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Sacred Lotus

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Sacred Lotus

The sacred lotus will spice up your aquatic garden.

  • Sacred lotuses are an aquatic species of perennial plant, native mostly to tropical and warm temperate climates of Asia and north to north-eastern Australia, and while they have a similar appearance to water lilies, they are unrelated.
  • The ‘sacred lotus’ is also known simply as ‘lotus’, as well as ‘sacred water lotus’, ‘Indian lotus’, ‘sacred water lily’, ‘rose of India’, ‘lotus lily’, ‘pink lotus lily’, ‘pink water lily’, and ‘bean of India’.
  • The scientific name of the sacred lotus is Nelumbo nucifera and it is from the family Nelumbonaceae, the family of lotuses, and it is one of two living species in the family.
  • The sausage-like tubers of sacred lotuses grow from seeds deposited at the muddy bottom of bodies of water, and they grow stems of leaves, 1 to 2.5 metres (3.3 to 8.2 feet) in height to reach the surface of the water, and the diameter of the leaves ranges from 20 to 70 centimetres (8 to 27.6 inches).
  • The flower head of the sacred lotus sits above the water and is 15 to 25 centimetres (6 to 10 inches) in diameter, and can be coloured pink, to white sometimes with a reddish tint, and they have a sweet scent.

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  • Seeds of sacred lotuses grow in a receptacle that is originally the centre of the flower head, while the head turns downwards as the seeds mature; and seeds of ancient specimens have been known to be still usable centuries later, while one seed, estimated to be almost 1300 years old at the time, was germinated in 1994.
  • Sacred lotuses are considered symbolic in a number of religions including Buddhism and Hinduism, and are said to represent creation, purity, incarnation, and beauty, among other things.
  • Much of the sacred lotus plant, including the flowers, is edible, with the tubers being able to be used like a vegetable by boiling, frying, baking, and steaming them; while the seeds and leaves can be eaten both raw and cooked; and the leaves can also be used as a food wrapper.
  • The sacred lotus is a fundamental plant in traditional Asian medicine with all parts of the plant being utilised; and a wide variety of illnesses are treated with the plant, including nausea, fever, diarrhoea, and mushroom poisoning.
  • The temperature of sacred lotus flowers will remain at a constant 30°C to 35°C (86°F to 95°F), even despite changes in the temperature around them; while the leaves are extremely water repellent and as such are self-cleaning, with this phenomena being described as the ‘lotus effect’.
Bibliography:
Nelumbo Nucifera, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelumbo_nucifera
Nelumbo Nucifera (Sacred Lotus), n.d, KEW Royal Botanic Gardens, http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/nelumbo-nucifera-sacred-lotus
Nelumbo Nucifera – Gaertn., 2012, Plants For A Future, http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Nelumbo+nucifera
Stanley T, Nelumbo nucifera, 2007, Flora of Australia Online, http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/online-resources/flora/stddisplay.xsql?pnid=40576
Tan R, Lotus, 2001, Naturia, http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/plants/lotus.htm

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McWay Falls

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McWay Falls

A simple snap will not capture the full beauty of McWay Falls.

