Tag Archives: Europe

Baby’s Breath

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Baby’s Breath

Baby’s breath are innocent little flowers, aren’t they?

  • Baby’s breath is a group of perennial and annual plants that produces flowers, and the genus contains approximately 35 species.
  • Areas of Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Pacific are the native locations of baby’s breath.
  • Baby’s breath has the scientific name Gypsophila and it is from the family Caryophyllaceae, the family of carnations.
  • ‘Baby’s breath’ is also known as ‘soap root’, ‘chalk plant’ and ‘gyp’, and the plants are generally grown from seed.
  • The scientific name of Baby’s breath – ‘Gypsophila’ – comes from the words ‘gypsos’ and ‘philos’, meaning ‘gypsum’ and ‘loving’ respectively in Greek.

Baby's Breath, Plant, Vegetation, White, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Baby’s breath generally grows to heights of 15 to 90 centimetres (6 to 35.5 inches), depending on the species, and in most cases they grow best in full sun.
  • The five-petalled flowers of baby’s breath can be white, pink, or violet and they bloom during spring and summer months.
  • The baby’s breath plant often grown for decorative purposes has the scientific name Gypsophila paniculata, and it is commonly used as a cut flower to give a delicate look in arrangements and bouquets.
  • Some baby’s breath species have edible roots, and the plants and roots are also grown for and used as a medical ingredient.
  • Although baby’s breath plants are commonly grown for commercial purposes, some areas have designated some species of the plant as an invasive weed.
Bibliography:
Gypsophila, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsophila
How to Grow Gypsophila, 2015, Gardeners HQ, http://www.gardenershq.com/Gypsophilia-baby-breath.php

 

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Crooked Forest

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Crooked Forest

Don’t go crook watching the Crooked Forest!

  • Crooked Forest is a group of pine trees that are abnormally distorted and bent near the base of the tree trunks, and as a result the trunks have grown in a significant ‘c’ shaped curve.
  • The location of Crooked Forest is in Poland’s province of West Pomerania, in Europe, near the town of Gryfino.
  • The bends in the Crooked Forest tree trunks are at roughly right angles and generally in the direction of due north.
  • Farmers are said to have planted the Crooked Forest in approximately 1930, making the trees roughly 85 years old in 2015.
  • Crooked Forest features roughly 400 trees, that are arranged in 22 rows.
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Crooked Forest
Image courtesy of Lisa/Flickr
  • It is widely believed that the trees of Crooked Forest were purposely bent via the use of a tool or machine, up to 10 years after planting.
  • Theories of the cause of the bending of the trees in the Crooked Forest are many, and some have said that it is a result of heavy snow covering, weird gravity forces and army tank flattening.
  • It is likely that the trees in the Crooked Forest were grown in a peculiar way to create boat hull framing or furniture.
  • The owners of the Crooked Forest probably abandoned their grove of trees during World War II’s impending Polish invasion.
  • Tourists visiting the area commonly visit Crooked Forest, along with the region’s other interesting sites.
Bibliography:
Alford J, What Could Have Caused Poland’s Crooked Forest?, 2014, IFL Science, http://www.iflscience.com/environment/what-could-have-caused-polands-crooked-forest
Crooked Forest, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crooked_Forest
Mysterious Photos of Unexplainable ‘Crooked Forest’ In Poland, Earth Porm, http://www.earthporm.com/mysterious-photos-unexplainably-crooked-forest-poland/
Poland’s Mysterious Crooked Forest, 2011, World of Mysteries, http://www.themysteryworld.com/2011/09/polands-mysterious-crooked-forest.html

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Parsley

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Parsley

Prepare your pasta to appear profound with a piece of parsley.

  • Parsley is a herb that grows as a biennial plant, and is native to some Mediterranean areas.
  • The scientific name of parsley is Petroselinum crispum, and it is one of two species in the Petroselinum genus, that is from the family Apiaceae, the family of carrots and celery.
  • Parsley is commonly added to dishes to flavour food, used as an ingredient in some condiments, and placed on plates or dishes as a garnish to increase the aesthetics of the food.
  • ‘Parsley’ comes from the Old English and French words ‘petersilie’ and ‘peresil’, which both originate from the original Greek word for the herb, ‘petroselinon’.
  • Myristicin, a volatile oil, is evident in parsley, which can negate potentially damaging molecules, like those found in smoke from cigarettes.

Parsley, Green, Herb, Leafy, Spice, Food, Culinary, Ten Random Facts

  • Parsley has been grown in its native area since ancient times, and it has been used for medicinal purposes; while the Greeks viewed the herb as sacred, and used it to for ornamental purposes in tombs and to decorate champions of competitions.
  • ‘Turnip root’ or ‘Hamburg root’ parsley is a variety of the herb that produces a root, similar in appearance to a parsnip, that can be eaten like a vegetable.
  • Fresh parsley should be washed before consumption to remove dirt and other impurities, and while it is best consumed fresh, it can also be purchased as a dried herb in supermarkets.
  • There are at least 30 varieties of parsley, and while they have different features, they are generally a vivid green colour and typically have a leafy appearance.
  • Vitamin K levels are extremely high in parsley, and the herb has significant quantities of vitamin C and vitamin A.

