Tag Archives: Vegetation

Grandidier’s Baobab

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Grandidier’s Baobab

Grandidier’s baobab is surely quite grand.

  • Grandidier’s baobabs, also known as ‘giant baobabs’ and ‘reniala’ or ‘renala’ (which means ‘mother of the forest’ in the local language), are very tall trees that are native only to the island of Madagascar in Africa.
  • The scientific name of Grandidier’s baobab is Adansonia grandidieri, and it is from the family Malvaceae, the family of mallows.
  • Grandidier’s baobabs typically grow to heights of 25 to 30 metres (80 to 100 feet), with a trunk averaging around 3 metres (10 feet) in diameter, and most or all of the branches and foliage sit at the top of the tree, thus accentuating the trunk.
  • Grandidier’s baobab trees usually bloom in the months of May to August, and produce edible fruit that ripens during November and December, while the tree usually has leaves only in the wet season, from October to May.
  • The trunk of Grandidier’s baobabs is large and cylindrical; red-grey in colour; and the thick bark has a smooth texture.

Grandidier's Baobab, Adansonia grandidieri, Ten Random Facts, Vegetation, Madagascar, Plant, Tree

Grandidier’s Baobab
Image courtesy of Frank Vassen/Flickr
  • The large flowers of Grandidier’s baobabs have numerous stamens; white-coloured petals that open only during the night; and the petals turn yellow as they age.
  • A Grandidier’s baobab tree can store large quantities of water in its trunk, which swells according to content; and the bark of the tree is useful for making ropes while oil can be obtained from the seeds, and the fruit and seeds are commonly eaten.
  • Grandidier’s baobabs are endangered due to land clearing for agriculture purposes, and as a result of habitat changes, the species has had difficulty reproducing.
  • Grandidier’s baobabs have flowers that are pollinated by insects and lemurs, and the blooms are said to release an odour of sour watermelon.
  • The scientific name of a Grandidier’s baobab is derived from Frenchman Alfred Grandidier, a botanist and explorer from the 1800s, who studied the island of Madagascar over a number of years.
Bibliography:
Adansonia grandidieri, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adansonia_grandidieri
Adansonia grandidieri Baill, n.d, PROTA4U, http://www.prota4u.info/protav8.asp?h=M4&t=Adansonia,Grandidieri&p=Adansonia+grandidieri
Andansonia Grandidiera Seeds (Giant Baobab), n.d, Rare Exotic Seeds, http://www.rarexoticseeds.com/en/adansonia-grandidieri-seeds-giant-baobab-seeds.html

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Sugarcane

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Sugarcane

Sugarcane is a sweet success.

  • Sugarcane is a group of grass species from the Saccharum genus, that belongs to Poaceae, the family of true grass; and sugar is extracted from the plants, that are usually grown for commercial purposes.
  • Sugarcane is a perennial plant, native to areas of southern Asia, that grows best in tropical habitats, and reaches heights of between 2 to 6 metres (6.5 to 19.7 feet) and a diameter of roughly 5 centimetres (2 inches).
  • Most commercially grown sugarcane is a hybrid that is generally a cross between the species Saccharum officinarum and Saccharum spontaneum, although there are a small number of other plants in the Saccharum genus that may be used for this purpose.
  • Sugarcane plants takes 9 to 24 months to grow to maturity, depending on the climate, and they are the raw material that produces 80% of the world’s sugar production, while the plants are also used for making ethanol, molasses, bagasse, rum and other products.
  • The majority of a sugarcane stalk is made of water, with up to three quarters possible, while up to 16% can be sugar, and the fibre content can be also be up to 16%.

Sugarcane, Plant, Sugar, Australia, Plants, Plantation,

  • Many sugarcane farms were formed across the world beteween the 1800s and 1900s, and slaves from various locations were used as the primary labour.
  • The fibres of the sugarcane plant can be woven into mats; used for papermaking purposes; and added to other fibres to make fabric.
  • Australia, parts of the United States, Asia’s India and Indonesia, the Pacific Islands and South America – including Peru and Brazil, are popular sugarcane farm locations, while in 2013, Brazil was the largest producer of the crop in the world.
  • The harvesting of sugarcane, which is accomplished by hand with a special tool or the use of a mechanical harvester, is done before the plant sets flower with its feathery tufts; and in many cases the crop is set alight beforehand to eradicate dangerous animals and leaves.
  • Sugar is produced from sugarcane juice located in the stalk of the plant, and is done through a milling process, which involves crushing, heating, cooling and refining.

