In praise of the colour red

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Greek pyr (‘fire’), alluding to the gorgeous red colour of the male Eurasian bullfinch, and the Latin ulus, a suffix indicating something small.

Red-headed bullfinch (P. erythrocephala) is presented on the page Animals – Birds: Birds in the Himalaya.

 

 

 

 

 

The pagoda flower (C. paniculatum), by some authorities called Javan glorybower, is a stout herb, sometimes growing to 2 m tall. It was named for its spectacular, pyramidal clusters of red or scarlet flowers.

This plant is native to subtropical and tropical Asia, from India eastwards to southern China and Taiwan, and thence through Southeast Asia to Indonesia, the Philippines, and New Guinea. It is widely cultivated and often escapes, making it difficult to determine whether a population is genuinely wild or not.

A close relative, C. infortunatum, is described on the page Plants: Himalayan flora.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This species is famous for its hallucinogenic properties, and, until recently, it constituted an important part in shamanistic rituals of several peoples, including the Sami, semi-nomadic reindeer herders of far northern Scandinavia and Russia. Their shamans wore pointed red hats, symbolizing the mushroom that was their sacrament, and red capes, which symbolized their flight through the air when they consumed the mushroom on their most sacred night of the year – the Winter Solstice (then December 25).

It is generally believed that the Vikings went berserk by eating fly amanita, but this is probably a wrong presumption, as you become rather lethargic by eating it.

The specific name is derived from the Latin musca (‘fly’), alluding to its usage to kill flies. German Catholic Dominican friar Albertus Magnus (c. 1200-1280) records in his work De vegetabilibus that “it is called the fly mushroom because it is powdered in milk to kill flies.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In arctic and temperate areas, most broad-leaved trees and bushes shed their foliage in autumn. Before falling, the leaves turn various colours, often red. In subtropical areas, a number of trees also attain red foliage, mostly in the winter months.

A large number of pictures, depicting plants with red foliage, are shown on the page Autumn.

 

Three of its popular names stem from the similarity of its fruits to those of the true almond (Prunus amygdalus), but the two species are not at all related, as beach almond belongs to the family Combretaceae, whereas the true almond is in the rose family (Rosaceae).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Zealand cedar was named in honour of British botanist and explorer John Carne Bidwill (1815-1853), who investigated plant life in New Zealand and Australia, discovering several species new to science. In 1851, while marking out a new road in Queensland, Bidwill got lost and was without food for eight days. He eventually succeeded in cutting a way through the scrub with a pocket hook, but never properly recovered from starvation, and died in March 1853, 38 years old. (Source: Serle, P. 1949. Bidwill, John Carne (1815-1853). Dictionary of Australian Biography. Angus & Robertson)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common glasswort is edible, raw or cooked, often steamed and coated in butter or olive oil. Due to its high content of salt, it must be cooked in plenty of water, and no salt added.

The generic name is probably derived from the Latin sal (‘salt’), which refers to the habitat of these plants, and cornu (‘horn’), referring to the tip of the shoots, which somewhat resembles a horn. Other common names include pickleweed, picklegrass, and marsh samphire, the latter believed to be a corruption of the French name (herbe de) Saint-Pierre, meaning ‘St. Peter’s herb’. In North America, Salicornia virginica is occasionally sold under the names sea beans, samphire greens, or sea asparagus.

 

 

 

 

 

Its seeds are rich in protein, fiber, B vitamins, and minerals, in greater amounts than in many other grains. The name quinoa is derived from Quechua kinwa or kinuwa.

To the Incas, this crop was sacred, called chisoya mama (‘mother of all grains’). Traditionally, the Inca emperor was the one to sow the first seeds of the growing season, using ‘golden implements’. (Source: H. Popenoe 1989. Lost crops of the Incas: little-known plants of the Andes with promise for worldwide cultivation. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.)

