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Substancewithoutstyle's Slightly Frivolous Flora and Fauna Photo Gallery

HomesickAlien

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Your_Lion

Your_Lion

Posted
Posted

17 March 2015

Tuesday

 

Monkey Puzzle Tree

 

Monkey Puzzle or Araucaria trees are an ancient species of evergreen conifer that is today only found in some parts of Argentina and Chile. The trees have oddly scaled branches – the scales are actually leaves – and have distinctive bark likened by some to reptilian skin. The trees are tough and hardy, and can grow to heights of 130 feet and diameters of up to 6 feet.

 

Monkey puzzle trees are highly distinctive, with mature trees possessing a tall, straight trunk and an umbrella of branches at the crown. Young monkey puzzles have a ‘christmas tree’ shape, with branches on the lower parts of the trunk which are later shed. The smooth bark is greyish-brown in colour and can be up to eight centimetres thick. The horizontal branches emerge from the trunk in whorls of three to eight and the tree is covered in scale-like leaves all year round. These trees are mainly dioecious; different trees bear flowers of different sexes. The large cones develop in the upper branches and bright orange-brown seeds are released.

 

The seeds are shed between March and April and germinate the following spring after dispersion. Falling to the base of their parent tree they are dispersed by a wide variety of animals such as birds (Enicognathus leptorhynchus), rodents (Phyllotis darwinii) and cattle. The seeds of the monkey puzzle constitute an important food source for the indigenous Pehuenche people, who have been collecting these protein-rich seeds for centuries.

 

Monkey puzzle trees have a number of adaptations to survive fire, and may need low levels of fire to maintain the population. Volcanic activity and fire caused by lightning are regular features of this landscape and help to maintain the forest composition by periodically removing faster growing species.

 

Endemic to Chile and Argentina in South America, this species is found in the Andes Mountains that separate these two countries. The range extends from 900 metres above sea level to the tree line at 1,800 metres. Two additional populations are found in the coastal mountain range of Chile known as the Cordillera de Nahuelbuta; these coastal populations are thought to be genetically distinct from the Andean trees.

 

 

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/1415528257_Monkey_puzzle_tree_zpsuto7ur8l.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Monkey-puzzle-trees-in-habitat_zpspk5asect.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/araucaria-forest-chile-james-brunker_zpsrzlfnzan.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Living_Fossils_2b_zpsdobudloz.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/araucaria-araucana-trunk_zpsqbd81bhl.jpg

 

Seeds:

 

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/mystery-seeds-153-12_zpsnqgolzjh.jpg

 

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Tyrannosaur%20with%20araucaria_zpsajfwod0o.png

Samples of Monkey Puzzle trees were first brought to Great Britain in the early 19th century and by the 1850s the trees were being grown at botanical gardens. As for the unusual name, it’s said that a visitor to Pencarrow Garden in Cornwall, upon observing the odd tree, suggested that “It would puzzle a monkey to climb that”. Monkey Puzzle trees are often used by artists to ‘flesh out” prehistoric scenes, like the one above from the BBC TV series “Walking With Dinosaurs” that features an Allosaurus on the prowl.

Awesome looking trees. The trunk looks a bit like a pineapple

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Babycat

Babycat

Posted
Posted

17 March 2015

Tuesday

 

Monkey Puzzle Tree

 

Monkey Puzzle or Araucaria trees are an ancient species of evergreen conifer that is today only found in some parts of Argentina and Chile. The trees have oddly scaled branches – the scales are actually leaves – and have distinctive bark likened by some to reptilian skin. The trees are tough and hardy, and can grow to heights of 130 feet and diameters of up to 6 feet.

 

Monkey puzzle trees are highly distinctive, with mature trees possessing a tall, straight trunk and an umbrella of branches at the crown. Young monkey puzzles have a ‘christmas tree’ shape, with branches on the lower parts of the trunk which are later shed. The smooth bark is greyish-brown in colour and can be up to eight centimetres thick. The horizontal branches emerge from the trunk in whorls of three to eight and the tree is covered in scale-like leaves all year round. These trees are mainly dioecious; different trees bear flowers of different sexes. The large cones develop in the upper branches and bright orange-brown seeds are released.

 

The seeds are shed between March and April and germinate the following spring after dispersion. Falling to the base of their parent tree they are dispersed by a wide variety of animals such as birds (Enicognathus leptorhynchus), rodents (Phyllotis darwinii) and cattle. The seeds of the monkey puzzle constitute an important food source for the indigenous Pehuenche people, who have been collecting these protein-rich seeds for centuries.

 

Monkey puzzle trees have a number of adaptations to survive fire, and may need low levels of fire to maintain the population. Volcanic activity and fire caused by lightning are regular features of this landscape and help to maintain the forest composition by periodically removing faster growing species.

 

Endemic to Chile and Argentina in South America, this species is found in the Andes Mountains that separate these two countries. The range extends from 900 metres above sea level to the tree line at 1,800 metres. Two additional populations are found in the coastal mountain range of Chile known as the Cordillera de Nahuelbuta; these coastal populations are thought to be genetically distinct from the Andean trees.

 

 

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/1415528257_Monkey_puzzle_tree_zpsuto7ur8l.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Monkey-puzzle-trees-in-habitat_zpspk5asect.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/araucaria-forest-chile-james-brunker_zpsrzlfnzan.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Living_Fossils_2b_zpsdobudloz.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/araucaria-araucana-trunk_zpsqbd81bhl.jpg

 

Seeds:

 

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/mystery-seeds-153-12_zpsnqgolzjh.jpg

 

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Tyrannosaur%20with%20araucaria_zpsajfwod0o.png

Samples of Monkey Puzzle trees were first brought to Great Britain in the early 19th century and by the 1850s the trees were being grown at botanical gardens. As for the unusual name, it’s said that a visitor to Pencarrow Garden in Cornwall, upon observing the odd tree, suggested that “It would puzzle a monkey to climb that”. Monkey Puzzle trees are often used by artists to ‘flesh out” prehistoric scenes, like the one above from the BBC TV series “Walking With Dinosaurs” that features an Allosaurus on the prowl.

 

An uncle of mine nearly poked his eye out with one of those, and it was one of those miniature types.

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x1yyz

x1yyz

Posted
Posted

17 March 2015

Tuesday

 

Monkey Puzzle Tree

 

Monkey Puzzle or Araucaria trees are an ancient species of evergreen conifer that is today only found in some parts of Argentina and Chile. The trees have oddly scaled branches – the scales are actually leaves – and have distinctive bark likened by some to reptilian skin. The trees are tough and hardy, and can grow to heights of 130 feet and diameters of up to 6 feet.

 

Monkey puzzle trees are highly distinctive, with mature trees possessing a tall, straight trunk and an umbrella of branches at the crown. Young monkey puzzles have a ‘christmas tree’ shape, with branches on the lower parts of the trunk which are later shed. The smooth bark is greyish-brown in colour and can be up to eight centimetres thick. The horizontal branches emerge from the trunk in whorls of three to eight and the tree is covered in scale-like leaves all year round. These trees are mainly dioecious; different trees bear flowers of different sexes. The large cones develop in the upper branches and bright orange-brown seeds are released.

 

The seeds are shed between March and April and germinate the following spring after dispersion. Falling to the base of their parent tree they are dispersed by a wide variety of animals such as birds (Enicognathus leptorhynchus), rodents (Phyllotis darwinii) and cattle. The seeds of the monkey puzzle constitute an important food source for the indigenous Pehuenche people, who have been collecting these protein-rich seeds for centuries.

 

Monkey puzzle trees have a number of adaptations to survive fire, and may need low levels of fire to maintain the population. Volcanic activity and fire caused by lightning are regular features of this landscape and help to maintain the forest composition by periodically removing faster growing species.

 

Endemic to Chile and Argentina in South America, this species is found in the Andes Mountains that separate these two countries. The range extends from 900 metres above sea level to the tree line at 1,800 metres. Two additional populations are found in the coastal mountain range of Chile known as the Cordillera de Nahuelbuta; these coastal populations are thought to be genetically distinct from the Andean trees.

 

 

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/1415528257_Monkey_puzzle_tree_zpsuto7ur8l.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Monkey-puzzle-trees-in-habitat_zpspk5asect.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/araucaria-forest-chile-james-brunker_zpsrzlfnzan.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Living_Fossils_2b_zpsdobudloz.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/araucaria-araucana-trunk_zpsqbd81bhl.jpg

 

Seeds:

 

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/mystery-seeds-153-12_zpsnqgolzjh.jpg

 

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Tyrannosaur%20with%20araucaria_zpsajfwod0o.png

Samples of Monkey Puzzle trees were first brought to Great Britain in the early 19th century and by the 1850s the trees were being grown at botanical gardens. As for the unusual name, it’s said that a visitor to Pencarrow Garden in Cornwall, upon observing the odd tree, suggested that “It would puzzle a monkey to climb that”. Monkey Puzzle trees are often used by artists to ‘flesh out” prehistoric scenes, like the one above from the BBC TV series “Walking With Dinosaurs” that features an Allosaurus on the prowl.

Awesome looking trees. The trunk looks a bit like a pineapple

 

I thought the same thing.

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HomesickAlien

HomesickAlien

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

18 March 2015

Wednesday

 

A repeat entry, but it's that time of year again...

 

Spring Peepers

 

Spring peepers are to the amphibian world what American robins are to the bird world. As their name implies, they begin emitting their familiar sleigh-bell-like chorus right around the beginning of spring.

 

Found in wooded areas and grassy lowlands near ponds and swamps in the central and eastern parts of Canada and the United States, these tiny, well-camouflaged amphibians are rarely seen. But the mid-March crescendo of nighttime whistles from amorous males is for many a sign that winter is over.

 

Spring peepers are tan or brown in color with dark lines that form a telltale X on their backs. They grow to about 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) in length, and have large toe pads for climbing, although they are more at home amid the loose debris of the forest floor.

 

They are nocturnal creatures, hiding from their many predators during the day and emerging at night to feed on such delicacies as beetles, ants, flies, and spiders.

 

They mate and lay their eggs in water and spend the rest of the year in the forest. In the winter, they hibernate under logs or behind loose bark on trees, waiting for the spring thaw and their chance to sing.

 

 

 

Edited by substancewithoutstyle
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Babycat

Babycat

Posted
Posted

18 March 2015

Wednesday

 

A repeat entry, but it's that time of year again...

 

Spring Peepers

 

Spring peepers are to the amphibian world what American robins are to the bird world. As their name implies, they begin emitting their familiar sleigh-bell-like chorus right around the beginning of spring.

 

Found in wooded areas and grassy lowlands near ponds and swamps in the central and eastern parts of Canada and the United States, these tiny, well-camouflaged amphibians are rarely seen. But the mid-March crescendo of nighttime whistles from amorous males is for many a sign that winter is over.

 

Spring peepers are tan or brown in color with dark lines that form a telltale X on their backs. They grow to about 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) in length, and have large toe pads for climbing, although they are more at home amid the loose debris of the forest floor.

 

They are nocturnal creatures, hiding from their many predators during the day and emerging at night to feed on such delicacies as beetles, ants, flies, and spiders.

 

They mate and lay their eggs in water and spend the rest of the year in the forest. In the winter, they hibernate under logs or behind loose bark on trees, waiting for the spring thaw and their chance to sing.

 

 

 

 

That see-through thingy under his chin - anything to do with the croaking?

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x1yyz

x1yyz

Posted
Posted

18 March 2015

Wednesday

 

A repeat entry, but it's that time of year again...

 

Spring Peepers

 

Spring peepers are to the amphibian world what American robins are to the bird world. As their name implies, they begin emitting their familiar sleigh-bell-like chorus right around the beginning of spring.

 

Found in wooded areas and grassy lowlands near ponds and swamps in the central and eastern parts of Canada and the United States, these tiny, well-camouflaged amphibians are rarely seen. But the mid-March crescendo of nighttime whistles from amorous males is for many a sign that winter is over.

 

Spring peepers are tan or brown in color with dark lines that form a telltale X on their backs. They grow to about 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) in length, and have large toe pads for climbing, although they are more at home amid the loose debris of the forest floor.

 

They are nocturnal creatures, hiding from their many predators during the day and emerging at night to feed on such delicacies as beetles, ants, flies, and spiders.

 

They mate and lay their eggs in water and spend the rest of the year in the forest. In the winter, they hibernate under logs or behind loose bark on trees, waiting for the spring thaw and their chance to sing.

 

 

 

 

That see-through thingy under his chin - anything to do with the croaking?

 

Yes. It is an expandable sac they use to make the croaks. Here's a good video that shows how they put their whole body into those sounds:

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Your_Lion

Your_Lion

Posted
Posted

18 March 2015

Wednesday

 

A repeat entry, but it's that time of year again...

 

Spring Peepers

 

Spring peepers are to the amphibian world what American robins are to the bird world. As their name implies, they begin emitting their familiar sleigh-bell-like chorus right around the beginning of spring.

 

Found in wooded areas and grassy lowlands near ponds and swamps in the central and eastern parts of Canada and the United States, these tiny, well-camouflaged amphibians are rarely seen. But the mid-March crescendo of nighttime whistles from amorous males is for many a sign that winter is over.

 

Spring peepers are tan or brown in color with dark lines that form a telltale X on their backs. They grow to about 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) in length, and have large toe pads for climbing, although they are more at home amid the loose debris of the forest floor.

 

They are nocturnal creatures, hiding from their many predators during the day and emerging at night to feed on such delicacies as beetles, ants, flies, and spiders.

 

They mate and lay their eggs in water and spend the rest of the year in the forest. In the winter, they hibernate under logs or behind loose bark on trees, waiting for the spring thaw and their chance to sing.

 

 

 

Wow! They're so tiny!! Quite a noise for such a little fella

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Babycat

Babycat

Posted
Posted

18 March 2015

Wednesday

 

A repeat entry, but it's that time of year again...

 

Spring Peepers

 

Spring peepers are to the amphibian world what American robins are to the bird world. As their name implies, they begin emitting their familiar sleigh-bell-like chorus right around the beginning of spring.

 

Found in wooded areas and grassy lowlands near ponds and swamps in the central and eastern parts of Canada and the United States, these tiny, well-camouflaged amphibians are rarely seen. But the mid-March crescendo of nighttime whistles from amorous males is for many a sign that winter is over.

 

Spring peepers are tan or brown in color with dark lines that form a telltale X on their backs. They grow to about 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) in length, and have large toe pads for climbing, although they are more at home amid the loose debris of the forest floor.

 

They are nocturnal creatures, hiding from their many predators during the day and emerging at night to feed on such delicacies as beetles, ants, flies, and spiders.

 

They mate and lay their eggs in water and spend the rest of the year in the forest. In the winter, they hibernate under logs or behind loose bark on trees, waiting for the spring thaw and their chance to sing.

 

 

 

 

That see-through thingy under his chin - anything to do with the croaking?

 

Yes. It is an expandable sac they use to make the croaks. Here's a good video that shows how they put their whole body into those sounds:

 

Crikey! :)

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Babycat

Babycat

Posted
Posted

Morel time. Fiddle head time.

 

Gettin' the itch holmes.

 

And for the record...this is absolutely one of the best threads on TRF. I read it everyday

 

It's an amazing thread! :ebert:

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HomesickAlien

HomesickAlien

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  • Author
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Morel time. Fiddle head time.

 

Gettin' the itch holmes.

 

And for the record...this is absolutely one of the best threads on TRF. I read it everyday

 

Did I do an entry here about morels last year? I can't remember. :blink:

 

Here's one now...