 

Bibliography:
The story of sugarcane: paddock to plate, 2010, Cane Growers, http://www.canegrowers.com.au/page/Industry_Centre/Schools_module/about-australian-sugarcane/
Sugarcane, 2015, How Stuff Works, http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/botany/sugarcane-info.htm
Sugarcane, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarcane

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Hay

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Hay

“Hay!” neighs the horse.

  • Hay is a bundle of dried vegetation that is primarily intended for the feeding of farm animals.
  • Animals that are common recipients of hay include horses, goats, sheep and cattle, as well as some pets, including guinea pigs and rabbits.
  • Hay is typically made of grasses, and is sometimes combined with clovers, and legume plants like lucerne.
  • Hay is usually provided to animals when insufficient food or grazing is available; and these circumstances often occur due to droughts, cold temperatures or lack of resources.
  • The colour of hay can be a green, yellow or brown colour, although green is usually superior in quality, while bales that are yellow to brown internally, have lost the majority of their nutrients.

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  • Hay can be fed to animals all year round, and it can be used as the primary food source for some animals on farms.
  • For the purpose of hay making, paddock grasses are grown to maturity, just before seeds ripen, to allow for the greatest quantity and quality of nutrients, and then they are cut and allowed to dry before baling.
  • Too much moisture in hay can cause bales to build up heat, and they can combust spontaneously.
  • Hay is generally gathered tightly in bales, that are either cylindrical or rectangular prisms in shape, often held together with twine, and they are best stored under cover or partly wrapped in plastic.
  • Historically, hay was cut by hand with a scythe, and stacked in piles, known as ‘haystacks’, however, in modern times, the process of cutting and baling is usually all done by specialised machines.
Bibliography:
Hay, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hay
Murphey S, Making Hay, 2013, ABC, http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2013/s3741731.htm


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Canola Oil

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Canola Oil

Light in colour, light in taste…. canola oil.

  • Canola oil is a version of oil used in cooking, that is extracted from the seeds of specifically bred plants of the Brassica genus – Brassica juncea (leaf mustard or mustard greens), Brassica napus (rapeseed), and Brassica rapa (turnip rape or field mustard).
  • ‘Canola oil’ is also known as ‘canola’ and was named by the Western Canadian Oilseed Crushers Association, originating from the words ‘Canada’ and ‘oil’.
  • Canola oil originated in Canada, in the 1970s, and the plants were developed by Canada’s University of Manitoba and the government department, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
  • In 2014, the European Union produced the most metric tons of canola or rapeseed oilseed in the world, with a quantity of more than 21 million tons, while Canada produced almost 18 million, out of a total worldwide production of more than 71 million tons.
  • Canola oil is extracted by pressing and heating the oilseeds, after which the meal of the seeds is separated from the oil; and the meal is frequently used to feed animals like pigs, cattle, fish and poultry and can also be used as a fertiliser.

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  • Canola oil is commonly used in cooking dues to its high heat tolerance and low level of saturated fat, and it is often used in baking; applied to the surface of pans to prevent food sticking; and used for frying food.
  • Canola oilseeds contain approximately 44% oil, with 23 kilograms (51 pounds) of seed, creating approximately 10 litres (2.6 gallons) of oil.
  • Canola can only be classified as such if it has erucic acid quantities of less than 2% present in the oil, while the glucosinolates that exist in the dry meal must be less than 30 micromoles for each gram.
  • Canola oil is commonly used as the main ingredient in shortening, margarine and salad dressings, and is also found in plastics, machinery lubrication, cosmetics and ink for the printing industry, among others.
  • Despite theories that canola oil is not healthy, the product is typically high in vitamin E and vitamin K, and it is believed to be one of the healthier cooking oil options.
Bibliography:
Canola, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canola
What is Canola Oil?, 2015, Canola Info, http://www.canolainfo.org/canola/
What is Canola?, 2014, Canola Council, http://www.canolacouncil.org/oil-and-meal/what-is-canola/

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African Baobab

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African Baobab

African baobabs leave multiple lasting impressions.

