Tour to Socotra in Homhil among trees of frankincense and huge Adenium obesum
23 and 24 February 2014
The protected area of Homhil in Socotra includes a series of hills in the north-east corner of the island, that are home to numerous incense trees of the genus Boswellia, many Adenium obesum socotranum and lot of cucumber trees. Homhil is also interesting for the beautiful landscape and for a fresh water pool where you can swim.
Along the road that connects Hadibo, the capital of Socotra, to Homhil, I can observe the first succulent plants, like this gorgeous specimen of
Dendrosicyos socotranus also known as cucumber tree.
The protected area of Homhil in Socotra is known to host a mini-forest of incense trees: in these photos, many
Boswellia elongata from which the incense resin can be collected.
The forest of frankincense trees (
Boswellia elongata) observer from an hill.
Boswellia elongata is endemic to the island of Socotra and is classified by the IUCN as "vulnerable" because of the limited distribution area and the declining population in nature.
The incense tree (so all the plants belonging to the genus
Boswellia growing in Socotra) are, as already mentioned, exploited for the collection of incense that is used almost exclusively by the local population.
Trekking in Homhil, I continue to find more succulent plants, like this young specimen of
Dendrosicyos socotranus (cucumber tree) that seems to grow in a really difficult place, without any soil.
Photos of Homhil. This protected area, which is located in the northeastern part of Socotra island, is home to thousands of
Adenium obesum socotranum,
Dracena cinnabari,
Euphorbia arbuscula and
Dendrosicyos socotranus (cucumber tree), only to mention a few examples.
Pictures of
Adenium obesum socotranum and
Dracena cinnabari.
An
Adenium obesum socotranum having a particularly "fat" stem.

Pictures of
Adenium obesum socotranum having a particularly bizarre shape. The
Adenium obesum is a succulent caudiciform plant, thus able to accumulate liquids in the stem for use during periods of drought. As previously explained, the
Adenium obesum is also found in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, but only in Socotra it reaches so big sizes, so, for this reason, it is classified as
Adenium obesum socotranum.
OK .... but where is the nose?
In Homhil I can observe also numerous
Kalanchoe farinacea which produce a beautiful red flower (it is a succulent plant belonging to the family of
Crassulaceae).
A beautiful flower
Adenium obesum.
Often the
Adenium obesum grow along with
Dracena cinnabari, creating a sort of forest.
A beautiful
Dracena cinnabari.
Photo of
Adenium obesum and
Dracena cinnabari.
The rich population of
Adenium obesum socotranum growing in Homhil, Socotra.
Even more pictures of
Adenium obesum taken along the various hiking trails present at Homhil.
A beautiful
Euphorbia arbuscula.
Adenium obesum socotranum and
Dracena cinnabari. Homhil in Socotra is a paradise for botanists.
A beautiful
Euphorbia spiralis grows at the foot of an
Adenium obesum.
Picture of the cucumber tree (
Dendrosicyos socotranus)
A short trek from the shelter in Homhil, along the bed of an apparently dry river, will soon reveal a nice surprise ...
... a nice emerald green natural pool, fed by several small streams where freshwater crabs live in.
The natural swimming pool in Homhil Socotra.
Around the shores of the natural pool in Homhil, there are many cucumber trees,
Adenium obesum,
Aloe and
Euphorbia spiralis, just to mention a few examples.
An Euphorbia spiralis grows under the protection of a caudex of an
Adenium obesum socotranum.
The natural pool of Homhil seen from an hill behind.
A beautiful view over the valley below Homhil
With an easy trek of just an hour, I descend the hill to its base, where I will meet the 4x4 car ready to get to the next destination in Socotra.