  • McWay Falls is a scenic waterfall located in the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, in the state of California’s Big Sur coastal region, in the United States.
  • Unless the tide is in, the water of McWay Falls drops directly onto a beach cove, that sits at the edge of the North Pacific Ocean.
  • The height of McWay Falls reaches 24.4 metres (80 feet), while a 1 kilometre (o.6 mile) long walking track enables visitors to reach the top of the falls.
  • Near McWay Falls are the ruins of a cottage built by Lathrop Brown and his wife around the 1920s, then owners of the land, and it was demolished in 1965.
  • Fauna such as gulls and other birds populate the land around McWay Falls; while seals, sea lions, whales and sea otters are sometimes found in the surrounding ocean.
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McWay Falls and the Surrounding Cove
Image courtesy of April/Flickr
  • The McWay Falls site was first officially owned by Christopher McWay in the 1870s, whom the falls are named after, and the land was originally used as a ranch.
  • The cove that McWay Falls drops into is relatively inaccessible on foot, due to the hazardous steep rock descent that would be required, and access down the cliff is prohibited.
  • In 1983, a large landslide slid into the ocean below McWay Falls to form a beach, and consequently it caused the waterfall to no longer fall directly into the ocean.
  • The land of McWay Falls was donated to the government in 1961 by the Brown family, and the site was designated a park reserve.
  • McWay Falls is active through all seasons and is a popular site for photographers, particularly due to its picturesque sunset.
Bibliography:
Hester J, Hiking to McWay Falls in Big Sur, 2015, SoCalHiker, https://socalhiker.net/hiking-to-mcway-falls-in-big-sur/
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, 2016, California State Parks, http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578
McWay Falls, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McWay_Falls
McWay Falls, n.d, World of Waterfalls, http://www.world-of-waterfalls.com/california-mcway-falls.html
McWay Waterfall Trail, n.d, Hiking in Big Sur, http://www.hikinginbigsur.com/hikes_mcwayfalls.html
Turnball L, McWay Waterfall, 2016, Waterfalls West, http://www.waterfallswest.com/waterfall.php?id=mcway-falls-big-sur-286

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Mangshan Pit Viper

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Mangshan Pit Viper

Mangshan pit vipers are stunning in more ways than just one.

  • A Mangshan pit viper is a large species of nocturnal pit viper snake, found in a small region of mountainous forests in the Guangdong and Hunan provinces in southern China.
  • ‘Mangshan pit vipers’ are also known as ‘Mangshan iron-head snakes’, ‘Chinese pit vipers’, ‘Mang Mountain pit vipers’, ‘ironhead pitvipers’, ‘Mount Mang pitvipers’, ‘Mangshan vipers’ and ‘Mt Mang pit vipers’.
  • The scientific name of the Mangshan pit viper is Protobothrops mangshanensis, from the family Viperidae, the family of vipers, and it was first scientifically documented in 1990 and was formerly referred to as Trimeresurus mangshanensis.
  • Mangshan pit vipers are one of two snakes that are not technically a cobra, that can spit their venom.
  • Mangshan pit vipers generally grow to be a length of 1.4 to 2.1 metres (4.6 to 7 feet) and they weigh 3 to 5 kilograms (6.6 to 11 pounds).
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A Mangshan Pit Viper
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
  • The venom of Mangshan pit vipers can be spat up to a distance of 2 metres (6.6 feet); however they will more often bite prey with their large fangs, such as frogs, birds, insects, or small mammals, to inject toxins.
  • The scales of Mangshan pit vipers range from green to yellow and brown in colour, layered in intricate camouflaging patterns, making it an attractive snake, and sought after as a pet.
  • The Mangshan pit viper population had shrunk to an estimated 500 specimens in 2009, partly as result of habitat destruction, as well as illegal trade for the pet industry, and with this continuing to be a prominent threat, the species is considered endangered.
  • Mangshan pit vipers have a tail tip that is white, that is used to attract prey by appearing to be a grub.
  • The venom of Mangshan pit vipers can cause severe blood clotting and corrode muscle tissue, and thus it can be fatal to humans.
Bibliography:
Manshan Pit Viper, Protobthrops mangshanensis, 2011, San Diego Zoo Global, http://library.sandiegozoo.org/factsheets/mangshan_pit_viper/pit_viper.html
Mangshan Pit Viper (Protobothrops mangshanensis), n.d, Snake Database, http://snakedatabase.org/species/Protobothrops/mangshanensis
Mangshan Pit Viper (Protobothrops mangshanensis), n.d, Wildscreen Arkive, http://www.arkive.org/mangshan-pit-viper/protobothrops-mangshanensis/
Mt. Mang Pitviper, 2016, Saint Louis Zoo, https://www.stlzoo.org/animals/abouttheanimals/reptiles/snakes/mtmangpitviper/
The Other Spitting Snake – Mangshan Pit Viper, 2015, The Occasional Creature Fact, https://creaturefacts.wordpress.com/2015/06/04/the-other-spitting-snake-mangshan-pit-viper/
Protobothrops mangshanensis, 2012, The IUCN Redlist of Endangered Species, http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/192140/0
Protobothrops mangshanensis, 2016, Clinical Toxinology Resources, http://www.toxinology.com/fusebox.cfm?fuseaction=main.snakes.display&id=SN0109

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Candy Apple

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Candy Apple

Although candy apples are evolving into a tradition, they are well suited anytime!

  • A candy apple is a confectionery item consisting of an apple, that has been dipped in a hard sugar or toffee mixture to coat it; and includes a wooden or plastic stick pushed into the apple, which is used to hold it.
  • ‘Candy apples’ are also known as ‘candied apples’, ‘toffee apples’, ‘lollipop apples’, and ‘taffy apples’.
  • Candy apples are most popularly eaten as a snack during autumn months when apples are at their peak season, especially during times of celebration, or at carnivals and fairs.
  • Typically, the hard coating of a candy apple is a red colour, likely due to tradition, as well as the appealing and striking nature of the colour.
  • The sugary coating of candy apples is typically made from sugar, corn syrup, food colouring, and water, although the ingredients may vary, and they are sometimes flavoured with cinnamon.
Candy Apples, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Red, Assortment, Toffee, Confectionery, Food, CulinaryCandy Apples
Image courtesy of Emilian Vicol/Flickr
  • The candy apple invention is often attributed to candy maker William Kolb of New Jersey, in the United States, who is said to have placed toffee-covered apples in a display window in 1908, and he promptly sold them for five cents per apple.
  • Candy apples are commonly confused with caramel apples, which are notably different in that the latter’s coating is generally made of soft caramel rather than hard toffee.
  • The oldest known written recipe for a candy apple originated in 1919, found in the cookbook “Rigby’s Reliable Candy Teacher” and it was referred to as an ‘apple on a stick’.
  • Apple cultivars of particular tartness, like Granny Smiths, are optimal for candy apples, as the flavour compliments the sweetness, and these apples usually have a firm texture.
  • Climates with high humidity render candy apples as somewhat impractical, as excessive levels of humidity cause the hard sugar coating to become soft and runny.
Bibliography:
Candy Apple, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy_apple
Nudi E, Food History: Candied Apples, 2014, Erinnudi.com, http://www.erinnudi.com/2014/09/25/food-history-candied-apples/
Olver L, Food Timeline FAQs: Candy, 2015, Food Timeline, http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodcandy.html#candiedapples

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Dragon Blood Tree

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Dragon Blood Tree

Dragon blood trees are a reality of another fantasy.

  • Dragon blood trees are an evergreen species of tree, endemic to the woodlands of the Socotra islands of Yemen, located in the Arabian Sea near western Asia.
  • The scientific name of the dragon blood tree is Dracaena cinnabari and it is from the family Asparagaceae, a family of plants that flower, and in the subfamily Nolinoideae.
  • ‘Dragon blood trees’ are also known as ‘Socotra dragon trees’, and they can reach a height of 5 to 10 metres (16.4 to 33 feet).
  • Dragon blood trees grow in a shape that resembles that of a mushroom, with branches that are shaped like large sausages and form in a dense structure; while sturdy long, narrow leaves form on the ends of the branches in clusters, and they can be as long as 60 centimetres (2 feet).
  • Moisture is absorbed by dragon blood trees from mist or low cloud cover, and often the moisture trickles down cracks in rocks to the roots below.
Dragon Blood Tree, Socotra, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Plant, Vegetation, Exotic, Alien, Strange, Green, Desert
Dragon Blood Trees
Image courtesy of Rod Waddington/Flickr
  • Dragon blood trees generally bloom in February, and they produce many small flowers that grow in groups, and are coloured a creamy white to green colour.
  • Numerous berries form on dragon blood trees after flowering, and they have a diameter of approximately 1 cm (0.4 inches); are of an orange to red colour when ripe; and contain from 1 to 3 seeds.
  • Dragon blood trees are listed as a vulnerable species as reproduction has noticeably declined, likely due to a changing climate, over-harvesting and human interference.
  • Dragon blood trees are known for excreting a blood red resin that has been used as dye or varnish, as well as a form of traditional medicine since ancient times in Rome, Greece and Egypt, and the resin is still used in modern times.
  • Many young dragon blood trees of present times have failed to grow branches in the dense canopy typical of older specimens, and this has caused conservation concerns, as the canopy allows new plants to grow in its shade, and prevents moisture loss around the base of the tree.
Bibliography:
Dragon’s Blood Tree (Dracaena Cinnibari), n.d, Wildscreen Arkive, http://www.arkive.org/dragons-blood-tree/dracaena-cinnabari/
Dracaena Cinnabari, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracaena_cinnabari
Miller A, Dracaena Cinnabari, 2004, The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/30428/0
Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, ScienceDirect, 2015, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1319562X15002065
Socotra Dragon Tree, 2016, Global Trees Campaign, http://globaltrees.org/threatened-trees/trees/socotra-dragon-tree/

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Socotra

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Socotra

At Socotra, you can take a trip out of this world and still remain in this world!

  • Socotra is a group of four islands, found approximately 355 kilometres (220 miles) off the coast of Yemen of western Asia, in the Arabian Sea, and the archipelago also consists of two islets; and while it sits closer to Somalia, Africa, it comes under the jurisdiction of Yemen.
  • Socotra’ also has the spellings ‘suqotra’ and ‘soqotra’, and there are various theories about the origin of the name, though it is generally thought to be derived from the Arabic words meaning ‘market of dragon’s blood’ or from the Sanskrit words meaning ‘island of bliss’.
  • The largest island, which is also called Socotra, has caves, mountains, dunes, and sandy beaches, and is 132 kilometres (82 miles) in length, while the total archipelago has a land area of approximately 3824 square kilometres (1476 square miles).
  • Socotra is known for its exotic flora numbering over 800 species, with more than a third of these species being endemic to the islands; and there is a diverse range of fauna, with at least 34 reptile and 96 land snail species, almost all of which are endemic; along with 730 fish, 300 crustacean, 4 bat and 192 bird species.
  • In 2008, the UNESCO World Heritage Convention listed Socotra as a World Heritage Site, thus making it a protected area, due to the islands’ unique biodiversity and species that are threatened.
Socotra,Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Island, Misty, Vegetation, Plant, Place, Alien, Exotic, Yemen
Part of Socotra
Image courtesy of Valerion Guillot/Flickr
  • Socotra was an ancient hub for trading with people from Rome, Greece and Egypt, selling exclusive medicines; frankincense; and a special red resin known as ‘dragon’s blood‘ that was used as a dye and for medicinal purposes; all extracted from various endemic plants.
  • The first sealed road to be constructed on Socotra was built in 2006, and there are only a few roads on the island, in part due to their negative impact on the environment, though transport methods such as bikes, 4WDs and minibuses are used, while an airport also exists.
  • The ruins of an ancient city were uncovered on Socotra in 2010 by Russian archaeologists, and there are many caves, as well as nearby shipwrecks, that can be explored.
  • As of 2004, Socotra had a population of approximately 44,000 individuals, most of these being indigenous and of Arabian descent living on the main island, and only two of the other islands were inhabited, and housed approximately 550 people between them.
  • Industries in Socotra include date growing, pearl harvesting, and fishing; while ecotourism is becoming popular, with an increased number of visitors over recent years, and activities for tourists may comprise of diving, fishing, sailing and other water sports, as well as hiking.
Bibliography:
Abrams A, The Most Alien-Looking Place on Earth, 2008, Dark Roasted Blend, http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2008/09/most-alien-looking-place-on-earth.html
Morris M, General Information, n.d, Friends of Soqotra, http://www.friendsofsoqotra.org/Soqotra_archipelago.html
Socotra, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socotra
Socotra Archipelago, 2016, UNESCO World Heritage Convention, http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1263
Socotra Island, 2016, Atlas Obscura, http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/socotra-island
White M, Socotra: Yemen’s Legendary Island, 2012, National Geographic, http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/06/socotra/white-text
Yemen, The Socotra Archipelago, 2016, Socotra, http://socotra.info/

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