Tag Archives: Vegetation

Tree Tumbo

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Tree Tumbo

Tree tumbos are true desert plants.

  • Tree tumbos are a species of large plant native to the Namib Desert of southern Africa, and due to their dry and lifeless appearance, they are commonly considered the ugliest plant alive.
  • A ‘tree tumbo’ is also known as ‘welwitschia’; in Angola it is named ‘n’tumbo’, meaning ‘stump’; in South Africa it is called “twee blaar kanniedood’, and has the literal translation of ‘two leaf diehard’; and the plant is known as ‘onyanga’, a term meaning ‘desert onion’ in the Herero language.
  • The scientific name of a tree tumbo is Welwitschia mirabilis and it is from the family Welwitschiaceae, with the plant being the sole extant species in the family.
  • Tree tumbos only grow two leaves, that can reach a length of 4 to 9 metres (13 to 29.5 feet) each, and the leaves tend to split along their length as the plant ages, so that the plants often appear to have multiple leaves.
  • Tree tumbos were first discovered in 1859 by Friedrich Welwitsch, a botanist from the Austrian Empire, who marvelled at the plant at first sight; hence its scientific name ‘Welwitschia mirabilis’, which honours the botanist’s discovery, while ‘mirabilis’ means ‘wonderful’ or ‘marvellous’ in Latin.
Tree Tumbo, Plant, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Africa, Desert, Welwitschia, Namibia , ugly, exotic
A Tree Tumbo
Image courtesy of Joachim Huber/Flickr
  • The diameter of a tree tumbo can be as much as 9 metres (29.5 feet), and the height of the plant is generally from 0.5 to 1 metre (1.6 to 3.3 feet), though they can be as tall as 2 metres (6.5 feet), and while they tend to be short, they are considered botanically a tree, albeit very slow-growing.
  • Many specimens of tree tumbos are very old, up to 600 years, while others could be as much as 1000 years in age, with some specimens suspected to be at least 2000 years old.
  • Tree tumbo plants are either male or female, either producing male cones that are pink to red in colour, or female cones that are a combination of pink and bluish green; and the cones have a length of 1 to 8 centimetres (0.4 to 3.1 inches), with the smaller ones being male.
  • Tree tumbos are thought to be pollinated by a type of flying insect, that are attracted to the nectar that the cone like flowers produce at the centre of the plant; and once fertilised, the female cones produce papery coated seeds that are scattered by the wind, however, statistically only one in every thousand seeds will grow into a plant.
  • To remain sufficiently hydrated in the harsh desert climate, tree tumbos use their long tap root to draw water from underground, as well as absorbing moisture from fog and other precipitation via their shallower root system.
Bibliography:
Notten A, Welwitschia mirabilis, 2003, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantwxyz/welwitschia.htm
Welwitschia mirabilis, n.d, Encyclopedia of Life, http://eol.org/data_objects/12497003 
Welwitschia, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welwitschia
Welwitschia mirabilis, 2014, Info Namibia, http://www.info-namibia.com/info/plants/welwitschia-mirabilis
 Welwitschia mirabilis (tree tumbo), n.d, KEW Royal Botanic Gardens, http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/welwitschia-mirabilis-tree-tumbo

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Noni

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Noni

You’ll be able to tell when some noni is in your fruit salad!

  • Noni is a species of exotic tropical fruit that is native to northern Australia, Southeast Asia,  and a number of the Pacific islands.
  • ‘Noni’ is also known as ‘Indian mulberry’, ‘hog apple’, ‘great morinda’, ‘koonjerung’, ‘canary wood’, ‘beach mulberry’, ‘tokoonja’ and ‘cheese fruit’.
  • The scientific name of the tree that produces noni is Morinda citrifolia and it is from the family Rubiaceae, the family of madder and coffee.
  • Noni skin changes from green, to a pale yellow, then a creamy white colour when ripe, and is made up of many polygon shapes; while the flesh is also similar in colour.
  • The irregular shape of the noni fruit ranges from 4 to 18 centimetres (1.6 to 7 inches) in length; and it contains many seeds, which can be roasted and eaten.
Noni, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Fruit, Culinary, Food, Vegetation, Ripe, Exotic
Noni
Image courtesy of Keith Roper/Flickr
  • Noni is edible both raw and cooked, often eaten with salt or cooked in curry, and it is commonly made into juice; while jams and pickles can also be made from the fruit.
  • Generally, noni emits a strong, undesirable smell, comparable to that of smelly cheese or even vomit; and the unripe fruit is commonly cooked as a vegetable.
  • Typically noni has a flavour resembling sour pineapple possibly with some sweetness, though it can be bitter and unpleasant; and the fruit has been historically used in times of famine.
  • Various illnesses including asthma, arthritis and cardiovascular issues have all be treated with noni, by using traditional medicine methods.
  • Noni has significant quantities of potassium and vitamin C, particularly in its juice, and has other vitamins and minerals.
Bibliography:
Morinda citrifolia, 2016, Australian Native Plants Society (Australia), http://anpsa.org.au/m-cit.html
Morinda citrifolia, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morinda_citrifolia
Morinda citrifolia – Noni: Life Sustaining Plant, 2016, Top Tropicals, https://toptropicals.com/html/toptropicals/plant_wk/noni.htm
Noni, 2016, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, https://nccih.nih.gov/health/noni

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Grass Tree

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Grass Tree

Finding a grass tree specimen is not too difficult in Australia.

