The extraordinary Leaf of Life
THE Leaf of Life is a plant that is botanically known as Bryophyllum calycinum. It  is of the  genus Kalanchoe pinnata.
The Leaf of Life is native to Africa, but has become naturalized in temperate regions of Asia, the Pacific and Caribbean.
Other names for the plant are: Tree of Life, Life Leaf, Air Plant and Miracle Leaf.
It is a succulent herb that grows up to 1.5m high, with a reddish tinge to the stems.
A distinctive feature of the Leaf of Life is called  vegetative reproduction, which is basically  a process of  asexual reproduction in plants, during which new individuals arise from a single parent  without production of seeds or spores.
The leaves have indented edges, from which other small plants grow, and this plant is  distinctive for the profusion of miniature plantlets that form on the margins of its leaves.
The Leaf of Life derives moisture and nutrients from the air, long after a normal plant leaf would have withered and died.
Additionally, there are various medicinal uses associated with the plant.
Several studies have documented that the Leaf of Life is antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal. The plant is also said to have effective antihistamine and anaphylactic properties.
Among the many active plant chemicals in the Leaf of Life are: Arachidic acid; astragalin; behenic acid; beta amyrin; benzenoids; bersaldegenin; beta-sitosterol; bryophollenone; bryophollone; bryophyllin; bufadienolide orthoacetate; caffeic acid; ferulic acid; quercetin; steroids and taraxerol.
Locally, the juice is used to treat colds and coughs, and is sometimes mixed with salt or honey to treat headaches, colds and bronchial problems and hypertension. The heated leaves can also be applied externally to abscesses and swellings.
Similar use is made of the Leaf of Life in many other countries, where it is also used for earaches, eye problems and as a diuretic, something  which serves to increase the rate of urination in a human being.
In the Eastern Caribbean, the Leaf of Life is used as a tea for colds, and the juice used externally for sores or to apply to a headache.
In neighbouring Brazil, the plant is used for respiratory problems, from asthma to bronchitis.
In recent research in Hawaii, the Leaf of Life demonstrated noticeable effects on cancer tissue, and confirmed powerful antimicrobial activity.
Leaf of Life also exhibited pain-relieving and anti-diabetic properties in a study on mice in Africa.
Medical sources have however cautioned that due to the immuno-supressant properties in the plant, it is not advisable to use it internally for extended periods.
The plant grows wild in Guyana, and is easy to propagate.