When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the Andes, they refused to acknowledge the qualities of quinoa, calling it ‘food for Indians’. They even forbade its cultivation at one point, and the Incas were forced to grow wheat instead. (Source: D.W. Gade 1999. Nature and culture in the Andes. University of Wisconsin Press)

 

 

 

 

 

There are various legends as to how Ganesh got his elephant-head. One is related on the page Religion: Hinduism.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek erythros (‘red’), like the common name referring to the wonderful scarlet, coral-red, or orange-red flowers of the genus.

These flowers are much visited by birds, including bulbuls and sunbirds, which feed on the nectar, and parrots, which eat the entire flower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘cock’s comb’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This species is utilized medicinally. The fruits are edible, and an oil, called kusum, is extracted from the seeds. It is host to a lac insect, Kerria lacca, which is native to India.

The generic name was given in honour of Swiss botanist Johann Christoph Schleicher (1770-1834), and the specific name is Latin, meaning ‘rich in oil’.

 

 

 

 

 

The gorgeous Kohleria spicata is found from southern Mexico eastwards to Venezuela, and thence southwards to Peru. It was formerly utilized in traditional folk medicine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Chinese lore, the lion is a mythological creature, often in the role as protector. Many sculptures in Taiwan depict male lions with a paw placed on a globe-like item, which is in fact an embroidered ball. In the old days, balls, made from discarded clothes, were presented by children as offerings to temples – a symbol of yang (light forces) and friendship.

Lion sculptures are also often placed as guardians outside temples and on Daoist graves. Several pictures, depicting such sculptures, are shown on the pages Religion: Daoism in Taiwan, and Culture: Graves.

During Daoist festivals, so-called lion dances often take place in front of temples and shops. Usually this dance is performed by two men, hidden under a gaily coloured cloth, which acts as the body of the lion, whereas a lion mask is held by the man in front.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a letter to the manager of the construction at Stockholm Castle, King Johann III (1537-1592) orders him to purchase ‘rust lead’ or ‘pit bran’, as the king wanted all roofs of his castle to be painted red. In Sweden, in the 1600s, it was still unusual to paint your house, and tar was mixed with the colour pigments to conserve the wood.

During the 1700s, industrial production of the red pigment started in earnest. From 1764, the dye was produced at the Falu Gruva in Falun, and in the 1800s, it became increasingly common for laymen to paint their houses with it. In 1861, 900 tons were produced, and in the 1900s, production varied between 1000 and 2000 tons.

In 1992, the Falu Gruva closed down after more than a thousand years of pit-mining – only production of the red dye continued. In 2012, about 500 tons of pigment was produced, corresponding to 1,900,000 liters of ’Swedish-red’ paint. (Source: falurodfarg.com/om-foretaget/det-finns-bara-en-falu-rodfarg)

Below is a collection of pictures, showing buildings painted with ‘Swedish-red’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Corymbia ficifolia, popularly known as red-flowered gum, and scientifically formerly as Eucalyptus ficifolia, is endemic to a rather small area in south-western Australia. However, due to its gorgeous flowers, it is one of the most commonly planted ornamental ‘eucalypus’ species. It grows to about 12 m tall, from December to May displaying an abundance of scarlet, pink, or orange flowers.

The specific name is derived from the Latin ficus (‘fig’) and folium (‘leaf’), alluding to the similarity of its leaves to those of some species of fig trees.

 

 

 

 

 

The term pileated refers to the prominent red crest of this bird, from the Latin pilleus (‘cap’) and atus (‘resembling’), thus ‘with a cap-like (crest)’.

 

 

 

 

 

A popular name of the plant is Christmas star. From the 17th Century, Franciscan monks in Mexico included the plant in their Christmas celebrations. The star-shaped pattern of the bracts was said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, and their bright red color represented the blood of the crucified Jesus.

In Mexico and Guatemala, poinsettia is called Flor de Noche Buena, meaning ‘Flower of the Good Night’ (i.e. Christmas Eve). In Spain, it is known as Flor de Pascua (‘Easter flower’), and in Chile and Peru, it is called La Corona de los Andes (‘Crown of the Andes’).

