In praise of the colour yellow

 

 

 

 

 

It is assumed that the Persians acquired bulbs from nearby Turkestan about two thousand years ago. Cultivation of tulips spread slowly westwards, and it is known that they were cultivated in Constantinople as early as 1055, and in Vienna from 1554.

The name tulip is derived from Ancient Persian tauleban (‘turban’), alluding to the flower shape of most species.

The pretty woodland tulip (Tulipa sylvestris) is indigenous from southern Europe eastwards to Kyrgyzstan and Xinjiang, southwards to North Africa and Iran. It is widely cultivated and has become naturalized many places in central and northern Europe, as well as in North America.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This plant grows on chalk or limestone soil, and in dunes, distributed from the British Isles, Holland, and Germany southwards to the Mediterranean, and thence eastwards to Turkey and Iraq.

The generic name honours English botanist and apothecary John Blackstone (1712-1753), whose passion for plants resulted in two small floras at a time when few were published. One dealt with the plants around Harefield, Middlesex, in which he recorded 464 currently accepted species. Comparison with the plants recorded in that area 1965-76 indicates that 26% of the plants had become extinct in the intervening 240 years. (Source: E.M. & C. Bowlt (2000). John Blackstone (1713-1753); a London apothecary and botanist of his time. Watsonia 23: 39-46)

The specific name is derived from the Latin per (‘through’) and folium (‘leaf’), which alludes to the opposite, fused upper leaves, so that the stem appears to pass through these leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The etymology behind the names is explained on the page Plants: Plants in folklore and poetry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is distributed from Scandinavia, Finland, and the British Isles southwards to the Mediterranean, eastwards to European Russia, Tajikistan, and Iran. It has also become naturalized in eastern and western North America. It grows in rather dry grasslands and along roads.

 

 

 

 

 

In the old days, the walls were fortified by 99 ramparts, constructed to defend the king and his people. From these ramparts, soldiers would roll large stone balls and long stone cylinders over the edge, crushing many enemies, who were trying to scale the walls of the fort. Still today, many of these balls remain on the walls.

Early in the 18th Century, people began building houses within the outer fort walls, and today most of the town is situated here. Inside the fort proper, most of the area is also occupied by residential houses.

The fierce Rajputs are described on the page Travel episodes – India 1986: “His name is Muhammed!”

 

 

 

 

 

The wood is very strong and durable, utilized for many items, including agricultural tools, carts, and rice pounders. In Bengal, the pulp of the fruits is mixed with native tobacco to add flavour. The flowers were once eaten by the Santal tribal people. Medicinally, the pulp is used as a laxative, and externally for gout and rheumatism. The root is given for fever and heart problems, and as a tonic. Juice of the young leaves is used for ringworm, and a poultice made from the leaves is applied to parts affected by rheumatism, and also to the face in case of paralysis.

In Sinhalese, this tree is called ehela. Due to its durable wood, it was once used to construct a sacred post, Ehela Kanuwa, at the peak of Sri Pada, or Adam’s Peak, a mountain in south-western Sri Lanka, which is sacred to followers of three religions, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. Buddhists claim that an impression in a rock at the peak is a footprint, left by Buddha Sakyamuni himself, whereas Christians and Muslims regard it as a footprint left by Adam, when he was expelled from the Garden of Eden.

On this post, pilgrims used to register vows, marking them with chunam (a fine lime, used in betelnut-chewing) on the post. The post is long gone, and today pilgrims mark the vows on a rock instead. (Source: W. Skeen 1870. Adam’s Peak. Legendary Traditional and Historic Notices of the Samanala and Sri Pada. Colombo)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Arabic sana, a term covering plants with catharitic and laxative properties.

Initially, in 1753, these plants were included in the genus Cassia (above) by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-78), but already the following year, in his fourth edition of The Gardeners Dictionary, Scottish botanist Philip Miller (c. 1691-1771) placed a number of Cassia species in the genus Senna. For many years, most botanists did not recognize this genus, and only recently has it been re-established.

These plants are widely cultivated as ornamentals, or as green manure, as they are able to obtain nitrogen from the air via bacteria in the roots.

 

It is a hairy, aromatic shrub, usually below 5 m tall, sometimes taller. It is easily identified by the conspicuous blackish bracts. The plant has a strong scent, which has been variously described as being reminiscent of mice, wet dog, peanut butter, and burnt popcorn. (Source: G.H. Schmelzer & A. Gurib-Fakim 2008. Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 1: Medicinal Plants. PROTA)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The name ringworm bush relates to its very effective fungicidal properties, for treating ringworm and other fungal infections of the skin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name was given in allusion to its leaves, which resemble leaves of linden species (Tilia).