  • African baobabs are very large trees native to Africa’s savannah habitats, in areas where there are high temperatures.
  • ‘African baobabs’ are also known as ‘upside-down trees’, ‘baobabs’, ‘monkey-bread trees’, ‘cream of tartar trees’ and ‘dead-rat trees’.
  • The scientific name of an African baobab is Adansonia digitata, and it is from the family Malvaceae, the family of mallows.
  • African baobabs can grow up to 14 metres (46 feet) in diameter and more than 20 metres (66 feet) in height.
  • Oval-shaped, fruit with crumbly or powdery white flesh, is produced by African baobab trees, that are 12 to 20 centimetres (4 to 8 inches) in length, and the flesh is commonly eaten in Africa.
African Baobab, Leaves, Trunk, Africa, Tree, Vegetation, Scene, Flickr, Ten Random Facts
African Baobab
Image courtesy of Michael Janson/Flickr
  • African baobab fruit is considered highly nutritious, being extraordinarily high in calcium, vitamin C and antioxidants.
  • The leaves of the African baobab are used in cooking, and in 2008 and 2009, the fruit was accepted as a legal ingredient in commercial food products in Europe and the United States respectively.
  • African baobabs bloom white-coloured, short-lived flowers that grow 12 to 20 centimetres (4 to 8 inches) in diameter and have five petals and numerous stamens.
  • The roots of an African baobab spread wider than the tree’s height, although they are relatively shallow, and the roots are capable of collecting large quantities of water.
  • An African baobab grows 5 to 10 centimetre (2 to 4 inch) thick bark, that is generally coloured grey or brown, and due to its fibrous nature it is used to make fishing nets, mats, bags, rope and other items.
Bibliography:
Adansonia digitata, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adansonia_digitata
Baobab, n.d, Encyclopaedia of Life, http://eol.org/pages/584789/overview
Hankey A, Adansonia digitata, 2004, Plantz Africa, http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantab/adansondigit.htm

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Thyme

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Thyme, Plant, Herb, Vegetation, Ten Random Facts, Green, Australia, Food, Culinary

Thyme will spice up your dishes in no time.

  • Thyme is an edible, perennial herb commonly used in cooking and there are approximately 60 varieties of the plant.
  • Thyme comes from the genus Thymus, that is from the family Lamiaceae, the family of mint, and the commonly used species for cooking purposes is Thymus vulgaris, also known as ‘common’, ‘garden’, and ‘German’.
  • In ancient history, thyme was used for purification purposes and was believed to provide courage or be symbolic of bravery.
  • The typical purpose of thyme is to flavour foods, such as meat, soups, bread, cheese, tea beverages and condiments, among others.
  • Thyme can be bought as a packaged dried herb from supermarkets, and it is also available in fresh bunches, and both leaves and stalks can be used.

Thyme, Plant, Herb, Vegetation, Ten Random Facts, Green, Australia, Food, Culinary

  • The extracted oil of thyme, contains large quantities of thymol, that has antiseptic qualities, that is included in some medical and health products, and the herb can be used to treat bronchitis.
  • For food use, it is preferable to use fresh thyme, which has tiny green leaves approximately 4 mm (0.16 inches) long, while dried versions are generally crushed into even smaller particles that are coloured a combination of grey, green and brown.
  • Dried thyme is very high in vitamin K and high in manganese and iron, while the fresh version contains significant quantities of vitamin C and A, iron and manganese.
  • Thyme plants generally grow from 15 to 40 cm (6 to 16 inches) tall and have white, purple or yellow flowers depending on the species.
  • The flavour of thyme varies, depending on the variety or species, although the most common is said to have a peppery, pine-like flavour, while the lemon species has a more citrus-like flavour.
Bibliography:
Thyme, 2015, The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=77
Thyme, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thyme

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