  • Grass trees are a genus of roughly 30 species of perennial plants that are native exclusively to Australia.
  • ‘Grass trees’ are also known as ‘grass gum-trees’, ‘yakkas’, ‘balgas’, and ‘balga grass’, as well as ‘blackboys’, though this name is somewhat controversial due to the plant’s comparison to indigenous Australians.
  • The scientific name of the grass tree is Xanthorrhoea and it is from the family Asphodelaceae, a family of flowering plants.
  • Grass trees generally have an almost spherical cluster of long, spiky grass-like leaves that form at the top of a trunk.
  • The small flowers of grass trees grow along a tall cylindrical spike that can reach from 1 to 4.5 metres (3 to 15 feet) and sits above the plant.

Grass Tree, Trivia, Random Facts, Plant, Australia, Vegetation, Xanthorrhoea

  • Grass trees can take a very lengthy time to grow; however, they can also live to be 600 years old; and the plants, depending on the species, can grow to 6 metres (20 feet) in height, not including the flower spike.
  • Not all grass tree species have trunks, while some have branched trunks, yet others may only branch if they have been damaged.
  • Some grass tree species have a natural procedure for combating bushfire devastation, by growing new flower spikes directly after experiencing a fire.
  • Grass trees have been traditionally adapted by indigenous Australians to create spears, particularly using the plant’s leaf resin as an adhesive, and the plant’s flowers have also been made into a sweet drink.
  • In World War II and prior, the resin of grass trees was put on tins and other metals to combat rust; and the resin was also used to create a lacquer; and sometimes used in churches to create a pleasing aroma, by burning the substance.
Bibliography:
Genus Xanthorrhoea, n.d, PlantNET, http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=gn&name=Xanthorrhoea
Pawlan M, Australian Xanthorrhoea, n.d, Pawlan, http://pawlan.com/monica/australia/
Watson P, The Grass Tree: Its Use and Abuses, 2004, Australian Plants Online, http://anpsa.org.au/APOL33/mar04-5.html
Xanthorrhoea, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanthorrhoea

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Jackfruit

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Jackfruit

Jackfruits have a little bit of everything.

  • Jackfruits are a variety of bulky exotic fruit, most likely originating in the rainforests of southwestern parts of India, and later introduced to a number of tropical areas of southeast Asia.
  • The scientific name of the tree that produces jackfruit is Artocarpus heterophyllus and it is from the family Moraceae, the family of figs and mulberries.
  • Jackfruits’ are also known as ‘jakfruits’, ‘jack trees’, ‘jaka’, ‘jaca’, ‘jaks’, ‘jacks’ and ‘nangka’; and Bangladesh has named it its national fruit.
  • At dimensions of up to 91 centimetres (36 inch) by 50 centimetres (20 inches), and weighing 4.5 to 50 kilograms (10 to 110 pounds), jackfruits are known as the largest fruit produced by a tree.
  • Jackfruits are quite sweet and fruity, with a mixed taste of bananas, apples, and pineapples when ripe, and the taste is somewhat like meat when unripe and cooked.
Jackfruit, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Fruit, Vegetation, Hanging, Yellow, Exotic, Culinary, Food
Some Jackfruit
Image courtesy of Lee Wu/Flickr
  • From 100 to 500 individual jackfruits are produced annually by a single tree, and the ripe fruit tends to have an unpleasant odour, and releases latex sap when cut.
  • Jackfruits are a versatile fruit and can be eaten fresh or cooked; canned, dried or candied; used as a fruit or vegetable; added to dishes like curries; or made into jam, condiments, pickles, ice-cream, noodles, alcoholic beverages, and flour; while the seeds can be eaten like tree nuts.
  • Jackfruits have a yellow to green skin colour when ripe and are bumpy in texture; and the yellow flesh grows in segments, each containing a seed, while each fruit can contain from 100 to 500 seeds.
  • While in years past, India has been one of the top producers of jackfruit in the world, in many areas the fruit has gone to waste or has been underutilised, due to public perception; effort of preparation of the fruit due to the latex; and lack of demand.
  • Jackfruits consist of a wide variety of nutrients, and are high in vitamin C, magnesium, copper, potassium and manganese.
Bibliography:
Kuzoian A, We Tried Jackfruit — the Huge Tree Fruit that Supposedly Tastes Like Pulled Pork, 2015, Business Insider Australia, http://www.businessinsider.com.au/barbecue-jackfruit-pulled-pork-taco-taste-test-2015-9
Jackfruit, 1996, California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc, https://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/jackfruit.html
Jackfruit, 2006, Northern Territory Government, http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Content/File/p/Fruit/FF7_jackfruit.pdf
Jackfruit, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackfruit
Jackfruit, n.d, Purdue University, https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/jackfruit_ars.html/
Suchitra M, The Jackfruit Will Definitely Become the Most Sought-After Fruit in the Coming Years in India, 2015, Down to Earth, http://www.downtoearth.org.in/interviews/-the-jackfruit-will-definitely-become-the-most-sought-after-fruit-in-the-coming-years-in-india–50450

