title: "Cordyline australis" content: Dr Daniel Solander, naturalists on the "Endeavour" during Lieutenant James Cook's first voyage to the Pacific. The type locality is Queen Charlotte Sound. It was named "Dracaena australis" by Georg Forster who published it as entry 151 in his "Florulae Insularum Australium Prodromus" of 1786. It is sometimes still sold as a "Dracaena", particularly for the house plant market in Northern Hemisphere countries. The genus name "Cordyline" derives from an Ancient Greek word for a club ("kordyle"), a reference to the enlarged underground stems or rhizomes, while the species name "australis" is Latin for "southern". The common name "cabbage tree"


title: "Cordyline australis" content: is attributed by some sources to early settlers having used the young leaves as a substitute for cabbage. However the name probably predates the settlement of New Zealand — Georg Forster, writing in his "Voyage round the World" of 1777 about the events of Friday, April 23, 1773, refers on page 114 to the discovery of a related species in Fiordland as "not the true cabbage palm" and says "the central shoot, when quite tender, tastes something like an almond's kernel, with a little of the flavour of cabbage." Forster may have been referring to the cabbage palmetto ("Sabal palmetto")


title: "Cordyline australis" content: of Florida, which resembles the Cordyline somewhat, and was named for the cabbage-like appearance of its terminal bud. "Cordyline australis" is the tallest of New Zealand's five native "Cordyline" species. Of these, the commonest are "C. banksii", which has a slender, sweeping trunk, and "C. indivisa", a handsome plant with a trunk up to tall bearing a massive head of broad leaves up to long. In the far north of New Zealand, "C. australis" can be distinguished by its larger heavily branched tree form, narrower leaves and smaller seeds from "C. obtecta", the Three Kings cabbage tree, its closest relative.


title: "Cordyline australis" content: "C. australis" is rather variable, and forms from the northern offshore islands may be hybrids with "C. obtecta". Hybrids with "C. pumilio" and "C. banksii" also occur often where the plants are in close vicinity, because they flower at about the same time and share the chromosome number 2n=38, with "C. australis". The tree was well known to Māori before its scientific discovery. The generic Māori language term for plants in the genus "Cordyline" is "tī", and names recorded as specific to "C. australis" include "tī kōuka", "tī kāuka", "tī rākau", "tī awe", "tī pua", and "tī whanake". Each tribe


title: "Cordyline australis" content: had names for the tree depending on its local uses and characteristics. Simpson reports that the names highlight the characteristics of the tree that were important to Māori. These include what the plant looked like—whether it was a large tree ("tī rākau", "tī pua"), the whiteness of its flowers ("tī puatea"), whether its leaves were broad ("tī wharanui"), twisted along the edges ("tī tahanui"), or spiky ("tī tarariki"). Other names refer to its uses—whether its fruit attracted birds ("tī manu"), or the leaves were particularly suitable for making ropes ("tī whanake") and nets ("tī kupenga"). The most widely used name,


title: "Cordyline australis" content: "tī kōuka", refers to the use of the leaf hearts as food. A quote from Philip Simpson sums up the wide range of habitats the cabbage tree occupied in early New Zealand, and how much its abundance and distinctive form shaped the impression travellers received of the country: "In primeval New Zealand cabbage trees occupied a range of habitats, anywhere open, moist, fertile and warm enough for them to establish and mature: with forest; around the rocky coast; in lowland swamps, around the lakes and along the lower rivers; and perched on isolated rocks. Approaching the land from the sea


title: "Cordyline australis" content: would have reminded a Polynesian traveller of home, and for a European traveller, conjured up images of the tropical Pacific". "Cordyline australis" occurs from North Cape to the very south of the South Island, where it becomes less and less common, until it reaches its southernmost natural limits at Sandy Point (46° 30' S), west of Invercargill near Oreti Beach. It is absent from much of Fiordland, probably because there is no suitable habitat, and is unknown on the subantarctic islands to the south of New Zealand, probably because it is too cold. It occurs on some offshore islands—Poor Knights,


title: "Cordyline australis" content: Stewart and the Chathams—but was probably introduced by Māori. In the Stewart Island region, it is rare, growing only on certain islands, headlands and former settlement sites where it may have been introduced by muttonbird collectors, while on the Chatham Islands it is also largely "a notable absentee". Generally a lowland species, it grows from sea level to about , reaching its upper limits on the volcanoes of the central North Island, where eruptions have created open spaces for it to exploit, and in the foothills of the Southern Alps in the South Island, where deforestation may have played a


title: "Cordyline australis" content: part in giving it room to grow. In the central North Island, it has evolved a much sturdier form (with the Māori name "tī manu", meaning "with branches bearing broad, straight upright leaves"). This form resembles that found in the far south of the South Island, suggesting that they are both adapted to cold conditions. "Cordyline australis" is a light-demanding pioneer species, and seedlings die when overtopped by other trees. To grow well, young plants require open space so they are not shaded out by other vegetation. Another requirement is water during the seedling stage. Although adult trees can store


title: "Cordyline australis" content: water and are drought resistant, seedlings need a good supply of water to survive. This stops the species from growing in sand dunes unless there are wet depressions present, and from hillsides unless there is a seepage area. The fertility of the soil is another factor—settlers in Canterbury used the presence of the species to situate their homesteads and gardens. The fallen leaves of the tree also help to raise the fertility of the soil when they break down. Another factor is temperature, especially the degree of frost. Young trees are killed by frost, and even old trees can be


title: "Cordyline australis" content: cut back. This is why "C. australis" is absent from upland areas and from very frosty inland areas. Early European explorers of New Zealand described "jungles of cabbage trees" along the banks of streams and rivers, in huge swamps and lowland valleys. Few examples of this former abundance survive today—such areas were the first to be cleared by farmers looking for flat land and fertile soil. In modern New Zealand, cabbage trees usually grow as isolated individuals rather than as parts of a healthy ecosystem. The cabbage tree's year begins in autumn among the tight spike of unopened leaves projecting


title: "Cordyline australis" content: from the centre of each tuft of leaves. Some of the growing tips have changed from making leaves to producing inflorescences for the coming spring, and around these, two or three buds begin to produce leaves. The inflorescence and the leaf buds pass the winter protected by the enveloping spike of unopened leaves. Months later in spring or early summer, it bears its flowers on the outside of the tree, exposed to insects and birds. Flowering takes place over a period of four to six weeks, giving maximum exposure to pollinating insects. The flowers produce a sweet perfume which attracts


title: "Cordyline australis" content: large numbers of insects. The nectar produced by the flowers contains aromatic compounds, mainly esters and terpenes, which are particularly attractive to moths. Bees use the nectar to produce a light honey to feed their young and increase the size of the hive in the early summer. It takes about two months for the fruit to ripen, and by the end of summer a cabbage tree can have thousands of small fruits available for birds to eat and disperse. The strong framework of the inflorescence can easily bear the weight of heavy birds like the New Zealand pigeon, which was


title: "Cordyline australis" content: formerly the major disperser of the seeds. Each fruit contains three to six shiny, black seeds which are coated in a charcoal-like substance called phytomelan. The latter may serve to protect the seeds from the digestive process in the gut of a bird. The seeds are also rich in linoleic acid as a food source for the developing embryo plant, a compound which is also important in the egg-laying cycle of birds. Because it takes about two years for a particular stem to produce an inflorescence, cabbage trees tend to flower heavily in alternative years, with a bumper flowering every


title: "Cordyline australis" content: three to five years. Each inflorescence bears 5,000 to 10,000 flowers, so a large inflorescence may carry about 40,000 seeds, or one million seeds for the whole tree in a good flowering year—hundreds of millions for a healthy grove of trees. "Cordyline australis" is one of the few New Zealand forest trees that can recover from fire. It can renew its trunk from buds on the protected rhizomes under the ground. This gives the tree an advantage because it can regenerate itself quickly and the fire has eliminated competing plants. Cabbage tree leaves contain oils which make them burn readily.


