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Ray Water-fern

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Ray Water-fern

Ray water-ferns are just another one of those ferns…

  • Ray water-ferns are a species of fern native to Papua New Guinea, south eastern Australia, and New Zealand, as well as some parts of Malaysia and Indonesia.
  • The scientific name of a ray water-fern is Blechnum fluviatile, and it is from the family Blechnaceae, a family of ferns.
  • ‘Ray water-ferns’ are also known as ‘star ferns’, ‘creek ferns’ and, in the native New Zealand language of Māori, ‘kiwikiwi’ or ‘kiwakiwa’.
  • Ray water-ferns are small ferns that grow from a rhizome, and they are found in rainforests, or other moist habitats, often near water.
  • One of the earliest ray water-fern specimens collected was in 1841, by William Colenso, a botanist from England.

Ray Water-fern, Vegetation, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Plant, Australia, Rainforest, Fern

  • The fronds of ray water-ferns range from 20 to 60 centimetres (8 to 24 inches) in length, and the plant can be 20 to 40 centimetres (8 to 16 inches) in height, and up to one metre (3.3 feet) in diameter.
  • Ray water-ferns have leaves that are coloured a vivid to dark green, and they have brown stems that have numerous hairs and scales.
  • Rather than sitting erect, most ray water-fern fronds radiate out from a centre point and sit more parallel with the ground, creating what looks like a star or rosette.
  • Indigenous Australians have used cooked or raw ray water-fern rhizomes as a starchy food, while the Māori people from New Zealand have used the fern leaves medicinally to treat illnesses in the mouth.
  • Ray water-ferns grow best in shady or partly shady environments, and as the plant ages, they will often produce small trunks that grow at the centre of the plant.
Bibliography:
Blechnum fluviatile, 2010, Welcome to Yarra Ranges, http://fe.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Residents/Trees_Vegetation/Yarra_Ranges_Plant_Directory/Yarra_Ranges_Local_Plant_Directory/Lower_Storey/Ferns_and_Fern_Allies/Blechnum_fluviatile
Blechnum fluviatile, 2013, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blechnum_fluviatile
Blechnum fluviatile (Kiwakiwa), 2016, T.E.R.R.A.I.N, http://www.terrain.net.nz/friends-of-te-henui-group/nz-ferns/star-fern.html
Blechnum fluviatile. Kiwikiwi, 2016, Maori Plant Use, http://maoriplantuse.landcareresearch.co.nz/WebForms/PeoplePlantsDetails.aspx?firstcome=firstcome&PKey=D90C2B5F-2803-48EA-ACFD-D0E90BEB144D

 

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Banded Coral Shrimp

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Banded Coral Shrimp

Banded coral shrimps keep the tank clean.

  • Banded coral shrimps are an aquatic cleaner shrimp native to mostly tropical waters, including the west Atlantic ocean and the Indo-Pacific.
  • The scientific name of a banded coral shrimp is Stenopus hispidus, and it is from the family Stenopodidae, a family of decapod crustaceans.
  • ‘Banded coral shrimps’ are also known as ‘banded cleaner shrimps’ and ‘redbanded coral shrimps’, though technically they are neither prawns nor shrimps and are closer relatives to crabs and lobsters.
  • Banded coral shrimps are striped in vivid reds and whites; however the shrimp’s base ‘colour’ is transparent, and the length of their body generally reaches 5 to 6.2 centimetres (2 to 2.4 inches).
  • Banded coral shrimps have lengthy, white antennae that extend beyond the length of their body, and they have small spines on parts of their body.

Banded Coral Shrimp, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Animal, Aquatic, Crustacean, Aquarium

  • With their claws, banded coral shrimps clean other aquatic species bodies and mouths as part of their food intake, and they market their fish-cleaning services through a little dance and the movement of their antennae.
  • Coral reefs are the natural habitats of banded coral shrimps, where they are found in waters up to 210 metres (689 feet) deep, but they generally live at much shallower depths in caves or crevices; and groups of shrimps will tend to congregate at what are called ‘cleaning stations’.
  • The diet of banded coral shrimps consists primarily of dead tissue, parasites, and unwanted food, that has been scavenged from their cleaning work, though worms, crustaceans, and other marine animals are sometimes consumed.
  • If a section of a body of a banded coral shrimp is lost, it will usually regenerate back on the next moult, which occurs once every month or two.
  • Banded coral shrimps typically partner for life or many years, and they are somewhat territorial, remaining in the one small area for a lengthy period.
Bibliography:
Banded Coral Shrimp, n.d, World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, http://www.waza.org/en/zoo/choose-a-species/invertebrates/other-aquatic-invertebrates/stenopus-hispidus
Coral Shrimp – Coral Banded Shrimp, n.d, Fishlore, http://www.fishlore.com/Profiles-CoralBandedShrimp.htm
Sanderson A, Stenopus hispidus, 2002, Animal Diversity Web, http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Stenopus_hispidus/
Stenopus hispidus, 2014, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stenopus_hispidus

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Macaroon

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Macaroon

Don’t get macaroons confused with macarons!