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Salak

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Salak

The salak will surely snake its way into your fruit basket.

  • Salaks are a species of exotic fruit with over 30 varieties, and is native to Indonesia in Southeast Asia.
  • ‘Salak’ is also known as ‘sala’, ‘snake fruit’, ‘yingan’, ‘salacca fruit’, and ‘snakeskin fruit’; and it grows on a specific type of palm tree.
  • The scientific name of the plant salaks grow on is Salacca zalacca and it is from the family Arecaceae, the family of palm trees.
  • Salaks are of a fig-like shape and are roughly 5 to 7 centimetres (2 to 2.7 inches) in length, and the fruit usually contains one to three seeds.
  • Salaks are a mixture of sweet, sour and acidic flavours, comparable to pineapples and apples, and is often quite juicy.
Salak, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Fruit, Food, Culinary, Brown, Cut, Open
Salak
Image courtesy of Jayson Emery/Flickr
  • The skin of salaks is a brown colour resembling snake skin, hence its alternate names; and the skin can have small spines.
  • Salak flesh is typically divided in three segments and is cream coloured with a texture that can be firm, spongy or crispy, or sometimes dry and crumbly.
  • Salaks typically bunch on the palm tree, towards the base of the trunk, in groups of ten to forty individual fruits.
  • It is traditional for salaks to be eaten fresh just as they are, or in fruit salad, but they can also be pickled, sugared, canned or made into wine.
  • Salaks are high in iron and are a good source of vitamin C, and they contain many other vitamins and minerals.
Bibliography:
Bali Salak, n.d, Fruitipedia, http://www.fruitipedia.com/bali_salak%20Salaca%20edulis.htm
Nuwer R, Meet the Salak, the Ubiquitous Indonesian Fruit You’ve Never Head Of, 2012, Smithsonian, http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/meet-the-salak-the-ubiquitous-indonesian-fruit-youve-never-heard-of-115942678/?no-ist
Salak, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salak
Salak – An Exotic Indonesian Fruit, n.d, Blue Karma Resort, http://bluekarmaresort.com/salak-an-exotic-indonesian-fruit/

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Leopard Lily

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Leopard Lily

Leopard lilies are on the prowl.

  • A leopard lily is a species of perennial flowering plant, native to China, Japan and India in central Asia.
  • ‘Leopard lilies’ are also known as ‘blackberry lilies’ and ‘leopard flowers’, and the plants have green sword-like leaves, that grow in a fan formation.
  • The scientific name of the leopard lily is Iris domestica and it is from the family Iridaceae, the family of irises, though it was formerly known as Belamcanda chinensis.
  • The height of a leopard lily plant can reach from 60 to 90 centimetres (2 to 3 feet) and a clump can spread out to 22 to 60 centimetres (0.75 to 2 feet) in diameter.
  • Leopard lilies have showy flowers that are coloured yellow, orange or red, or often a combination of those colours, and they have red or dark orange spots.
Leopard Lily, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Vegetation, Flower, Orange, Droop, Pretty, Green
Leopard Lily
Image courtesy of Odonata98/Flickr
  • The seeds that form after a leopard lily blooms, have the appearance of blackberries, as the glossy black seeds grow together in a cluster.
  • Leopard lilies grow best in conditions where there is full sun, and soil that is well drained.
  • Leopard lily plants grow from rhizomes, and these have been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat asthma, malaria and swelling, among other health issues.
  • Leopard lilies bloom in the summer months, and the flowers are around 5 centimetres (2 inches) in diameter, with six petals.
  • Leopard lilies are commonly used for ornamental purposes in the garden, and the seed stems and flowers are sometimes used decoratively as dried or fresh cut flowers.
Bibliography:
Iris Domestica, 2014, Some Magnetic Island Plants, http://www.somemagneticislandplants.com.au/index.php/plants/518-iris-domestica
Iris Domestica, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iris_domestica
Iris Domestica, n.d, Missouri Botanical Garden, http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=b690

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