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Tufted Deer

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Tufted Deer

Tufted deer are masters at fleeing with a hair to spare.

  • Tufted deer are a species of small mammal, native to the mountainous forests of southern to central parts of China in Asia, and they are also thought to exist in northern parts of Myanmar.
  • The scientific name of the tufted deer is Elaphodus cephalophus and it is from the family Cervidae, the family of deer.
  • Tufted deer grow to be 50 to 70 centimetres (1.6 to 2.3 feet) in height to the shoulder, and weigh 17 to 50 kilograms (37 to 110 pounds).
  • The rough hair coat of a tufted deer is mainly dark brown to dark grey in colour; with white on the underside, on part of the ears and mouth; and the deer has a tuft of hair on the front of its head, that hides the short antlers that a male has.
  • Male tufted deer have a pair of long, protruding, tusk-like teeth, reaching up to a length of 2.6 centimetres (1 inch), that they use to defend their territory.
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Tufted Deer
Image courtesy of Heather Paul/Flickr
  • Female tufted deer produce one to two young each year, which are expected to reach an age of around 10 to 12 years in the wild; and the deer tend to live alone, or in pairs.
  • Tufted deer tend to be shy, and avoid being seen by camouflaging themselves in their natural surroundings or hiding among the foliage, however they bark when disturbed.
  • The diet of tufted deer consists primarily of grass, twigs, fruit and leaves; while their predators are primarily dholes, leopards and humans.
  • Tufted deer are listed as near threatened, with consideration to relist the deer as vulnerable, due to over-hunting and habitat loss, that is causing significant population decline.
  • To escape from predators, tufted deer point the white underside of their tail upwards, and then move it back down to display the brown side, and as such, create confusion.
Bibliography:
Harris R & Jiang Z, Elaphodus cephalophus, 2015, The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/7112/0
Lundrigan B & Oas R, Elaphodus cephalophus, 2003, Animal Diversity Web, http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Elaphodus_cephalophus/
Tufted Deer, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tufted_deer

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Chocolate Cosmos

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Chocolate Cosmos

Chocolate cosmos is a delicacy for the eyes.

  • Chocolate cosmos are a species of perennial flowering plant, that originated in Mexico.
  • ‘Chocolate cosmos’ is also known as ‘black cosmos’ and was once known as ‘black biden’.
  • The scientific name of chocolate cosmos is Cosmos atrosanguineus, formerly Bidens atrosanguineus, and it is from the family Asteraceae, the family of daisies.
  • Chocolate cosmos generally grow to be around 40 to 75 centimetres (1.3 to 2.5 feet) in height.
  • Chocolate cosmos are believed to be extinct in the wild, while many specimens today are clones of a non-fertile specimen, so those will not produce fertile seed.
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A Chocolate Cosmos
Image courtesy of Amanda Slater/Flickr
  • The blooms of chocolate cosmos plants are a deep brown to maroon colour, and they have a fragrance reminiscent of chocolate.
  • Chocolate cosmos grow best in sunny or mostly sunny conditions, and the plants grow from tubers that enable them to be divided.
  • Chocolate cosmos plants prefer warm climates if they are to be grown all year round, and they typically bloom during summer months and into early autumn.
  • Seed merchant, William Thompson from Ipswich in England, was the first known person to cultivate a chocolate cosmos plant, doing so in 1835, and the plant was described by English botanist, Joseph Hooker, shortly after, who obtained a specimen from Thompson.
  • Chocolate cosmos are commonly grown in gardens for decorative purposes or as cut flowers.
Bibliography:
Cosmos, 2016, Pacific Bulb Society, http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Cosmos
Cosmos atrosanguineus, 2016, Heritage Perennials, http://www.perennials.com/plants/cosmos-atrosanguineus.html
Cosmos atrosanguineus, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmos_atrosanguineus
Schneider A, Caring for Chocolate Cosmos Plants: Growing Chocolate Cosmos Flowers, 2016, Gardening Know How, http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/cosmos/growing-chocolate-cosmos.htm

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Leek

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Leek

Bringing a leek on a boat will surely lead to calamity.