This species and many other Hibiscus species are described on the page Plants: Mallows and allies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This species was described as early as 1805 by German zoologist Eugenius Johann Christoph Esper (1742-1810).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Formerly, it was thought that loquat was closely related to the common medlar (Mespilus germanica), reflected in the alternative name Japanese medlar. It is also sometimes called Japanese plum. Today, this species is cultivated for its delicious orange-yellow fruits, and also as an ornamental plant, in most warmer regions of the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The weeping fig is native to the Indian Subcontinent, eastwards to southern China and Taiwan, and thence southwards through Indochina and Indonesia to northern Australia, and eastwards to some of the Pacific islands.

In temperate areas, it is a very popular house plant, which can tolerate rather dry conditions.

The specific name is a corruption of the Hindi word banyan – a term used not only for the true banyan (F. benghalensis, above), but also to other large fig trees with aerial roots.

A number of other fig species are described on the page Plants: Fig trees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In northern European folklore, it was believed that it was the vomit of troll cats – creatures who would suck milk from cows and spit it out in the witches’ milk pails, and they would also go into homes to lick up cream. It was also believed that it was used by witches to spoil the milk of their neighbours.

 

 

 

 

 

A close relative, the alpine laburnum (L. alpinum), is described on the page Plants: Flora in the Alps and the Pyrenees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In nature, most willow species do not grow very old. When about 50 years old, the goat willow has already started decaying. In nature Reserve Vorsø, Horsens Fjord, Denmark, I followed the decay of an old specimen for 38 years, from 1982 to 2020, when the last remains of the tree had almost disappeared.

 

 

 

 

 

It is a low, many-branched shrub, usually less than 1 m tall.

 

 

 

 

 

Most willows spread their seeds in late summer, but the bay willow does so late in the autumn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name refers to the Greek god Adonis, who died of his wounds while hunting wild boar, and was transformed into a blood-red flower, stained by his blood. Some species in this genus have scarlet flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

The naked yellow skin between the bill and the eye is much larger than in the two subspecies of Cygnus columbianus, the tundra swan and Bewick’s swan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Theravada Buddhism, pagodas, and many other aspects of Buddhism are described on the page Religion: Buddhism.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indian, or Himalayan, horsechestnut (Aesculus indica) is common in the western parts of the Himalaya at elevations between 900 and 3,000 m, from Kashmir eastwards to western Nepal. In parts of northern India, the leaves are used as cattle fodder, and the seeds are dried and ground into a bitter flour, called tattawakher. The bitterness is removed by thoroughly rinsing the flour, which is often mixed with wheat flour to make chapatis, and also halwa (sweet cakes). During hunger periods, a type of porridge, called dalia, is made from it. This species is also utilized in traditional medicine for a number of ailments, including skin problems, rheumatism, and headache. (Source: N.P. Manandhar 2002. Plants and People of Nepal. Timber Press)

 

 

 

 

 

In his work Quadripartitum botanicum, from 1639, Danish physician and botanist Simon Paulli (1603-80) speculates that either mercury or lead is present in the soil beneath bog asphodel, as he has been told that the bones of cattle and sheep, grazing in growths of this plant, become fragile, just as when they have absorbed these toxic metals. However, the presence of bog asphodel has absolutely nothing to do with mercury or lead. As it is poisonous, it was believed that the grazing animals got fragile bones by eating it. Now we know that it is not the case. Bog asphodel only grows in mineral-poor soils, especially those poor in phosphate. This means that other plants growing in the area has very little contents of this mineral. It cattle or sheep are grazing the entire summer on these phosphate-poor plants, their bones can become fragile, and they break more easily than if they had been grazing on ‘normal’ plants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ginkgo, also known as temple tree, is the sole surviving member of a plant division, Ginkgophyta, with a single class, Ginkgoopsida, order Ginkgoales, family Ginkgoaceae, genus Ginkgo, and species biloba. Its nearest living relatives are the cycads (Cycadales).

This remarkable tree only survived in China. For more than 2,000 years, it was planted at Chinese temples, and this custom spread to Japan about a thousand years ago. Until the late 20th Century, it was only known in cultivation, and it caused a great stir among botanists when larger populations were found on mountain slopes in eastern and south-western China. It is still discussed whether the eastern population was originally planted by monks, but the western population is generally regarded as being genuinely wild.

Ginkgo is easily cultivated, and today it is grown as an ornamental tree in many countries around the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Greek artos (‘bread’) and karpos (‘fruit’), a name applied by Scottish-German botanist Johann Reinhold Forster (1729-1798) and his son Johann Georg Forster (1754-1794), who participated as botanists during the second voyage of James Cook (1728-1779), which took place 1772-1775.

