My Science School

The poinsettia or 'Christmas flower' derives its name from Joel Poinsett, the first U.S. Minister to Mexico and an amateur botanist. He discovered the shrub (Euphorbia pulcherrima) growing by the side of the road in Taxco, Mexico in December 1828 and sent cuttings back to his plantation in South Carolina.

The poinsettia's main attraction is not its flowers (the yellow clustered buds in the centre), but its leaves (the coloured parts) that are actually bracts or 'modified leaves'. In the wild, the poinsettia can reach heights of 12 feet with leaves measuring 6-8 inches across. Pulcherrima is Latin for 'very beautiful'.

Poinsettias are not toxic, contrary to popular belief. They produce a milky sap that, like other Euphorbia plants, can cause you (or your pets) a stomach ache or irritate your skin if exposed to or consumed in excessive quantities, but they’re harmless otherwise.

Poinsettias are available in more than 100 different sizes and colors, ranging from red to yellow to multi-colored to speckled. These plants have more than 100 varieties.

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People are born with 5 million hair follicles, 100,000 of which are located on your scalp, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Male hair grows faster than female hair.

The number of hairs that someone has on their head can vary by individual. However, the average person has about 100,000 hairs on their head at one time.

The hair on our bodies serves many functions. It helps to protect us from the elements, to regulate our body temperature, and to perceive sensations.

The amount of hair on a person’s head can vary by individual. The average human head has about 100,000 hairs with a similar number of hair follicles.

Picture Credit : Google