title: "Cordyline australis" content: The same oils may also slow down the decay of fallen leaves, so that they build up a dense mat that prevents the seeds of other plants from germinating. When the leaves do break down, they form a fertile soil around the tree. Cabbage tree seed also has a store of oil, which means it remains viable for several years. When a bushfire has cleared the land of vegetation, cabbage tree seeds germinate in great numbers to make the most of the light and space opened up by the flames. Older trees sometimes grow epicormic shoots directly from their trunks


title: "Cordyline australis" content: after storm or fire damage. Aerial rhizomes can also be produced from the trunk if it sustains damage or has become hollow, and grow down into the soil to regenerate the plant. Such regeneration can lead to trees of great age with multiple trunks. Many plants and animals are associated with "C. australis" in healthy ecosystems. The most common epiphytes are ferns, astelias and orchids. Old trees often carry large clumps of the climbing fern "Asplenium", and in moist places, filmy ferns and kidney ferns cling to the branches. "Astelia" species and "Collospermum" often establish in the main fork of


title: "Cordyline australis" content: the tree, and one tree can host several species of native orchid. Other common epiphytes include "Griselinia lucida", as well as a range of mosses, liverworts, lichens and fungi. Two fungus species which infect living tissue—"Phanaerochaeta cordylines" and "Sphaeropsis cordylines"—occur almost exclusively on "C. australis". Animals and birds associated with "C. australis" include lizards which forage among the flowers, including the gold-striped gecko which is well camouflaged for life among the leaves of the tree. New Zealand bellbirds like to nest under the dead leaves or among the flower stalks, and paradise shelducks commonly build their nests in the base


title: "Cordyline australis" content: of an old cabbage tree standing in the middle of a field. Red-crowned parakeets are often seen foraging in cabbage trees. In South Canterbury, long-tailed bats shelter during the day in the hollow branches, which would once have provided nesting holes for many birds. The berries of "C. australis" are enjoyed by bellbirds, tui and pigeons. Māori sometimes planted groves of cabbage trees (pā tī) to attract pigeons which could be snared when they came to eat the berries. Reminiscing in 1903 about life in New Zealand sixty or more years earlier, George Clarke describes how such a tapu grove


title: "Cordyline australis" content: of cabbage trees would attract huge numbers of pigeons: "About four miles from our house, there was a great preserve of wood pigeons, that was made as tapu as the native chiefs could devise. At a certain season, the pigeons came in vast flocks to feed on the white berries of the Ti tree (bracœna) [sic] and got so heavy with fat that they could hardly fly from one tree to another. No gun was allowed in the place. The Maoris, with a long slender rod and a slip noose at the end, squatted under the leaves and noiselessly slipped


title: "Cordyline australis" content: the noose over the necks of the stupid pigeons as they were feeding." As the native birds have vanished from much of New Zealand with the clearing of forests, it is now flocks of starlings which descend upon the fruit. The nectar of the flowers is sought after by insects, bellbirds, tui and stitchbirds. The leaves and the rough bark provide excellent homes for insects such as caterpillars and moths, small beetles, fly larvae, weta, snails and slugs. Many of these are then eaten by birds such as saddlebacks and robins. The rough bark also provides opportunities for epiphytes to


title: "Cordyline australis" content: cling and grow, and lizards hide amongst the dead leaves, coming out to drink the nectar and to eat the insects. Good flowering seasons occur every few years only. While it is said that they foretell dry summers, it has been observed that they tend to follow dry seasons. Insects, including beetles, moths, wasps and flies, use the bark, leaves and flowers of the tree in various ways. Some feed or hide camouflaged in the skirt of dead leaves, a favourite dry place for weta to hide in winter. Many of the insect companions of the tree have followed it


title: "Cordyline australis" content: into the domesticated surroundings of parks and home gardens. If the leaves are left to decay, the soil underneath cabbage trees becomes a black humus that supports a rich array of amphipods, earthworms and millipedes. There are nine species of insect only found on "C. australis", of which the best known is "Epiphryne verriculata", the cabbage tree moth, which is perfectly adapted to hide on a dead leaf. Its caterpillars eat large holes and wedges in the leaves. The moth lays its eggs at the base of the central spike of unopened leaves. The caterpillars eat holes in the surface


title: "Cordyline australis" content: of the leaves and leave characteristic notches in the leaf margins. They can infest young trees but seldom damage older trees, which lack the skirt of dead leaves where the parent moths like to hide. Cases of sick and dying trees of "C. australis" were first reported in the northern part of the North Island in 1987. The syndrome, eventually called Sudden Decline, soon reached epidemic proportions in Northland and Auckland. Affected trees usually suffer total defoliation within 2 to 12 months. The foliage turns yellow, and the oldest leaves wither and fall off. Growth of leaves ceases, and eventually


title: "Cordyline australis" content: all the leaves fall, leaving dead branches, often with the dried-out flowering panicles still attached. At the same time, the bark on the trunk becomes loose and detaches easily. The greatest number of dead trees (18 to 26 percent) was recorded around Auckland. For some years, the cause of the disease was unknown, and hypotheses included tree ageing, fungi, viruses, and environmental factors such as an increase in ultra-violet light. Another hypothesis was that a genetic problem may have been induced in Northland and Auckland by the thousands of cabbage trees brought into the area from elsewhere and planted in


title: "Cordyline australis" content: gardens and parks. The Lands and Survey Department had a native plant nursery at Taupo in the central North Island, which was used to grow plants for use in parks, reserves and carparks. In many Northland parks, cabbage trees from the central North Island were growing and flowering within metres of natural forms. Any offspring produced might have been poorly adapted to local conditions. After nearly five years of work, scientists found the cause was a bacterium "Phytoplasma australiense", which may be spread from tree to tree by a tiny sap-sucking insect, the introduced passion vine hopper. Populations of "C.


title: "Cordyline australis" content: australis" were decimated in some parts of New Zealand because of Sudden Decline. In some areas, particularly in the north, no big trees are left. Although Sudden Decline often affects cabbage trees in farmland and open areas, trees in natural forest patches continue to do well. Trees in the southern North Island and northern South Island are generally unaffected with few dead branches and no symptoms of Sudden Decline. By 2010, there was evidence to suggest the severity of the disease was lessening. The plight of "Cordyline australis" in the Sudden Decline epidemic drew attention to another widespread threat to


title: "Cordyline australis" content: the tree in rural areas throughout New Zealand. Rural Decline was the name proposed by botanists to refer to a decline in health of older trees in pasture and grazed shrubland, leading over many years to the loss of upper branches and eventual death. Often farmers would leave a solitary cabbage tree—or even groves of trees—standing after the swamps were drained. Most of these trees will slowly die out because livestock eat the seedlings and damage the trunks and roots of adult trees. When a cabbage tree is the only shade in a field, stock will shelter underneath it, damaging


title: "Cordyline australis" content: the bark by rubbing against it, and compacting the soil around the tree. Cows, sheep, goats, and deer eat the nutritious tissue under the bark of cabbage trees. Once the trunk has been damaged by animals, it seldom heals and the wounds get bigger over time. Eventually the tissue in the centre of the stem rots away and a cavity forms along its entire length. The trunk becomes misshapen or completely ring-barked for a metre above the ground. Often the growth layer dies and the injuries may lead to bacterial or fungal infections that spread into the branches until the


title: "Cordyline australis" content: canopy too begins to die. Other factors thought to contribute to Rural Decline include wood-rotting fungi like "Phanerochaete cordylines", micro-organisms which cause saprobic decay and leaf-feeding caterpillars. Other mammals can be destructive. Possums tend not to eat the leaves of the tree, but are very fond of eating the sugar-rich flowering stalks as they emerge. They also like using the tree as a sleeping place. Rabbits can be more destructive, especially during periods of drought, when they have been seen to eat through the base until a tree falls, and then eating the fallen tree completely. Horses can also fell


title: "Cordyline australis" content: a tree by eating through the trunk. In traditional times, Māori had a rich knowledge of the cabbage tree, including spiritual, ecological and many practical aspects of its use. While much of that specialised knowledge was lost after the European settlement of New Zealand, the use of the tree as food and medicine has persisted, and the use of its fibres for weaving is becoming more common. The stems and fleshy rhizomes of "C. australis" are high in natural sugars and were steam-cooked in earth ovens ("umu tī", a large type of "hāngi") to produce "kāuru", a carbohydrate-rich food used


title: "Cordyline australis" content: to sweeten other foods. The growing tips or leaf hearts were stripped of leaves and eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable, when they were called "kōuka"—the origin of the Māori name of the tree. The southern limit of kumara (sweet potato) cultivation was at Banks Peninsula at 43°S, and south of there a culture developed around "C. australis". Natural and planted groves of the cabbage tree were harvested. Large parties trimmed the cut stems, and left them to dry for days or weeks. As well as stems, the rhizomes—extensions of the trunk below the surface of the ground shaped


title: "Cordyline australis" content: like enormous carrots—were also dug up to be cooked. In the early 1840s, Edward Shortland said Māori preferred rhizomes from trees growing in deep rich soil. They dug them in spring or early summer just before the flowering of the plant, when they were at their sweetest. November was the favourite month for preparing kāuru in the South Island. After drying, the harvested stems or rhizomes were steamed for 24 hours or more in the umu tī pit. Steaming converted the carbohydrate fructan in the stems to very sweet fructose. The cooked stems or rhizomes were then flattened by beating


title: "Cordyline australis" content: and carried back to villages for storage. Kāuru could be stored dry until the time came to add it to fern root and other foods to improve their palatability. The sugar in the stems or rhizomes would be partially crystallised, and could be found mixed in a sugary pulp with other matter between the fibres of the root, which were easily separated by tearing them apart. Kāuru could also be dipped in water and chewed, and was said to smell and taste like molasses. Evidence of large cooking pits (umu tī) can still be found in the hills of South