Some species are widely cultivated, especially common breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) and jackfruit (A. heterophyllus). The latter is described on the pages Nature: Nature’s patterns, and Travel episodes – Sri Lanka 1976: Among alcohol brewers.

 

 

 

 

 

Caterpillars of this butterfly are very spiny indeed, deterring birds from eating them. They may also be poisonous, due to the toxic leaves they eat.

 

 

 

 

 

It is cultivated in many tropical regions for its orange-yellow fruits, which are variable in form, mostly oval, but in some types rounded, between 5 and 12.5 cm long. The texture of the orange flesh is quite unusual and has been likened to that of the yolk of a hard-boiled egg. It has a sweet and musky flavour. The fruits are eaten fresh or made into custards or milkshakes.

 

 

 

 

 

The genus is named for Prospero Alpini, an Italian botanist in the 17th Century, who specialized in exotic plants.

The showy galangal (Alpinia zerumbet, previously named A. speciosa) is native to Japan, Taiwan, southern China, Indochina, and India, but is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas.

 

 

 

 

 

A commonly cultivated hybrid is F. x intermedia, a cross between F. suspensa and F. viridissima, which displays a profusion of yellow flowers in spring, before foliation. The genus was named in honour of Scottish botanist William Forsyth (1737-1804), who was a founding member of the Royal Horticultural Society.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These spiders only live a few months after hatching. Females die after laying eggs, whereas the male dies a few days after inducing his sperm into the female.

Many other spiders are described on the page Animals – Invertebrates: Cobwebs.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name Narcissus is often linked to the Greek myth of the youth Narkissos, who was known for his beauty. However, he admired his own reflection in a pond so much that he fell into the water and drowned. A relative of the daffodil, the narcissus (N. poeticus), sprouted where he died. According to Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder (23-79 A.D.), the plant was not named for the youth, but for its powerful fragrance, from the Greek narkao (‘I grow numb’).

The name daffodil is derived from the Greek asphodelos, a genus of plants in the family Asphodelaceae. When and why the initial ‘d’ was introduced, is not known. According to Greek mythology, daffodils grow commonly in Hades, and they are a favorite food of the dead. The name Lent lily refers to the early flowering of this species, Lent being the preparatory week before Easter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name was applied by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) in honour of Olof Rudbeck (1630-1702), also known by the Latinized name Olaus Rudbeckius, who was professor of medicine, and periodically rector magnificus, at Uppsala University.

 

This plant is often called black-eyed Susan. This name, however, is also used for a number of other plants.

A picture, showing a red-flowered form, is shown on the page In praise of the colour red.

 

 

 

 

 

Upright prairie coneflower (R. columnifera) is distributed in much of North America, especially in grassy areas. The shape of its flower heads has given it the popular name Mexican hat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is a large sunflower-like plant with a woody, erect stem, growing to 3 m tall. The leaves are ovate in outline, toothed and pointed, usually to about 20 cm long, occasionally to 40 cm. As its Latin name implies, their shape is diverse, mostly with 3-7 lobes, but sometimes simple. The large, fragrant flowers are bright yellow with an orange centre, to 15 cm across.

Due to its tolerance to heat and drought, Mexican sunflower often invades fallow lands, forming dense stands that outcompete native vegetation. It is regarded as invasive in at least 50 countries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to one source, the generic name is derived from the Greek cotyle (‘cavity’, ‘bowl’, ‘cup’), alluding to the sessile leaves of some members of the genus forming a cavity at the base. The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘used in dyeing’, derived from tingo (‘soak in dye’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This species grows in wet areas in forests, often on slopes along streams. In Japan, it is often cultivated in ponds in ornamental gardens. Certain indigenous American tribes used a decoction of the stems for venereal diseases and as a diuretic.

The name scouring rush stems from its former usage as a scouring remedy, and as sandpaper, due to its high content of silica. The generic name is from the Latin equus (‘horse’), and seta, which has several meanings, including ‘rough’, ‘brush’, or ‘hair’. Seta can refer to the rough, silica-containing stems of these plants, but together with equus, the word means ’horse hair’. With a bit of imagination, a bunch of drying stems do resemble a horsetail.

Other species of this genus are presented on the page Plants: Plants in folklore and poetry.

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures, depicting the yellow winter foliage, as well as its colourful fruits, are shown on the page Autumn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The common name has nothing to do with witches. It derives from Old English wice, meaning ‘bendable’, alluding to the former usage of the twigs as divining rods in dowsing.

