Tag Archives: Vegetation

Gooseberry

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Gooseberry

These gooseberry facts certainly won’t lead you on a wild goose chase!

  • Gooseberries are a type of edible fruit related to currants, and they are native to Africa, Europe, and North America.
  • There are two main species of gooseberry that are grown – the European with the scientific name Ribes uva-crispa (sometimes called Ribes grossularia), and the American, that has the scientific name Ribes hirtellum, both of which are from the family Grossulariaceae, a family of flowering and edible currants.
  • American gooseberries are generally smaller but less susceptible to fruit-damaging mildew than the European varieties, that are generally bigger and have more flavour, though the two species have been bred together to improve outcomes, and numerous varieties have been produced.
  • Gooseberries typically grow on a thorny bush, that reaches approximately 1.5 metres (5 feet) in height.
  • A gooseberry is often a green colour with light coloured stripes, but it can be red, yellow, purple, black and white, depending on the species and variety, and it usually contains many small edible seeds in the flesh of the fruit.
 Gooseberry, Fruit, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Green, Berry, Culinary, Pile, Fresh
Gooseberries
Image courtesy of fsse8info/Flickr
  • Gooseberries are commonly eaten fresh; but they can also be cooked in pies, crumbles and other desserts; into a sauce; in jam; and used to flavour beverages.
  • When picked fully ripe, gooseberries can be quite sweet, and when they are picked prematurely they are usually somewhat tart, however, they are often picked early for commercial purposes, as the unripe fruit has greater storage times, and sour fruit are commonly used in cooking.
  • Gooseberries were of great popularity around the 1800s and early 1900s, especially in Britain, though in the United States of America, a fungal bacteria carried by the plant had begun infesting native pines, so many states initiated bans on the cultivation of the berry.
  • A gooseberry is usually ovoid or spherical in shape, generally ranging from 1 to 2.5 centimetres (0.5 to 1 inch) or more in length or diameter.
  • Gooseberries are very high in vitamin C, high in fibre and a good source of manganese, potassium and vitamin A.
Bibliography:
Gooseberries and Currants, 2015, Cornell University, http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/mfruit/gooseberries.html
Gooseberry, 1996, California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc., https://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/gooseberry.html
Gooseberry, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gooseberry
What Are Gooseberries Good For?, 2016, Food Facts, http://foodfacts.mercola.com/gooseberries.html

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Starfruit

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Starfruit

Starfruit are the literal stars distinguishable from the rest.

  • Starfruit is a variety of fruit considered exotic in some areas, that likely originated in Malaysia and Indonesia, and possibly Sri Lanka, India and some other countries of South East Asia.
  • ‘Starfruit’ are also known as ‘five-corner fruit’, ‘carambola’, and in Spanish-speaking countries ‘carambolo’.
  • Starfruit grow on a tree of medium size, that has the scientific name Averrhoa carambola, and it is from the family Oxalidaceae, the family of wood sorrels.
  • Starfruit range from 5 to 15 centimetres (2 to 6 inches) long, and the fruit features five or more large ridges down its length.
  • Starfruit has wax-like skin that is edible, and depending on the variety, a somewhat sour to sweet tasting flesh that is juicy and crunchy, that is comparable to a mixture of apple, grape, pear and citrus.
Starfruit, Food, Culinary, Fruit, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Cut, Yellow, Star
Cut Starfruit
Image courtesy of alamosbasement/Flickr
  • If a starfruit is cut across widthways, a star shape is revealed, hence its common name.
  • When ripe, starfruit skin typically changes from a green or yellow-green colour, to a yellow colour, with the flesh ranging from cream to yellow.
  • Starfruit is often eaten raw, but it can also be stewed, preserved, pickled, juiced, made into relish, or cooked as part of a dish.
  • Some caution is required if star fruit is consumed while on certain medications, and the fruit can be dangerous for those with kidney-related health issues.
  • Starfruit is very high in vitamin C and is a good source of fibre, and the fruit contains many other vitamins and minerals.
Bibliography:
Carambola, 2015, Better Health Channel, https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ingredientsprofiles/Carambola
Carambola, 2015, Cape Trib, http://www.capetrib.com.au/carambola.htm
Carambola, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carambola

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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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Kumquat

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Kumquat

Kumquats are they hidden away relatives of oranges.