title: "Cordyline australis" content: Canterbury and North Otago, where large groves of cabbage trees still stand. Europeans used the plant to make alcohol, and the often fearsome brews were relished by whalers and sealers. The kōata, the growing tip of the plant, was eaten raw as medicine. When cooked, it was called the kōuka. If the spike of unopened leaves and a few outer leaves is gripped firmly at the base and bent, it will snap off. The leaves can be removed, and what remains is like a small artichoke heart that can be steamed, roasted or boiled to make kōuka, a bitter vegetable


title: "Cordyline australis" content: available at any time of the year. Kōuka is delicious as a relish with fatty foods like eel, muttonbirds, or pigeons, or in modern times, pork, mutton and beef. Different trees were selected for their degree of bitterness, which should be strong for medicinal use, but less so when used as a vegetable. A tough fibre was extracted from the leaves of "C. australis", and was valued for its strength and durability especially in seawater. The leaves were used for making anchor ropes and fishing lines, cooking mats, baskets, sandals and leggings for protection when travelling in the South Island


title: "Cordyline australis" content: high country, home of the prickly speargrasses ("Aciphylla") and tūmatakuru or matagouri ("Discaria toumatou"). Morere swings provided a source of amusement for Māori children. The ropes had to be strong, so they were often made from the leaves or fibre of "C. australis", which were much tougher than the fibres of New Zealand flax. The leaves were also used for rain capes, although the mountain cabbage tree "C. indivisa", was preferred. The fibre made from cabbage tree leaves is stronger than that made from New Zealand flax. The Māori used various parts of "Cordyline australis" to treat injuries and illnesses,


title: "Cordyline australis" content: either boiled up into a drink or pounded into a paste. The kōata, the growing tip of the plant, was eaten raw as a blood tonic or cleanser. Juice from the leaves was used for cuts, cracks and sores. An infusion of the leaves was taken internally for diarrhoea and used externally for bathing cuts. The leaves were rubbed until soft and applied either directly or as an ointment to cuts, skin cracks and cracked or sore hands. The young shoot was eaten by nursing mothers and given to children for colic. The liquid from boiled shoots was taken for


title: "Cordyline australis" content: other stomach pains. The seeds of "Cordyline australis" are high in linoleic acid, one of the essential fatty acids. "Cordyline australis" is one of the most widely cultivated New Zealand native trees. In Northwest Europe and other cool oceanic climates, it is very popular as an ornamental tree because it looks like a palm tree. Hardy forms from the coldest areas of the southern or inland South Island tolerate Northern Hemisphere conditions best, while North Island forms are much more tender. It is easily grown from fresh seed — seedlings often spontaneously appear in gardens from bird-dispersed seed — and


title: "Cordyline australis" content: can be grown very easily from shoot, stem and even trunk cuttings. It does well in pots and tubs. It grows well as far north as western coast of Scotland, including the village of Plockton. It is more common in Southern England and in Ireland where it is grown all over the island. Although not a palm, it is locally named Cornish palm, Manx palm or Torbay palm. The last name is due to its extensive use in Torbay, it being the official symbol of that area, used in tourist posters promoting South Devon as the English Riviera. It also


title: "Cordyline australis" content: grows in Spain, Italy and Japan. Even though its natural distribution ranges from 34° S to 46°S, and despite its ultimately tropical origins, it also grows at about five degrees from the Arctic Circle in Masfjorden, Norway, latitude 61ºN, in a microclimate protected from arctic winds and moderated by the Gulf Stream. In the North Island, Māori cultivated selected forms of "C. australis" for food. One of these, called tī para or tī tāwhiti, was grown because it suckers readily and forms multiple fleshy rhizomes. A dwarf non-flowering selection of "C. australis", it has a rubbery, pulpy stem, and thick


title: "Cordyline australis" content: green leaves. Although it was recorded by the early naturalists, botanists only rediscovered it in the 1990s, being grown by gardeners as the cultivar "Cordyline" 'Thomas Kirk'. Recent and unpublished DNA work suggests it derives from "C. australis" of the central North Island. "Cordyline" 'Ti Tawhiti' was "the subject of an intense discussion amongst the leading botanists of New Zealand at a meeting of the Royal Society ... in Wellington 100 years ago. It was saved from extinction because its dwarf form found favour with gardeners and it came to be known as Cordyline 'Kirkii' recording the interest Thomas Kirk


title: "Cordyline australis" content: had in the plant. Its origin as a Maori selection was forgotten until rediscovered in 1991. The name 'Tawhiti' is equivalent to 'Hawaiki' and indicates the traditional belief that the plant was introduced to Aotearoa by the ancestral canoes of Maori. However, it is more probable that the name arose from it being moved around its native land as a domesticated plant." Numerous cultivars of "C. australis" are sold within New Zealand and around the world. Like other "Cordyline" species, "C. australis" can produce sports which have very attractive colouration, including pink stripes and leaves in various shades of green,


title: "Cordyline australis" content: yellow or red. An early cultivar was published in France and England in 1870: "Cordyline australis" 'Lentiginosa' was described as having tinted leaves with brownish red spots. Other early cultivars included 'Veitchii' (1871) with crimson midribs, 'Atrosanguinea' (1882) with bronze leaves infused with red, 'Atropurpurea' (1886) and 'Purpurea' (1890) with purple leaves, and a range of variegated forms: 'Doucetiana' (1878), 'Argento-striata' (1888) and 'Dalleriana' (1890). In New Zealand and overseas, hybrids with other "Cordyline" species feature prominently in the range of cultivars available. New Plymouth plant breeders Duncan and Davies included hybrids of "C. australis" and "C. banksii" in their


title: "Cordyline australis" content: 1925 catalogue, and have produced many new cultivars since. In New Zealand, some of the coloured forms and hybrids seem to be more susceptible to attacks from the cabbage tree moth. Immature forms have become a popular annual house or ornamental plant under the name 'Spikes', or "Dracaena" 'Spikes'. "C. australis" is hardy to USDA zones 8–11. In cultivation in the United Kingdom, "C. australis" and its cultivars 'Sundance', 'Torbay Dazzler', and 'Torbay Red' have all gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit (confirmed 2017). Cordyline australis Cordyline australis, commonly known as the cabbage tree, cabbage-palm is a


title: Liquidambar content: Liquidambar Liquidambar, commonly called sweetgum (sweet gum in the UK), gum, redgum, satin-walnut, or American storax, is the only genus in the flowering plant family Altingiaceae and has 15 species. They were formerly often treated in Hamamelidaceae. They are decorative deciduous trees that are used in the wood industry and for ornamental purposes. Both the scientific and common names refer to the sweet resinous sap ("liquid amber") exuded by the trunk when cut. They are all large, deciduous trees, tall, with palmately 3- to 7-lobed leaves arranged spirally on the stems and length of , having a pleasant aroma when


title: Liquidambar content: crushed. Their leaves can be many colors such as bright red, Orange and yellow. Mature bark is grayish and vertically grooved. The flowers are small, produced in a dense globular inflorescence diameter, pendulous on a stem. The fruit is a woody multiple capsule in diameter (popularly called a "gumball"), containing numerous seeds and covered in numerous prickly, woody armatures, possibly to attach to fur of animals. The woody biomass is classified as hardwood. In more northerly climates, sweetgum is among the last of trees to leaf out in the spring, and also among the last of trees to drop its


title: Liquidambar content: leaves in the fall, turning multiple colors. Fall colors are most brilliant where autumn nights are chilly, but some cultivars color well in warm climates. Although a temperate species, at least one living Liquidambar tree survives in a hot and humid tropical city: Bangkok, Thailand. Species within this genus are widespread in China, Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Laos, Vietnam, Turkey, Rhodes, North America and Mexico up to Honduras). In cultivation they can be seen in warm temperate and subtropical climates around the world. This genus is known in the fossil record from the Cretaceous to the Quaternary (age range: 99.7 to


title: Liquidambar content: 0.781 million years ago). The genus was much more widespread in the Tertiary, but has disappeared from Europe due to extensive glaciation in the north and the east-west oriented Alps and Pyrenees, which have served as a blockade against southward migration. It has also disappeared from western North America due to climate change, and also from the unglaciated (but nowadays too cold) Russian Far East. There are several fossil species of "Liquidambar", showing its relict status today. The wood is used for furniture, interior finish, paper pulp, veneers and baskets of all kinds. The heartwood once was used in furniture,


title: Liquidambar content: sometimes as imitation mahogany or Circassian walnut. It is used widely today in flake and strand boards. Sweetgum is a foodplant for various Lepidoptera caterpillars, such as the gypsy moth. The American sweetgum is widely planted as an ornamental, within its natural range and elsewhere. The hardened sap, or gum resin, excreted from the wounds of the sweetgum, for example, the American sweetgum ("Liquidambar styraciflua"), can be chewed on like chewing gum and has been long used for this purpose in the Southern United States. The sap was also believed to be a cure for sciatica, weakness of nerves, etc.