 

 

 

 

 

In English, it is often called Japanese snake gourd, which is a misnomer, as the name snake gourd usually applies to T. cucumerina, whose fruit is long and twisted, resembling a snake, whereas the fruit of T. pilosa is round or egg-shaped, to about 7 cm long.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acrisius was dismayed that he didn’t have a son and consulted the oracle at Delphi for help. The oracle, however, warned him that he would one day be killed by his daughter’s son. To avoid her having a son, he imprisoned her in his palace, in a chamber without a roof. However, she was made pregnant by Zeus who appeared in the form of a shower of gold. Acrisius dared not invoke the wrath of Zeus by killing his offspring, but when the child was born, he placed mother and child in a wooden chest, which he sent out to sea, expecting them to perish. However, the chest washed ashore on the island of Serifos, where a fisherman named Dictys took mother and child to his home. Here, they stayed for many years, until Perseus, as the boy was named, was grown.

The king of Serifos was Polydectes, brother of Dictys. When the king saw the beautiful Danaë, he fell in love with her. Perseus, who was now an adolescent, disliked Polydectes and protected his mother from him. The king now plotted to have Perseus killed. He held a large banquet, and each guest was requested to bring a horse as a gift to the king. Perseus had no horses, so he asked Polydectes to name another gift, which he would not refuse to bring. The cunning Polydectes then demanded the head of Medusa, the only mortal Gorgon.

Perseus begged the gods for help, and they equipped him with a polished shield, a sword, winged boots, and a helm of invisibility. By viewing Medusa’s reflection in his shield, he avoided being turned into stone, and he could now safely approach the sleeping gorgon and cut off her head. Wearing his helm of invisibility, he managed to escape from the fearsome sisters of Medusa, carrying her head in a sack.

On his way to Argos, Perseus learned about the prophecy of the oracle, and as he did not want to kill his grandfather, he instead went to Larissa, where sports games were being held. Acrisius happened to be present, and Perseus accidentally hit him with his spear and killed him. Thus, the prophecy came true.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is of Semitic origin, in Ancient Greek lotos, denoting a type of clover or trefoil, described by Homer as food for horses. The trefoil part of the popular name was given in allusion to the seemingly tripartite leaves of the common bird’s-foot trefoil (in reality 5 leaflets), whereas bird’s-foot refers to the often triple pods, which spread out from a common point, thus resembling a bird’s foot.

Four species of this genus are native to northern Europe, all presented below. They often grow in profusion in areas of low vegetation, their bright yellow flowers forming brilliant ‘carpets’.

 

Other photos, depicting this species, are found on the page Plants: Himalayan flora.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek hippo (‘horse’) and krepis (‘shoe’), thus ‘horseshoe’, referring to the shape of the fruit segments in some of the species, including the horseshoe vetch (H. comosa), a species found on chalk and limestone in southern England, and in central and southern Europe, eastwards to Ukraine.

It is quite variable, sometimes forming upright clusters, at other times creeping along the ground. The flowers are small, yellow, with reddish-brown streaks on the standard, or sometimes orange or red when young. It is not harmed by grazing sheep, but cattle readily eats it, and it often disappears in areas grazed by cattle.

The plant is hairy, giving rise to the specific name, which means ‘very hairy’ in the Latin.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is probably derived from the Greek hypo (‘under’) and choeris (‘young pig’), alluding to the fact that pigs enjoy eating the root of common cat’s-ear (below). The English name refers to the leaves of this species, which are covered in rough hairs.

Common cat’s-ear (H. radicata) is native to the major part of Europe and northern Africa, but has been introduced to many other parts of the world, including the Americas, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. In some areas, it is considered an invasive weed. It grows in grasslands, along roads and banks, in old dunes, and in waste places.

It is a perennial herb, the forked stem sometimes growing as tall as 80 cm. The basal leaves, which form a rosette, are obovate in outline, to 20 cm long and 4 cm wide, margin wavy or lobed, sometimes pinnately divided, hairy, stem leaves absent or few, similar to the basal leaves. The terminal flowerheads are bright yellow, to 1.5 cm across.

A close relative, large cat’s-ear (H. uniflora) is described on the page Plants: Flora in the Alps and the Pyrenees.

 

 

 

 

 

The distribution of this species is poorly known, but it occurs in a number af Asiatic countries, including China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, and India, and it has also been observed in Mexico.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Senegal running frog (Kassina senegalensis), also called bubbling kassina, is a common and widespread species, found from the Sahel zone of Africa, southwards to South Africa, living in a wide range of habitats, including forests, shrubland, savanna, fields, and gardens. Each male emits a popping sound, and the name bubbling kassina was given in allusion to the continuous bubbling sound, stemming from many male frogs, responding to each other’s calls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acacias belong to the huge pea family (Fabaceae), subfamily Mimosoideae, which is characterized by flowers with very small petals and numerous stamens. Formerly, the genus Acacia comprised no less than c. 1500 species, but according to the latest update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group’s classification for flowering plants, the APG IV, this genus is polyphyletic, today being divided into five genera. (Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia)

Genus Acacia, comprising c. 980 species, is mainly restricted to Australasia.