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HomesickAlien

HomesickAlien

Posted
  • Author
Posted

19 March 2015

Thursday

 

 

Morels

 

The true morels (Morchella spp.) are among the edible fungi most prized by mushroom hunters. As with other mushrooms, the familiar morel is merely the spore-producing "fruiting body" of a macrofungus which exists mostly undergound. A variety of morel species fruit briefly and sporadically each spring across the northern hemisphere and information on when and where to find them is often closely guarded by collectors. Much lore exists (some of it surely well founded) about the microhabitats and weather conditions associated with the appearance of morels. Morels grow throughout the northern hemisphere in regions with temperate or boreal forests, as well as in some Mediterranean and subtropical regions such as coastal California, the highlands of Central America, and the Middle East. Morels also occur in the southern hemisphere and although many of these are believed to be introduced, there are apparently endemic species as well in, for example, Australia and southern South America. Morels are harvested from the wild commercially in several parts of the world, including the United States, Turkey, China, and the Indian subcontinent, although some progress has been made toward commercial cultivation.

 

The fruit bodies of the Morchella are highly polymorphic in appearance, exhibiting variations in shape, color and size; this has contributed to uncertainties regarding taxonomy. Discriminating between the various species is complicated by uncertainty regarding which species are truly biologically distinct. Some authors suggest that the genus only contains as few as 3 to 6 species, while others place up to 50 species in the genus. Mushroom hunters refer to them by their color (e.g., gray, yellow, black) as the species are very similar in appearance and vary considerably within species and age of individual. The best known morels are the "yellow morel" or "common morel" (M. esculenta); the "white morel" (M. deliciosa); and the "black morel" (M. elata). Other species of true morels include M. conica, M. vulgaris, and the half-free morel (M. semilibera).

 

Morchella species appear to have either symbiotic mycorrhizal relationships or act as saprotrophs. Yellow morels (Morchella esculenta) are more commonly found under deciduous trees rather than conifers, and black morels (Morchella elata) can be found in deciduous forests, oak and poplar. Deciduous trees commonly associated with morels in the northern hemisphere include ash, sycamore, tulip tree, dead and dying elms, cottonwoods and old apple trees (remnants of orchards). The fruiting of yellow morels in Missouri, USA, was found to correlate with warm weather, precipitation, and tree species, and most usually in the springtime. In the UK, they appear during May and June. Morels are rarely found in the vicinity of most common poisonous mushrooms such as the sulphur tuft and fly agaric (April–May time frame), but can occur alongside "false morels" (Gyromitra sp.) and "elfin saddles" (Verpa sp).

 

Morels contain small amounts of hydrazine, toxins that are removed by thorough cooking; morel mushrooms should never be eaten raw. It has been reported that even cooked morels can sometimes cause mild intoxication symptoms when consumed with alcohol. When eating this mushroom for the first time it is wise to consume a small amount to minimize any allergic reaction. Morels for consumption must be clean and free of decay. Morels growing in old apple orchards that had been treated with the insecticide lead arsenate may accumulate levels of toxic lead and arsenic that are unhealthy for human consumption.

 

 

 

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Tombstone Mountain

Tombstone Mountain

Posted
Posted

19 March 2015

Thursday

 

 

 

Morels

 

The true morels (Morchella spp.) are among the edible fungi most prized by mushroom hunters. As with other mushrooms, the familiar morel is merely the spore-producing "fruiting body" of a macrofungus which exists mostly undergound. A variety of morel species fruit briefly and sporadically each spring across the northern hemisphere and information on when and where to find them is often closely guarded by collectors. Much lore exists (some of it surely well founded) about the microhabitats and weather conditions associated with the appearance of morels. Morels grow throughout the northern hemisphere in regions with temperate or boreal forests, as well as in some Mediterranean and subtropical regions such as coastal California, the highlands of Central America, and the Middle East. Morels also occur in the southern hemisphere and although many of these are believed to be introduced, there are apparently endemic species as well in, for example, Australia and southern South America. Morels are harvested from the wild commercially in several parts of the world, including the United States, Turkey, China, and the Indian subcontinent, although some progress has been made toward commercial cultivation.

 

The fruit bodies of the Morchella are highly polymorphic in appearance, exhibiting variations in shape, color and size; this has contributed to uncertainties regarding taxonomy. Discriminating between the various species is complicated by uncertainty regarding which species are truly biologically distinct. Some authors suggest that the genus only contains as few as 3 to 6 species, while others place up to 50 species in the genus. Mushroom hunters refer to them by their color (e.g., gray, yellow, black) as the species are very similar in appearance and vary considerably within species and age of individual. The best known morels are the "yellow morel" or "common morel" (M. esculenta); the "white morel" (M. deliciosa); and the "black morel" (M. elata). Other species of true morels include M. conica, M. vulgaris, and the half-free morel (M. semilibera).

 

Morchella species appear to have either symbiotic mycorrhizal relationships or act as saprotrophs. Yellow morels (Morchella esculenta) are more commonly found under deciduous trees rather than conifers, and black morels (Morchella elata) can be found in deciduous forests, oak and poplar. Deciduous trees commonly associated with morels in the northern hemisphere include ash, sycamore, tulip tree, dead and dying elms, cottonwoods and old apple trees (remnants of orchards). The fruiting of yellow morels in Missouri, USA, was found to correlate with warm weather, precipitation, and tree species, and most usually in the springtime. In the UK, they appear during May and June. Morels are rarely found in the vicinity of most common poisonous mushrooms such as the sulphur tuft and fly agaric (April–May time frame), but can occur alongside "false morels" (Gyromitra sp.) and "elfin saddles" (Verpa sp).

 

Morels contain small amounts of hydrazine, toxins that are removed by thorough cooking; morel mushrooms should never be eaten raw. It has been reported that even cooked morels can sometimes cause mild intoxication symptoms when consumed with alcohol. When eating this mushroom for the first time it is wise to consume a small amount to minimize any allergic reaction. Morels for consumption must be clean and free of decay. Morels growing in old apple orchards that had been treated with the insecticide lead arsenate may accumulate levels of toxic lead and arsenic that are unhealthy for human consumption.

 

 

 

 

 

Some beautiful pics there Sean! I'm aroused...figuratively, and well, literally!

 

Damn--those are awesome pics. BTW I help write some of this whether you know it or not! Thanks to Wikipedia

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Babycat

Babycat

Posted
Posted

19 March 2015

Thursday

 

 

Morels

 

The true morels (Morchella spp.) are among the edible fungi most prized by mushroom hunters. As with other mushrooms, the familiar morel is merely the spore-producing "fruiting body" of a macrofungus which exists mostly undergound. A variety of morel species fruit briefly and sporadically each spring across the northern hemisphere and information on when and where to find them is often closely guarded by collectors. Much lore exists (some of it surely well founded) about the microhabitats and weather conditions associated with the appearance of morels. Morels grow throughout the northern hemisphere in regions with temperate or boreal forests, as well as in some Mediterranean and subtropical regions such as coastal California, the highlands of Central America, and the Middle East. Morels also occur in the southern hemisphere and although many of these are believed to be introduced, there are apparently endemic species as well in, for example, Australia and southern South America. Morels are harvested from the wild commercially in several parts of the world, including the United States, Turkey, China, and the Indian subcontinent, although some progress has been made toward commercial cultivation.

 

The fruit bodies of the Morchella are highly polymorphic in appearance, exhibiting variations in shape, color and size; this has contributed to uncertainties regarding taxonomy. Discriminating between the various species is complicated by uncertainty regarding which species are truly biologically distinct. Some authors suggest that the genus only contains as few as 3 to 6 species, while others place up to 50 species in the genus. Mushroom hunters refer to them by their color (e.g., gray, yellow, black) as the species are very similar in appearance and vary considerably within species and age of individual. The best known morels are the "yellow morel" or "common morel" (M. esculenta); the "white morel" (M. deliciosa); and the "black morel" (M. elata). Other species of true morels include M. conica, M. vulgaris, and the half-free morel (M. semilibera).

 

Morchella species appear to have either symbiotic mycorrhizal relationships or act as saprotrophs. Yellow morels (Morchella esculenta) are more commonly found under deciduous trees rather than conifers, and black morels (Morchella elata) can be found in deciduous forests, oak and poplar. Deciduous trees commonly associated with morels in the northern hemisphere include ash, sycamore, tulip tree, dead and dying elms, cottonwoods and old apple trees (remnants of orchards). The fruiting of yellow morels in Missouri, USA, was found to correlate with warm weather, precipitation, and tree species, and most usually in the springtime. In the UK, they appear during May and June. Morels are rarely found in the vicinity of most common poisonous mushrooms such as the sulphur tuft and fly agaric (April–May time frame), but can occur alongside "false morels" (Gyromitra sp.) and "elfin saddles" (Verpa sp).

 

Morels contain small amounts of hydrazine, toxins that are removed by thorough cooking; morel mushrooms should never be eaten raw. It has been reported that even cooked morels can sometimes cause mild intoxication symptoms when consumed with alcohol. When eating this mushroom for the first time it is wise to consume a small amount to minimize any allergic reaction. Morels for consumption must be clean and free of decay. Morels growing in old apple orchards that had been treated with the insecticide lead arsenate may accumulate levels of toxic lead and arsenic that are unhealthy for human consumption.

 

 

 

Amazing pics! :)

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Tombstone Mountain

Tombstone Mountain

Posted
Posted

19 March 2015

Thursday

 

 

Morels

 

The true morels (Morchella spp.) are among the edible fungi most prized by mushroom hunters. As with other mushrooms, the familiar morel is merely the spore-producing "fruiting body" of a macrofungus which exists mostly undergound. A variety of morel species fruit briefly and sporadically each spring across the northern hemisphere and information on when and where to find them is often closely guarded by collectors. Much lore exists (some of it surely well founded) about the microhabitats and weather conditions associated with the appearance of morels. Morels grow throughout the northern hemisphere in regions with temperate or boreal forests, as well as in some Mediterranean and subtropical regions such as coastal California, the highlands of Central America, and the Middle East. Morels also occur in the southern hemisphere and although many of these are believed to be introduced, there are apparently endemic species as well in, for example, Australia and southern South America. Morels are harvested from the wild commercially in several parts of the world, including the United States, Turkey, China, and the Indian subcontinent, although some progress has been made toward commercial cultivation.

 

The fruit bodies of the Morchella are highly polymorphic in appearance, exhibiting variations in shape, color and size; this has contributed to uncertainties regarding taxonomy. Discriminating between the various species is complicated by uncertainty regarding which species are truly biologically distinct. Some authors suggest that the genus only contains as few as 3 to 6 species, while others place up to 50 species in the genus. Mushroom hunters refer to them by their color (e.g., gray, yellow, black) as the species are very similar in appearance and vary considerably within species and age of individual. The best known morels are the "yellow morel" or "common morel" (M. esculenta); the "white morel" (M. deliciosa); and the "black morel" (M. elata). Other species of true morels include M. conica, M. vulgaris, and the half-free morel (M. semilibera).

 

Morchella species appear to have either symbiotic mycorrhizal relationships or act as saprotrophs. Yellow morels (Morchella esculenta) are more commonly found under deciduous trees rather than conifers, and black morels (Morchella elata) can be found in deciduous forests, oak and poplar. Deciduous trees commonly associated with morels in the northern hemisphere include ash, sycamore, tulip tree, dead and dying elms, cottonwoods and old apple trees (remnants of orchards). The fruiting of yellow morels in Missouri, USA, was found to correlate with warm weather, precipitation, and tree species, and most usually in the springtime. In the UK, they appear during May and June. Morels are rarely found in the vicinity of most common poisonous mushrooms such as the sulphur tuft and fly agaric (April–May time frame), but can occur alongside "false morels" (Gyromitra sp.) and "elfin saddles" (Verpa sp).

 

Morels contain small amounts of hydrazine, toxins that are removed by thorough cooking; morel mushrooms should never be eaten raw. It has been reported that even cooked morels can sometimes cause mild intoxication symptoms when consumed with alcohol. When eating this mushroom for the first time it is wise to consume a small amount to minimize any allergic reaction. Morels for consumption must be clean and free of decay. Morels growing in old apple orchards that had been treated with the insecticide lead arsenate may accumulate levels of toxic lead and arsenic that are unhealthy for human consumption.

 

 

 

Mushroom porn---awesome!

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Your_Lion

Your_Lion

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19 March 2015

Thursday

 

 

Morels

 

The true morels (Morchella spp.) are among the edible fungi most prized by mushroom hunters. As with other mushrooms, the familiar morel is merely the spore-producing "fruiting body" of a macrofungus which exists mostly undergound. A variety of morel species fruit briefly and sporadically each spring across the northern hemisphere and information on when and where to find them is often closely guarded by collectors. Much lore exists (some of it surely well founded) about the microhabitats and weather conditions associated with the appearance of morels. Morels grow throughout the northern hemisphere in regions with temperate or boreal forests, as well as in some Mediterranean and subtropical regions such as coastal California, the highlands of Central America, and the Middle East. Morels also occur in the southern hemisphere and although many of these are believed to be introduced, there are apparently endemic species as well in, for example, Australia and southern South America. Morels are harvested from the wild commercially in several parts of the world, including the United States, Turkey, China, and the Indian subcontinent, although some progress has been made toward commercial cultivation.

 

The fruit bodies of the Morchella are highly polymorphic in appearance, exhibiting variations in shape, color and size; this has contributed to uncertainties regarding taxonomy. Discriminating between the various species is complicated by uncertainty regarding which species are truly biologically distinct. Some authors suggest that the genus only contains as few as 3 to 6 species, while others place up to 50 species in the genus. Mushroom hunters refer to them by their color (e.g., gray, yellow, black) as the species are very similar in appearance and vary considerably within species and age of individual. The best known morels are the "yellow morel" or "common morel" (M. esculenta); the "white morel" (M. deliciosa); and the "black morel" (M. elata). Other species of true morels include M. conica, M. vulgaris, and the half-free morel (M. semilibera).

 

Morchella species appear to have either symbiotic mycorrhizal relationships or act as saprotrophs. Yellow morels (Morchella esculenta) are more commonly found under deciduous trees rather than conifers, and black morels (Morchella elata) can be found in deciduous forests, oak and poplar. Deciduous trees commonly associated with morels in the northern hemisphere include ash, sycamore, tulip tree, dead and dying elms, cottonwoods and old apple trees (remnants of orchards). The fruiting of yellow morels in Missouri, USA, was found to correlate with warm weather, precipitation, and tree species, and most usually in the springtime. In the UK, they appear during May and June. Morels are rarely found in the vicinity of most common poisonous mushrooms such as the sulphur tuft and fly agaric (April–May time frame), but can occur alongside "false morels" (Gyromitra sp.) and "elfin saddles" (Verpa sp).

 

Morels contain small amounts of hydrazine, toxins that are removed by thorough cooking; morel mushrooms should never be eaten raw. It has been reported that even cooked morels can sometimes cause mild intoxication symptoms when consumed with alcohol. When eating this mushroom for the first time it is wise to consume a small amount to minimize any allergic reaction. Morels for consumption must be clean and free of decay. Morels growing in old apple orchards that had been treated with the insecticide lead arsenate may accumulate levels of toxic lead and arsenic that are unhealthy for human consumption.

 

 

 

The best looking fungi :yes:

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HomesickAlien

HomesickAlien

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20 March 2015

Friday

 

 

Elephant Creeper

 

(Argyreia nervosa)

 

A convolvulaceous vine native to India (i.e. from Assam to Belgaum and Mysore) and Myanmar, elephant creeper (Argyreia nervosa) has sometimes been listed as native to Australia in the past, and this is because there is some doubt as to whether aboriginals may have introduced this species prior to European settlement. Elephant creeper is also naturalised on some Pacific islands (Hawaii, New Caledonia, French Polynesia and Tonga), in south-eastern USA (Florida), in Central America and in tropical Africa.

 

This species is a weed of tropical and sub-tropical habitats, including rainforests, open woodlands, roadsides, disturbed sites and waste areas. A robust climber, it grows up to a height of 10 m or more and can cover trees.

 

The large tubular flowers (5-7.5 cm long and about 5 cm across) are borne in clusters on long stalks (up to 15 cm long) that are covered in white hairs. They have five sepals (13-20 mm long when in flower) that are velvety-hairy like the undersides of the leaves. The petals are fused together into a tube (i.e. corolla tube) that varies in colour from pale pinkish to white with a much darker throat that is dark pink to violet. Flowering occurs mainly during spring and summer. The fruit is a rounded leathery berry (1-2 cm across) that does not split open when mature. It is surrounded by the five persistent sepals and this structure has been likened to a carved rose. Each of these fruit contains 4-6 large seeds that are light or dark brown in colour.

 

Its seeds have been widely transported across the world for use as a garden ornamental and as a source of hallucinogenic drugs, and therefore seeds and plant parts may be spread in dumped garden waste. However, seeds are mainly thought to be dispersed into natural areas by fruit-eating birds and other animals. Seeds and plant parts may also be dispersed in floodwaters.

 

 

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Your_Lion

Your_Lion

Posted
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20 March 2015

Friday

 

 

Elephant Creeper

 

(Argyreia nervosa)

 

A convolvulaceous vine native to India (i.e. from Assam to Belgaum and Mysore) and Myanmar, elephant creeper (Argyreia nervosa) has sometimes been listed as native to Australia in the past, and this is because there is some doubt as to whether aboriginals may have introduced this species prior to European settlement. Elephant creeper is also naturalised on some Pacific islands (Hawaii, New Caledonia, French Polynesia and Tonga), in south-eastern USA (Florida), in Central America and in tropical Africa.

 

This species is a weed of tropical and sub-tropical habitats, including rainforests, open woodlands, roadsides, disturbed sites and waste areas. A robust climber, it grows up to a height of 10 m or more and can cover trees.

 

The large tubular flowers (5-7.5 cm long and about 5 cm across) are borne in clusters on long stalks (up to 15 cm long) that are covered in white hairs. They have five sepals (13-20 mm long when in flower) that are velvety-hairy like the undersides of the leaves. The petals are fused together into a tube (i.e. corolla tube) that varies in colour from pale pinkish to white with a much darker throat that is dark pink to violet. Flowering occurs mainly during spring and summer. The fruit is a rounded leathery berry (1-2 cm across) that does not split open when mature. It is surrounded by the five persistent sepals and this structure has been likened to a carved rose. Each of these fruit contains 4-6 large seeds that are light or dark brown in colour.

 

Its seeds have been widely transported across the world for use as a garden ornamental and as a source of hallucinogenic drugs, and therefore seeds and plant parts may be spread in dumped garden waste. However, seeds are mainly thought to be dispersed into natural areas by fruit-eating birds and other animals. Seeds and plant parts may also be dispersed in floodwaters.

 

 

I like the cool star pattern on the petals

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Babycat

Babycat

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Posted

20 March 2015

Friday

 

 

Elephant Creeper

 

(Argyreia nervosa)

 

A convolvulaceous vine native to India (i.e. from Assam to Belgaum and Mysore) and Myanmar, elephant creeper (Argyreia nervosa) has sometimes been listed as native to Australia in the past, and this is because there is some doubt as to whether aboriginals may have introduced this species prior to European settlement. Elephant creeper is also naturalised on some Pacific islands (Hawaii, New Caledonia, French Polynesia and Tonga), in south-eastern USA (Florida), in Central America and in tropical Africa.

 

This species is a weed of tropical and sub-tropical habitats, including rainforests, open woodlands, roadsides, disturbed sites and waste areas. A robust climber, it grows up to a height of 10 m or more and can cover trees.

 

The large tubular flowers (5-7.5 cm long and about 5 cm across) are borne in clusters on long stalks (up to 15 cm long) that are covered in white hairs. They have five sepals (13-20 mm long when in flower) that are velvety-hairy like the undersides of the leaves. The petals are fused together into a tube (i.e. corolla tube) that varies in colour from pale pinkish to white with a much darker throat that is dark pink to violet. Flowering occurs mainly during spring and summer. The fruit is a rounded leathery berry (1-2 cm across) that does not split open when mature. It is surrounded by the five persistent sepals and this structure has been likened to a carved rose. Each of these fruit contains 4-6 large seeds that are light or dark brown in colour.

 

Its seeds have been widely transported across the world for use as a garden ornamental and as a source of hallucinogenic drugs, and therefore seeds and plant parts may be spread in dumped garden waste. However, seeds are mainly thought to be dispersed into natural areas by fruit-eating birds and other animals. Seeds and plant parts may also be dispersed in floodwaters.

 

 

 

Pretty! :)

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HomesickAlien

HomesickAlien

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21 March 2015

Saturday

 

 

Seed Chemistry

 

This series of cast and painted sculptures titled Seed Chemistry, is based upon seeds and berries from specific plants utilized in modern pharmaceuticals.

 

 

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Your_Lion

Your_Lion

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21 March 2015

Saturday

 

 

Seed Chemistry

 

This series of cast and painted sculptures titled Seed Chemistry, is based upon seeds and berries from specific plants utilized in modern pharmaceuticals.

 

 

Interesting sculptures.

I like Methyl Salicylate

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HomesickAlien

HomesickAlien

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22 March 2015

Sunday

 

Giant Panda

 

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is universally admired for its appealing markings and seemingly gentle demeanour. A member of the bear family, the giant panda is a robust animal with heavy shoulders and a distinctive black and white coat. Most of the body and belly of the giant panda are white, contrasting sharply with the black ears, black limbs and shoulders, and black patches over the eyes. The male giant panda is slightly larger and heavier than the female. This species is also unusual in having a ‘thumb’, which is actually a modified wrist bone that enables the giant panda to dextrously grasp bamboo stalks.

 

Adult giant pandas are largely solitary and have well-defined home ranges, rarely meeting except in the mating season, which runs from March to May. During this time, the giant panda signals its presence by marking trees and banks with scent secreted from glands located beneath its tail. It will also claw bark, and males occasionally ‘dust bathe’, the dust particles becoming covered with the giant panda’s scent and wafting into the air.

 

The female giant panda usually gives birth to a single cub between July and September. The gestation period is highly variable, ranging from around 95 to 181 days, but this is due to a variable delay between fertilisation and implantation, and the true gestation length is closer to about 50 days. Although twins are sometimes born, the female rarely raises more than one of the cubs. The young giant panda is born at an extremely immature stage of development, weighing only a tiny fraction of the female’s weight.

 

The giant panda cub is helpless after birth, and for the first few weeks of its life the female cares for it in a den located in the base of a hollow tree or in a cave. After four to seven weeks, the young panda starts to travel with the female, but must be carried and can only move about independently at five to six months old. The young giant panda remains dependent on the female until it is at least 18 months old.

 

The giant panda is unusual in the extreme specialisation of its diet, which consists almost entirely of bamboo. As a member of the bear family, the giant panda has the digestive system of a carnivore and so is only able to digest a small proportion of its bamboo food. An adult giant panda therefore needs to spend most of its waking hours feeding and must consume between 10 and 18 kilograms of food daily in order to meet its energy requirements. It alternates periods of feeding and resting throughout the day and night.

 

The historic range of the giant panda encompassed much of eastern and southern China, reaching into northern Vietnam and Myanmar. Today, the giant panda is restricted to six separate mountain ranges in western China, on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, in the provinces of Gansu, Shaanxi and Sichuan.

 

 

 

Information lifted from Arkive, not Wikipedia.

 

 

 

 

Edited by substancewithoutstyle
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Your_Lion

Your_Lion

Posted
Posted

22 March 2015

Sunday

 

Giant Panda

 

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is universally admired for its appealing markings and seemingly gentle demeanour. A member of the bear family, the giant panda is a robust animal with heavy shoulders and a distinctive black and white coat. Most of the body and belly of the giant panda are white, contrasting sharply with the black ears, black limbs and shoulders, and black patches over the eyes. The male giant panda is slightly larger and heavier than the female. This species is also unusual in having a ‘thumb’, which is actually a modified wrist bone that enables the giant panda to dextrously grasp bamboo stalks.

 

Adult giant pandas are largely solitary and have well-defined home ranges, rarely meeting except in the mating season, which runs from March to May. During this time, the giant panda signals its presence by marking trees and banks with scent secreted from glands located beneath its tail. It will also claw bark, and males occasionally ‘dust bathe’, the dust particles becoming covered with the giant panda’s scent and wafting into the air.

 

The female giant panda usually gives birth to a single cub between July and September. The gestation period is highly variable, ranging from around 95 to 181 days, but this is due to a variable delay between fertilisation and implantation, and the true gestation length is closer to about 50 days. Although twins are sometimes born, the female rarely raises more than one of the cubs. The young giant panda is born at an extremely immature stage of development, weighing only a tiny fraction of the female’s weight.

 

The giant panda cub is helpless after birth, and for the first few weeks of its life the female cares for it in a den located in the base of a hollow tree or in a cave. After four to seven weeks, the young panda starts to travel with the female, but must be carried and can only move about independently at five to six months old. The young giant panda remains dependent on the female until it is at least 18 months old.

 

The giant panda is unusual in the extreme specialisation of its diet, which consists almost entirely of bamboo. As a member of the bear family, the giant panda has the digestive system of a carnivore and so is only able to digest a small proportion of its bamboo food. An adult giant panda therefore needs to spend most of its waking hours feeding and must consume between 10 and 18 kilograms of food daily in order to meet its energy requirements. It alternates periods of feeding and resting throughout the day and night.

 

The historic range of the giant panda encompassed much of eastern and southern China, reaching into northern Vietnam and Myanmar. Today, the giant panda is restricted to six separate mountain ranges in western China, on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, in the provinces of Gansu, Shaanxi and Sichuan.

 

 

 

Information lifted from Arkive, not Wikipedia.

 

 

 

 

Those are some cute bears :)

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Babycat

Babycat

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Posted

21 March 2015

Saturday

 

 

Seed Chemistry

 

This series of cast and painted sculptures titled Seed Chemistry, is based upon seeds and berries from specific plants utilized in modern pharmaceuticals.

 

 

Pretty sculpture. :)

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