  • Leeks are somewhat leafy, edible vegetables that are thought to have originated in parts of the Mediterranean region, and they have been cultivated for thousands of years in a number of surrounding areas.
  • The botanical classification of the leek is Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum, and it is from the family Allium, the family of onions.
  • Leeks are mostly green in colour with large flat leaves that grow centrally around each other, and they form a thick stem at the base that is coloured white, and to encourage taller, whiter stems, the plants are usually grown in furrows and as they grow, soil is piled around the base of the plant.
  • The leek is embedded deeply in Welsh culture, likely stemming from the legend of Welsh soldiers wearing the vegetable in their hats to differentiate their foes from the enemy, the Saxons, in 640 AD.
  • Leek plants usually have a diameter between 2.5 and 6 centimetres (1 and 2.4 inches), and can reach 1.5 metres (5 feet) in height, though if purchasing them at a shop or market, the tops have usually been trimmed off and discarded, reducing their size down to around 60 centimetres (24 inches) or less.

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  • The white stem of a leek is the most commonly utilised part of the plant, and it can be sliced and eaten raw, or cooked by boiling, frying or steaming, and it is often used in soups, salads or eaten as a side vegetable.
  • Leeks were popular in Ancient Egyptian, Roman and Greek cuisines, even favoured by Roman Emperor Nero, who believed they had positive enhancements on one’s singing voice.
  • The flavour of leeks is commonly compared to onions, albeit lighter in flavour with a sweet tendency, and the vegetable has a crisp texture when raw, which sometimes softens, depending on the method of cooking.
  • The term ‘leek’ derives from the word ‘leac’ of the Ango-Saxon language, translated as ‘herb’ or ‘plant’, which is also the second part of the original term for ‘garlic’.
  • Leeks are very high in vitamin K and are high in manganese, vitamin A and vitamin C, and they have many other vitamins and minerals.
Bibliography:
Block E, 2010, Garlic and Other Alliums: The Lore and the Science, pp 4, State University of New York, New York, https://books.google.com.au/books?id=6AB89RHV9ucC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
Leek, 2011, Fresh For Kids, http://www.freshforkids.com.au/veg_pages/leek/leek.html
Leek, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leek
Leeks, 2016, The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=26
Leeks – A Short History, 2015, Leek Growers Association, http://wwwritish-leeks.co.uk/funfacts.php
White K & Zellner J, Onion, 2008, Hamilton C0llege, http://academics.hamilton.edu/foodforthought/our_research_files/allium.pdf

 

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Garden Gnome

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Garden Gnome

A garden gnome’s friendly smile may not be as it seems…

  • Garden gnomes are human-like figurines based on dwarves, typically used in gardens for decorative purposes.
  • ‘Garden gnomes’ are also known as ‘lawn gnomes’ or are simply called ‘gnomes’.
  • The stereotypical garden gnome is a bearded-white male with a red hat, though variations exist.
  • Garden gnomes have their history in statues that were placed in gardens during the Renaissance period in Europe, and in some of the 17th century statues, dwarves were depicted.
  • Some of the earliest manufacturers of garden gnomes were Johann Maresch and Adolph Baehr, who became partners in about 1841 and established a factory in Germany.
Garden Gnome, Dwarf, Invention, Stereotype, Old, Man, Red Hat, Assortment, CollectionGarden Gnome
Image courtesy of Pixabay
  • Early garden gnomes were made of clay, porcelain or wood, while modern ones are typically made of resin, plastic or ceramic; though cement, plaster and cast iron materials have also been used.
  • Gnomes, and garden gnomes by extension, traditionally are symbolic of good fortune; and they were likely to be first used in gardens because they were seen as protectors and night-time helpers.
  • Garden gnomes are generally painted in bright colours, and they are often depicted holding a garden tool or other object.
  • As a common practical joke, or as an act of vandalism in extreme cases, garden gnomes have been stolen – ‘kidnapped’ – from gardens, and been taken on a journey and photographed at places of interest.
  • Garden gnomes were popularised in Germany during the 1800s, and from there, the ornaments were distributed to England and other parts of Europe.
Bibliography:
Garden Gnome, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_gnome
Lehman S, How the Tradition of Putting a Gnome in Your Garden Started, 2013, Today I Found Out, http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/10/tradition-putting-gnome-garden-started/
White S, History of Gnomes, 2016, LoveToKnow, http://garden.lovetoknow.com/wiki/History_of_Gnomes

http://home.earthlink.net/~artifactsco/id1.html

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Devils Tower

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Devils Tower

There is no devil hiding atop Devils Tower!