Vachellia is a genus of c. 193 tropical and subtropical species, most of which (c. 83) are found in Africa and on Madagascar

Senegalia, comprising about 220 species, is distributed worldwide in tropical and subtropical areas (except Australia), with the majority in Africa.

Acaciella is a small Neotropical genus of 15 species, most of which are found along the Mexican Pacific coast.

Mariosousa, comprising 13 species, are found mainly in Mexico and Central America, with a few species extending into the United States.

The pictures below show four acacia species, three with yellow flowers, and one with yellow bark.

 

This plant is very common in the lowlands of Taiwan, growing up to an altitude of c. 2,000 m. On the mountains slopes it is often protected, as it helps prevent landslides and soil erosion.

Philippine acacia has no true leaves, but phyllodes – winged leaf stalks, which function as leaves. They are scimitar-shaped, up to 11 cm long and 2 cm wide, with 3-5 parallel veins. The wood is very hard and was formerly used as beams in Taiwanese underground mines. Today, it is used to make floors, and to produce charcoal. The plant is also utilized in traditional folk medicine in Taiwan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek kokhlias (‘spiralled’), ultimately from kokhlos (‘spiral-shelled mollusk’), referring to the curved seeds, on which numerous long hairs are arranged in a spiral. A common name is buttercup trees, alluding to the bright yellow flowers, of the same hue as buttercup flowers (Ranunculus).

The yellow silk-cotton tree (C. religiosum) is a small tree, growing to a height of about 7.5 m. It is native to tropical areas of the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, usually growing in dry deciduous forests.

Yellow silk-cotton tree is often planted around Buddhist temples in southern India and Sri Lanka, reflected in the specific name, from the Latin religiosus (‘pious’, ‘devout’). The common name refers to the fruits, which contain fluffy, cotton-like hairs, similar to kapok.

In some offshoots of Theravada Buddhism, this plant is said to have been the Bodhi tree, under which the Buddha achieved enlightenment. (A more common belief is that this tree was pipal (Ficus religiosus), described on the page Plants: Fig trees.)

Another member of the genus is Cochlospermum vitifolium, locally called poro-poro. This species is native to Central America and northern South America. Its gorgeous flowers appear after the leaves have been shed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other heron species are described on the pages Fishing, and Animals – Birds: Birds in Africa, Birds in Taiwan, and Birds in the United States and Canada.

 

 

 

 

 

In 1782, the specific name of the snowy egret was applied to this bird by a mistake by Chilean Jesuit priest and naturalist Juan Ignacio Molina (1740-1829), who didn’t realize, that in fact thula was the local Mapuduncun name for the black-necked swan (Cygnus melancoryphus).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other photos, depicting this species, are shown on the page Plants: Urban plant life.

 

 

 

 

 

The picture below, from Monterico, Guatemala, shows three members of the this family, two of which are bright yellow, the great kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus) (lower part of the picture) and tropical kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) (upper part, right). The birds with long tails are scissor-tailed flycatchers (Tyrannus forficatus).

 

 

 

 

 

Stonecrops are mostly prostrate plants, which grow in dry areas, for instance in sand, among scree, or on rocks. They include members of the genera Sedum, Petrosedum, and Hylotelephium.

True stonecrops, of the genus Sedum, count about 470 species, mainly distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, but also found in southern Africa and in South America. The generic name is the classical Latin term for houseleeks (Sempervivum), another genus in the family Crassulaceae. Why it was applied to the genus Sedum is not clear.

The biting stonecrop (Sedum acre) is named after the bitter, peppery taste of its leaves, caused by their content of slightly toxic alkaloids. The specific name is derived from the Latin acer (‘bitter’, ‘sharp’, or ‘sour’).

It is a widespread species, found in southern Greenland, Iceland, and in the entire Europe, eastwards to the Ural Mountains and the Caucasus, southwards to northern Africa.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is from the Greek mekon (’moon’), and opsis (’resembling’), referring to the round, yellowish petals of the Welsh poppy, which French botanist Louis Viguier (1790-1867) separated from the genus Papaver in 1814, renaming it Meconopsis cambrica, mainly due to the structure of its style. However, a phylogenetic study from 2011 concluded that the Welsh poppy belongs to the genus Papaver.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rhaetian poppy (P. alpinum ssp. rhaeticum) is native to eastern Switzerland, Austria, and northern Italy. Some authorities regard it as a full species, named P. aurantiacum.

 

 

 

 

 

The yellow horned poppy (Glaucium flavum), which often grows on seashores, is native to Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and the Caucasus.