  • Macaroons are usually wheatless sweet snacks that are quite similar to cookies, and they are generally suitable for those requiring a gluten-free diet.
  • Macaroons are primarily made of  sugar, whipped whites of eggs, and coconut and/or almond flour, and they are usually baked in an oven.
  • Macaroons can be dipped in chocolate, or contain or be decorated with glacé cherries, jam or nuts.
  • The term ‘macaroon’ it said to come directly from the word ‘maccarone’ or ‘maccherone’, Italian for food with a ‘paste-like appearance’, in reference to almond paste, which was the traditional base ingredient.
  • Macaroons are often confused with the popular macaron, and although they have similar ingredients, the two sweets are vastly different in appearance, though some people use the terms interchangeably.

Macaroon, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Food, Culinary, Confectionery, Coconut, Chocolate Dipped

  • The texture of macaroons can be rough and uneven, especially if they are made with coconut, and they are generally raised in the centre; while macarons usually have a smooth and even appearance, and are sandwiched together with a creamy filling.
  • Macaroons became popular and favoured by Jews due to the snack’s unleavened nature, meaning it can be enjoyed throughout the Passover period.
  • It is thought that macaroons originated from Italy, perhaps as early as the 700s to 800s, and the food likely spread to France by the 1500s.
  • Coconut varieties of macaroons are typically high in fat, carbohydrates and manganese.
  • Macaroons have also been known as ‘mackaroons’ and ‘maccaroons’; and different countries have their own particular variations of the food.
Bibliography:
Erdos J, Macaroon vs. Macaron: Two Very Different Cookies With a Linked Past, 2013, Food Network, http://blog.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/2013/05/macaroon-vs-macaron-history-and-recipes/
Macaroon, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaroon
Pister J, A Brief History of Macaroons, 2016, Kashruth Council of Canada, http://www.cor.ca/view/442/a_brief_history_of_macaroons.html

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Pokémon

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Pokémon

Gotta Catch ’em All – the Pokémon slogan.

  • Pokémon is a major video gaming franchise published by Nintendo and produced by Game Freak, of which the main series has been and is released on Nintendo’s handheld consoles; and the game developers, Game Freak, nearly became bankrupt due to the lengthy production of the first games.
  • Pokémon follows a role-playing game format were the player is depicted as a human, named a ‘trainer’, that travels the land to find, capture, battle, train, evolve, and trade the fictional creatures named “Pokémon”.
  • The term “Pokémon” is a contraction, derived from the Japanese name “Poketto Monsutā”, meaning “Pocket Monsters”, and during early development the game was known as “Capsule Monsters”.
  • The idea for Pokémon was created by video game designer Satoshi Tajiri, from Japan, however he was unsuccessful in marketing it to Nintendo for development, until Shigeru Miyamoto, also a Japanese video game designer, identified its potential and initiated its development around 1990.
  • Pokémon was inspired by the hobby of insect collecting and the aspiration for the creator to introduce the new generation to an equally pleasurable hobby involving creatures, in a quickly industrialising Japan.

Pokemon, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Franchise, Video Game, Original, Logo, RPG, Nintendo, Pocket Monsters, Pikachu

Pokémon Logo
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company
  • Pokémon has been adapted from the handheld games into multiple spin-off versions, including a unique and anticipated massive multiplayer location-based game, and it has been adapted into film, anime, manga, trading cards, figurines and more.
  • The first Pokémon game was released in early 1996, exclusive to Japan as a Red version and Green version for the Game Boy handheld device, and it originally experienced average sales until the Japanese magazine CoroCoro began a competition allowing a small number of people to obtain a previously unknown bonus character, which subsequently boosted sales and general popularity.
  • The general aesthetics of the first Pokémon versions were below average, however these aesthetics were pleasingly enhanced in the similar Blue version, which had a limited release in 1996, and in the sequels Gold and Silver, both released commercially in 1999 in Japan.
  • Pokémon risked changes to its visuals on its importation to America to better cater for its audience, but it was eventually released faithful to the originals under the Red and Blue versions in 1998.
  • As of the end of 2015, the Pokémon franchise consisted of 721 known individual Pokémon species across six generations, and a total of twenty-four main-series games.
Bibliography:
20 Years of Pokémon, 2016, Nintendo/Creatures Inc., http://www.pokemon20.com/lite/timeline.html
History of Pokémon, 2016, Bulbapedia, http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/History_of_Pok%C3%A9mon
Pokémon, 2016, Bulbapedia, http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon
Pokémon, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon

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Geiranger Fjord

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Geiranger Fjord

Geiranger Fjord may be twisty, but the sightseeing is still superb.

  • Geiranger Fjord is a fjord, or sea inlet surrounded by cliffs, located in the county of Møre og Romsdal in Norway, Europe, that was created by a glacier.
  • ‘Geiranger Fjord’ is also known as ‘Geirangerfjord’, and is called ‘Geirangerfjorden’ in Norwegian.
  • In 2005, the UNESCO World Heritage Convention listed Geiranger Fjord as a World Heritage Site, along with Nærøyfjord, as part of the West Norwegian Fjords listing.
  • Geiranger Fjord is part of the western sector of Norway’s Storfjorden, which features some of the largest and longest fjords on earth.
  • The Geiranger Fjord has a length of 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) and has a rough width of 1.5 kilometres (0.9 miles).
Geiranger Fjord, Facts, Trivia, Random Ten, River, Place, Norway, Water, Carve
Part of Geiranger Fjord
Image courtesy of Tobias Van Der Elst/Flickr
  • Of all Norwegian sites, Geiranger Fjord is one of the most popularly visited, commonly by cruise ships, and there is also opportunity for cycling, hiking, kayaking, rafting and fishing in the area.
  • Two main waterfalls sit opposite each other in Geiranger Fjord, while another of the falls forms the illusion of a veil.
  • Åkerneset, a neighbouring mountain of Geiranger Fjord, has the potential to devastate the area by causing an inland tsunami, due to significant cracks in the mountain rock, that may cause a landslide.
  • From around May to October each year, visitors to Geiranger Fjord can use the scenic Trollstigen road to view the impressive scenery, and there are designated lookout areas for people to stop at and enjoy the view.
  • Geiranger Fjord’s banks contain a few farms, most of which have been deserted, although some have since been restored.
Bibliography:
The Geirangerfjord, 2016, Travel Norway, http://www.visitnorway.com/places-to-go/fjord-norway/the-geirangerfjord/
Geirangerfjord, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geirangerfjord
West Norwegian Fjords – Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord, 2016, UNESCO World Heritage Convention, http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1195

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Candle Heath

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Candle Heath

The light of a candle heath is a bit odd – it is simply its beauty.

  • Candle heaths are a species of shrub, native to the states of Victoria and southern New South Wales, in Australia.
  • The scientific name of a candle heath is Richea continentis and it is from the family Ericaceae, the family of heaths.
  • Candle heaths are plants that can reach heights of 0.5 to 1.0 metre (1.6 to 3.3 feet), and they have a similar or slightly larger diameter.
  • Candle heaths are typically found in marshy and moist habitats, in mountainous regions.
  • Brian Burtt, an English botanist, was the first to scientifically classify the candle heath, doing so in 1942.

Candle Heath, Trivia, Plant, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Vegetation, Greenery, Australia

  • The leaves of candle heaths are usually 1 to 4 centimetres (0.4 to 1.6 inches) in length, and they are often a triangular shape.
  • The small, white, cream or greenish coloured flowers of candle heaths bloom in December to February.
  • Candle heaths can be used to deter animals in gardens, due to their prickly leaves.
  • Candle heath flowers emit a pleasant odour, and they grow in groups on long stalks, that sit above the plant.
  • Candle heath plants grow best in partially shady or sunny areas, in cool climates, and as such they are not affected by snow or frost.

 

Bibliography:
Richea continentis, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richea_continentis
Richea continentis, n.d, Yarra Ranges Shire Council, http://fe.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Residents/Trees_Vegetation/Yarra_Ranges_Plant_Directory/Yarra_Ranges_Local_Plant_Directory/Lower_Storey/Shrubs_to_2m/Richea_continentis
Richea continentis B.L.Burtt, n.d, PlantNET, http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Richea~continentis

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