Category Archives: Vegetation

Ixora

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Ixora

You will be able to notice an Ixora in even the darkest parts of a jungle.

  • Ixora is a group of shrubs and trees that are evergreen and produce flowers, and are mostly native to tropical parts of Asia.
  • The name ‘Ixora’ is a genus name, and it is from the family Rubiaceae, the family of madder and coffee, while commonly grown species in the genus include Ixora coccinea and Ixora chinensis.
  • ‘Ixora’ is the common name of a number of species from the genus with the same name, and they are also known as ‘flame-of-the-woods’, ‘jungle flames’, ‘West Indian jasmine’, and ‘jungle geraniums’.
  • The height of Ixora plants grow from 0.6 to 3.6 metres (2 to 12 feet), depending on the species, and they typically have glossy, mid to dark green leaves.
  • The flowers of Ixora have a tube-like appearance with four petals, and grow in groups of up to 60 in a cluster; and after flowering, the plant often produces red, to dark purple or black berries.

Ixora, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Flower, Pink, Red, Bud, Plant, Vegetation, Australia

  • Ixora flowers commonly bloom throughout the year in tropical areas, and they come in an assortment of colours including a range of white, pink, yellow, orange, and red shades.
  • There are more than 500 species of Ixora, and numerous varieties, and some species have been used as part of traditional medicine, while others have a tendency to have invasive roots.
  • Ixoras grow best in well-drained acidic soil, located in full sun, and if they are grown too close to concrete, the soil can become too alkaline, causing the leaves to turn yellow.
  • Ixora will fail to flower on the occasion that light levels are insufficient, and the plants prefer warm temperatures.
  • Ixora are commonly used for ornamental purposes, including bonsai and hedges, or individual specimens in the garden.
Bibliography:
Ixora, 2011, Panpit Garden Center, http://www.panpitgardencenter.com/other/ixora.html
Ixora Coccinea, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ixora_coccinea
Ikora Facts and Growing Tips, 2015, Hub Pages, http://hubpages.com/living/Ixora-Facts-and-Growing-Tips

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Spanish Moss

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Spanish Moss

Spanish moss is a mop of scraggy hair.

  • Spanish moss is a vegetation species that is hosted by a variety of trees, and it has no roots or need for soil and it is easily grown from cuttings or broken pieces.
  • The scientific name of Spanish moss is Tillandsia usneoides, and it is from the family Bromeliaceae, the family of bromeliads.
  • ‘Spanish moss’ is also known as an ‘air plant’, ‘Pele’s Hair’, ‘grey beard’, ‘old man’s whiskers’, and ‘old man’s beard’.
  • Spanish moss is native to the moist areas of southeast North, Central and South America; and has become a weed in some parts of Australia.
  • The leaves of Spanish moss have minute scales and appear to be a grey or green colour; and they are quite thin but long, reaching a single millimetre (0.04 inches) in width and 2 to 6 centimetres (0.8 to 2.4 inches) in length.

Spanish Moss, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Grassy, Vegetation, Wall, Climb, Australia

  • Spanish moss droops from somewhat shaded or completely exposed tree branches, and the plant can be as long as 6 metres (20 feet).
  • Nutrients and water for Spanish moss are generally obtained from the atmosphere, including precipitation.
  • Spanish moss has been historically used for a variety of purposes, including as a filling for mattresses, and it can also be used as a fibre or for shelter insulation, as well as in creative works.
  • Spanish moss is a common habitat for certain spiders, bats, rat snakes and insects, and is used as nest material for birds.
  • Small fragrant flowers in blue, yellow or green may grow on Spanish moss in summer, and they produce hairy seeds.
Bibliography:
Spanish Moss, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_moss
Tillandsia Usneoides, 2015, Plants Rescue, http://www.plantsrescue.com/tillandsia-usneoides/
Tillandsia Usneoides (Spanish Moss), n.d, Kew Royal Botanical Gardens, http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/tillandsia-usneoides-spanish-moss

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Grandidier’s Baobab

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Grandidier’s Baobab

Grandidier’s baobab is surely quite grand.