 

 

 

 

 

As its name implies, the Mexican prickly poppy (A. mexicana) is a native of Mexico, but has been widely naturalized in many parts of the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is from the Greek kalos (‘beautiful’) and chortos (‘grass’).

Pictures, depicting a number of species in this genus, are shown on the page Quotes on nature.

 

 

 

 

 

Many people think that the Canary Islands were named after this bird. However, this is not the case. Roman historian Pliny the Elder (23-79 A.D.) relates that these islands were populated by large wild dogs, for which reason they were referred to as the Canaria Islands, from the Latin canis (‘dog’). Thus, the bird is actually named after the islands – not the other way around!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The scientific name avellana was applied by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), who took this name from De historia stirpium commentarii insignes, published by German physician and botanist Leonhard Fuchs (1501-1566) in 1542, in which it was described as Avellana nux sylvestris (‘forest nut of Avella’, a town in southern Italy). In turn, that appellation was taken from Naturalis Historia, by Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder (23-79 A.D.).

The succession of a wild growth of hazel is described on the page Nature Reserve Vorsø: Expanding wilderness.

 

 

 

 

 

Rhododendron is a very large genus, comprising c. 1,025 species worldwide, the largest concentrations encountered in China and the Himalaya, and on Borneo and New Guinea. Many species are described on the page Plants: Rhododendrons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One genus of pitcher-plants is Sarracenia, comprising 11 species, which are distributed in eastern North America, from Newfoundland and Labrador in the north to Florida in the south, and westwards to the Great Lake area. This genus, and many other flesh-eating plants, are described on the page Plants: Carnivorous plants.

 

 

 

 

 

The name gentian derives from King Gentius, who ruled in Ancient Illyria 181-168 B.C., and who allegedly discovered the medicinal value of the yellow gentian.

Many other gentian species are presented on the pages Plants: Himalayan flora 2, and Plants: Flora of the Alps and the Pyrenees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The most widespread species is the yellow, or sticky, rabbitbrush (C. viscidiflorus), which occurs from British Columbia and Montana southwards to California and New Mexico. This species is a typical colonizer of disturbed habitats, such as burned land, landslides, and areas prone to flooding.

The generic name is from the Greek chrysos (‘golden’) and thamnos (‘bush’), referring to the golden-yellow flowers of these plants, whereas the specific name is from the Latin viscum (birdlime, made from mistletoe), and floro (‘flower’), thus ‘sticky-flowered’.

Yellow rabbitbrush was utilized medicinally by a variety of indigenous peoples, among the Paiute to treat colds and cough, and among the Hopi for skin problems. Gosiute and Paiute produced chewing gum from latex of the roots, while Hopi and Navajo made orange and yellow dyes from the flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These plants are characterized by their fleshy, almost translucent stems, and the unique structure of their attractive flowers, having 3 or 5 sepals, of which the lower one is greatly enlarged, funnel- or pouch-shaped, with a spur, whereas the other 2 or 4 are small and greenish. There are 5 petals, of which the upper one, the standard, is often helmet-like, whereas the 4 lateral ones are fused in pairs, the upper pair forming the wings, the lower pair the lip.

The generic name, as well as the popular name touch-me-not, were given in allusion to the way these plants spread their seeds. As the fruit reaches maturity, a tension builds up inside the pod, causing it to ‘explode’ when touched, hereby spreading the seeds a considerable distance.

The common name balsam is in fact a misnomer. It was adopted from the garden balsam (I. balsamina), which was brought to Europe by the Portuguese in the 16th Century. Originally, balsamine was a Greek name of an unidentified plant with an aromatic oil, derived from balsamon (‘balsam’), which in the Hebrew means ‘spice’ or ‘perfume’.

The yellow balsam (I. noli-tangere) is a very widespread species, found from the entire Europe eastwards across Siberia to the Pacific, and further into north-western North America. In Eurasia, the southern limits of its distribution are the Mediterranean, Iran, China, and Japan.

The specific name is Latin and can be translated as ‘do not touch’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The genus Cuscuta and many other parasitic plants are described on the page Plants: Parasitic plants.

 

 

 

 

 

The name Black-eyed Susan is thought to stem from a character, who figures in many traditional ballads and songs. In Ballad of Black-eyed Susan, by John Gay (1685-1732), Susan goes aboard a ship in-dock to ask the sailors, where her lover William has gone. She says:

 

 

The generic name was given in honour of Swedish botanist and physician Carl Peter Thunberg (1743-1828), a pupil of the famous Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778). Thunberg is mainly known for his botanical work in South Africa and Japan.

A near relative of black-eyed Susan, the blue trumpet-vine (T. grandiflora), is described on the page In praise of the colour blue.