The name poinsettia commemorates Joel Roberts Poinsett (1779-1851), who was the first United States Minister to Mexico. He is credited with introducing the plant to the States in 1825.(Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poinsettia)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many of the covered bridges are truss bridges, a structure of connected elements, usually forming triangular units. A lattice bridge is a type of truss bridge, where a large number of small planks are placed diagonally to form a lattice.

About 1,500 covered bridges have been preserved in the United States. Some are presented on the page Culture: Bridges.

Hart Bridge, which spans the Housatonic River, West Cornwall, Connecticut, is a wooden lattice truss bridge from c. 1864, 52 m long and 4.6 m broad. It was constructed of timber from red spruce (Picea rubens), and wooden pegs, or trunnels, were used for joining the timbers.

 

 

 

 

 

The name four o’clock family stems from another member of the family, the Marvel-of-Peru (Mirabilis jalapa), whose flowers do not open until late in the afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other pictures, depicting this species, may be seen on the pages Plants: Ancient and huge trees, Nature: Nature’s patterns, and Silhouettes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Popular names include Barbados nut, poison nut and purging nut, the latter two attesting to the toxic kernels. However, non-toxic varieties are known from Mexico, where the kernels are a very popular snack.

 

 

 

 

 

Pagodas are described on the page Religion: Buddhism.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other common names of these plants include ball lily, fireball, oxtongue lily, poison root, and powderpuff lily.

Scadoxus multiflorus is native to the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula, and to the major part of sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal eastwards to Somalia and thence southwards to South Africa. It is also found in the Seychelles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Five or six subspecies of Geoffroy’s spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi), also called black-handed or Central American spider monkey, are distributed from south-eastern Mexico eastwards to Panama.

Spider monkeys, and many other monkeys and apes, are presented in depth on the page Animals – Mammals: Monkeys and apes.

 

 

 

 

 

The fruits are capsules, to 3 cm long, with a knobby surface. They contain many black, very hard seeds, which resemble shotgun pellets, hence one of the common names, Indian shot.

For thousands of years, this species has been a source of food for various indigenous peoples, including the Mayans, reflected in the popular name edible canna. The tubers are eaten, raw or cooked, and their high content of starch make them suitable for baking. Today, the leaves are used in Mexico to wrap around pastries, such as tamales, and in the Far East they are wrapped around sticky rice, which adds a unique flavour to it.

The name Canna indica is a misnomer. In Brazil, one of its popular names is cana-da-índia (‘cane of the indians’), alluding to the slender, cane-like stem. This name may have confused Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), when he named this plant in 1758.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

True bugs are a very large group of insects, with around 75,000 species worldwide. They are very diverse, but have one thing in common, namely piercing mouthparts with which they suck juice from plants or, in some cases, from other animals. Their mouthparts are contained in a beak, a so-called rostrum, which is usually held underneath the body when not in use. True bugs are often found in large congregations, densely clustered on stones, walls, or elsewhere.

Many species of true bugs are various shades of red, often with black markings. Some examples are shown below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The colourful red waterlily (N. rubra) is distributed from India and Sri Lanka eastwards across Indochina to the Philippines, and also in Java.

 

 

 

 

 

Red maple is famous for its brilliant autumn foliage, shown on several pictures on the page Autumn. But its flowers are also bright red, as seen from the pictures below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is of unknown origin, possibly derived from the Latin sol (’sun’) referring to the fact that plants of this genus prefer to grow in sunny places.

Fruits of these plants may be red, orange, yellow, or black. Three species with red fruits are described below, whereas others are presented on the pages In praise of the colour orange, and Plants: Plants in folklore and poetry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés (1485-1547) brought its seeds back to Europe. As the plants readily grew in the local climate, the Spanish government started encouraging its production, and by the early 17th Century, it had become a common ingredient in the Spanish cuisine.

In other European countries, however, it took ages before people began eating tomatoes. Initially, the English thought it was poisonous, calling it wolf peach. In 1758, this name was adopted by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), when he named the plant Solanum lycopersicum, from the Greek lykos (‘wolf’) and the Latin persicum (‘Persian (fruit)’, i.e. peach).

This belief arose because many people got sick when they ate tomatoes. However, the tomato was not to be blamed. In the Middle Ages, wealthy Europeans often ate from pewter plates, which had a high content of lead. Tomatoes are rather acidic, and when placed on pewter plates, this acid would leach lead from the plate, resulting in many deaths from lead poisoning. At that time, nobody made the connection between plate and poison, and the tomato was thought to be the culprit. (Source: smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name honours William Sherard (1659-1728), an outstanding English botanist of his day. He was a wealthy man who contributed to the publication of many books and articles dealing with botany.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These birds are all described in depth on the page Animals – Birds: Birds in Taiwan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the Latin term for the holm oak (Quercus ilex). When Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) named the common holly Ilex aquifolium, he probably found some similarity between the leaves of these plants. In Britain, as late as the 19th Century, the term ilex was still being applied to the oak as well as the holly. The specific name is in fact a corruption of the old Roman name of the plant, acrifolium, meaning ‘sharp leaf’. This sharpness has led to the belief that the leaves were part of the Crown of Thorns, worn by Jesus during the Crucifixion, and the red holly berries symbolize the drops of blood, dripping from his forehead.

The common holly is usually a shrub, but may occasionally grow into a large tree, to 25 m tall and with a trunk diameter of 1 m or more. It has a scattered distribution in Europe, northern Africa, and Turkey.

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A red drink, called karkade, is produced from the bright purplish-red, fleshy calyx, and also a very healthy jam, containing lots of anthocyanins. In Nepal, the calyx is eaten raw or pickled, and in Europe and North America it is used as food colouring. In various African and Asian countries, the green leaves are eaten as a spicy vegetable, and bast is produced from the stem fibres. Roselle is also much utilized in folk medicine, related in detail on the page Plants: Plants in folklore and poetry.

The name roselle is from the French, a diminutive of rose, referring to the red calyx, which, with a bit of imagination, resembles a small rose.

The pictures below are all from Taiwan, where roselle is commonly cultivated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other pictures, depicting Indian tribal people, may be studied on the page People: Vanishing peoples of India, whereas the confrontation between the Dravidians and the invading Aryans is described on the page Religion: Hinduism.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to efloras.org/Flora of China, Photinia includes about 60 species, found from the Indian Subcontinent eastwards to China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia, and also some species in Mexico, whereas Stranvaesia has about 6 species, found from the Himalaya eastwards to Southeast Asia and China.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Greek gaster (‘belly’) and acantha (‘thorn’), referring to a number of spines, usually 6, protruding from the abdomen. These spines, as well as a shield-like carapace, covering almost the entire animal, are means of defense against enemies.

Gasteracantha falcicornis is distributed in eastern and southern Africa. In this species, the central spine on each side is prolonged into a long, curved ‘horn’, a fact which is reflected in the specific name, from the Latin falx (‘sickle’) and cornu (‘horn’). The female is larger and more colourful than the male, with a bright red shield, sometimes with yellow lateral stripes.

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

 

 

 

 

 

This medium-sized tree, growing to 20 m tall, is native to Tropical Asia and Australia. The fruits, which are red pods, contain oil-rich seeds, which are sometimes roasted and eaten.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The four-coloured bush-shrike, formerly named Telophorus quadricolor, is now regarded as a subspecies, nigricauda, of the widespread gorgeous bush-shrike (T. viridis). Subspecies nigricauda is restricted to coastal forests of Kenya and Tanzania.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other species of mistletoe are described on the page Plants: Parasitic plants.

 

 

 

 

 

This bird is also known as Peters’s twinspot, described in 1868 by German naturalist and explorer Wilhelm Karl Hartwig Peters (1815-1883) who travelled extensively in southern Africa 1842-1848. He returned to Berlin with an enormous collection of natural history specimens, which he then described in Naturwissenschaftliche Reise nach Mossambique… in den Jahren 1842 bis 1848, ausgeführt (1852-1882), dealing with mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, insects, and plants.

The specific name is derived from the Latin niveus (‘snow-white’) and gutta (‘drop’), of course alluding to the spotted underside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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. 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’).

 

 

 

 

 

The common and scientific names refer to the red colour of the male, which resembles the colour of the red robes and cap, worn by cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In northern Europe, both species emerge late in winter or early in spring, coccinea growing in drier forests, austriaca mostly in humid areas, notably along forest streams.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mainly three species are cultivated: white-fleshed pitahaya (H. undatus), which has red-skinned fruits with white flesh, red-fleshed pitahaya (H. costaricensis, also known as H. polyrhizus) with red-skinned fruits, containing red flesh, and yellow pitahaya (H. megalanthus), which has yellow-skinned fruits with white flesh.

In English, Hylocereus species have many names, including night-blooming cereus, strawberry pear, belle-of-the-night, Cinderella plant, and Jesus-in-the-cradle. In Chinese, they are called 火龙果 (‘red dragon fruit’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many genera of the poppy family have gorgeous flowers, including true poppies (Papaver, below), Himalayan poppies (Meconopsis), some of which are described on the page Plants: Himalayan flora 2, and horned poppies (Glaucium), some of which are described on the page Plants: Flora in Turkey.

Two groups of plants, which were formerly regarded as separate families, are now included in the poppy family, namely Fumariaceae, which includes corydalises, fumitories, and bleeding hearts, and Pteridophyllaceae, with only one genus and one species, Pteridophyllum racemosum, found in Japan.

Fumitory is presented on the page Plants: Plants in folklore and poetry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As its name implies, the Puerto Rican tody (Todus mexicanus) is restricted to Puerto Rico, where it mainly lives in high-altitude, humid forests. It is a tiny bird, to 11 cm long and weighing 5-6 g. Its plumage is mainly green and whitish, but the throat and underside of the bill are bright red.

The specific name is a misnomer. French naturalist and surgeon René Primevère Lesson (1794-1849) described the bird from a skin, which he thought came from eastern Mexico. Local names include San Pedrito (‘Little Saint Peter’) and medio peso (‘half-dollar bird’). Apart from alluding to the diminutive size of the bird, it is not clear what they refer to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This species is native to temperate areas of Eurasia, from England and Spain eastwards to central Siberia. Formerly, it was believed that populations in the Far East and eastern United States were also part of this species, but they are now generally regarded as separate species, C. keiskei in China and Japan, and C. pseudomajalis in the eastern United States.

In Greek mythology, lily-of-the-valley was grown in the woods by Apollo to protect the delicate feet of his nine muses. On old English name of the plant was glovewort, as a salve for sore hands was produced from it. Other names include may bells, Our Lady’s tears, and Mary’s tears.

 

 

 

 

 

The Asian black bulbul is predominantly black, or slate-black, bill and gape are bright read, and the feet are orange. Sometimes, white-headed morphs are seen. The specific name leucocephalus is from the Greek leukos (‘white’), and kephalos (‘head’), so this species must have been described from a white-headed specimen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Literally, the generic name means ‘stone-breaker’, from the Latin saxum (‘rock’) and frangere (‘to break’). You might think that the name would refer to the fact that many saxifrage species grow in cracks in rocky areas, but presumably it indicates the medicinal usage of one or more species in the treatment of kidney stones and the like.

Saxifraga brunonis is a most characteristic species, easily identified by its numerous red runners. It is widespread in the Himalaya, found from Kashmir eastwards to south-western China, at altitudes between 2,400 and 5,600 m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most Himalayan species are large, rambling, prickly shrubs, while a few are creeping, unarmed shrublets. Nepalese raspberry (Rubus nepalensis), which belongs to the latter group, is very common at altitudes between 2,100 and 3,200 m, from Uttarakhand eastwards to Sikkim, creeping along the ground in open forests and along trails. In this habit, it resembles the circumboreal cloudberry (R. chamaemorus), but has bright red, delicious, slightly sour fruits.

Other bramble species are presented on the page Plants: Himalayan flora.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both species are presented in detail on the page Animals: Himalayan animal life.

 

 

 

 

 

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 first white settler here was Ebenezer Bryce, whom the national park is named after. He grazed his cattle on the plateau above the gorge and had an entirely different opinion about this magnificent landscape: “A hell of a place to lose a cow.”

The figures are shaped by rivulets and rain water, eroding the soft sediment along the edge of a fault. This erosion caused many tiny gorges to emerge, through which the sediment could be washed out more quickly, leaving only ‘fins’ of harder material, filled with holes and cracks. As the park is situated at a high altitude (c. 2300 m), the climate is harsh. In the holes and cracks, rain water freezes and expands, eroding away even more sediment. Only the hardest material remains, often shaped to the strangest forms. In American, these figures are called hoodoos.

 

 

 

 

 

Below, pictures of some species with bright red flowers are shown. Many other species of these beautiful plants are presented on the page Plants: Rhododendrons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rudbeckia hirta is often called black-eyed Susan. However, this name is also used for a number of other plants.

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first Fuchsia species was described from the island of Hispaniola by a French monk and botanist, Charles Plumier (1646-1704), during his third expedition to the Greater Antilles 1696-1697. He named this new genus after German botanist Leonhard Fuchs (1501-1566), who wrote a book about herbal medicine, published in Latin in 1542. (Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuchsia)

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is from the Greek sambuca, the name of an ancient instrument of Asian origin. The pith was removed from elder branches to make flutes. The name elder is from Anglo-Saxon, aeld, meaning ’fire’ – the hollow stems were used to kindle a fire. The popular names pipe tree and bore tree stem from the habit of removing the soft pit of elder branches to make pipes. The same procedure would make pop-guns, popular among small boys. English herbalist Nicholas Culpeper (1616-1654) writes: ”It is needless to write any description of this [the elder], since every boy that plays with a pop-gun will not mistake another tree for the elder.”

Red elder (Sambucus racemosa) is easily identified by its bright red berries. This species has a very wide distribution, found in Europe, northern Temperate Asia, and across northern North America. It grows in various habitats, such as open forests, along rivers, and in other open areas, generally in moist conditions.

Other elder species are described elsewhere, the widespread common elder (S. nigra) on the page Plants: Plants in folklore and poetry, blue elder (S. cerulea) on the page Plants: Plants of Sierra Nevada, and Chinese elder (S. javanica) on the page In praise of the colour orange.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name refers to the leaves, which resemble grape vine leaves.

The origin of the name passion flower is described on the page Plants: Plants in folklore and poetry.

 

 

 

 

 

The red slug (Arion rufus) is one of the largest species in the genus, to 20 cm long. It is widespread in the major part of western Europe. In Scandinavia and northern Britain, it is replaced by a close relative, the black slug (Arion ater). However, the red slug was widely introduced to Scandinavia by monks during the Middle Ages and has replaced its black cousin in many places. It is also extending its range further eastward in Europe.

It is not clear, whether a reddish species, which has recently turned up in Turkey, on both sides of the Bosphorus, is A. rufus or A. ater.

 

 

 

 

 

Its many uses are described on the page Plants: Plants in folklore and poetry.

 

 

 

 

 

Tannins are extracted from galls of this species, popularly called Chinese galls, which are also widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for a variety of ailments, including cough, diarrhoea, dysentery, and intestinal bleeding. The fruit is edible when cooked. It has an acid flavour.

 

 

 

 

 

These plants are native to the western parts of the Americas, from Alaska southwards to the Andes, with one species, C. pallida, distributed across Siberia, westwards to the Kola Peninsula, and southwards to the Altai Mountains.

They obtain part of their nutrients from roots of other plants. The flowers of some species are edible, and were formerly consumed by various native tribes, but as these plants tend to absorb and concentrate selenium in their tissue, roots and green parts can be very toxic.

Below, 3 species with bright red bracts are presented, and others are described on the page Plants: Parasitic plants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The stem is erect, to 60 cm tall, leaves variable, to 8 cm long, bracts bright red to yellowish, flowers green to purple, lined with red or yellow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A widely distributed plant, found from California eastwards across Arizona and New Mexico to Texas, growing in rocky areas and shrubberies.

The specific name is derived from the Latin lana (‘wool’), alluding to the woolly hairs covering stem and leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dock is an old term applied to various plants with large leaves, whereas sorrel is a brownish-orange to pale chestnut colour, referring to the often conspicuously reddish-brown fruits of this genus when ripe. The fruit is mostly a triangular nutlet, often winged, and arranged in dense clusters.

An old home remedy, if you are stung by a nettle, is to apply the juice of dock to the affected area, which will afford instant relief. An old rhyme says:

 

 

It grows in wet areas, such as lake sides, along streams, and in wet meadows, often standing in water. It is distributed in most of Europe, eastwards to south-western Siberia and the Caucasus, southwards to Spain and Turkey.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek hydor (‘water’), and the Latin lapathi, an old name for docks and sorrels.

 

 

 

 

 

This shrub, sometimes scrambling over other plants, may grow to 3 m tall, stem smooth, furrowed, leaves elliptic, to 9 cm long and 3 cm wide, tip pointed base spear-shaped, basal lobes to 5 mm long and 2 mm wide, reflexed. Flowers 2-6 together in whorls, outer petals brownish, to 2 mm long, inner petals red or reddish-brown, circular, to 7 mm across. Nut ovoid, to 2.5 mm long and 1 mm broad, brown, shining.

Young leaves and stems are edible, eaten raw. A decoction of the leaves is used to treat coughs, rheumatism, and stomach trouble. Formerly, a decoction of the root was utilized to treat smallpox.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Columnea consanguinea is a woody herb, growing to 1 m tall. The specific name, meaning ‘with blood’, refers to the red blotches on the underside of its leaves. This species has a rather limited distribution, found only in Costa Rica and Panama.

 

 

 

 

 

My own ‘colourful’ adventures during Holi are related on the page Travel episodes – India 1991: Attending Hindu festivals in Rajasthan.

 

 

 

 

 

The core area of beardtongues is the Southwest, especially the states of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Wyoming. One species here is the magnificent Utah beardtongue (Penstemon utahensis), which grows in shrublands and desert, from eastern California eastwards to Utah, Colorado, and Arizona.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comprising 43 species, these trees are native to the Southern Hemisphere, in Chile, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, and New Caledonia. Several species are dominant in temperate forests.

The silver beech (Nothofagus menziesii) is widespread in New Zealand, but is found nowhere else. The common name probably alludes to its bark, which is often whitish, especially in younger specimens. This tree can grow to huge dimensions, up to 30 m tall, and with a trunk diameter up to 2 m.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek kallos (‘beauty’), and from the Latin stamen (‘stamen’), naturally alluding to the beautiful flowers of these plants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This pretty plant has been introduced to a number of other countries, including England, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. However, it easily escapes and often becomes invasive, and in the latter two countries, import of the plant is prohibited.

In England, it has a number of peculiar common names, including fox-and-cubs, Devil’s paintbrush, and Grim the Collier. The name fox-and-cubs refers to the fact that the flowerheads on a plant do not all open at the same time. An open flowerhead is likened to a fox, whereas the still closed flowerheads on either side of it are the cubs. The name Devil’s paintbrush probably alludes to the numerous black hairs on the involucre (the leaves surrounding the flowerhead).

The name Grim the Collier takes some explanation. It was first mentioned in connection with the plant, in the form Grimme the Collier, by herbalist John Gerard (c. 1545-1612) in his Herball from 1597. The name appears in a play named Damon and Pythias by Richard Edwardes (from about 1564), which was performed for Elizabeth I. It had a character called Grim the Collier (coal miner), who was described as being “of a right Croydon sanguine” – a term applied to persons with auburn hair and tawny skin. The name of course refers to the orange or red flowerheads, and to the black hairs on the involucre, which are likened to the coal dust in a miner’s beard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The stipules (leaf-like appendices at the base of leaves) are often distinct on these plants. After flowering, the style forms a long, straight or up-curved beak, which separates into 5 elastic spring-like coils, each containing a single seed that is expelled, usually when the style is touched.

