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Australian Native Violet

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Australian Native Violet

Even Australia gets their very own Australian native violets.

  • Australian native violets are small, perennial flowering plants, native to mostly eastern areas of Australia.
  • ‘Australian native violets’ are also known as ‘native violets’, ‘ivy-leaved violets’ and ‘Australian tufted violets’.
  • The scientific name of an Australian native violet is Viola hederacea, from the Violaceae family, the family of pansies and violets.
  • The flower of Australian native violets is a combination of purple and white in colour, and it generally sits above the plant on a thin stalk.
  • Australian native violet plants reach a height of 10 to 15 centimetres (4 to 6 inches) and grow approximately 30 cm (12 inches) in diameter.

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  • The blooms of Australian native violets are roughly 1 to 2 centimetres (0.4 to 0.8 inches) in diameter, while the leaves are 0.5 to 3 centimetres (0.2 to 1.2 inches) across, and are shaped as a semi-circle or like a kidney.
  • Australian native violets bloom mostly during summer and spring months, and the flowers are edible and are sometimes used in salads.
  • Australian native violets can be grown in gardens or in pots, and they grow in shade, partial shade or sunny areas, and prefer moist soil.
  • Australian native violets are commonly used ornamentally, in hanging baskets, as a ground cover, and can also be used as an alternative lawn, although it is less popular plant than some other violet species, as the flowers are somewhat pale in colour compared to others.
  • Australian native violets grow in clumps that can be readily divided, and they tend to spread via runners, that new plants are formed from.
Bibliography:
Australian Native Violet – Plant of the Week, n.d, Burke’s Backyard, http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/fact-sheets/in-the-garden/flowering-plants-shrubs/australian-native-violet-plant-of-the-week
Viola Hederacea, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_hederacea
Viola Hederacea, 2016, Gardens Online, http://www.gardensonline.com.au/GardenShed/PlantFinder/Show_1052.aspx
Viola Hederacea, n.d, Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants, http://keys.trin.org.au/key-server/data/0e0f0504-0103-430d-8004-060d07080d04/media/Html/taxon/Viola_hederacea.htm
Viola hederacea Labill., n.d, PlantNET, http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Viola~hederacea

 

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Hashima Island

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Hashima Island

Hashima Island is a mining ghost town… with a twist.

  • Hashima Island is a small deserted, Japanese island that is found near the large southern island of Kyushu, in the Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan, Asia.
  • Hashima Island covers an area of 0.063 square kilometres (0.024 square miles) or 6.3 hectares (15.6 acres), and measures approximately 480 metres (525 yards) in length and 150 meters (164 yards) wide; and the island is surrounded and protected by a high sea wall made of concrete, construction of which finished in 1907.
  • ‘Hashima Island’ is also known as ‘Gunkanjima’, translated from Japanese as ‘Battleship Island’, referring to the similar appearance of the island to a battleship, in part due to its sea wall, and the island is also sometimes referred to as ‘Ghost Island’.
  • In the early 1800s, coal was found on the uninhabited Hashima Island, and in 1887, a mine was constructed to extract the resource, however, it was only three years later, in 1890, that it was purchased by Mitsubishi, though mining continued until 1974.
  • The UNESCO World Heritage Convention designated Hashima Island as part of the Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining World Heritage Site in 2015, due to its infrastructure and industrial significance for Japan.
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Hashima Island
Image courtesy of Japanexperterna/Flickr
  • Once a developed underwater coal mine, Hashima Island was abandoned when the demand for coal waned in the late 1960s to the early 1970s, and the mine and island closed early 1974.
  • The number of residents living on Hashima Island in 1959 was 5259 individuals, the greatest number in its history, and its population density broke records, with 1,391 people per hectare (563 per acre) in the residential area, or 835 people per hectare (338 per acre) taking into account the whole island.
  • Hashima Island once contained buildings up to nine storeys high, and the community had a hospital, two schools, shops, a temple and shrine, restaurants and other facilities, most of which now sit in ruins.
  • Between the 1930s and 1940s, Korean and Chinese folk that had been conscripted, or captured by the Japanese during World War II, were forced to work on Hashima Island due to labour shortages.
  • Early in the 21st century, Hashima Island became more prominently known due to media attention, and this led to restoration of some areas for the safety of tourists, before it was opened to visitors in 2009; and in 2013, some of the streets and buildings were recorded in a 360° panorama by Google, allowing for virtual exploring.
Bibliography:
Burke-Gaffney, Hashima – Ghost Island, 2002, Cabinet Magazine, http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/7/hashima.php
Gunkanjima, 2016, Japan Guide, http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4414.html
Gunkajima Island, 2015, Atlas Obscura, http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/gubkanjima-island
Hashima Island, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashima_Island

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Pistachio

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Pistachio

Pistachios do not need a nutcracker – the nut cracking is already done for you!