  • Devils Tower is a rock butte found among the Bear Lodge Mountains in the Black Hills National Forest in the United State’s Wyoming.
  • The top of Devils Tower sits at an elevation above sea level of 1558 metres (5112 feet), and it is 265 metres (867 feet) in height from the base.
  • ‘Devils Tower’ is also called ‘Devils Tower National Monument’, and it was once named ‘Bear Lodge’, and has also been known as ‘Great Gray’, ‘Tree Rock’ and ‘Home of the Bear’.
  • In 1892, Devils Tower became somewhat protected as part of a temporary forest reserve, and in 1906, it was named a United States National Monument, being the first monument to receive this honour.
  • Devils Tower mainly comprises of igneous rock, primarily phonolite porphyry, that is arranged in a series of large columns, and there is much rubble at the base, where many of the columns have broken away and tumbled down.
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Devils Tower
Image courtesy of Colin Faulkingham/Flickr
  • At the top of Devils Tower it is roughly 84 metres (275 feet) in diameter, while the base is around 305 metres (1000 feet) in diameter, and a walking track exists that circles around the tower.
  • On the 4th of July, 1893, the first recorded climb to the summit of Devils Tower was accomplished by local ranchers William Rogers and Willard Ripley, via a ladder they made for the purpose, and today climbing the tower is still a popular activity for rock climbers.
  • ‘Devils Tower’ was named as such due to a possible incorrect translation of the local native name that resulted in ‘bad god’s tower’, and there has been lobbying for it to be renamed ‘Bear Lodge National Monument’.
  • Native Americans consider Devils Tower a sacred site, and as such, climbers are encouraged to avoid climbing the rock in the ceremonial month of June each year.
  • Devils Tower is a popular tourist destination, and a fee is payable to visit the monument, while camping is permitted in the nearby designated camping area.
Bibliography:
Devils Tower, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devils_Tower
Devils Tower National Monument, 2016, Black Hills & Badlands, http://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/parks-monuments/devils-tower-national-monument
Devil’s Tower National Monument, 2016, Wyoming Office of Tourism, http://www.travelwyoming.com/listing/devils-tower/devils-tower-national-monument
Frequently Asked Questions, n.d, National Park Service, https://www.nps.gov/deto/faqs.htm
Mattison R, First 50 Years, 1955, https://www.nps.gov/deto/learn/historyculture/upload/First%2050%20Years.pdf

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Flame Lily

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Flame Lily

If you have a burning passion for someone, give them a flame lily.

  • A flame lily is a species of perennial flower, native to a variety of habitats of south Asia, and south to south-eastern Africa.
  • Flame lilies’ are also known as ‘creeping lilies’, ‘fire lilies’, ‘climbing lilies’, ‘glory lilies’, ‘tiger claws’ and ‘gloriosa lilies’.
  • The scientific name of the flame lily is Gloriosa superba and it is from the family Colchicaceae, a family of plants that flower.
  • As flame lily plants tend to be climbers, they grow upwards or along the ground to 4 metres (13 feet) in length, while the flowers have a diameter of 4.5 to 7 centimetres (1.8 to 2.8 inches).
  • Typically, flame lily flowers are predominantly red or orange, transitioning into a yellow colour towards the centre, and they flower in summer and autumn.
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Flame Lily
Image courtesy of Miltos Gikas/Flickr
  • The consumption of any part of flame lily plants can be fatal, with symptoms including numbness, vomiting, dizziness and breathing difficulties, and it is also toxic for most animals.
  • Flame lilies are considered an invasive weed in many countries outside of their native region, including Australia, a number of Pacific Islands and parts of the United States.
  • Flame lilies has been used in traditional medicine to treat cuts, worms, snakebites, skin issues and other health conditions.
  • By creating both seeds and having rhizomes that multiply, flame lilies are efficient at reproducing, and spreading.
  • Flame lilies grow best in partial shade, and they are commonly grown as cut flowers or for other ornamental purposes.
Bibliography:
Gloriosa Superba, 2016, Queensland Government Weeds of Australia, http://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/gloriosa_superba.htm
Gloriosa Superba, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloriosa_superba
Gloriosa Superba (Flame Lily), n.d, Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/gloriosa-superba-flame-lily
Gloya Lily (Gloriosa Superba), 2014, NSW Department of Primary Industries, http://weeds.dpi.nsw.gov.au/Weeds/Details/62

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