Tag Archives: Asia

Red Panda

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Red Panda

These facts shed some light on the mysterious red panda.

  • Red pandas are mammals that generally live alone in trees of forest habitats in Asia, particularly south-west China and eastern Himalayas.
  • ‘Red pandas’ are also known as ‘red cat-bears’ and ‘lesser pandas’, and they are a red-brown colour, with dark legs, ringed tails and white faces.
  • There are two subspecies of red panda, and the animal’s scientific name is Ailurus fulgens, from the family Ailuridae, and it is the only living member of the family.
  • The diet of red pandas mainly consists of bamboo, as well as other vegetation, eggs, insects, small birds and small mammals.
  •  Red pandas grow to be 50 to 65 centimetres (20 to 26 inches) in length and range from 3 to 9 kilograms (6.6 to 20 pounds) in weight.
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Red Panda
Image courtesy of Davejoe/Flickr
  • Red pandas generally sleep during the day, and are active during dawn and dusk periods as well as during the night.
  • Female red pandas make nests for their young in tree hollows or crevices using vegetation, and later give birth to one to four cubs.
  • Red pandas can live up to 15 years of age, although they generally live 8 to 10 years, and they are preyed upon by snow leopards and martens.
  • Red pandas are threatened by loss of habitat by deforestation and poaching for their fur coat, while some are kept as pets.
  • Two red pandas escaped from two different zoos, one in England, in Europe in 2005, and another in the United States of America’s Washington DC in 2013, although they were both recaptured.
Bibliography:
Red panda, 2014, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/mammals/red-panda/
Red panda, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_panda

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Hibiscus

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Hibiscus

The hibiscus genus.

  • Hibiscus are perennial and annual flowering small trees and shrubs of the same-named genus, of which there are approximately 300 different species.
  • Hibiscus are from the family Malvaceae, the family of mallows, and they generally have glossy green leaves, and a distinct long stamen.
  • Hibiscus often have brightly coloured flowers that are sometimes variegated and can have double petals, in colours of pink, purple, white, yellow, orange and/or red.
  • Hibiscus flowers have at least 5 petals forming a trumpet, and spread 4 to 18 centimetres (1.5 to 7 inches) in diameter.
  • The word ‘hibiscus’ comes from ‘hibískos’, a Greek word named for the plant, and they are also known as ‘rose mallows’, with different species having other common names.

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  • Hibiscus plants grow to be around 1.5 to 3 metres (5 to 10 feet) in height, although there are some species that grow taller than this, and they are commonly used for ornamental or landscaping purposes in gardens.
  • Hibiscus flowers are commonly dried and can be made into tea, cold drinks, used as food colouring, added to salads, or be cooked and eaten, typically in Mexican cuisine.
  • Hibiscus are native to mainly warm areas around the world, with different species being native to specific areas, including Asia, Australia and the Pacific islands.
  • Hibiscus is the recognised national flower of Malaysia, South Korea and the Republic of Haiti.
  • Hibiscus can be made into shampoo and has been used medicinally, notably for lowering blood pressure.
Bibliography:
Hibiscus, 2002, Burke’s Backyard, http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/factsheets/Flowering-Plants-and-Shrubs/Hibiscus/107
Hibiscus, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus

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Maidenhair Fern

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Maidenhair Fern

Keep up the water to your maidenhair ferns.

  • Maidenhair ferns are a group of ferns of which there are approximately 200 species.
  • Maidenhair ferns are from the family Pteridaceae, the family of ferns, and has the scientific name Adiantum.
  • Maidenhair ferns have soft textures and lacy appearances, although textures and appearance vary among the species.
  • Maidenhair ferns are generally green in colour with black or brown leaf stems, although the colours of the leaves can be variegated.
  • Maidenhair ferns are deciduous, grow from rhizomes, and reach up to 1 metre (3 feet) in height.

Maidenhair Fern, Green, Plant, Vegetation, Genus, Adiantum, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Maidenhair ferns are typically used as an ornamental plant, both indoors and outdoors, and are often grown in pots, terrariums and hanging baskets.
  • Maidenhair ferns prefer a shady position in the garden, and if kept inside, then need to be grown in a well lit area.
  • ‘Adiantum’, the scientific name of maidenhair ferns, is from the Greek word ‘adiantos’, meaning ‘unwettable’, referring to the foliage of the plant that repels water.
  • Maidenhair ferns dry out quickly if not watered, but can be resurrected by cutting off dead branches and keeping the soil moist, and are not technically dead until green growth has not been seen for 18 months.
  • Maidenhair ferns are native to all continents except Antarctica, and grow best in moist habitats, particularly among rocks or near water features.
Bibliography:
Adiantum, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adiantum
Maidenhair Fern, 2006, Burke’s Backyard, http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/factsheets/Indoor-and-Potted-Plant/Maidenhair-Fern/2156

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Taipei 101

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Taipei 101

Taipei 101, a record holder.

