Horgoja or Sea Holly, Acanthus ilicifolius
Horgoja or Sea Holly ( Acanthus ilicifolius , family: Acanthaceae) is an evergreen spinous mangrove shrub with semi-woody base and shallow tap-roots, attaining a height of 3 m. Its green stems and branches have dark brown spots. Stems, as well as leaves, have long strong spines. In the urge of life it is sometimes seen to produce stilt roots. They live together like colonies in the brackish mud of the sea. The salt-tolerant plant can be found throughout the mangrove-habitated Southern coasts of Bangladesh. The armed plant is also found in South and Southeast Asian countries, like Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, China, Philippines, Malaysia and in Northern Australia and Polynesia. Other names: Hargoja, Horkuch kata (Bangla), Holly-leaved Acanthus, Holly Mangrove (Eng), Harikush (Sans). Having unusual pattern and vigorous, acute spines the leaves may remind us of the leaves of Creeping thistle ( Cricus arvensis ). These are strange, crooked, shiny green and unevenly multi-lobed; 6-12 cm l...