 

 

 

 

 

Yellow bush-lupine, or tree-lupine (Lupinus arboreus), is endemic to California, but is widely cultivated elsewhere as an ornamental, and also to curb the sand in wandering dunes. In many places, it has escaped and become a noxious weed, including western Europe, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, and southern South America.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The floral structure of these plants, the cyathium, is cup-like, consisting of fused bracts with nectary glands along the margin. These bracts are surrounding a ring of male flowers, each with one stamen, and a single female flower is in the centre. Superficially, this arrangement resembles a single flower. The fruit is a capsule, with 3 valves.

King Juba II (c. 50 B.C. – 19 A.D.) of Numidia (in present-day Algeria and Tunisia) had an interest in plants and often described them, including a thorny, succulent plant from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, whose latex was a powerful laxative. He named this plant Euphorbea in honour of his Greek chief physician, Euphorbus. In 1753, Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) adopted this name, in the form Euphorbia, for the entire genus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This species was first described as Bignonia stans by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), but was moved to the genus Tecoma in 1819 by French botanist Antoine Laurent de Jussieu (1748-1836). It seems that he made a mistake, as he named it after what he thought was the Aztec name of the plant, tecomaxochitl, which, however, is the name of another member of the bignonia family, the calabash tree (Crescentia cujete).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These remarkable birds are presented in depth on the page Animals – Birds: Hornbills.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The yellow iris (Iris pseudacorus) is native to Europe, western Asia, and north-western Africa, and is also a common escape in North America. The specific name, meaning ‘false acorus’, refers to the similarity of its leaves to those of sweet flag (Acorus calamus).

In former days, the root was boiled together with ferrous sulphate, producing a black liquid, which was used as ink. In his book Utkast till svenska växternas naturhistoria (1867-1868), Swedish botanist C.F. Nymann (1820-1893) writes, ”It is said that the root is effective against rabies, caused by the bite of a mad dog.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This species and many other gulls are presented on the page Animals – Birds: Gulls.

 

 

 

 

 

Many Native American peoples, including the Nez Perce, Kootenai, Cheyenne, and Salish, utilized this plant as food and medicine. The root can be eaten, raw or cooked, with a balsam-like taste. The Salish people claimed that its taste was best after being baked in a fire pit for three days. Young shoots were also cooked or added to salads. Seeds were ground and formed into cakes, which could be eaten raw. As a medicinal herb, this species was mainly used for stomach problems. (Source: pfaf.org/User/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Balsamorhiza+sagittata)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This species is described in depth on the page Plants: Plants in folklore and poetry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other common names of this plant include pigeon berry and Brazilian skyflower, and in Tonga it is known as mavaetangi (‘tears of departure’), alluding to the fruit, which is a small, globose, yellow or orange berry, to 1 cm across. Unripe berries are toxic and are known to have killed children, dogs and cats. Birds, however, are not harmed by the berries.

The generic name was given in honour of Italian physician, botanist, and poet Gualdo Tadino (1529-1590), better known as Castore Durante da Gualdo.

A picture, depicting the flowers, is shown on the page In praise of the colour blue.

 

 

 

 

 

Among the aborigines of Taiwan, the Rukai people regard this gorgeous species as an extremely noble plant. According to legend, in order to protect her people, Rukai princess Barem married the incarnation of the King of a Hundred Paces. In the past, only high-ranking leaders could wear this flower on special occasions, for instance at marriages, or when men succeeded in killing more than five wild boars during a hunt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This bird and many other members of the crow family are described in depth on the page Animals – Birds: Corvids.

 

 

 

 

 

In English, the earliest known use of the word ulex is from 1753. It was mentioned by Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder (23-79 A.D.), when he described gold mining in north-western Iberia. Thus, the name Ulex may allude to the golden-yellow flowers of members of the genus.

The specific name is derived from the Latin Gallium, the classical name of Gaul, which name is probably derived from Proto-Germanic walhaz, a term used for people of Celtic origin.

A close relative, the common gorse (U. europaeus), which has become extremely invasive in many areas around the globe, is described on the page Nature: Invasive species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Greek nein (‘to spin’) and philos (‘love’), thus ‘fond of spinning’. The web of these spiders is enormous, up to 2 m across, with supporting strands much longer. The webs of different females are sometimes inter-connected, together covering many square metres. Small birds and bats are reported to have been caught in these strong webs.

Many other spiders are described on the page Animals – Invertebrates: Cobwebs.

 

 

 

 

 

The inflorescence is a compact flowerhead with numerous flowers, to 1.9 cm long, golden-yellow in most subspecies, in others whitish, orange, or red. The calyx is very characteristic, densely covered in white hairs.

The generic name is derived from the Greek anthyllio, diminutive of anthos (‘flower’). Originally, the plant was named Vulneraria rustica by Swiss physician and naturalist Konrad Gessner (1516-1565), derived from the Latin vulnus (‘wound’) and rusticus (‘rural’), alluding to the usage of the plant for healing wounds, and its habitat. It was also used for cough.