 

Bibliography:
Parsley, 2015, The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=100
Parsley, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsley

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Old World Vultures

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Old World Vultures

Old World vultures are necessary parts of many ecosystems.

  • Old World vultures are large birds native to Africa, Europe and Asia, classified by two subfamilies, Gypaetinae and Aegypiinae.
  • Old World vultures are from the family Accipitridae, the family of hooked-beak birds, while New World vultures belong to a different family.
  • The diet of Old World vultures consists primarily of meat that they extract from the bodies of dead animals and people.
  • The heads of many of the Old World vultures are generally featherless, which is said to help prevent overheating.
  • Livestock may be treated with chemicals, that can render meat for Old World vultures poisonous, and has caused the destruction of many populations of the birds, although the birds are generally not affected by animal diseases and bacteria.
Old World Vulture, Cape Griffon Vulture (Gyps coprotheres), Ten Random Facts, Bird, White, Perch, Feather, Black
Old World Vulture
Image courtesy of Heather Paul/Flickr
  • Old World vultures range from 60 to 150 centimetres (2 to 5 feet) in height, generally weigh between 0.85 to 2.2 kilograms (2 to 5 pounds), and typically have a wingspan that spreads 130 to 183 centimetres (51 to 72 inches) wide.
  • Old World vultures have feathers that are typically coloured black, brown, white, grey or tan, or a combination of these colours.
  • Old World vultures have superb eyesight, and they can turn red in the head when they are not happy about something.
  • Snakes, hawks and wild cats prey on Old World vultures, and the birds commonly play dead when they feel vulnerable.
  • People from Old World vulture’s native countries benefit from the bird, as they clean up rotting carcasses, that would otherwise spread disease and cause other health problems.
Bibliography:
Old World Vultures, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_World_vulture
Vulture, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/vulture/
Vulture, 2015, San Diego Zoo, http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/vulture

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Mongoose

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Mongoose

Watch the sneaky mongoose.

  • Mongooses are a family of mammals with the scientific name Herpestidae, and they are native to Asian, African and some European habitats.
  • The family of mongooses consists of just over 30 species, most of which are called such, although the species also include meerkats and kusimanses.
  • ‘Mongoose’ comes from the word ‘mungūs’, from the Indian Marathi language, and ‘mungoose’ is an alternative spelling for the word.
  • Mongooses, depending on the species, typically grow to heights of 18 to 120 centimetres (7 to 47 inches), and weigh 0.3 to 5 kilograms (0.7 to 11 pounds).
  • The diet of a mongoose consists primarily of lizards, insects, snakes, small mammals like rodents, eggs, birds and worms, and at times, nuts and fruit.
Mongoose, Red, Animal, Mammal, Orange, Ten Random Facts, Turn, Back, Yellow, Paddock, Europe
Mongoose
Image courtesy of Tambako The Jaguar/Flickr
  • Some species of female mongoose give birth to their pups all at the same time, and this decreases the likelihood of infanticide.
  • Mongooses can be kept as pets, although it is illegal in many countries where they could become a pest and cause environmental damage, and reduce numbers of native animals.
  • Some species of mongoose live in burrows that have been deserted or they have made, and they either live by themselves, or in groups, depending on the species.
  • The fur of a mongoose is typically coloured a combination of brown, tan and grey, and the animal has a long tail.
  • Mongooses are preyed on by snakes, large birds and jackals, and live to be around 10 to 15 years.
Bibliography:
Mongoose, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/mongoose/
Mongoose, 2015, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/mammals/mongoose/
Mongoose, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongoose

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Common Barbel

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Common Barbel

Don’t get a common barbel in your face.

  • Common barbels are a species of smaller-sized fish mainly native to various countries in Europe.
  • The scientific name of a common barbel is Barbus barbus, and it is from the family Cyprinidae, the family of carps and minnows.
  • ‘Common barbels’ are also known as ‘barbels’, the broad name of the genus; and ‘pigfish’, from an English legend.
  • Common barbels inhabit freshwater locations such as rivers and lakes, and they are generally found in the water, close to the stony ground.
  • Common barbels grow to be 10 to 120 centimetres (4 to 47 inches) in length and weigh 1 to 12 kilograms (2 to 26 pounds).
Common Barbel, Green, Yellow, Tank, Pebble, Ten Random Facts, Fish, Animal, Barbus
Common Barbel
Image courtesy of robposse/Flickr
  • The diet of common barbels consists primarily of fish, algae, larvae of insects and crustaceans.
  • The number of eggs produced by common barbels at one time is said to be in the thousands, for every kilogram of fish weight, due to the large quantity that are initially eaten by other water creatures.
  • Common barbels have a lifespan of up to 15 years, and they are commonly fished for sport, commercially grown for food, and used in the pet industry.
  • Common barbels can feature numerous small black spots, and they are generally coloured mainly brown or grey, with the addition of silver, white, and pink colours.
  • Although classified as least concerned, both pollution and habitat loss threaten some common barbel populations.
Bibliography:
Barb, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/barb/
Barbus barbus, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbus_barbus
Barbus barbus, 2015, IUCN Red List, http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/summary/2561/0
Binohlan C, Barbus barbus, n.d, Fish Base, http://www.fishbase.org/summary/4472

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