  • Pistachios are an edible, ovoid nut, encased in a shell, and are native to some Middle Eastern countries, as well as some neighbouring countries in Asia and Europe, and they have been cultivated for thousands of years.
  • The pistachio plant that the nuts grow on, is generally a small tree with the scientific name Pistacia vera, from the family Anacardiaceae, the family of cashews, which also includes mangoes and pink peppercorns; and once ripe, the nuts are shaken from the tree as part of the harvesting process.
  • A single pistachio tree can reach up to 10 metres (33 feet) in height, and can produce approximately 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of nuts over a period of two years, and one year is generally a high yield year, while the other year produces a lower quantity of nuts.
  • Pistachio nuts are small, generally ranging from 1.5 to 2.2 centimetres (0.6 to 0.87 inches) and weighing roughly 1 to 2 grams (0.03 to 0.07 ounces), with the shell intact.
  • When ripe, the hard shell of pistachios will commonly crack and split halfway while still inside the hull, which is removed after harvesting, allowing access to the edible kernel without the use of a nut cracker.

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  • The shells of pistachios are naturally coloured a pale sandy brown, however they may be artificially coloured green or red, a tradition first begun when hand pickers were used, to disguise any handling damage; while the kernel and its skin is usually a green to purple colour.
  • Generally, pistachios are eaten raw or roasted, often as a snack; are occasionally added to desserts or used in baked goods, or added to icecream or chocolate; and they are commonly purchased already salted.
  • Iran, in the Middle East, was the greatest producer of pistachios in 2013, producing more than half of the world’s annual quantity, with 478,600 tonnes (527,566 tons), while it is said that China is the greatest consumer at 80,000 tonnes (88,185 tons) annually.
  • Along with causing reactions in those people who are allergic to tree nuts, pistachios are susceptible to a mould that can be dangerous to human health, if not harvested quickly and correctly.
  • Pistachios are very high in vitamin B6, thiamine, copper, manganese, phosphorus, protein, fibre and fat, and they contain many other vitamins and minerals.

 

Bibliography:
Pistachio, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pistachio
Pistachio Nuts Benefits, Side Effects, Nutrition Value and Facts, n.d, Seed Guides, http://www.seedguides.info/pistachios/
Some Physical and Mechanical Properties of Pistachio Nut, 2007, National Centre for Agrarian Sciences, http://www.agrojournal.org/13/02-12-07.pdf

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Sydney Funnel-web Spider

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Sydney Funnel-web Spider

You do not want to come into contact with a Sydney funnel-web spider.

  • Sydney funnel-web spiders are venomous arachnids, endemic to the developed and forested habitats of the Sydney area, in Australia’s state of New South Wales.
  • The scientific name of Sydney funnel-web spiders is Atrax robustus and it is from the family Hexathelidae, a family of funnel-web spiders, and they are also commonly known as ‘Sydney funnelweb spiders’ or simply ‘funnel-web spiders’.
  • The body of a Sydney funnel-web spider generally grows to be 1.5 to 3.5 centimetres (0.6 to 1.4 inches) in length, and males are usually smaller than females.
  • The Sydney funnel-web spider is coloured brown, black, dark purple or navy and it has a shiny cephalothorax (head and thorax), and a hairy abdomen and legs.
  • Sydney funnel-web spiders will easily dehydrate in sun, and thus require rest in moist, shaded areas during heated parts of the day.
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Sydney Funnel-web Spider
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
  • The venom of Sydney funnel-web spiders can be fatal to primates, including humans, causing negative effects towards the nervous system, and mature males are more potent than females and young spiders.
  • An anti-venom for Sydney funnel-web spiders surfaced in 1980, devised in Melbourne’s Commonwealth Serum Labs by a team led by Australian Struan Sutherland, which was first used in January 1981, saving the life of Sydney patient Gordon Wheatley, after he was bitten.
  • A Sydney funnel-web spider will display its particularly large fangs and rear on its hind legs when feeling endangered, potentially striking with a number of bites.
  • The Sydney funnel-web spider lives in sandy or earthy burrows, typically with a funnel or conical shaped entrance that it surrounds and lines with a silk web that acts as a trip wire, which notifies the spider of its potential meal of insects, small reptiles and amphibians.
  • Sydney funnel-web spiders can survive in water for up to 24 hours or more, as the hairs on their legs and body produce air pockets, and as such, they can be found alive in domestic swimming pools.
Bibliography:
Gray M, Sydney Funnel-web Spider, Atrax Robustus, 2015, Australian Museum, http://australianmuseum.net.au/sydney-funnel-web-spider
Sydney Funnel-web Spider, 2010, Australian Reptile Park, http://www.reptilepark.com.au/animalprofile.asp?id=126
Sydney Funnel-web Spider, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_funnel-web_spider

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Flying Duck Orchid

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Flying Duck Orchid

The flying duck orchid is a bit of an impersonator.