  • Grandidier’s baobabs, also known as ‘giant baobabs’ and ‘reniala’ or ‘renala’ (which means ‘mother of the forest’ in the local language), are very tall trees that are native only to the island of Madagascar in Africa.
  • The scientific name of Grandidier’s baobab is Adansonia grandidieri, and it is from the family Malvaceae, the family of mallows.
  • Grandidier’s baobabs typically grow to heights of 25 to 30 metres (80 to 100 feet), with a trunk averaging around 3 metres (10 feet) in diameter, and most or all of the branches and foliage sit at the top of the tree, thus accentuating the trunk.
  • Grandidier’s baobab trees usually bloom in the months of May to August, and produce edible fruit that ripens during November and December, while the tree usually has leaves only in the wet season, from October to May.
  • The trunk of Grandidier’s baobabs is large and cylindrical; red-grey in colour; and the thick bark has a smooth texture.

Grandidier's Baobab, Adansonia grandidieri, Ten Random Facts, Vegetation, Madagascar, Plant, Tree

Grandidier’s Baobab
Image courtesy of Frank Vassen/Flickr
  • The large flowers of Grandidier’s baobabs have numerous stamens; white-coloured petals that open only during the night; and the petals turn yellow as they age.
  • A Grandidier’s baobab tree can store large quantities of water in its trunk, which swells according to content; and the bark of the tree is useful for making ropes while oil can be obtained from the seeds, and the fruit and seeds are commonly eaten.
  • Grandidier’s baobabs are endangered due to land clearing for agriculture purposes, and as a result of habitat changes, the species has had difficulty reproducing.
  • Grandidier’s baobabs have flowers that are pollinated by insects and lemurs, and the blooms are said to release an odour of sour watermelon.
  • The scientific name of a Grandidier’s baobab is derived from Frenchman Alfred Grandidier, a botanist and explorer from the 1800s, who studied the island of Madagascar over a number of years.
Bibliography:
Adansonia grandidieri, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adansonia_grandidieri
Adansonia grandidieri Baill, n.d, PROTA4U, http://www.prota4u.info/protav8.asp?h=M4&t=Adansonia,Grandidieri&p=Adansonia+grandidieri
Andansonia Grandidiera Seeds (Giant Baobab), n.d, Rare Exotic Seeds, http://www.rarexoticseeds.com/en/adansonia-grandidieri-seeds-giant-baobab-seeds.html

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Sugarcane

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Sugarcane

Sugarcane is a sweet success.

  • Sugarcane is a group of grass species from the Saccharum genus, that belongs to Poaceae, the family of true grass; and sugar is extracted from the plants, that are usually grown for commercial purposes.
  • Sugarcane is a perennial plant, native to areas of southern Asia, that grows best in tropical habitats, and reaches heights of between 2 to 6 metres (6.5 to 19.7 feet) and a diameter of roughly 5 centimetres (2 inches).
  • Most commercially grown sugarcane is a hybrid that is generally a cross between the species Saccharum officinarum and Saccharum spontaneum, although there are a small number of other plants in the Saccharum genus that may be used for this purpose.
  • Sugarcane plants takes 9 to 24 months to grow to maturity, depending on the climate, and they are the raw material that produces 80% of the world’s sugar production, while the plants are also used for making ethanol, molasses, bagasse, rum and other products.
  • The majority of a sugarcane stalk is made of water, with up to three quarters possible, while up to 16% can be sugar, and the fibre content can be also be up to 16%.

Sugarcane, Plant, Sugar, Australia, Plants, Plantation,

  • Many sugarcane farms were formed across the world beteween the 1800s and 1900s, and slaves from various locations were used as the primary labour.
  • The fibres of the sugarcane plant can be woven into mats; used for papermaking purposes; and added to other fibres to make fabric.
  • Australia, parts of the United States, Asia’s India and Indonesia, the Pacific Islands and South America – including Peru and Brazil, are popular sugarcane farm locations, while in 2013, Brazil was the largest producer of the crop in the world.
  • The harvesting of sugarcane, which is accomplished by hand with a special tool or the use of a mechanical harvester, is done before the plant sets flower with its feathery tufts; and in many cases the crop is set alight beforehand to eradicate dangerous animals and leaves.
  • Sugar is produced from sugarcane juice located in the stalk of the plant, and is done through a milling process, which involves crushing, heating, cooling and refining.

