Latex being collected from a wounded rubber tree

The Pará rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is a tree belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae. It is of major economical importance because its sap (known as latex) can be collected and used to make rubber. This article is about the biological organisms known as trees. ... Scientific classification or biological classification refers to how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Genera See text Ref: Euphorbiaceae in The Families of Flowering Plants, as of 2002-07-13 The Spurge family (Euphorbiaceae) is a large family of flowering plants with 280 genera and around 6000 species. ... The extraction of Latex from a tree; Latex is used in Rubber production. ... This article is about the material rubber, for other uses see Rubber (disambiguation) Rubber is an elastic hydrocarbon polymer which occurs as a milky emulsion (known as latex) in the sap of a number of plants but can also be produced synthetically. ...

The tree can reach a height of over 30m; older trees yield more latex. The latex occurs in latex vessels in the bark, mostly outside the phloem. These vessel spiral up the tree in a righthanded spiral which forms an angle of about 30 degrees with the horizontal. Incisions are made orthogonal to these vessels, just deep enough to tap the vessels but not harm the tree's growth. In vascular plants, phloem is the tissue that carries organic nutrients, particularly sucrose. ... In mathematics, a spiral is a curve which turns around some central point or axis, getting progressively closer to or farther from it, depending on which way you follow the curve. ... This article is about angles in geometry. ...

Rubber tree plantation in Phuket, Thailand

The leaves of a rubber tree

The para rubber tree initially grew only in tropical South America, in the Amazon region. Increasing demand and the discovery of the vulcanization procedure in 1839 lead to a boom in that region, enriching the cities of Manaus and Belém. The tropics are the geographic region of the Earth centered on the equator and limited in latitude by the two tropics: the Tropic of Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... The name Amazon may refer to several concepts: The legendary Amazons, women renowned in antiquity for their prowess in battle. ... Vulcanization is the process of cross-linking elastomer molecules to make the bulk material harder, less soluble and more durable. ... 1839 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Manaus as seen from a NASA satellite image, surrounded by the rivers. ... This article is about the city in Brazil. ...

There had been an attempt made, in 1873, to grow rubber outside Brazil. After some effort, twelve seedlings were germinated at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. These were sent to India for cultivation, but died. A second attempt was then made, some 70,000 seeds being sent to Kew in 1875. About 4% of these germinated, and in 1876 about 2000 seedlings were sent, in Wardian cases, to Ceylon, and 22 sent to the Botanic Gardens in Singapore. Once established outside its native country, rubber was extensively propagated in the British colonies. By 1898, a rubber plantation had been established in Malaya, and today most rubber tree plantations are in Southeast Asia and some also in tropical Africa. Efforts to cultivate the tree in its native South America were unsatisfactory. 1873 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Federative Republic of Brazil (República Federativa do Brasil in Portuguese) is the largest and most populous country in South America, and fifth largest in the world. ... The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew are extensive gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond upon Thames and Kew in southwest London. ... The Wardian case, the direct forerunner of the modern terrarium (and the inspiration for the glass aquarium), was invented by Dr. Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward (1791-1868), of London, in about 1829 after an accidental discovery inspired him. ... The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (ශ්රී ලංකා in Sinhala / இலங்கை in Tamil) (known as Ceylon before 1972) is a tropical island nation off the southeast coast of the Indian subcontinent. ... National motto: Majulah Singapura (English: Onward, Singapore) Official languages English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay, Tamil Capital Singapore Largest city Singapore Government President Prime minister Westminster (de jure) Dominant-party (de facto) Sellapan Rama Nathan Lee Hsien Loong Area  - Total  - Water (%) 697. ... The Federation of Malaya, or in Malay Persekutuan Tanah Melayu, was formed in 1948 from the British settlements of Penang and Malacca and the nine Malay states and replaced the Malayan Union. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ...