In praise of the colour blue

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Siberia and Central Asia, the blue tit is replaced by a near relative, the azure tit (C. cyanus), which is a very rare guest in Europe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek ankhousa, the name of Alkanna tinctoria, a plant of the same family, which was used as a cosmetic. The name bugloss stems from Ancient Greek bouglosson, the name of Anchusa azurea, derived from bous (‘ox’) and glossa (‘tongue’), referring to the leaves, which are shaped like an ox-tongue and have a rough surface – just like the tongue of an ox.

The small bugloss (Anchusa arvensis) is a hairy annual with rather narrow leaves and small, pale blue, tubular flowers with a white throat. It probably originates from around the Black Sea or in Central Asia, but was spread to Europe with the arrival of agriculture. Today, it occurs from Scandinavia and Portugal eastwards to the Ural Mountains, the Himalaya, Mongolia, and northern China, and also in Arabia and Ethiopia.

It is a common weed in fields, reflected in the specific name, which means ‘growing in fields’, derived from the Latin arvus (‘cultivated land’). It also occurs along railways and roads, on waste ground, and as a weed in gardens.

 

 

 

 

 

Its stem creeps along the ground, hence the first part of the common name. The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek omphalos (‘navel’), referring to the shape of the fruit, whereas the specific name is derived from the Latin vernus (‘spring’), alluding to its early flowering.

The flowering stems are slightly hairy, reaching a height of up to 30 cm. The leaves are ovate or heart-shaped, to 3 cm long and 2 cm wide, with deeply imprinted veins. The corolla is bright blue, fused, to 1 cm across, with 5 spreading lobes and a white or yellow centre.

 

 

 

 

 

It is a bristly perennial, which may grow to 90 cm tall. The lower leaves are stalked, broadly ovate, pointed, whereas the upper leaves are smaller and stalkless. The flower buds are pink, but open up to reveal bright blue flowers, to 1 cm across, with a white centre.

The generic name is Ancient Greek, meaning ‘with 5 tongues’, which alludes to the 5 tongue-shaped lobes of the flower. The specific name is derived from the Latin semper (‘always’) and‎ virens (‘green’), referring to the evergreen folige of this plant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Occasionally, it will visit secondary forest or other disturbed areas, but is still continuously declining due to loss of suitable habitat. Its food mainly consists of frogs, lizards, insects and other invertebrates, and to some degree fruit.

A large number of members of the crow family are described on the page Animals – Birds: Corvids.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To lure this gorgeous bird closer, many Taiwanese photographers strew maize or other food near roads or trails, often causing it to become remarkably tame.

 

 

 

 

 

Other pictures, depicting this gorgeous building, may be seen on the pages Religion: Islam, and Dawn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although called scarlet pimpernel, the flowers of this plant come in a variety of colours, including scarlet, red, flesh-coloured, and bright blue. The blue form is very similar to two other pimpernels, L. foemina and L. monelli. However, it may be identified by the broad, ovate leaves and numerous glandular hairs along the margin of the petals, which has few or no teeth.

The flowers of these plants open only when the sun shines, leading to a number of popular names, including shepherd’s weatherglass. The name pimpernel stems from around 1400, ultimately derived from the Latin piperinella, from piper (‘pepper’), in (‘resembling’), and ella, a diminutive suffix, thus ‘the little one that resembles pepper’. What it refers to is not clear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dutch Elm disease is described in depth on the page Nature Reserve Vorsø: Dutch Elm disease on Vorsø.

 

 

 

 

 

The purple sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus) is common from Oman and southern Iran eastwards across the entire Indian Subcontinent to Southeast Asia. Males may appear all black in bright sunlight, but under good light conditions, at close quarters, the plumage is a brilliant blue-purple iridescence. Females are greenish above and yellowish below.

 

 

 

 

 

Desert bells (Phacelia campanularia) is a gorgeous plant, which is restricted to the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts in California. It is commonly cultivated as an ornamental elsewhere and may sometimes escape.

The stem, growing to 70 cm tall, is covered in glandular hairs. The leaves are round in outline, with numerous large teeth along the margin. The bright blue, bell- or funnel-shaped corolla may grow up to 4 cm long, with long, protruding stamens and style.

If the winter has brought ample rain, thousands of these plants will bloom, forming deep-blue masses.

 

 

 

 

 

The great blue heron is the largest heron in America – in fact the world’s third-largest heron, only surpassed by goliath heron (A. goliath) and white-bellied heron (A. insignis). It is a common bird, breeding from central Canada southwards to Central America and the Caribbean, with a separate population in the Galápagos Islands. The northernmost populations are migratory, spending the winter as far south as northern South America. Some birds in southern Florida and the Caribbean are pure white, and it is still discussed whether they form a separate species.

The little blue heron is widely distributed in coastal areas in the southern part of North America and along the east coast to Maine, in Central America, and in South America southwards to Peru and southern Brazil. It lives in freshwater as well as brackish water. Northern populations are migratory, wintering in the Caribbean and Central America. After the breeding season, birds may stray northwards to southern Canada, southwards to Uruguay.

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nowadays, following the introduction of chemical herbicides, wild cornflowers are almost exclusively encountered in fields of organic crops, whereas the corn-cockle has gone virtually extinct in northern Europe. Cornflower is sometimes grown for production of seeds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The popular name alludes to the fact that it mainly occurs in grassy areas, where the soil is rich in chalk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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. A picture, depicting the berries, is shown on the page In praise of the colour yellow.

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

 

 

 

 

 

In the past, the genera Sambucus and Viburnum constituted the family Sambucaceae, but were then transferred to the honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae), and later to the moschatel family (Adoxaceae), which is today called Viburnaceae.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek sambuca, the name of an ancient string instrument of Asian origin. The wood of elder was presumably used in its construction. The name elder is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word aeld (’fire’). In those days, the hollow stems of elder were used to kindle a fire.

Blue elder (Sambucus cerulea), formerly often called Mexican elder (S. mexicana), is a deciduous shrub, which can grow to a height of 9 m. In spring, it displays an abundance of butter-yellow flowers, followed by purplish-blue berries in autumn. It grows up to an altitude of 3,000 m, in a variety of habitats, including river valleys, woodlands, and exposed slopes with access to water. It has a very wide distribution, from British Columbia south through much of western United States to north-western Mexico, with scattered occurrence in Oklahoma and Texas.

Many indigenous tribes used the berries of this plant for food, and a number of herbal medicines were produced from the wood, bark, leaves, flowers, and roots. The wood was also used to make pipes and musical instruments, such as flutes and small whistles. A dye was made from the berries.

Some authorities reduce this species to a subspecies of the widespread common elder (S. nigra), described on the page Plants: Plants in folklore and poetry. Other elder species include red elder (S. racemosa), dealt with on the page Plants: Flora of the Alps and the Pyrenees, and Chinese elder (S. javanica), presented on the page In praise of the colour orange.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This genus was described by Scottish botanist and physician William Jack (1795-1822), who worked as a surgeon in India, and later in Sumatra, where he died in 1822, presumably of malaria. The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek lasios (‘shaggy’) and anthos (‘flower’), the name given in allusion to the rather shaggy appearance of the flowers of most members of the genus.

Lasianthus fordii is a small shrub, to 2 m tall, which grows in humid, shaded forests at altitudes between 200 and 1,000 m, from southern Japan and China southwards through Southeast Asia and the Philippines to Indonesia and New Guinea.

 

 

 

 

 

Coccocypselum hirsutum is a creeping herb, distributed from Mexico southwards to Paraguay and southern Brazil. The specific name is derived from the Latin hirtus (‘hairy’ or ‘rough’), alluding to the very hairy appearance of this plant, on stems, leaves, and fruits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name, as well as the name of the entire family, Campanulaceae, is due to the bell-shaped flowers of this genus, from the Latin campanula (’little bell’).

Six species are presented below, and several others are described on the pages Plants: Flora of the Alps and the Pyrenees, and Himalayan flora 1.

 

The name harebell stems from Scotland, where this species is quite common. Here, it was also known by a number of other names, including bluebell, lady’s thimble, witch’s bells, and witch’s thimble. In the Scottish Highlands, it was widely believed that witches could change into hares at will, and it was regarded as a very bad omen if a hare crossed your way. As the plant was commonly known as witch’s thimble, the name harebell evolved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is native from Europe eastwards to central Siberia, southwards to the Mediterranean, Iran, and Tajikistan. It has also been introduced to North America, where it is regarded as an extremely invasive weed, which is very hard to eradicate, as the least bit of its underground stems is able to sprout into a new plant. It grows at forest edges, in open woods and gardens, along roads, and sometimes in meadows.

The specific name refers to the resemblance of this species to the rampion bellflower (C. rapunculus), which is described on the page Plants: Plants in folklore and poetry.

 

 

 

 

 

In the northern part of its natural range, this species grows down to sea level, whereas in the southern part it is restricted to mountains. It is found in a wide variety of habitats, including grasslands, broad-leaved forest, and along streams. The specific and popular names were given in allusion to its leaves, which to some degree resemble those of peach (Prunus persica).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘covered in rough hairs’, alluding to the dense hair cover. The alternative name ephesia means ‘from Ephesus’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The small-flowered Cleome rutidosperma is native to tropical Africa, but has become naturalized many other places, including southern Asia, Indonesia, and warmer areas of the Americas, and is regarded as an invasive weed in many countries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘eared’, referring to the shape of the leaves. The common name leadwort is more or less a translation of the generic name, which is the Latin word for graphite. It possibly refers to the fact that the root of these plants turn grey when handled.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek echis, meaning ‘viper’. Greek physician, pharmacologist, and botanist Pedanius Dioscorides (died 90 A.D.), author of De Materia Medica, 5 volumes dealing with herbal medicine, noted the resemblance between the shape of the nutlets and a viper’s head. The long stamens, sticking out of the flower, also resemble a viper’s tongue.

The name bugloss stems from Ancient Greek bouglosson, from bous (‘ox’) and glossa (‘tongue’), referring to the leaves, which are shaped like an ox-tongue and have a rough surface – just like the tongue of an ox.

Formerly, it was believed that these plants could be used as a cure for snake bite. British herbalist Nicholas Culpeper (1616-1654) says: “It is a most gallant herb of the sun; it is a pity it is no more in use than it is. It is an especial remedy against the biting of the viper, and all other venomous beasts, or serpents; as also against poison, or poisonous herbs. Dioscorides and others say that whosoever shall take of the herb or root before they be bitten, they shall not be hurt by the poison of any serpent.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The male is a pretty bird, with reddish breast and belly, bluish-grey head and nape, olive-green or brownish back and scapulars, and black wings with two conspicuous white bars. The female is greyish-brown, also with white wing bars. Males of the various subspecies in North Africa and on the Atlantic islands are much more bluish, and some authorities speculate that they might constitute several separate species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name, derived from Ancient Greek ip (‘worm’) and hómoia (‘resembling’), was given by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) in allusion to the worm-like movements of the stem, twining around other plants, fences, etc.

The blue morning-glory (I. nil), also called ivy morning-glory due to the shape of its leaves, is probably native to Mexico or Central America, but has been introduced to most warmer parts of the world, where it has become naturalized in many places. Flowers of this species are various shades of blue, with a white funnel. It can be told from similar species by the base of its calyx, which is hairy.

Many other members of the morning-glory family are described on the page Plants: Morning-glories and bindweeds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The name nilgai is Hindi, meaning ‘blue cow’, alluding to the slate-coloured, slightly bluish coat of the male, and to its similarity to the sacred cow. For the latter reason, the nilgai is protected by devout Hindus and has thus escaped the fate of many other animals in India, which are on the brink of extinction, including tiger (Panthera tigris), lion (Panthera leo), and blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra). The coat of females and young males is a pale sandy brown. Both sexes have a white throat patch.

The scientific name of this antelope is quite peculiar. It is derived from four Greek words, bous (‘cow’), elaphos (‘deer’), tragos (‘goat’), and kamelos (‘camel’). The name was applied by Prussian naturalist Peter Simon Pallas (1741-1811), to whom this antelope apparently resembled a mixture of these four animals.

 

 

 

 

 

Botanically, the pineapple is an herb, which may grow to 1.5 m tall, sometimes taller. It has a short, stocky stem with tough, waxy, spiny leaves, growing to 1 m long. It produces up to 200 bluish flowers, in cultivation sometimes more. In the wild state, it is pollinated primarily by hummingbirds, sometimes at night by bats. The individual fruits, which are berries, join together to create a multiple fruit, the ‘pineapple’.

The English name stems from 1568, from the book Les singularitez de la France antarctique (1557), written by French priest, explorer, and writer André Thevet (1516-1590), relating his experiences in France Antarctique, a French settlement near present-day Rio de Janeiro. In English, this book is titled The New Found World, or Antarctike. Thevet refers to a fruit, cultivated and eaten by the Tupinambá people, living in this area. He describes the fruit as nanas, a Tupi word meaning ‘excellent fruit’, and says that it was made in the manner of a ‘pine apple’ (pine cone). (Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pineapple)

The Tupi word was adopted by Scottish botanist Philip Miller (1691-1771) as the plant’s generic name in the form Ananas, whereas the specific name is Latin, derived from coma, which literally means ‘hair’, but is also used as a term for leaves, thus ‘with many leaves’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite its specific name asiatica, meaning ‘from Asia’, this dove is a New World bird, distributed in south-western United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Presumably, Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), who named this bird Columba asiatica in 1758, was told that the type specimen originated in Asia.

The present generic name was introduced in 1838 by French ornithologist Charles Bonaparte (1803-1857), 2nd Prince of Canino and Musignano, in honour of his wife Zénaïde (1801-1854).

 

 

 

 

 

The blue waterlily (Nymphaea caerulea), often popularly called Nile lotus or sacred blue lily-of-the-Nile, is distributed in most of eastern Africa, from Egypt southwards to South Africa.

 

 

 

 

 

The name Nilgiri is derived from the Tamil neelakurinji, the local name of a blue-flowered plant, Strobilanthes kunthiana, of the acanthus family (Acanthaceae), which only blooms at intervals of 12 years, but so profusely that entire mountain slopes become bluish. (Neela means ‘blue’ in Tamil). By the British, neelakurinji was corrupted to nilgiri, which means ’blue hill’ in Hindi, thus largely the same meaning.

Towards the end of the 1800s, a narrow-gauge railway track was constructed, heading out from the small town of Mettupalayam in the state of Tamil Nadu, leading up through the Nilgiri Mountains and terminating at the hill station Ootacamund (Ooty). This steep railway is operated by a small blue steam train, the Nilgiri Mountain Express.

Over a distance of 46 km, the terrain rises from c. 300 to c. 2,200 m altitude, the tracks passing through 16 tunnels, and across 31 larger and c. 200 smaller bridges. The lower mountain slopes are covered in tropical monsoon forest, and this area is full of waterfalls. Above c. 1,400 m, the forest gives way to plantations of tea, pines, and eucalyptus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This species is distributed from Kashmir along the entire Himalayan chain, and thence northwards through eastern Tibet to western China, from northern Yunnan northwards to eastern Qinghai. It breeds at very high altitudes, between 4,000 and 5,500 m, moving to slightly lower elevations in winter.

Classification-wise, this species has been knocked about a great deal. Initially, it was regarded as belonging to the thrush family (Turdidae), but following genetic studies it was then transferred to the flycatcher family (Muscicapidae). However, recently it has been moved back to the thrush family!

 

 

 

 

 

When Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) named the genus, he let the two showy blue petals of Commelina communis represent two Dutch botanists, Jan and Caspar Commelijn, whom he wished to honour.

Jan Commelijn (1629-1692), also known as Johannes Commelinus, became a professor of botany, when many plants were imported from the Cape and Ceylon (today Sri Lanka). He also took part in establishing a botanical garden, named Hortus Botanicus. His nephew Caspar Commelijn (1667-1734) became the director of Amsterdam Botanical Garden. (Source: D.O. Wijnands 1983. The Botany of the Commelins. Rotterdam)

Dayflowers have 3 petals, the upper 2 being bright blue or indigo, whereas the much smaller lower petal is white. Each flower has 6 stamens, 3 upper ones with yellow anthers, which are sterile, and 3 lower ones with white or purple anthers, which are fertile.

Asiatic dayflower (Commelina communis) is native to large parts of eastern Asia, from Ussuriland, south-eastern Russia, southwards through China, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan to the northern part of Southeast Asia and extreme eastern India. It has also been introduced to western Russia, south-eastern Europe, and eastern North America, where it has become invasive in several places.

In Chinese traditional medicine, the dried plant is utilized to treat a number of ailments, including sore throat, colds, oedema, bruises, and limited urination. A near relative, Commelina benghalensis, is eaten as a vegetable in Southeast Asia and Africa.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many other Geranium species are presented on the page In praise of the colours violet, purple and lilac.

 

 

 

 

 

This genus of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae), which is native to Eurasia and eastern North America, has caused much confusion among taxonomists as to the number of species, which varies from 7 to 13, depending on authority. Others treat these plants as members of the genus Anemone, which, together with the genus Pulsatilla, is described in depth on the page Plants: Anemones and pasque flowers.

The genus includes the following species, subspecies, and/or varieties:

Hepatica nobilis var. nobilis (European hepatica, or blue anemone), found from Scandinavia and the Baltic southwards to Italy and the Balkans.

H. pyrenaica = H. nobilis var. pyrenaica (Pyrenean hepatica), distributed in the Pyrenees and northern Spain.

H. transsilvanica (Romanian hepatica), restricted to mountains in Romania.

H. falconeri, found in montane forests of Central Asia.

H. asiatica = H. nobilis var. asiatica, distributed in central and eastern China, Korea, and south-eastern Siberia.

H. henryi, found in central and western China.

H. yamatutai, restricted to Mount Emei Shan, Sichuan Province, China.

H. insularis, occurring in southern Korea.

H. maxima, endemic to Ulleung-do Island, Korea.

H. japonica = H. nobilis var. japonica, found in Japan.

H. pubescens = H. nobilis var. pubescens, occurring in central Honshu, Japan.

H. americana = H. nobilis var. obtusa (round-lobed hepatica), distributed in eastern North America.

H. acutiloba = H. nobilis var. acuta (sharp-lobed hepatica), likewise found in eastern North America.

Some authorities treat these plants, and also the genus Pulsatilla, as members of the genus Anemone. All three groups are dealt with in detail on the page Plants: Anemones and pasque flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is widely utilized in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for various purposes, including as an anti-depressant, a tranquilizer, and a sedative. In traditional Chinese medicine, it has been used for female diseases due to its similarity to the female reproductive organ – a typical example of the Doctrine of Signatures, whose followers claim that the Great God made all plants, so that humans would recognize the usage of them.

In China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia, the flowers are used as a natural food colouring.

This plant was first named Lathyrus spectabilis by Swedish naturalist Pehr Forsskål (1732-1763), in Yemen, during the Royal Danish Expedition to Arabia 1761-1767. Later, it was renamed Clitoria ternatea by Forsskål’s mentor, the famous Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778). Nobody can doubt what he was referring to!

The fascinating, albeit short, life of Pehr Forsskål is related on the page People: Pehr Forsskål – brilliant Swedish scientist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The name of this plant possibly stems from the Arabic ʾabū min al-ʿaraq, meaning ‘father of sweat’, which, like the specific name officinalis, refers to its medicinal properties, described on the page Plants: Plants in folklore and poetry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Spanish, this plant is called Emperatriz Eugenia, named for Doña María Eugenia Ignacia Augustina de Palafox y KirkPatrick (1826-1920), wife of French Emperor Napoleon III and known as Eugénie de Montijo in French.

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

A near relative of this species is black-eyed Susan (T. alata), described on the page In praise of the colour yellow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name was given in honour of Danish physician and botanist Nathaniel Wallich (1786-1854), who studied the Indian and Himalayan flora in the early 1800s. The popular name stems from its needles, which have a bluish tinge.

This species is described in depth on the page Plants: Himalayan flora 2.

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Occupying a wide range of habitats, including forest clearings, shrubberies, and villages, the blue-fronted redstart (Phoenicurus frontalis) is the commonest among the 10 species of redstart, which have been encountered in the Himalaya.

 

 

 

 

 

The name cowslip is interpreted in various ways. According to some authorities, it is a corruption of the Old English word cuslyppe, meaning ‘cow dung’. This probably refers to the favoured habitat of several primrose species, namely cattle grazing grounds. Others claim that the word is a corruption of cow’s leek, derived from the Anglo-Saxon word leac, meaning ‘plant’.

With its broadly bell-shaped flowers, Primula wollastonii differs significantly from most other species of the genus. It is found in central and eastern Nepal, and southern Tibet, between 3,600 and 4,900 m altitude.

A large number of primroses are described on the page Plants: Primroses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Members of these three genera are distributed almost worldwide, found in Europe, north-western Africa, Asia, the Americas, eastern Australia, and New Zealand. The flowers of most species are various shades of blue, while others are purple, violet, mauve, yellow, white, or, rarely, red. The 4 or 5 petals are usually fused, forming a trumpet-, funnel-, or bell-shaped flower.

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 (G. lutea), described on the page Plants: Plants in folklore and poetry.

The following pictures show various blue gentian species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Construction of the Topkapı Sarayı (‘Topkapi Palace’) in Istanbul, Turkey, began in 1459, ordered by Sultan Mehmed II (1432-1481), commonly known as Mehmed the Conqueror. Originally, this palace was called Yeni Saray (‘New Palace’) to distinguish it from an older palace in the city. The name Topkapı (‘Cannon Gate’) was applied to it in the 19th century. This palace served as seat for Ottoman Sultans for more than 500 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This species lives in dense forest and bamboo growths, feeding on the ground. Male and female have a very different plumage, the male being dark blue with pale-blue forehead and wing coverts, and a black tail with a large white spot at the base of each side, while the female is brown with a whitish throat, its tail being similar to that of the male.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The berries resemble those of European blueberry, but have a slightly acidic taste.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is widely cultivated elsewhere and has become naturalized in numerous places, including in the eastern United States, where it is regarded as highly invasive, establishing itself along streams and ponds, at forest edges, and in other disturbed areas. The colourful berries are eaten by birds and small mammals, dispersing the seeds in their droppings.

 

 

 

 

 

Several species of these attractive plants are presented on the pages Plants: Himalayan flora 2, and In praise of the colour yellow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘of various colours’, referring to the multiple shades of blue and purple on the flowers. In Britain and Ireland, it is referred to as the purple iris.

 

 

 

 

 

This plant was named in honour of Scottish gardener and botanist David Douglas (1799-1834), who explored the North American flora during three expeditions. He introduced Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and other conifers, especially pine species, as well as a number of bushes and herbs, into British cultivation. In a letter to Sir William Jackson Hooker (1785-1865), director of the Botanical Gardens of Glasgow University, he wrote, “You will begin to think I manufacture pines at my pleasure.”

Douglas died under mysterious circumstances while climbing Mauna Kea in Hawaii in 1834. Apparently, he fell into a pit trap and was possibly crushed by a bull that fell into the same trap. He was last seen at the hut of Englishman Edward ‘Ned’ Gurney, a bullock hunter and escaped convict. Gurney was suspected to have caused Douglas’s death, as Douglas was said to have been carrying more money than Gurney subsequently delivered with the body. (Source: Nisbet, J. 2009. The Collector: David Douglas and the Natural History of the Northwest. Sasquatch Books)

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek hexa (‘six’) and gonos (‘angled’), referring to the six-angled seed pods. The word Dixie is a nickname for the south-eastern United States, but originally it referred to a large iron cooking pot, used by campers and soldiers.

 

 

 

 

 

Stupas, prayer flags, and other aspects of Buddhism are described in depth on the page Religion: Buddhism.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Previously, the Himalayan bluestart (Tarsiger rufilatus) was regarded as a subspecies of the widespread common bluestart (T. cyanurus), but today most authorities consider it a separate species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The name Blue Nile is in fact a misnomer. During the summer monsoon, this river washes down huge amounts of soil from the highlands, which turns its water almost black. In a local Sudanese language, the word for black is also used for blue, so, in reality, the river should be called ‘The Black Nile’.

The first written account of the Blue Nile is from 1565, when a Portuguese, João Bermudes, who called himself Patriarch of Ethiopia, provided a description of the Blue Nile Falls, Tississat, in his memoirs.

Incidentally, to many Christian Ethiopians, the Blue Nile is identified as the sacred river Gihon, one of the four rivers flowing out from the Garden of Eden, as related in Genesis, 2:13.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek stachys (‘spike’) and tarphys (‘thick’), referring to the inflorescence of many of the species in the genus.

Jamaica vervain (S. jamaicensis), also known by many other names, including blue porterweed, blue snakeweed, bastard vervain, and Brazilian tea, is native from south-eastern United States and Mexico southwards through Central America and the Caribbean to Ecuador and northern Brazil. However, it has been introduced to many other parts of the world and has become naturalized in numerous areas.

This plant is found from sea level to an altitude of about 900 m, growing in open areas, including beaches, along roads, and in fallow fields. It is used medicinally as a cooling agent and blood cleanser, and has also been utilized for treatment of asthma and stomach ulcers.