  • Flying duck orchids are perennial plants of small size, native to areas in the south and east of Australia.
  • The scientific name of flying duck orchids is Caleana major and it is from the family Orchidaceae, the family of orchids.
  • Flying duck orchids typically bloom between September and January and the flowers range in length from 1.5 to 2.5 centimetres (0.6 to 1 inch).
  • The flowers of flying duck orchids are usually coloured a deep red to purple, with some parts green, and have the appearance of a duck in flight, and compared to most other orchid flowers, sit on the plant upside down.
  • One of the first specimens of a flying duck orchid obtained by Europeans was from where the Sydney Opera House of Australia sits, located at Bennelong Point in Sydney, retrieved in 1803.
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Flying Duck Orchid
Image courtesy of Doug Ford/Flickr
  • Flying duck orchids are pollinated by insects such as sawflies, that are attracted to the flower and are temporarily trapped to collect and transfer pollen.
  • Flying duck orchids are extremely difficult to grow or propagate, thus they are virtually exclusive to woody forests or shrubby habitats.
  • The height of flying duck orchid plants can reach 50 centimetres (20 inches), and they grow from a tuber and have long narrow leaves.
  • The flying duck orchid was pictured on a 90 cent Australian postage stamp, released in 1986, as one of a set of four stamps featuring Australian orchids.
  • Due to what seems to be a lack of pollinating insects, as well as habitat destruction, the flying duck orchid plant is listed as vulnerable in the state of South Australia.
Bibliography:
Australia’s Most Popular Orchid, n.d, NOSSA, http://nossa.org.au/tag/flying-duck-orchid/
Caleana major, 2014, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caleana_major
Flying Duck Orchid, 2015, AuseMade, http://www.ausemade.com.au/fauna-flora/flora/magnoliophyta/liliopsida/asparagales/orchidaceae/caleana-major/caleana-major.htm
Large Duck Orchid, 2008, Adelaide Department of Environment and Heritage, pa-fact-pafactcaleanamajor.pdf

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Calendar

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Calendar

Flip the calendar over to a new year.

  • Calendars are a form of keeping and documenting time using a periodic system, often with paper or in modern times, electronics.
  • The term ‘calendar’ originates from the Latin word ‘calandae’, or ‘kalandae’ which can be translated as ‘moon’, which was noted as Ancient Rome’s first day of each month.
  • The movement of the sun and/or moon are the most common basis of a calendar, and this was also common throughout ancient history, however, there have been as many as 80 dating systems in history (some only with slight variants to others), due, in part, to discrepancies with natural cyclic events and the established yearly schedule, religious observances, and culture.
  • The international, and most commonly used, modern 365 day calendar, known as the ‘Gregorian calendar’, first surfaced in 1582 AD, introduced by Ugo Boncompagni, better known as Pope Gregory XIII, which is based on the Julian one that was adopted in Rome around 45 BC under the rule of Julius Caesar.
  • Calendars typically feature some combination of years, weeks, months, weekdays and days, and weeks may begin on Sunday or Monday.

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  • The Gregorian calendar was originally used by countries influenced by Roman Catholicism, expanding in use though the modern society by the 1800s to the 1900s.
  • Calendars can be purposed for the marking and reminding of events; and some religions have versions separate to the modern form, for their own purpose.
  • Some of the first known calendars originated in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Babylonia in the Middle East, and while most of the world has now adopted the Gregorian structure, as of 2015, there were still a handful of countries which had not.
  • Physical calendars are often displayed in rows and columns, and depending on the form, they may be displayed on a wall, on a magnetic surface, in a book, or on an electronic device; and often one month, day, or week is displayed per page.
  • Depending on the calendar system used, months, weeks and years may differ in length (counted in number of days), while the Gregorian system uses seven day weeks; month lengths of 30 or 31 days except February which generally has 28 days; and a year of 365 days, except every four years when a leap year occurs, where February has an extra day.
Bibliography:
Calendar, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendar
History of the Calendar, 2007, infoplease, http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0002061.html
History of the Calendar, n.d, History World, http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ac06

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