The generic name is derived from the Greek geranos (‘crane’), alluding to the fruit, whose shape resembles a crane’s bill.

Shining cranesbill (G. lucidum) is native to Europe, northern Africa, Arabia, and from the Middle East eastwards to the Himalaya. It has also been introduced to North America as a garden plant and has become naturalized in many places, particularly along the Pacific, where it is regarded as an invasive. It was named for its shining leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With a total population of nearly 700,000, the Eurasian crane is one of the most numerous crane species, only surpassed by the sandhill crane (Grus canadensis). In western Europe, breeding numbers have increased dramatically in several countries, including Sweden with 15,000 to 20,000 pairs, Germany with about 8.000 pairs, and Denmark with about 500 pairs. In 1998, the total number in Europe was estimated at 45,000 pairs, but this number has since increased significantly.

Pictures, depicting various crane species, are displayed in the gallery at Animals: Cranes. You may also read about the sandhill crane on the page Animals – Birds: Sandhill cranes are a threat to breeding birds, whereas my encounter with the black-necked crane is related on the page Travel episodes – China 2009: Among black-necked cranes.

 

 

 

 

 

Reaching a height of up to 176 cm, the sarus crane is the tallest among the cranes – in fact, it is the tallest flying bird of all. This species is divided into three subspecies: antigone, living on the plains of northern India and south-western Nepal, sharpii in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, and gilli in northern Australia. It has become extinct in Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines. In Southeast Asia, it is threatened by draining, dam construction, overgrazing, poaching, and collecting of its eggs, in Australia by draining and cattle grazing.

Although the Indians revere this bird for religious reasons, it has declined drastically in later years due to draining, cultivation, urban development, industrial pollution, and an increased usage of chemical pesticides.

Today, the world population of the sarus crane is estimated at 15,000-20,000, with 8,000-9,000 in northern India.

 

 

 

 

 

The native range of the gorgeous epiphyte Hillia triflora is from south-eastern Mexico through Central America to north-western Colombia.

 

 

 

 

 

These plants have been utilized as food in Central America since at least 7500 B.C. Green or red fruits are eaten fresh, fried, or pickled, or as a vegetable in dishes. Dried or pounded fruits make popular spices like chili and paprika. The leaves are edible, widely used in Asian cuisines.

The name chili is the old Nahuatl name of the plant, whereas tabasco pepper is named after the Mexican state of Tabasco. In Spanish, jalapeño means ‘from Jalapa’, also called Xalapa, the capital city of Veracruz, Mexico. The name cayenne pepper stems from Cayenne, or French Guiana, from where this type was first introduced to Europe. Piri-piri, also written pili-pili, is Swahili for ‘pepper’.

The medicinal usage of Capsicum species is described on the page Plants: Plants in folklore and poetry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Icelandic name of the bird, rita, whereas the English name was given in allusion to its call. The specific name is from the Greek tridaktylos (‘three toes’), referring to the fact that this species is missing the small, back-pointing fourth toe, which most other gull species possess.

In North America, this species is called black-legged kittiwake to differentiate it from its near relative, the red-legged kittiwake (Rissa brevirostris), which breeds on small islands in the far northern Pacific.

 

 

 

 

 

Elsewhere, this tree has been planted extensively, especially in Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Kenya, South Africa, and the island of Tristan da Cunha.

 

 

 

 

 

The inflorescence is a compact flowerhead with numerous flowers, to 1.9 cm long, golden-yellow in most subspecies, occasionally whitish, orange, or red. The calyx is very characteristic, with a dense cover of 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.

Pictures, depicting the normal form with yellow flowers, are shown on the pages In praise of the colour yellow, and Plants: Flora of the Alps and the Pyrenees.