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Sensitive Plant

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Sensitive Plant

Sometimes you just want to shrink away. Sensitive plants know how you feel.

  • Sensitive plants are a species of plant, originating in tropical areas of South and Central America.
  • ‘Sensitive plants’ are also known as ‘shy plants’, ‘sleepy plants’, ‘humble plants’, ‘common sensitive plants’, ‘touch-me-not plants’, and ‘shameful plants’.
  • The scientific name of a sensitive plant is Mimosa pudica and it is from the family Fabaceae, the family of legumes.
  • Sensitive plants have thorny stems, and fern-like leaves that are peculiar in nature, as their leaflets fold inward when touched or shaken, and they reopen minutes later.
  • The small pink to purple flowers of sensitive plants are made up of lots of stamens that create a spherical shape, and after flowering the plant produces seed pods that are bordered with prickles.

Sensitive Plant, Flower, Vegetation, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Purple, Grassy

  • When the leaflets of sensitive plants fold, water is being purged from the leaf cells using potassium ions and others, which causes the leaf cell to collapse.
  • Sensitive plants have been introduced into Asia, particularly the east, as well as parts of Africa, and it is considered an invasive weed in areas of Australia.
  • Sensitive plants are often grown for their unusual nature of leaf-folding, and they can be grown inside in pots, although they will need sufficient light to thrive.
  • The height of a sensitive plant usually reaches 15 to 45 centimetres (6 to 18 inches), and it is considered to be a ground cover, so it tends to have a spreading habit.
  • Sensitive plants can be grown as a perennial or an annual, depending on the climate and growing conditions, and the plant has medicinal properties that have been traditionally used for treating wounds, among other things.
Bibliography:
Common Sensitive Plant, 2015, Queensland Government, https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industry/agriculture/species/non-declared-pests/weeds/common-sensitive-plant
Mimosa Pudica, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimosa_pudica
Mimosa Pudica (Common Sensitive Plant), 2011, BioNET-EAFRINET, http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/eafrinet/weeds/key/weeds/Media/Html/Mimosa_pudica_(Common_Sensitive_Plant).htm
Mimosa Pudica (Sensitive Plant), n.d, KEW Royal Botanic Garden, http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/mimosa-pudica-sensitive-plant

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Rosary Vine

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Rosary Vine

Rosary vines really spiff up the outdoors with their appealing leaves and flowers.

  • A rosary vine is a species of perennial flowering plant, native to southern areas of Africa, including Zimbabwe, Swaziland, and South Africa.
  • ‘Rosary vines’ are also known as ‘sweetheart vines’, ‘chain of hearts’, ‘string of hearts’, ‘heart vines’, ‘hearts-on-a-string’, and ‘collar of hearts’.
  • The scientific name of a rosary vine is Ceropegia woodii and it is from the family Apocynaceae, the family of dogbanes; and it has received the Award of Garden Merit from England’s Royal Horticultural Society.
  • The leaves of rosary vines are heart-shaped, and are typically dark green with distinct light coloured markings on the top, and they may be purple or green underneath.
  • The length of rosary vines can reach two to four metres (6.5 to 13 feet), and leaves are usually situated in pairs, spaced along the long purple stems.
Rosary Vine, Ten Random Facts, Vegetation, Plant, Flower, Chain of Hearts,
Rosary Vine
Image courtesy of Maja Dumat/Flickr
  • The white to pink and violet coloured, tube-shaped flower of the rosary vine has a globular base, while the tips of the flower are connected, and along with the hairs found in the flower, this helps to detain insects to ensure effective pollination.
  • The rosary vine’s first documented discovery dates to 1881 in Natal, South Africa, found by English botanist John Medley Wood, who sent a specimen to the United Kingdom in 1894 for classification.
  • Rosary vines are best suited to partly shady areas; and they mainly bloom in summer and autumn, though depending on the climate, they may flower at other times of the year.
  • The rosary vine grows from a tuber that can multiply, and the tubers may form on the stems of the plant, and these can be cut off and used to establish new vines.
  • Rosary vines are commonly grown for ornamental purposes, particularly in hanging baskets, and they can be grown as an indoor houseplant, though they will need exposure to light to remain healthy.
Bibliography:
Ceropegia woodii, n.d, Plants Rescue, http://www.plantsrescue.com/ceropegia-woodii/
Ceropegia woodii, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceropegia_woodii
Ceropegia woodii: String of Hearts, 2010, The Wisconsin Master Gardener Program, http://wimastergardener.org/?q=Ceropegia_woodii
Rosary Vine, String of Hearts, 2016, Dave’s Garden, http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/53707/#b

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Broadleaf Carpet Grass

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Broadleaf Carpet Grass

Broadleaf carpet grass is your friendly neighbourhood carpet!

  • Broadleaf carpet grass is a perennial species of grass, native to Central and South America, and southern North America.
  • ‘Broadleaf carpet grass’ is also known as ‘carpet grass’, ‘tropical carpet grass’, ‘blanket grass’, ‘Louisiana grass’, ‘lawn grass’, ‘cow grass’, and ‘savannah grass’.
  • The scientific name of broadleaf carpet grass is Axonopus compressus, from the family Poaceae, the family of grasses, and it is similar in appearance to the closely related Axonopus fissifolius (sometimes known as Axonopus affinis).
  • Broadleaf carpet grass is typically used as a form of groundcover, often as a lawn or for pasture, as it can form a dense covering over the ground and can help reduce erosion.
  • The height of broadleaf carpet grass can reach up to 15 centimetres (6 inches), and the plant produces stems up to 45 cm (18 inches) high, where the seeds are formed.

Broadleaf Carpet Grass, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Vegetation, Plant, Growing, America, Australia,

  • Broadleaf carpet grass can grow well in moist soil that is of poor quality, and it is best grown in shade.
  • Countries with warm moist climates, such as areas of Australia and South East Asia, have seen the introduction of broadleaf carpet grass, where the plant is often considered an invasive weed.
  • Broadleaf carpet grass leaf blades range from 2 to 16 cm (0.8 to 6.3 inches) in length and they are between 0.2 to 1.8 centimetres (0.1 to 0.7 inches) wide, and they feature fine hairs on the outer edges and around the nodes.
  • Broadleaf carpet grass plants spread easily, as roots can form at each node, creating a connected root system, and the plant can also be grown from seed.
  • When healthy, broadleaf carpet grass is a vivid green colour, blending into purple/red colours at the base of the leaves.
Bibliography:
Axonopus compressus, n.d, Tropical Forages, http://www.tropicalforages.info/key/Forages/Media/Html/Axonopus_compressus.htm
Axonopus compressus (carpet grass), 2016, CABI, http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/8094
Axonopus compressus (Swartz) Beauv., n.d, FAO, http://www.fao.org/ag/agp/AGPC/doc/gbase/data/Pf000180.HTM
Broad-leaved Carpet Grass, 2011, Queensland Government, http://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/03030800-0b07-490a-8d04-0605030c0f01/media/Html/Axonopus_compressus.htm

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Tropical Pitcher Plant

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Tropical Pitcher Plant

You certainly do not want to drink from a tropical pitcher plant.

  • Tropical pitcher plants are a group of at least 160 species of carnivorous plant, that are native mostly to Southeast Asia, while some can be found in Madagascar, northern Australia, and on a few smaller tropical islands around these areas.
  • ‘Tropical pitcher plants’ are also known as ‘pitfall traps’ and ‘monkey cups’, and they produce vessels known as ‘pitchers’, that hold fluid, hence their common name, though the plant typically needs humidity for pitchers to develop.
  • The scientific name of the tropical pitcher plant genus is Nepenthes, and this genus is the sole member of the Nepenthaceae family, and they were first described in 1658 by Étienne de Flacourt, a French governor who discovered them in Madagascar, and he referred to the plant as Amramatico.
  • The pitchers of a tropical pitcher plant generally grow and hang on tendrils that form on the leaf tips of the vine-like plant.
  • Tropical pitcher plants are well known for their carnivorous nature, catching food such as insects, but some species also catch larger specimens, such as lizards, frogs, rodents and even small birds.
Tropical Pitcher Plant, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Vegetation, Plant, Flora, Carnivorous, Red, Green, Swollen
Tropical Pitcher Plants
Image courtesy of Graeme Scott/Flickr
  • Bright colours, nectar, sweet aroma and even hairs attract prey to tropical pitcher plants, and the slippery nature of the pitcher’s rim, along with moist climates, assist in causing prey to fall into the plant’s pitchers.
  • A tropical pitcher plant waits for prey to slip into the pitcher, which holds a fluid that the prey gets trapped in which causes it to drown, and the plant then absorbs the animal’s nutrients.
  • Some fauna depends on tropical pitcher plants for caught food scraps and even shelter, some even depending exclusively on the flora while other animals use the pitcher as a toilet facility.
  • The pitchers of tropical pitcher plants vary in size, depending on the species, and can be 4 to 50 centimetres (1.6 to 20 inches) in height, and they vary in diameter, while some have a capacity of 3.5 litres (0.9 gallons).
  • A tropical pitcher plant produces clusters of flowers that are pollinated through certain flying insect species, though there is only one gender of flower on each plant; after which capsules of seeds are produced that each hold hundreds of light seeds, that are dispersed through wind movement.
Bibliography:
About Carnivorous Pitcher Plants, n.d, Learn About Nature, http://www.carnivorous–plants.com/pitcher-plant.html
Caring for Nepenthes, Tropical Pitcher Plants or Monkey Cups, n.d, Pitcher Plant, http://www.pitcherplant.com/care_sheets/nepenthes_care.html
Nepenthes, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepenthes

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Giant Moss

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Giant Moss

Giant moss appears to be a typical plant, but it bears no flowers or seeds.