title: Liquidambar content: In Chinese herbal medicine, "lu lu tong", or "all roads open," is the hard, spiky fruit of native sweetgum species. It first appeared in the medical literature in "Omissions from the Materia Medica," by Chen Cangqi, in 720 AD. Bitter in taste, aromatic, and neutral in temperature, "lu lu tong" is claimed to promote the movement of blood and qi, water metabolism and urination, expels wind, and unblocks the channels. It is an ingredient in formulas for epigastric distention or abdominal pain, anemia, irregular or scanty menstruation, low back or knee pain and stiffness, edema with difficult urination, or nasal


title: Liquidambar content: congestion. The trees drop their hard, spiky seedpods in the fall by the hundreds, and these can become a serious nuisance on pavements and lawns. Some cities have expedited permitting for removal of liquidambar trees. Liquidambar Liquidambar, commonly called sweetgum (sweet gum in the UK), gum, redgum, satin-walnut, or American storax, is the only genus in the flowering plant family Altingiaceae and has 15 species. They were formerly often treated in Hamamelidaceae. They are decorative deciduous trees that are used in the wood industry and for ornamental purposes. Both the scientific and common names refer to the sweet resinous sap


title: "Erysimum franciscanum" content: Erysimum franciscanum Erysimum franciscanum, commonly known as the Franciscan wallflower or San Francisco wallflower, is a plant endemic to the northern California coast, from Sonoma to Santa Cruz Counties. It is a member of the "Erysimum" genus in the mustard family, the Brassicaceae. The plant is a biennial or short-lived perennial. The flowers are cream-colored to yellow, with four sepals and four petals arranged in a cross shape, as is characteristic of the Brassicaceae. It flowers from late winter to late spring. The plant prefers open scrubby areas with a fair amount of sunlight, but can flourish on a range


title: "Erysimum franciscanum" content: of soils including disintegrating serpentine, gravelly and sandy soils. It is fairly easily cultivated in gardens. Although not formally recognized as endangered, the Franciscan wallflower has a limited, discontinuous distribution. It is monitored at the Presidio of San Francisco, which was also its type locality. The plant is propagated in a nursery there and then planted in its native habitat. Erysimum franciscanum Erysimum franciscanum, commonly known as the Franciscan wallflower or San Francisco wallflower, is a plant endemic to the northern California coast, from Sonoma to Santa Cruz Counties. It is a member of the "Erysimum" genus in the mustard


title: "Chamaecyparis lawsoniana" content: Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, known as Port Orford cedar or Lawson cypress, is a species of conifer in the genus "Chamaecyparis", family Cupressaceae. It is native to Oregon and northwestern California, and grows from sea level up to in the valleys of the Klamath Mountains, often along streams. It is a large evergreen tree, maturing up to tall or more, with trunks in diameter, with feathery foliage in flat sprays, usually somewhat glaucous (i.e. blue-green) in color. The leaves are scale-like, long, with narrow white markings on the underside, and produced on somewhat flattened shoots. The foliage gives off a


title: "Chamaecyparis lawsoniana" content: rather pungent scent, not unlike parsley. The seed cones are globose, diameter, with 6-10 scales, green at first, maturing brown in early fall, 6–8 months after pollination. The male cones are long, dark red, turning brown after pollen release in early spring. The bark is reddish-brown, and fibrous to scaly in vertical strips. It was first discovered (by Euro-Americans) near Port Orford in Oregon and introduced into cultivation in 1854, by collectors working for Charles Lawson FRSE of the Lawson & Son nursery in Edinburgh, Scotland, after whom it was named as Lawson Cypress by the describing botanist Andrew Murray.


title: "Chamaecyparis lawsoniana" content: The USDA officially calls it by the name Port Orford cedar, as do most people in its native area, but some botanists prefer to use the name Lawson cypress (or in very rare instances Port Orford cypress) instead. The name "Lawson's cypress" is widely used in horticulture. The extinct Eocene species "Chamaecyparis eureka", known from fossils found on Axel Heiberg Island in Canada, is noted to be very similar to "Chamaecyparis pisifera" and "C. lawsoniana". The wood is light yet has great strength and rot resistance, and is particularly highly valued in east Asia, with large amounts being exported to


title: "Chamaecyparis lawsoniana" content: Japan where it is in high demand for making coffins, and for shrines and temples. Its lumber is also known for its highly fragrant ginger aroma. Due to the straightness of its grain, it is also one of the preferred woods for the manufacture of arrow shafts. It is also considered an acceptable, though not ideal, wood for construction of aircraft. However, it is considered more than acceptable for use in stringed instruments. Its fine grain, good strength and tonal quality are highly regarded for soundboards in guitar making. "Chamaecyparis lawsoniana" thrives best in well-drained but moist soils, in a


title: "Chamaecyparis lawsoniana" content: fairly sheltered position in full sun.Several hundred named cultivars of varying crown shape, growth rates and foliage colour have been selected for planting in parks and gardens. In the UK the following have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit (confirmed 2017):- In the wild, the species is seriously threatened by a root disease caused by the introduced oomycete pathogen, "Phytophthora lateralis". This disease is also a problem for horticultural plantings in some parts of North America. The tree is sometimes killed, though less often, by other species of "Phytophthora". "Phytophthora lateralis" infection begins when mycelium, from a


title: "Chamaecyparis lawsoniana" content: germinated spore, invade the roots. The infection then spreads through the inner bark and cambium around the base of the tree. Spread up the trunk is generally limited. Infected tissue dies and effectively girdles the tree. Large trees are more likely to be infected than small trees due to larger root areas (although all trees at the edges of infected streams will eventually succumb). However, large trees can often live with the infections for a longer duration (up to several years). "C. lawsoniana" in streamside populations are highly susceptible to "Phytophthora lateralis" infection. However, the rate of "Phytophthora" spread through


title: "Chamaecyparis lawsoniana" content: populations in dry upland areas appears to be slow. "Phytophthora lateralis" spreads through water via mobile spores (zoospores). The fungus also produces resting spores (chlamydospores) that can persist in soil for a long period of time. New infections generally begin when soil is transferred from an infected population to a non-infected population via human or animal movement. After initial infection in streamside populations, secondary spread via zoospores quickly infects all downstream individuals. Human facilitated spread is thought to be responsible for most new, and all long-distance, infections. Soil on vehicle tires, especially logging trucks and other off road vehicles, is


title: "Chamaecyparis lawsoniana" content: considered the most pressing problem due to the volume of soil that can be carried and the traffic rate in and between susceptible areas. Spread on boots and mountain bike tires has also been suggested and probably contributes to new infections locally. Animal facilitated spread is thought to occur, but is localized. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and United States Forest Service (USFS) attempt to prevent "Phytophthora" spread through road closures, monitoring, research and education. Research has focused on determining the dynamics and mechanisms of spread, as well as attempts to breed resistant trees. One solution against Phytophtera is


title: "Chamaecyparis lawsoniana" content: known generically as Mancozeb and also commercially known as Dithane (C). Commercial preparations of the parasitic fungus Pythium oligandrum are licensed for pest control, and documented to predate many species of "Phytophthora". Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, known as Port Orford cedar or Lawson cypress, is a species of conifer in the genus "Chamaecyparis", family Cupressaceae. It is native to Oregon and northwestern California, and grows from sea level up to in the valleys of the Klamath Mountains, often along streams. It is a large evergreen tree, maturing up to tall or more, with trunks in diameter, with feathery foliage in


title: "Chamaecyparis thyoides" content: Chamaecyparis thyoides Chamaecyparis thyoides (Atlantic white cedar, Atlantic white cypress, southern white cedar, whitecedar, or false-cypress), a species of "Cupressaceae", is native to the Atlantic coast of North America and is found from southern Maine to Georgia and along the Gulf of Mexico coast from Florida to Mississippi. It is one of two species of "Chamaecyparis" found in North America. "C. thyoides" resides on the East Coast and "C. lawsoniana" can be found on the West Coast. There are two geographically isolated subspecies, treated by some botanists as distinct species, by others at just varietal rank: "Chamaecyparis thyoides thyoides" and


title: "Chamaecyparis thyoides" content: "Chamaecyparis thyoides henryae" (H.L.Li) E.Murray (syn. "Chamaecyparis thyoides" subsp. "henryae" (H.L.Li) Little; "Chamaecyparis henryae" H.L.Li) The species grows in forested wetlands where they tend to dominate the canopy. The trees are associated with a wide variety of other wetland species because of their wide north-south range. The remaining populations are now found mostly in remote locations that would be difficult to harvest, so its popularity as a source of lumber has decreased. "Chamaecyparis thyoides" grows within 20 and 100 m of the coastline and less than 50 m above sea level along much of the East Coast and Gulf Coast.


title: "Chamaecyparis thyoides" content: Rare populations grow in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, where the tree may be found up to 460 m above sea level. Nationally, Atlantic white cedar are protected in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, Cape Cod National Seashore, Croatan National Forest, Francis Marion National Forest, Ocala National Forest, and Apalachicola National Forest. Altered fire regimes, logging, and draining of wetlands outside of the few protected areas have all contributed to the general decrease in the size and occurrences of Atlantic white cedar strands. The tree is listed as Rare in Georgia and


title: "Chamaecyparis thyoides" content: New York, of Special Concern in Maine, and Extirpated in Pennsylvania. "Chamaecyparis thyoides" lives almost exclusively in freshwater wetlands and are considered an obligate wetland species. It prefers habitats where the soil is saturated with water at least during the majority of the growing season. The soils in these regions have a thick organic layer, often classified as a histic surface horizon, with sandy material at greater depths and poor drainage. Atlantic white cedar wetlands are acidic and there is little oxygen stored in the soil because water has displaced the air. Plants that live in these environments must be


title: "Chamaecyparis thyoides" content: specially adapted to such conditions. Though the tree is not listed as threatened, Atlantic white cedar wetlands are considered a globally threatened ecosystem, and often serve as carbon sinks because of their peat-building abilities. Red maple and black gum trees are often found in the canopy along with Atlantic white cedar throughout its range. Sphagnum mosses also often grow in these wetlands. The caterpillar of the Hessel's Hairstreak butterfly feed exclusively on "C. thyoides," where its green color helps it to be camouflaged. The trees themselves grow on hummocks, small mounds, with water pooling in the depressions surrounding them. This


title: "Chamaecyparis thyoides" content: keeps the tree from being underwater year-round and helps to protect from floods. The tree benefits from periodic low-intensity fires which expose seedlings to sunlight and limit competition with other canopy flora, particularly Red Maple. Too frequent or intense fires or flooding are damaging to seedlings stored in the top layer of soil and full-grown trees. "Chamaecyparis thyoides" is an evergreen coniferous tree usually growing to 20–28 m (but may grow up to 35 m) tall with an average diameter of , up to , and feathery foliage in moderately flattened sprays, green to glaucous blue-green in color. The leaves


title: "Chamaecyparis thyoides" content: are scale-like, long, and produced in opposite decussate pairs on somewhat flattened shoots; seedlings up to a year old have needle-like leaves. The tree is bare of branches for three-fourths of the trunk height and the bark can be ash-gray to reddish brown. Bark is smooth on juveniles, but mature trees have deep ridges and bark as thick as . "C. thyoides" is monoecious, so a single tree will carry both the pollen and seeds needed for reproduction in cones. The seed cones are globose, diameter, with 6-10 scales (1-2 seeds per scale), green or purple, maturing to brown in


title: "Chamaecyparis thyoides" content: 5–7 months after pollination. The pollen cones are yellow but turn brown as the tree matures, long and broad, releasing their yellow pollen once a year in spring. The tree begins bearing seeds at 4–5 years, but does not reach full maturity and start producing cones until it is 10-20 year olds. Seeds are dispersed nearly every year and travel by wind. Height and diameter of the tree increase steadily until the tree is 50 years old, at which point height growth slows. Both height and diameter no longer increase once the tree is 100 years old. Stands are generally


title: "Chamaecyparis thyoides" content: all younger than 200 years, though some trees as old as a 1000 years have been reported. Because they have relatively shallow roots, "C. thyoides" are vulnerable to being blown over by wind. "Chamaecyparis thyoides" is of some importance in horticulture, with several cultivars of varying crown shape, growth rates and foliage color having been selected for garden planting. Named cultivars include 'Aurea' (yellow foliage), 'Heatherbun' (dwarf, purple in winter), 'Andelyensis' (dwarf, dense foliage), 'Ericoides' (juvenile foliage), and 'Glauca' (strongly glaucous foliage). In some locations, particularly Mobile County, Alabama, the tree is cultivated as a Christmas tree. Its wood is


title: "Chamaecyparis thyoides" content: considered hardy, as it is resistant to decay and warping in a variety of temperatures and moisture levels. The most common use of white cedar wood is lumber, for which stands usually require 70 years of growth from germination to harvest. The lumber may be used in house construction, though scarcity of Atlantic white cedar makes it difficult to be used as the primary material. The wood was favored for use as roof shingles because it is lightweight, but has since been replaced by cheaper and more fire-resistant materials such as asphalt. The durability of the heartwood makes it popular


title: "Chamaecyparis thyoides" content: for use as siding and paneling, and the less resistant sapwood has been used for interior finishes. White cedar lumber has also been used in boat construction, but this requires much older, larger trees. North Carolina is the greatest producer of lumber for boat construction because it has the greatest number of old-growth "C. thyoides" forests. Other uses include fencing, telephone and electric poles, woodenware, duck decoys, lawn furniture, and as Christmas trees. Chamaecyparis thyoides Chamaecyparis thyoides (Atlantic white cedar, Atlantic white cypress, southern white cedar, whitecedar, or false-cypress), a species of "Cupressaceae", is native to the Atlantic coast of


title: Barracuda content: Barracuda The barracuda is a ray-finned fish known for its large size, fearsome appearance and ferocious behaviour. The barracuda is a saltwater fish of the genus Sphyraena, the only genus in the family Sphyraenidae which was named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque in 1815. It is found in tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide ranging from the eastern border of the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, on its western border the Caribbean Sea, and in tropical areas of the Pacific Ocean. Barracudas reside near the top of the water and near coral reefs and sea grasses. Barracuda are snake-like in appearance,


title: Barracuda content: with prominent, sharp-edged, fang-like teeth, much like piranha, all of different sizes, set in sockets of their large jaws. They have large, pointed heads with an underbite in many species. Their gill covers have no spines and are covered with small scales. Their two dorsal fins are widely separated, with the anterior fin having five spines, and the posterior fin having one spine and 9 soft rays. The posterior dorsal fin is similar in size to the anal fin and is situated above it. The lateral line is prominent and extends straight from head to tail. The spinous dorsal fin


title: Barracuda content: is placed above the pelvic fins and is normally retracted in a groove. The caudal fin is moderately forked with its posterior edged double-curved and is set at the end of a stout peduncle. The pectoral fins are placed low on the sides. Its swim bladder is large. In most cases, a barracuda is dark gray, dark green, white, or blue on its upper body, with silvery sides and a chalky-white belly. Coloration varies somewhat between species. For some species, irregular and unorganized black spots or a row of darker cross-bars occur on each side. Their fins may be yellowish


title: Barracuda content: or dusky. Barracudas live primarily in oceans, but certain species, such as the great barracuda, live in brackish water. Some species grow quite large (up to 65 inches or 165 cm in length), such as "Sphyraena sphyraena", found in the Mediterranean Sea and eastern Atlantic; "Sphyraena picudilla", ranging on the Atlantic coast of tropical America from North Carolina to Brazil and reaching Bermuda. Other barracuda species are found around the world. Examples are "Sphyraena argentea", found from Puget Sound southwards to Cabo San Lucas, "Sphyraena jello", from the seas of India and the Malay Peninsula and Archipelago. Currently, 28 species


title: Barracuda content: in this genus are recognized: Barracudas are ferocious, opportunistic predators, relying on surprise and short bursts of speed, up to , to overtake their prey. Adults of most species are more or less solitary, while young and half-grown fish frequently congregate. Barracudas prey primarily on fish (which may include some as large as themselves). They kill and consume larger prey by tearing chunks of flesh. Barracuda are competitive species and often are seen competing against mackerel, needle fish and sometimes even dolphins for prey. Barracuda feed on an array of prey including fish such as jacks, grunts, groupers, snappers, small


title: Barracuda content: tunas, mullets, killifishes, herrings, and anchovies by simply biting them in half. They also seem to consume smaller species of sustenance that are in front of them. Like sharks, some species of barracuda are reputed to be dangerous to swimmers. Barracudas are scavengers, and may mistake snorkellers for large predators, following them hoping to eat the remains of their prey. Swimmers have reported being bitten by barracuda, but such incidents are rare and possibly caused by poor visibility. Large barracudas can be encountered in muddy shallows on rare occasion. Barracudas may mistake things that glint and shine for prey. One


title: Barracuda content: incident reported a barracuda jumping out of water and injuring a kayaker, but Jason Schratwieser, conservation director of the International Game Fish Association, said that the wound could have been caused by a houndfish. Handfeeding or touching large barracudas in general is to be avoided. Spearfishing around barracudas can also be dangerous, as they may be attracted to the injured animals and attempt to eat them. Barracudas are popular both as food and game fish. They are most often eaten as fillets or steaks. Larger species, such as the great barracuda, have been implicated in cases of ciguatera food poisoning.


