it’s a red Mangrove?  identified by their prominent prop root structure  leaves are often shiner and larger than other mangrove leaves.  propagules which are their embryonic root structure.

Where are they found…  Tend to be located along coastlines and in estuarine areas of the tropics and subtropics.  In the United States the red mangrove can be found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts in the warmer areas  Not found where there is a frost

What are they good for…  habitat for other organisms  nursery for juvenile fish snook Spiny lobster conche grovecrab.jpg

They are also good for…  a buffer zone for wave action for the inland it borders  The root structures slow down water by just being in the way

The most Interesting thing about Red Mangroves is  It has healing properties  In the past, different cultures have used the bark of the red mangrove to treat sore throats and against hemoptysis (coughing up blood) in pulmonary tuberculosis.  Other medical uses with the aqueous bark extracts are for wound healing and gastric antiulcer effects

What about today  one study Marrero et al. studied the different properties that the aqueous bark extract contained  The study showed that the red mangrove contained an anti-flammatory mechanism involving eicosonoids cascade and showed the healing properties of the red mangrove on in vitro tests.

Another Study a little more in depth…  Studied the effect of the aqueous bark on rats  tested its ability to inhibit gastric excretion and to see if it protected gastroduodenal mucus.  Induced ulcers and other conditions to see how the control and variable groups of rats were affected.  Red mangrove significantly decreased the damage done by the induced gastric mucosal.  Another possibility: tannins

Other studies were done  Proved antiseptic properties in rabbit’s wounds and sutured injuries and in calves open wounds.

One step further..  They used humans…volunteers of course!  Control group with mercurochrome  Subjects with the red mangrove.  The results showed that there was a greater reduction in injury size when the patient was treated with the red mangrove.  Also time of recovery was quicker.

THE END Questions?