A close relative, S. frantzii, is described on the page In praise of the colours violet, purple and lilac.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The male is bright blue with a distinctive black patch on the crown and a narrow black stripe across the throat, while the female is dull-blue with brownish wings, lacking the black markings of the male.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name was given in honour of Scottish naturalist Archibald Menzies (1754-1842), who participated in an expedition around the world, as surgeon and botanist, on board HMS Discovery, under the leadership of Captain George Vancouver (1757-1798).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The majority of these birds live in sub-Saharan Africa, with one species in Europe and western Asia, two widespread Asian species, and one species restricted to Sulawesi and surrounding islands.

 

This species has declined rather drastically in most of its breeding area. Threats include hunting during migration, especially in Oman, where thousands are killed for food. In many places, trees have been removed, giving way to modern agricultural practices, robbing the roller of potential nesting sites and perches for hunting, while pesticides have reduced its food sources.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several larkspur species are presented on the page Plants: Himalayan flora 3.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The gorgeous African pitta (Pitta angolensis) breeds in tropical forest in several areas of West Africa and in south-eastern Africa, from central Tanzania southwards to Mozambique. The south-eastern populations are migratory, spending the southern winter in countries further north, including Uganda, Kenya, and the Central African Republic.

 

 

 

 

 

The name forget-me-not arose from a French legend. A knight was walking along a river with his lady, when he noticed some beautiful blue flowers, growing at the waterside. When he bent down to pick them, his heavy armor caused him to lose his balance, and he fell into the water, where the armour dragged him below the surface. Before disappearing, he managed to toss the flowers to his lady, shouting “Ne m’oubliez pas!”

This sentence became the French name of the flower, which was translated into several other languages, including forget-me-not in English, first used by King Henry IV in 1398.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The male Kenyan rock agama (Agama lionotus) is bright blue with an orange head, whereas the female is pale brown with blackish, rectangular spots and white dots. This species is distributed in eastern Africa, from Ethiopia southwards through Kenya and Uganda to Tanzania. It is rather similar to the widespread red-headed rock agama (A. agama), in which the male is a darker blue, with bright red head, the female greyish-brown, without the blackish, rectangular spots, but often with orange sides of the body.

 

 

 

 

 

It is native to Europe, eastwards to Poland and the Balkans, but has been introduced to other places, including eastern North America, Tasmania, and New Zealand.

The plant was formerly used in traditional Austrian herbal medicine. A decoction was drunk as tea to treat disorders of the nervous system, respiratory tract, cardiovascular system, and metabolism.

The generic name probably refers to the Biblical Veronica, who, according to legend, wiped the face of Jesus on his way to Golgotha. The flowers supposedly resemble the markings left on the cloth that was used.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek khamai (‘close to the ground’) and drys (‘oak’). English herbalist John Gerard (c. 1545-1612) says: “The Germander, from the form of the leaves like unto small oak leaves, has the name chamaedrys given it, which signifieth a dwarf oak.” – The name may refer to the resemblence of the leaves to those of the southern European downy oak (Quercus pubescens), which has slightly lobed leaves.

Incidentally, the word germander is also used for members of the genus Teucrium, of the mint family (Lamiaceae). Originally, the name probably referred to the woodland germander (T. scorodonia), which has slightly lobed leaves.

The last part of the common name, speedwell, is Old English, meaning ‘to thrive’, referring to the vigorous growth of many Veronica species.

 

 

 

 

 

It grows in the wild in the Caucasus, Turkey, and northern Iran, but was introduced at an early stage to Europe as a fodder plant. However, it was soon found out that S. x uplandicum, a naturally occurring hybrid between this species and common comfrey (S. officinale) was superior as fodder plant, and today the rough comfrey is rather rare in Europe.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek symphyo (’to make grow together’) and phyton (’plant’), which, like the common names comfrey (from the French conserve), boneset, knitbone, knitback, and bruisewort, refers to the bone- and bruise-healing properties of the common comfrey. The specific name is derived from the Latin asper (‘rough’ or ‘harsh’).

 

 

 

 

 

It is mainly restricted to lowlands, but has been encountered up to elevations around 1,200 m in the Alps.

The beautiful demoiselle may reach a body length of 5.5 cm, with a wing length up to 3.7 cm. The adult male has a blue body and bright blue wings, whereas younger males have dark brown wings. The female has dark brown wings and a metallic green body.