 

Bibliography:
The story of sugarcane: paddock to plate, 2010, Cane Growers, http://www.canegrowers.com.au/page/Industry_Centre/Schools_module/about-australian-sugarcane/
Sugarcane, 2015, How Stuff Works, http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/botany/sugarcane-info.htm
Sugarcane, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarcane

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Hay

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Hay

“Hay!” neighs the horse.

  • Hay is a bundle of dried vegetation that is primarily intended for the feeding of farm animals.
  • Animals that are common recipients of hay include horses, goats, sheep and cattle, as well as some pets, including guinea pigs and rabbits.
  • Hay is typically made of grasses, and is sometimes combined with clovers, and legume plants like lucerne.
  • Hay is usually provided to animals when insufficient food or grazing is available; and these circumstances often occur due to droughts, cold temperatures or lack of resources.
  • The colour of hay can be a green, yellow or brown colour, although green is usually superior in quality, while bales that are yellow to brown internally, have lost the majority of their nutrients.

Hay, Food, Agriculture, Ten Random Facts, Australia, Bales, Land, Harvest, Cylindar

  • Hay can be fed to animals all year round, and it can be used as the primary food source for some animals on farms.
  • For the purpose of hay making, paddock grasses are grown to maturity, just before seeds ripen, to allow for the greatest quantity and quality of nutrients, and then they are cut and allowed to dry before baling.
  • Too much moisture in hay can cause bales to build up heat, and they can combust spontaneously.
  • Hay is generally gathered tightly in bales, that are either cylindrical or rectangular prisms in shape, often held together with twine, and they are best stored under cover or partly wrapped in plastic.
  • Historically, hay was cut by hand with a scythe, and stacked in piles, known as ‘haystacks’, however, in modern times, the process of cutting and baling is usually all done by specialised machines.
Bibliography:
Hay, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hay
Murphey S, Making Hay, 2013, ABC, http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2013/s3741731.htm


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African Baobab

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African Baobab

African baobabs leave multiple lasting impressions.

  • African baobabs are very large trees native to Africa’s savannah habitats, in areas where there are high temperatures.
  • ‘African baobabs’ are also known as ‘upside-down trees’, ‘baobabs’, ‘monkey-bread trees’, ‘cream of tartar trees’ and ‘dead-rat trees’.
  • The scientific name of an African baobab is Adansonia digitata, and it is from the family Malvaceae, the family of mallows.
  • African baobabs can grow up to 14 metres (46 feet) in diameter and more than 20 metres (66 feet) in height.
  • Oval-shaped, fruit with crumbly or powdery white flesh, is produced by African baobab trees, that are 12 to 20 centimetres (4 to 8 inches) in length, and the flesh is commonly eaten in Africa.
African Baobab, Leaves, Trunk, Africa, Tree, Vegetation, Scene, Flickr, Ten Random Facts
African Baobab
Image courtesy of Michael Janson/Flickr
  • African baobab fruit is considered highly nutritious, being extraordinarily high in calcium, vitamin C and antioxidants.
  • The leaves of the African baobab are used in cooking, and in 2008 and 2009, the fruit was accepted as a legal ingredient in commercial food products in Europe and the United States respectively.
  • African baobabs bloom white-coloured, short-lived flowers that grow 12 to 20 centimetres (4 to 8 inches) in diameter and have five petals and numerous stamens.
  • The roots of an African baobab spread wider than the tree’s height, although they are relatively shallow, and the roots are capable of collecting large quantities of water.
  • An African baobab grows 5 to 10 centimetre (2 to 4 inch) thick bark, that is generally coloured grey or brown, and due to its fibrous nature it is used to make fishing nets, mats, bags, rope and other items.
Bibliography:
Adansonia digitata, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adansonia_digitata
Baobab, n.d, Encyclopaedia of Life, http://eol.org/pages/584789/overview
Hankey A, Adansonia digitata, 2004, Plantz Africa, http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantab/adansondigit.htm

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