December 2011
17 posts
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One of the great dreams of man must be to find some place between the extremes...
– Barry Lopez
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If you're interested in info on an awesome plant... →
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The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green...
– William Blake
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Sorry for the sporadic posts!
I’m just startling finals, but I’m gonna load up the queue with more awesome plants ASAP.
(Side note: I’m one follower away from 100. Can we make this happen?)
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This doesn't relate directly to botany, but...
I’m currently writing a paper, so I have salamanders on the brain.
That sounds like some kind of weird disease…
Anyways.
This is Aneides vagrans, the wandering salamander. It’s found toward on western coast of North America.
But all that’s not especially exciting.
What is exciting is one of the places they’re found. Coastal redwoods, which can be over 100m...
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Pollination Syndromes
Pollination syndromes are a phenomenon witnessed in many species of plants. Essentially, a pollination syndrome entails a plant possessing traits that perfectly suit it to being pollinated by a particular type or species of pollinator.
A good example is the hummingbird pollination syndrome. These plants are typically red, tubular and have large amounts of dilute nectar.
Scarlet gilia, Ipomosis...
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Fun Fact:
Ravenala madagascariensis, Traveler’s Palm, is pollinated by Ruffed Lemurs! They feed on the nectar of the tree, and in the process transfer pollen between trees.
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How bees see flowers
Bees, unlike humans, can see UV light.
So while we see a crocus like the first picture, bees see it like the second!
The varied coloration functions as guides for bees, leading them to nectar.
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FUCK YEAH, ORCHID SPECIES! →
Do you like orchids? Check out this blog!
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How to be a plant collector, Part 1
So you want to collect plants, either for fun or for your job.
Awesome!
The first step:
Making or acquiring a plant press.
Materials:
2 pieces of some type of hardwood (NOT plywood), measuring 12” by 18” Large pieces of corrugated cardboard 2 straps, or a belt Newspaper Blotting paper (optional)
Instructions:
1) Cutting down the cardboard. The cardboard needs to be cut down...