title: Barracuda content: Those who have been diagnosed with this type of food poisoning display symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort, limb weakness, and an inability to differentiate hot from cold effectively. West Africans smoke them for use in soups and sauces. Smoking protects the soft flesh from disintegrating in the broth and gives it a smoky flavour. Barracuda The barracuda is a ray-finned fish known for its large size, fearsome appearance and ferocious behaviour. The barracuda is a saltwater fish of the genus Sphyraena, the only genus in the family Sphyraenidae which was named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque in 1815. It is found in


title: "The Corrs" content: David Foster, a Canadian musician, producer, composer and arranger. The Corrs played live for Foster and he agreed to sign them to Atlantic Records. They extended their stay in the US for over five months to record their debut album, "Forgiven, Not Forgotten". It featured six instrumental selections among its Celtic-influenced tracks. The album sold well in Ireland, Australia, Japan, Norway and Spain. Major success in the US and the UK, however, was not immediately forthcoming. Eventually, the album reached Platinum status in the UK and Australia, and 4× Platinum in Ireland, making it one of the most successful debuts


title: "Mr. Mulliner" content: the story ends when Mr. Mulliner has concluded it. Mr. Mulliner himself is rarely a character in the tales he tells. An exception is the story "George and Alfred", in which Mr. Mulliner tries to help out one of his nephews who has been accused of a crime. In this story, we learn that Mr. Mulliner is a friend of Hollywood studio head Jacob Z. Schnellenhamer, and that he has stayed on Schnellenhamer's yacht while it was cruising the Mediterranean. We also learn that Mr. Mulliner's first name, whatever it may be, is not George. Little else is revealed of


title: "Eastern Oregon" content: Eastern Oregon Eastern Oregon is the eastern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is not an officially recognized geographic entity; thus, the boundaries of the region vary according to context. It is sometimes understood to include only the eight easternmost counties in the state; in other contexts, it includes the entire area east of the Cascade Range. Cities in the basic 8-county definition include Baker City, Burns, Hermiston, Pendleton, John Day, La Grande, and Ontario. Umatilla County is home to the largest population base in Eastern Oregon; accounting for 74% of the region's population in 2016. Hermiston, located


title: Gongora content: Subgenus Acropera Gongora Gongora, abbreviated Gga in horticultural trade, is a member of the Orchid family (Orchidaceae). It consists of 65 species known from Central America, Trinidad, and tropical South America, with most species found in Colombia. They grow in wide geographical range from wet forests at sea level to mountainous regions in the Andes, as high as 1,800 m. The name comes from Antonio Caballero y Gongora, a viceroy of New Granada (Colombia and Ecuador) and the governor of Peru during the Ruiz and Pavón botanical expedition. "Gongora" was one of the first orchids described by a western man.


title: K-Line content: K-Line K-Line Electric Trains is a brand name of O gauge and S gauge model railway locomotives, rolling stock, and buildings. Formerly the brand name under which Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based MDK Inc. sold its products, K-Line was then acquired by Sanda Kan, a Chinese toy manufacturer that formerly acted as K-Line's subcontractor. Sanda Kan had licensed the use of the K-Line brand and intellectual property to Lionel. More recently, the Lionel license expired, and Sanda Kan sold the dies to several other companies, with some going to each of Atlas, Bachmann, and RMT. MDK was founded in 1975 by


title: "Oregon Coast" content: higher in the summer, approaching 75%. The South Coast region, which extends from Reedsport to the California border, is distinct from the North and Central Coast regions because of its mountainous nature, due to tectonic uplift and terrane accretion in ancient times. Much of the coastline in this region is made up of sea cliffs and miles of beaches. Among the landscape of the region exists the Oregon Dunes. There are seven incorporated cities on the south coast: Reedsport, North Bend, Coos Bay, Bandon, Port Orford, Gold Beach, and Brookings. Cape Blanco, which is approximately north of Port Orford, is


title: "Lupinus arboreus" content: Lupinus arboreus Lupinus arboreus, common name yellow bush lupine (US) or tree lupin (UK), is a species of flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. The shrub is endemic to California, where it is widely distributed among coastal sage scrub and sand dunes. Because it has been widely introduced in the state, there is some uncertainty about its native range. It is thought to be native from Point Reyes National Seashore south to San Luis Obispo County. "Lupinus arboreus" is an evergreen shrub growing to tall (hence the alternative common name, tree lupine) in sheltered situations, but more typically tall.


title: "Lupinus arboreus" content: It is capable of tolerating temperatures down to -12 °C and living for up to seven years. It has green to gray-green palmate leaves, with 5-12 leaflets per leaf. The leaflets are long, often sparsely covered with fine silky hairs. In spring it bears many racemes, long, of fragrant, soft yellow, pea-like flowers. Both yellow and lilac to purple flowering forms are known. However, the yellow form is more common, except in the north of the species' range. It has escaped from cultivation to become an invasive species in many areas. Outside of its native range in central and northern


title: "Lupinus arboreus" content: coastal California, it can become invasive southwards in Southern California and Baja California, and northwards in the coastal Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. It is an introduced species in western Europe, Australia (a potential noxious weed), New Zealand, the Turkish Anatolian Aegean Region, and southern South America including the Falkland Islands. Like many members of the Fabaceae, it is an effective fixer of nitrogen in the soil. Where it has been introduced, it changes the chemistry of the soil, and therefore allows other exotics to establish themselves, to the detriment of native plants adapted to low nitrogen levels. It also


title: "Lupinus arboreus" content: hybridizes with other lupine species outside its range, such as "Lupinus littoralis" (seashore lupin) and "Lupinus rivularis" (riverbank lupin), further endangering the survival of those native ecosystem integrated species. The yellow-flowering form of "Lupinus arboreus" is widely grown as an ornamental plant, for its attractive flowers in traditional, native plant, and wildlife gardens. It is also used to bind drifting sand dunes. It can be seen growing in cracks in vertical stone walls, due to the sharp drainage. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. In addition to the numerous annual and perennial lupines, some other


title: "Lupinus arboreus" content: Lupine species also naturally grow as shrubs, including: Lupinus arboreus Lupinus arboreus, common name yellow bush lupine (US) or tree lupin (UK), is a species of flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. The shrub is endemic to California, where it is widely distributed among coastal sage scrub and sand dunes. Because it has been widely introduced in the state, there is some uncertainty about its native range. It is thought to be native from Point Reyes National Seashore south to San Luis Obispo County. "Lupinus arboreus" is an evergreen shrub growing to tall (hence the alternative common name, tree


title: "Eivind Groven" content: Eivind Groven Eivind Groven (8 October 1901 – 8 February 1977) was a Norwegian microtonal composer and music-theorist. He was from traditional region of Vest-Telemark and had a background in the folk music of the area. Groven was born in the village of Lårdal in Telemark, Norway. Groven's rural background was filled with traditional music. He came from a family of talented musicians and artists, prominent in his home area. His father, Olav Åsmundsson Gøytil (1865–1947) was the youngest of eight siblings. Two of his father's brothers played the hardanger fiddle. His mother, Aslaug Rikardsdotter Berge (1863–1946), was the youngest


title: "Eric Lindros" content: the time. Lindros' relationship with Flyers General Manager Bobby Clarke soon deteriorated. He and Clarke feuded in the media, with Clarke questioning his toughness; Lindros spent many games on the injured reserve and suffered a series of concussions, the first in 1998 from a hit delivered by Pittsburgh's Darius Kasparaitis that sidelined him for 18 games. Lindros would suffer a second concussion in January 1999 that sidelined him for two games. During an April 1, 1999, game against the Nashville Predators, Lindros suffered what was diagnosed as a rib injury. Later that night, the teammate he was sharing a hotel


title: "Prunus laurocerasus" content: Prunus laurocerasus Prunus laurocerasus, also known as cherry laurel, common laurel and sometimes English laurel in North America, is an evergreen species of cherry ("Prunus"), native to regions bordering the Black Sea in southwestern Asia and southeastern Europe, from Albania and Bulgaria east through Turkey to the Caucasus Mountains and northern Iran. The common names of "P. laurocerasus" refer to the similarity of foliage and appearance to bay laurel ("Laurus nobilis", the true laurel, in the Lauraceae family), and like the bay laurel, "Prunus laurocerasus" was used for making laurel wreaths, but the two plants are unrelated. It is not


title: "Prunus laurocerasus" content: to be confused with its American relative "Prunus caroliniana", which is also called cherry laurel. "Prunus laurocerasus" is an evergreen shrub or small to medium-sized tree, growing to tall, rarely to , with a trunk up to 60 cm broad. The leaves are dark green, leathery, shiny, (5–)10–25(–30) cm long and 4–10 cm broad, with a finely serrated margin. The leaves can have the scent of almonds when crushed. The flower buds appear in early spring and open in early summer in erect 7–15 cm racemes of 30–40 flowers, each flower 1 cm across, with five creamy-white petals and numerous


title: "Prunus laurocerasus" content: yellowish stamens with a sweet smell. The fruit is a small cherry 1–2 cm broad, turning black when ripe in early autumn. "Prunus laurocerasus" is a widely cultivated ornamental plant, used for planting in gardens and parks in temperate regions worldwide. It is often used for hedges, as a screening plant, and as a massed landscape plant. Most cultivars are tough shrubs that can cope with difficult growing conditions, including shaded and dry conditions, and which respond well to pruning. Over 40 cultivars have been selected, including The cultivar 'Otto Luyken' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden


title: "Prunus laurocerasus" content: Merit. It has become naturalised widely. In some regions (such as the United Kingdom and the Pacific Northwest of North America), this species can be an invasive plant. Its rapid growth, coupled with its evergreen habit and its tolerance of drought and shade, often allow it to out-compete and kill off native plant species. It is spread by birds, through the seeds in their droppings. The species is found in woods and in shrubbery places as an escape in Northern Irelandand commonly planted in parks and gardens. The foliage is also used for cut greenery in floristry. According to Dr.