A picture, depicting a form with scarlet flowers, is shown on the page In praise of the colour red.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During Daoist festivals, various rituals are performed, often by men dressed in yellow garments. In Taiwan, one of the most important festivals is the Mazu Festival, dedicated to the Mother Goddess Mazu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, it is widely planted elsewhere as an ornamental tree, mainly due to its spectacular fruits, which are globular, yellow or orange, to 8 mm across. When ripe, they open to reveal the seeds, which are covered with a glossy red, oily, sticky mucus, with an odor reminiscent of petroleum.

The species is utilized medicinally, powdered bark against fever, bronchitis, and cough. The juice of the fruit is used externally for cleaning wounds.

 

 

 

 

 

The alpine squawroot (C. alpina), also called alpine cancer-root, is native to Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and northern Mexico. Despite the common name cancer-root, there is no evidence that it has any anti-cancer properties. A variety of this species, var. mexicana, called Mexican squawroot, is parasitic on roots of various species of pine (Pinus) and oak (Quercus). It was formerly used by indigenous tribes against tuberculosis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from the Greek chrysos (‘gold’) and anthos (‘flower’). The popular name araguaney may stem from aravenei, a word that the Caribbean Kalina people supposedly used for this tree. In Brazil, it is known as ipê-amarelo (‘yellow ipê’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic and specific names are derived from the Greek xanthos (’yellow’) and kephalos (’head’).

 

 

 

 

 

The young stems and inflorescences of giant fennel are edible, albeit perhaps slightly poisonous. They were a food item in Ancient Rome, and are still eaten in Morocco.

In Ancient Greek mythology, Prometheus, the god of fire, presented fire to humans by hiding it in the hollow stem of giant fennel. The stem, entwined with foliage of ivy (Hedera helix), was also used as a thyrsus – a staff associated with the wine god Dionysus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

True rock-roses, genus Helianthemum, is widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, especially around the Mediterranean. The generic name, derived from the Greek helios (‘sun’) and anthemon (‘flower’), refers to the fact that most members of the genus grow in sunny places.

New World species, which were formerly placed in this genus, have been transferred to the genus Crocanthemum.

 

The inflorescence is mostly a one-sided, few-flowered raceme, flowers to 2 cm across, petals 5, lemon-yellow or golden-yellow, stamens numerous. Sepals lanceolate, very hairy, green, often with reddish-brown edge. The individual flower is short-lived, but throughout the summer the plant produces an abundance of them. They only open in sunshine, at temperatures above 20 degrees.

This plant is distributed in the major part of Europe, and also in Turkey and the Caucasus, growing in heaths, and on dry slopes and rocks. In the Alps, it may be found up to an altitude of at least 2,400 m.

The specific name is from the Latin nummulus (‘little coin’), referring to the flowers, which shine like golden coins in the sunshine.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name refers to the Swedish island Öland, where the famous naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-78) collected the type specimen in 1741, naming it Cistus oelandicus. In Sweden, it is restricted to the alvar, the flat limestone area in the south-central part of this island.

 

 

 

 

 

It is a low annual, which may occasionally reach a height of 30 cm. It has a rosette of basal leaves, which withers at an early stage, as opposed to the stem leaves, which appear simultaneously with the flowers. Each flower, to 1.2 cm across, has 5 yellow petals, which usually have a reddish-brown spot near the base. Sometimes the spots are larger, forming a dark ring around the centre.

 

 

 

 

 

The fruits occur in a wide variety of colours: yellow, pink, and numerous shades of red and purple, often produced abundantly. If they are not picked by people, they remain on the tree, until they are over-ripe and fall to the ground. Wild birds are not at all able to eat all these berries, which often lie almost in layers on the ground beneath the tree. Rotting cherry plums are much praised by butterflies and wasps. Other pictures, depicting the fruits, are shown on the page Autumn.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek kerasos (‘cherry’), and the Latin ferus (‘wild’).

 

 

 

 

 

Adults can grow up to 2 cm long, with antenna and hindlegs also up to 2 cm. It is black with large yellow markings on the forewings (‘wing coverts’). These yellow markings makes the beetle look somewhat like a wasp, which may give it some protection from predating birds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its seeds contain an alkaloid that is toxic to humans, but they are a favourite food of a Californian bird, Lawrence’s goldfinch (Spinus lawrencei), during the nesting season.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific and common names honour Canadian botanist Alice Eastwood (1859-1953), who created the botanical collection at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

British yellowhead (I. britannica), also called meadow fleabane, is indigenous to parts of Europe and northern Asia, and is also locally naturalized in North America.