  • Giant moss is a species of tall moss native to eastern areas of Australia, and also New Zealand and New Guinea.
  • ‘Giant moss’ is also known as ‘tall Dawsonia’, and as a moss plant, it is ‘non-vascular’, in that it does not have ducts that hold or transport fluid.
  • The scientific name of giant moss is Dawsonia superba and it is from the family Polytrichaceae, the family of Aloe moss.
  • Each erect spike or stem of giant moss is an individual plant, and the leaves are small and a green to grey-green colour.
  • Giant moss is found in clay soils of humid forest habitats, including rainforests.

Giant Moss, Large, Plant, Vegetation, Australia, New Zealand, Grass, Melbourne

  • Reaching up to 60 centimetres (2 feet) in height, giant moss is the tallest known extant moss on earth.
  • Full shade, in dry to moist soils, is the best condition for growing giant moss, and it is able to be grown in pots.
  • Extremely small spores that are six to ten micrometres (each micrometre measuring 0.001 of a millimetre) in diameter, making them some of the smallest spores of any moss plants, are produced by giant moss.
  • Giant moss produce capsules, that have hairs on the exterior, that sit above the leaves; and the capsule contains spores that are used by the plant to reproduce.
  • Raindrops falling onto giant moss collect the plant’s spores and disperses them for reproduction, on the forest floor.

 

Bibliography:
Dawson superba (Giant Moss), 2016, T.E.R.R.A.I.N, http://www.terrain.net.nz/friends-of-te-henui-group/local-mosses/giant-moss-dawson-superba.html
Dawsonia superba, 2010, Welcome to Yarra Ranges, http://fe.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Residents/Trees_Vegetation/Yarra_Ranges_Plant_Directory/Yarra_Ranges_Local_Plant_Directory/Lower_Storey/Ferns_and_Fern_Allies/Dawsonia_superba
Dawsonia superba, n.d, Biota, http://bio113.weebly.com/dawsonia-superba.html

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Bidgee Widgee

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Bidgee Widgee

Bidgee widgees certainly like to stick to you.

  • Bidgee widgees are a species of perennial, flowering plant, native to regions of Australia and New Zealand.
  • ‘Bidgee widgees’ are also known as ‘biddy-biddy’, ‘bidi-bidi’, ‘piri-piri-bur’ or, in the native New Zealand language, Maori, ‘piripiri’.
  • The scientific name of a bidgee widgee is Acaena novae-zelandiae and it is from the family Rosaceae, the family of roses.
  • Bidgee widgees have been introduced into the United States and the United Kingdom, where they are now established and considered a weed in some areas.
  • The bidgee widgee plant grows to approximately 10 centimetres (4 inches) in height, with a one metre (39 inches) diameter, and is notable for spreading across the ground.

Bidgee Widgee, Ten Random Facts, Trivia, Green, Vegetation, Plant, Australia, New Zealand, piripiri

  • Full sun or partial shade is the best growing conditions for bidgee widgees, and they prefer moist soil conditions.
  • The tiny, white to green coloured flowers of bidgee widgees, typically form in the spring and summer months in ball shape clusters, that grow above the leaves of the plant on thin stalks.
  • Bidgee widgees are commonly utilised in landscaping as a ground cover, for decorative purposes.
  • Bidgee widgee flowers develop into spherical burrs that begin with protruding pink to red spikes that change to a brown colour once mature, that are in fact individual seeds that are grouped together to make the spherical shape.
  • If brushed against, bidgee widgee seeds or burrs can cling onto substances, such as animal fur or clothing, due to the spiny hooks they possess, which aids their dispersal.
Bibliography:
Acaena novae-zelandiae, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acaena_novae-zelandiae
Acaena novae-zelandiae, n.d, Prestige Plants, http://www.prestigeplants.com.au/www/content/default.aspx?cid=1748
Acaena novae zelandiae, 2016, Bushland Flora, http://www.bushlandflora.com.au/individual_plant.php?p=Acaena%20novae%20zelandiae&uid=1034
Acaena novae-zelandiae Kirk, n.d, PlantNET, http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Acaena~novae-zelandiae

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