  • Kumquats are a type of citrus fruit that grown on small trees, that have edible skin and flesh, and they are believed to be native to China.
  • ‘Kumquats’ are also known as ‘cumquats’, and the name is taken from the Cantonese word 金橘, pronounced ‘kamkwat’, which literally means ‘gold’ or ‘golden’ and ‘orange’ or ‘tangerine’.
  • The official species name of a kumquat tree is Citrus japonica, from the family Rutaceae, the family of citrus, however, they were formerly of the Fortunella genus, and as such, the old scientific names for the fruit are still commonly used.
  • Kumquats are typically sturdy fruit, and the plants generally have the ability to withstand fairly hot and cold growing temperatures, unlike many other citrus species.
  • The flesh of kumquats is particularly strong and sour, however the skin is usually sweet in comparison, and for this reason, it is common for the flesh and skin, or ‘peel’ as it is often called, to be eaten together.
Kumquat, Ten Random Facts, Trivia, Fruit, Vegetation, Citrus, Orange, Golden
Kumquat
Image courtesy of Eugene Kim/Flickr
  • Kumquats are generally of an ovoid or roughly spherical shape, depending on the variety, and they can have a diameter of around 1.6 to 4 centimetres (0.6 to 1.6 inches).
  • There are four main varieties of kumquats, with the nagami variety being the most commonly grown due to its hardiness and productiveness.
  • Kumquat skin changes from a green colour, to a bright orange-yellow or orange-gold colour when ripe, with colour varying according to the variety.
  • Kumquats can be eaten both fresh and as a marmalade or jam, and they are sometimes dried, pickled, sugared or cooked.
  • Kumquats are very high in vitamin C and are a good source of fibre, and they contain many other vitamins and minerals.
Bibliography:
Kumquat, 2016, Purdue Agriculture, https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/kumquat.html
Kumquat, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumquat
What Is A Kumquat, 2014, Kumquat Growers, http://kumquatgrowers.com/what.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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Dragon Fruit

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Dragon Fruit

I couldn’t think of a better name than ‘dragon fruit’ for such a fruit.

  • Dragon fruit is an edible exotic fruit that grows on certain species of cactus plants.
  • ‘Dragon fruit’ is also known as ‘pitaya’, ‘nanettika fruit’, ‘strawberry pear’ and ‘pitahaya’.
  • Sweet dragon fruit come from the genus Hylocereus, of the Cactaceae family, the family of cacti, and the scientific name of the most commonly grown of the edible species is Hylocereus undatus, while sour pitaya are from the Stenocerus genus.
  • Dragon fruit are native to the Americas, and have since been introduced to eastern and southern Asia, where the fruit is now cultivated extensively.
  • The weight of dragon fruit ranges from 150 to 1000 grams (5 to 35 ounces), although more commonly they range from 150 to 600 grams (5 to 21 ounces) and they are usually an ovoid or round shape.
Dragon Fruit, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Red, Fruit, Lone, Vegetation, Culinary, Food
Dragon Fruit
Image courtesy of John Robinson/Flickr
  • The skin of dragon fruit is usually, pink, red or yellow in colour, often with spiky leaf-like appendages generally tipped with green, and a red or white coloured flesh that contains numerous small, black, edible seeds.
  • Dragon fruit has a mild flavour and is often compared to passionfruit, watermelon, raspberries and other fruit, depending on the species, and are usually sweet; though those from the Stenocerus are mostly sour.
  • The large dragon fruit flowers require pollination during the night as they generally whither in the day and only last up to 24 hours, after which the fruit develops and is ready for picking from 30 to 50 days.
  • Commonly, dragon fruit is eaten fresh or as an accompaniment to ice cream or other desserts, and it can be frozen, or used in drinks, jams and jelly.
  • Dragon fruit is high in vitamin C and antioxidants, and is a good source of iron and fibre.
Bibliography:
Fruit, n.d, Red For Pitaya’s Dragon Fruit, http://www.aussiedragonfruit.com/Fruit.htm
Pitaya, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitaya
McMahon G, Pitaya (Dragon Fruit), 2003, Northern Territory Government, http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Primary_Industry/Content/File/horticulture/tropical_fruits/FF12_pitaya.pdf

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