Tag Archives: Vegetation

Rosary Vine

By | |
Leave a comment
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

Amazon:  

Buddha’s Hand

By | |
Leave a comment
Buddha’s Hand

Are you’re eating someone’s hand when you’re eating Buddha’s hand?

  • Buddha’s hands are a variety of citrus fruit notable for growing numerous finger-like ‘tentacles’.
  • ‘Buddha’s hands’ are also known as ‘fingered citrons’, ‘fragrant citrons’, ‘five fingered mandarins’, and ‘goblin fingers’.
  • The Buddha’s hand fruit grows on trees with the scientific name Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, a variety of citron, and it comes from the family Rutaceae, the family of citrus.
  • When ripe, the finger-like appendages of Buddha’s hands generally spread outward to take the appearance of an open hand.
  • The colour of ripe Buddha’s hands range from bright yellow to orange-gold shades, while unripe fruit is usually coloured green.
Buddha's Hand, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Yellow, Fingered Citron, Trivia, Fruit, Culinary
Buddha’s Hand
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
  • Buddha’s hands grow on a plant thought to be native to parts of India and possibly China, both in Asia.
  • Buddha’s hands contain next to no juice and have little pulp, with many specimens containing no seeds either, and this results in a fruit which is virtually all pith and rind.
  • A pleasant aroma is released from Buddha’s hands, and as such, the fruit can be used as a perfume or to freshen air in buildings.
  • Buddha’s hands reach a length of 15 to 30 centimetres (6 to 12 inches), and the rind and the pith of the fruit do not usually have the bitterness typical with other citrus fruits.
  • Buddha’s hands are often candied and made into jams, while pieces of the fruit can be added to both savoury and sweet dishes, and the zest can be used to flavour alcoholic beverages, baked goods, marinades, and other food dishes.
Bibliography:
Buddha’s Hand, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha%27s_hand
Citron ‘Buddhas Hand’ – Citrus Medica var. Sarcodactylis, 2016, van Veen Organics, http://vanveenorganics.com/product/citron-buddhas-hand/
Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, n.d, Missouri Botanical Garden, http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=e864
Osborne T, Buddha Hand Citron: Growing this Amazing Tree, 2013, Tasty Landscape, http://tastylandscape.com/2013/07/05/buddha-hand-citron-growing-this-amazing-looking-tree/

Broadleaf Carpet Grass

By | |
1 Comment
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

Amazon:       

Svalbard Global Seed Vault

By | |
Leave a comment
Svalbard Global Seed Vault

Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a backup for even a doomsday!

  • The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a facility that stores seed samples in a secure vault in a mountain not far from the town of Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen, a remote northern island of Europe’s Norway.
  • The Svalbard Global Seed Vault was built as a backup for worldwide flora, particularly crops, in the case of a natural disaster, war, disease or other phenomena wiping out a certain seed or crop plant, or a whole seed bank.
  • Three organisations manage the Svalbard Global Seed Vault – the Norwegian Government, the Global Crop Diversity Trust and NordGen (Nordic Genetic Resource Center).
  • The construction of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault first commenced in mid 2006, a day commemorated by the Finnish, Danish, Swedish, Icelandic and Norwegian prime ministers laying down the first brick; and the building was complete and had its official opening on the 26th February 2008.
  • The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is named after the archipelago ‘Svalbard’, of which the Spitsbergen island where the vault is located is a part, and the site was chosen for its natural preservation characteristics of sub-zero ground temperatures; a structurally stable environment; and significant height above sea level.

Svalberd Global Seed Vault, Bank, Norway, Place, Storage, Doomsday, Ice, Isolated, Long, Frozen

Svalbard Global Seed Vault
Image courtesy of Landbruks/Flickr
  • At the entrance face and the roof of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, there is an illuminated artwork which includes reflective metals to aid visibility from a distance; and the vault covers an area of around 1,000 square metres (10,764 square feet) and sits at an elevation of 130 metres (427 feet).
  • The Svalbard Global Seed Vault cost a total of US $9 million, which was financed solely by the Norwegian Government, and the building is said to be safe from nuclear bomb threats, earthquakes and other major catastrophes.
  • Norway does not own the seed contents of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, as it works much like a bank safety deposit box, in that whoever deposits the seeds, owns the seeds.
  • In 2015, there were around 5100 species over 860,000 samples, where a sample consists of around 500 individual seeds, in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, and this figure grows each year, while the facility has the space to accommodate 4.5 million varieties or 2.5 billion seeds.
  • The Svalbard Global Seed Vault was constructed under the initiative of American Carly Fowler, an agriculturalist, in conjunction with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research.
Bibliography:
Anderson R, After 4 Years, Checking Up on the Svalberd Global Seed Vault, 2012, The Atlantic, http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/02/after-4-years-checking-up-on-the-svalbard-global-seed-vault/253458/
Svalbard Global Seed Vault, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svalbard_Global_Seed_Vault
Svalbard Global Seed Vault, n.d, Crop Trust, https://www.croptrust.org/what-we-do/svalbard-global-seed-vault/
Wade L, That Arctic Seed Vault Isn’t Just There For A Doomsday, 2015, Wired, http://www.wired.com/2015/09/arctic-seed-vault-isnt-just-doomsday/

Amazon:       

Guava

By | |
Leave a comment
Guava

Sweet or sour, guavas are versatile.

  • Guavas are a variety of fruit originating from Central America’s tropics, and they are now grown in various tropical islands and regions in America, Asia and Africa, while in 2011, India produced the most guavas in the world.
  • The most commonly grown species of guava plant has the scientific name Psidium guajava and it is from the family Myrtaceae, the family of myrtles, while some other species in the Psidium genus also produce similar, edible fruit.
  • The ovoid, pear, or round shaped guava ranges from 2.5 to 15 centimetres (1 to 6 inches) in length or diameter, depending on the species and variety.
  • Guava skin can be a green, yellow, cream, or red colour, while the flesh colour may be white, yellow, red or pink.
  • Typically gauvas are eaten fresh or slightly spiced, but they are also dried or made into juice, jams, or cooked as part of a dessert.
Guava, Ten Random Facts, Fruit, Green, Skin, Food, Culinary, Fresh, Whole, Uncut
Guava
Image courtesy of Chetan Kolluri/Flickr
  • Around 110 to 535 individual seeds can be found in a single guava, and the skin and seeds are generally edible.
  • Guavas commonly have a sweet taste, however, they can also have a sour flavour, depending on the variety or species, and they often have a strong sweet and/or musky odour.
  • The guava tree can grow to heights of 1.8 to 7.6 metres (6 to 25 feet) or more, and they can bear two crops of fruit in a year.
  • Water makes up to approximately 80% of the content of guavas, making it a great means of hydration.
  • Guavas are extremely high in vitamin C and are a good source of fibre, vitamin A, potassium, folate and copper.
Bibliography:
Ahuja A, 15 Amazing Guava Benefits: Heart Healthy, Weight Loss Friendly and More, 2015, NDTV Convergence Limited, http://food.ndtv.com/health/15-amazing-guava-benefits-heart-healthy-weight-loss-friendly-and-more-1244242
Grant B, Guava Plants; How to Grow and Care for Guava Fruit Trees, 2016, Gardening, http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/guava/growing-guava-fruit-trees.htm
Guava, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guava
Tropical Guava, 1996, California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc, https://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/guava.html

Amazon:       

Tropical Pitcher Plant

By | |
1 Comment
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

Amazon:       

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...