  • Taipei 101 is a blue-green coloured skyscraper that was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010.
  • ‘Taipei 101’ is also known as the ‘Taipei World Financial Center’ or ‘Taipei Financial Center’.
  • Taipei 101 is located in the city of Taipei, in east Asia’s Taiwan, and it cost US$1.76 billion to build.
  • When the building was finished, Taipei 101 was the tallest sundial in the world, it contained the largest and heaviest tuned mass damper sphere (like a pendulum to keep the building more stable), the largest countdown clock, and had the fastest elevator.
  • Taipei 101 is made to withstand severe typhoons and earthquakes, using its tuned mass damper sphere, 380 foundation piles rammed 80 metres (262 feet) into the earth, and other features.

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Taipei 101
Image courtesy of Luke Ma/Flickr
  • Taipei 101 has 101 floors, symbolising a new century, the coming of new years, and perfection, and it contains 8 sections, referring to the symbolic Chinese number for prosperity.
  • Taipei 101 is the home to apartments, observatories, offices, meeting centres, a club and restaurants, and has an attached shopping mall.
  • Since its construction, Taipei 101 has been the home to New Years Eve firework displays each year, with the longest display lasting 288 seconds in 2010/2011, and in 2011/2012 it is said that 30,000 rocket fireworks were launched.
  • Taipei 101’s architect was the Chinese company, C.Y. Lee & Partners, and planning started in 1997, construction began in 1999/2000, and the building opened on New Years Eve, 2004.
  • Taipei 101 boasts a height of 509 metres (1,670 feet), surpassing the 1998 built Petronas Towers in Malaysia on completion, and being surpassed by Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010.
Bibliography: Clancy R, The Building of the Taipei 101 Skyscraper, 2009, Property Forum, http://www.propertyforum.com/emerging-property-markets/230-the-building-of-the-taipei-101-skyscraper.html
Taipei 101, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taipei_101

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Cyclamen

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Cyclamen

Cyclamen… a hardy but beautiful plant.

  • Cyclamens are flowering perennial plants, that grow from tubers and are also called ‘sowbread’, as the tubers have been commonly eaten by wild pigs.
  • Cyclamens are native to parts of Europe, north Africa and west Asia.
  • Cyclamens were originally considered to belong to the family Primulaceae, the family of primroses, but are now considered to be part of the family Myrsinaceae, the family of myrsine.
  • Cyclamens develop flowers with five petals that point upwards, in various shades of white, red, pink or purple colours.
  • There are approximately 20 species of cyclamens, and they have different flowering seasons, depending on the species.

Cyclamen, Red, Green, Flower, Plant, Large, Fence, Decorative, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Cyclamens can be found in woody or rocky areas, and are generally hardy plants, although some species do not cope with frost.
  • Cyclamens prefer shady conditions and are popularly used as a decorative house or garden plant, and are often grown in pots.
  • Cyclamen leaves are are often heart shaped, and typically green with sometimes a red coloured underside, and the leaves usually have a distinctive pattern in a lighter colour.
  • Cyclamens grow to be 15 to 25 centimetres (6 to 10 inches) in height and the flowers usually sit above the leaves of the plant on thin stems.
  • Some cyclamens go dormant in summer and appear to be dead, however, they will generally re-sprout leaves in autumn.
Bibliography:
Cyclamen, 2014, Burke’s Backyard, http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/factsheets/Flowering-Plants-and-Shrubs/Cyclamen/1296
Cyclamen, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclamen
Perry L, Considering Cyclamen, n.d., University of Vermont Extension, http://perrysperennials.info/articles/cyclamen.html

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Oregano

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Oregano

Oregano can flavour your food or restore your health.

  • Oregano is a herb, or the leaves, of a typically perennial plant that grows to be 20 to 80 centimetres (8 to 31.5 inches) in height.
  • Oregano has the scientific name of Origanum vulgare and is from the family Lamiaceae, the family of mint, that also includes many other common herbs.
  • ‘Oregano’ is also known as ‘wild marjoram’, although is not true marjoram, and it is native to the Mediterranean and parts of Asia.
  • Oregano is typically used as a fresh or dried herb, although its flavour can be quite overpowering when used fresh, so it is recommended that it be removed from the food after cooking, or use dried oregano instead.
  • Oregano has a fragrant flavour of warmness and slight bitterness.

Oregano, Herb, Dried, leaves, lots, pile, black, Ten Random Facts, Food

  • Due to World War II, oregano became more popular in the United States, due to the soldiers returning, having experienced the flavour in Italy.
  • Oregano is typically eaten as a seasoning on meat, vegetables, pizza and other dishes, or included in sauces, tea or oils.
  • Oregano is a great source of vitamin K, a good source of iron, fibre, manganese and calcium, and very high in antioxidants.
  • Oregano is a leafy herb, and is green when used fresh, and when dried, the leaves are crushed and are a brown-green colour.
  • Oregano can be used to treat respiratory, nervous and digestive problems, often in the form of ointment or tea, and was historically used as an antiseptic.

 

Bibliography:
Oregano, 2014, The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=73
Oregano, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregano

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