title: "Prunus laurocerasus" content: Chiranjit Parmar on fruitpedia.com, who has a Ph.D. in horticulture from University of Udaipur, India, "the fruits are edible, although rather bland and somewhat astringent". The fruit contain small amounts of hydrogen cyanide; any fruit tasting bitter (which indicates larger concentrations of hydrogen cyanide) should not be eaten. The seed inside the fruit (and the leaves) contain larger concentrations of hydrogen cyanide, and should never be eaten. The toxicity of the seed inside the fruit is similar to the cyanide toxicity of the seeds inside the common fruits apricot and peach. Leaves and seed may cause severe discomfort to humans


title: "Prunus laurocerasus" content: if ingested. The seeds contained within the cherries are poisonous like the rest of the plant, containing cyanogenic glycosides and amygdalin. This chemical composition is what gives the smell of almonds when the leaves are crushed. Laurel water, a distillation made from the plant, contains prussic acid (hydrogen cyanide) and other compounds and is toxic. "Prunus lusitanica", Portuguese laurel, is similar sharply toothed leaves and red petioles.<ref>Parnell, J. and Curtis, T. 2012 "Webb's An Irish Flora." Prunus laurocerasus Prunus laurocerasus, also known as cherry laurel, common laurel and sometimes English laurel in North America, is an evergreen species of cherry


title: Gackt content: also a voice actor and theme song performer for the animated film, "". In 2012, Gackt appeared in the "Sengoku Basara" television drama, "Sengoku Basara: Moonlight Party", as the games' depiction of warlord Oda Nobunaga. He also performed the series' theme song "Hakuro" (42nd single). He was also seen in a dual role as a Professor of Neurology "Shiki Takashi" & "Yumeoji" (literally translated "Dream Prince) in the drama "Akumu-chan", which is based on the novel "Yume Chigai" by Onda Riku. In November 2013, Gackt appeared as a guest-star in two episodes (21 & 22) of Indonesian Tokusatsu Series, "Bima


title: "Alnus rubra" content: Alnus rubra Alnus rubra, the red alder, is a deciduous broadleaf tree native to western North America (Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho and Montana). Red alder is the largest species of alder in North America and one of the largest in the world, reaching heights of . The official tallest red alder (1979) stands tall in Clatsop County, Oregon (US). The name derives from the bright rusty red color that develops in bruised or scraped bark. The bark is mottled, ashy-gray and smooth, often colonized by white lichen and moss. The leaves are ovate, long, with bluntly


title: "Alnus rubra" content: serrated edges and a distinct point at the end; the leaf margin is revolute, the very edge being curled under, a diagnostic character which distinguishes it from all other alders. The leaves turn yellow in the autumn before falling. The male flowers are dangling reddish catkins long in early spring. Female flowers occur in clusters of (3) 4–6 (8). Female catkins are erect during anthesis, but otherwise pendant. They develop into small, woody, superficially cone-like oval dry fruit long. The seeds develop between the woody bracts of the 'cones' and are shed in late autumn and winter. Red alder seeds


title: "Alnus rubra" content: have a membranous winged margin that allows long-distance dispersal. "Alnus rubra" grows from southeast Alaska south to central coastal California, nearly always within about of the Pacific coast, except for an extension inland across Washington and Oregon into northernmost Montana. In southern Alaska, western British Columbia and the northwestern Coast Ranges of the United States, red alder grows on cool and moist slopes; inland and at the southern end of its range (California) it grows mostly along the margins of watercourses and wetlands. Red alder is associated with coast Douglas-fir "Pseudotsuga menziesii" subsp. "menziesii", western hemlock "Tsuga heterophylla", grand fir


title: "Alnus rubra" content: "Abies grandis", western redcedar "Thuja plicata", and Sitka spruce "Picea sitchensis" forests. Along streambanks it is commonly associated with willows "Salix" spp., red osier dogwood "Cornus stolonifera", Oregon ash "Fraxinus latifolia" and bigleaf maple "Acer macrophyllum". To the southeast of its range it is replaced by white alder ("Alnus rhombifolia"), which is a tree of similar stature, but which differs in the leaf margins not being rolled under, lack of distinct lobes, and lack of membranous wings on seed margins. In the high mountains it is replaced by the smaller and more shrub-like Sitka alder ("Alnus viridis" subsp. "sinuata"), and


title: "Alnus rubra" content: east of the Cascade Mountains by thinleaf alder ("Alnus incana" subsp. "tenuifolia"). In moist forest areas "Alnus rubra" will rapidly cover a former burn or clearcut, often preventing the establishment of conifers. It is a prolific seed producer, but the small, wind-dispersed seeds require an open area of mineral soil to germinate, and so skid trails and other areas disturbed by logging or fire are ideal seedbeds. Such areas may host several hundred thousand to several million seedlings per hectare in the first year after landscape disturbance (Zavitkovski & Stevens, 1972). Twigs and buds of alder are only fair browse


title: "Alnus rubra" content: for wildlife, though deer and elk do browse the twigs in fall and twigs and buds in the winter and spring. Beaver occasionally eat the bark, though it is not a preferred species. Several finches eat alder seeds, notably common redpoll and pine siskin, and as do deer mice. "Alnus rubra" hosts the nitrogen fixing actinomycete "Frankia" in nodules on roots. This association allows alder to grow in nitrogen-poor soils. A russet dye can be made from a decoction of the bark and was used by Native Americans to dye fishing nets so as to make them less visible underwater.


title: "Alnus rubra" content: Native Americans used red alder bark "(Alnus rubra)" to treat poison oak, insect bites, and skin irritations. Blackfeet Indians used an infusion made from the bark of red alder to treat lymphatic disorders and tuberculosis. Recent clinical studies have verified that red alder contains betulin and lupeol, compounds shown to be effective against a variety of tumors. "Alnus rubra" is an important early colonizer of disturbed forests and riparian areas mainly because of its ability to fix nitrogen in the soil. This self-fertilizing trait allows red alder to grow rapidly, and makes it effective in covering disturbed and/or degraded land,


title: "Alnus rubra" content: such as mine spoils. Alder leaves, shed in the fall, decay readily to form a nitrogen-enriched humus. Red alder is occasionally used as a rotation crop to discourage the conifer root pathogen "Phellinus weirii" (Laminated root rot). "Alnus rubra" are occasionally planted as ornamental trees and will do well in Swales, riparian areas, or on stream banks, in light-textured soils that drain well. Red alder does not thrive in heavy, wet clay soils. If planted domestically, alders should be planted well away from drainpipes, sewage pipes, and water lines, as the roots may invade and clog the lines. Alder lumber


title: "Alnus rubra" content: is not considered to be a durable option for outdoor applications, but due to its workability and ease of finishing it is increasingly used for furniture and cabinetry. Because it is softer than other popular hardwoods such as maple, walnut and ash, historically alder has not been considered of high value for timber. However it is now becoming one of the more popular hardwood alternatives as it is economically priced compared to many other hardwoods. In the world of musical instrument construction, red alder is valued by some electric guitar / electric bass builders for its balanced tonality. Alder is


title: "Alnus rubra" content: frequently used by Native Americans for making masks, bowls, tool handles, and other small goods. The appearance of alder lumber ranges from white through pinkish to light brown, has a relatively soft texture, minimal grain, and has medium luster. It is easily worked, glues well, and takes a good finish. Because of its oily smoke, "A. rubra" is the wood of choice for smoking salmon. Additionally, red alder is often used by scientists as a biomonitoring organism to locate areas prone to ozone pollution, as the leaves react to the presence of high ozone levels by developing red to brown


