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The Sea holly (Acanthus ilicifolius) belongs to Acanthaceae (the Acanthus family). It is an evergreen shrub that is distributed from India to Malaysia, the Philippines, northern Australia and South Africa. It grows on the coast and swamps on the banks of rivers and is about 2 m high. When the mangrove forest disappears, it becomes the dominant species. The leaves are similar to "holly" and have sharp thorns. From January to May, lilac or white flowers bloom on the spikes at the tips of the branches.
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