title: "Alnus rubra" content: or purple discolorations. With a current inventory of about 7.4 billion cubic feet, red alder comprises 60 percent of the total hardwood volume in the Pacific Northwest, and is by far the most valuable hardwood in term of diversity of products, commercial value, and manufacturing employment. Increasing value of alder logs, combined with a better understanding of the species' ecological role, has led some land managers to tolerate and, in some cases, manage for alder. Since most forest land in the Northwest is managed for conifer production, however, over 80,000 hectares of timberland are sprayed with herbicides annually in Oregon


title: "Alnus rubra" content: alone to control red alder and other competing hardwood species. Red alder's rapid early growth can interfere with establishment of conifer plantations Herbicide spraying of red alder over large areas of coastal Oregon and Washington has resulted in a number of lawsuits claiming this spraying has caused health problems, including birth defects and other human health effects. In addition to adding soil nitrogen, rotations of red alder are used to reduce laminated root rot ("Phellinus weirii") in Douglas-fir forests. Nurse stands of red alder may also reduce Spruce Weevil damage in Sitka Spruce stands on the Olympic Peninsula Alder continues


title: "Alnus rubra" content: to attract interest as log values approach and often exceed those of Douglas-fir. This interest is limited by red alder's total stand productivity, which is significantly lower than that of Douglas-fir and western hemlock. Alnus rubra Alnus rubra, the red alder, is a deciduous broadleaf tree native to western North America (Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho and Montana). Red alder is the largest species of alder in North America and one of the largest in the world, reaching heights of . The official tallest red alder (1979) stands tall in Clatsop County, Oregon (US). The name derives


title: "Hardap Region" content: pupils. The region has good infrastructure with well-developed road networks According to the Namibia 2001 Population and Housing Census, Hardap had a population of 68,249 (33,665 females and 34,579 males or 103 males for every 100 females) growing at an annual rate of 0.3%. The fertility rate was 3.6 children per woman. 46% lived in urban areas while 54% lived in rural areas, and with an area of 109,651km, the population density was 0.6 persons per km. By age, 13% of the population was under 5 years old, 23% between 5 and 14 years, 55% between 15 and 59 years,


title: "Spur-winged lapwing" content: Spur-winged lapwing The spur-winged lapwing or spur-winged plover ("Vanellus spinosus") is a lapwing species, one of a group of largish waders in the family Charadriidae. It is one of several species of wader supposed to be the "trochilus" bird said by Herodotus to have been involved in an unattested cleaning symbiosis with the Nile crocodile. The spur-winged lapwing breeds around the eastern Mediterranean, and in a wide band from sub-Saharan west Africa to Arabia. The Greek and Turkish breeders are migratory, but other populations are resident. The species is declining in its northern range, but is abundant in much of


title: "Spur-winged lapwing" content: tropical Africa, being seen at almost any wetland habitat in its range. The spur-winged lapwing is one of the species to which the "Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds" (AEWA) applies. These are conspicuous and unmistakable birds. They are medium-large waders with black crown, chest, foreneck stripe and tail. The face, the rest of the neck and belly are white and the wings and back are light brown. The bill and legs are black. Its striking appearance is supplemented by its noisy nature, with a loud "did-he-do-it" call. The bird's common name refers to a small claw or


title: "Spur-winged lapwing" content: spur hidden in each of its wings. This species has a preference for marshes and similar freshwater wetland habitats. The food of the spur-winged lapwing is insects and other invertebrates, which are picked from the ground. It lays two blotchy yellowish eggs on a ground scrape. The spur-winged lapwing is known to sometimes use the wing-claws in an attack on animals and, rarely, people, who get too close to the birds' exposed offspring. The "spur-winged plover" was identified by Henry Scherren as the "trochilus" bird said by the Greek historian Herodotus to be involved in what would now be called


title: "Spur-winged lapwing" content: a cleaning symbiosis with the Nile crocodile. However, there is no reliable evidence that this or any other species in fact has such a relationship. Spur-winged lapwing The spur-winged lapwing or spur-winged plover ("Vanellus spinosus") is a lapwing species, one of a group of largish waders in the family Charadriidae. It is one of several species of wader supposed to be the "trochilus" bird said by Herodotus to have been involved in an unattested cleaning symbiosis with the Nile crocodile. The spur-winged lapwing breeds around the eastern Mediterranean, and in a wide band from sub-Saharan west Africa to Arabia. The


title: "Saab 2000" content: Saab 2000 The Saab 2000 is a twin-engined high-speed turboprop airliner built by Saab. It is designed to carry 50–58 passengers and cruise at a speed of . Production took place in Linköping in southern Sweden. The Saab 2000 first flew in March 1992 and was certified in 1994. The last aircraft was delivered in April 1999, a total of 63 aircraft being built. By July 2018, 24 Saab 2000s were in airline service. In December 1988, Saab decided to build a stretched derivative of its successful Saab 340 twin-turboprop regional airliner. The new aircraft was planned to meet a


title: "Saab 2000" content: perceived demand for a high-speed 50-seat turboprop with good climb performance which could operate over short- and medium-range routes with similar block times to jet aircraft while retaining the efficiency provided by turboprop engines. The new airliner, called the Saab 2000, was formally launched in May 1989, with Saab already having firm orders for 46 aircraft and options for a further 147. The aircraft was assembled at Saab's Linköping factory, with major subcontractors including CASA, who built the aircraft's wings, Short Brothers, who built the rear fuselage and Valmet who built the aircraft's tail surfaces. The Saab 2000 first flew


title: "Saab 2000" content: on 26 March 1992 and entered into scheduled airline service in September 1994, a few months after its certification by the Joint Aviation Authorities in March and the Federal Aviation Administration in April. The Saab 2000 has a 15% greater wingspan than the Saab 340, and being longer can carry up to 58 passengers in a high-density layout and 50 with a more comfortable seat pitch. The 2000 was the first commercial aircraft to use the 4,591shp Rolls-Royce AE 2100 turboprop engines (then built by Allison), driving slow turning six-bladed Dowty Rotol propellers. One engine was mounted on each wing,


title: "Saab 2000" content: as in the 340, with the engines placed further from the fuselage than those of the 340 to reduce cabin noise. Sales of the Saab 2000 were fairly limited. The major initial customer was Crossair, a regional airline which had Swissair as a 56% shareholder. Crossair took delivery of 34 aircraft and was still operating the type in 2005. Due to limited demand, Saab ceased production of the Saab 2000 in 1999, with the last aircraft being delivered to Crossair on 29 April of that year. The primary reason for the low sales was the success of newly introduced regional


title: "Saab 2000" content: jets such as the Bombardier CRJ and Embraer ERJ 145 family which provided better performance and passenger comfort for the same initial price. General Motors (GM) operated several corporate-configured Saab 2000s and was in talks with new startup air carrier Pro Air to have this airline operate them in scheduled service as Pro Air Express in the U.S.; however, Pro Air then encountered financial difficulties and ceased all operations before the deal could be consummated. Air Marshall Islands also operated a Saab 2000 in the remote Micronesia island region of the Pacific Ocean. Some smaller airlines, including Eastern Airways in


title: "Saab 2000" content: the UK, have subsequently acquired 2000s at low cost and operated them on regional routes which experience lower passenger numbers as well on shuttle services in the U.K. for oil and gas personnel working in the North Sea. In June 2006, Pakistan completed the purchase of six Saab 2000 turboprop aircraft to be equipped with the Saab-Ericsson ERIEYE Airborne Early Warning system. Revised in May 2007 due to renegotiation with the Government of Pakistan, only five aircraft will be delivered, four of which will be equipped with the Erieye system. On 3 April 2008, the first Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C


title: "Saab 2000" content: was rolled out and presented to Pakistan Air Force officials during a ceremony in Sweden. By July 2018, 24 Saab 2000s were in airline service. As of 2017, the only operator of the Saab 2000 in scheduled passenger operations in the U.S. is PenAir flying code sharing service on behalf of Alaska Airlines between Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) and several destinations in the state of Alaska. As of July 2018, a total of 24 Saab 2000s remained in airline service, operated by: The following airlines formerly operated Saab 2000 aircraft in scheduled passenger service in the past: Saab


title: "Betula pendula" content: Betula pendula Betula pendula, commonly known as silver birch, warty birch, European white birch, or East Asian white birch, is a species of tree in the family Betulaceae, native to Europe and parts of Asia, though in southern Europe it is only found at higher altitudes. Its range extends into Siberia, China and southwest Asia in the mountains of northern Turkey, the Caucasus and northern Iran. It has been introduced into North America, where it is known as the European white birch, and is considered invasive in some states in the United States and in parts of Canada. The tree


title: "Betula pendula" content: can also be found in more temperate regions of Australia. The silver birch is a medium-sized deciduous tree that owes its common name to the white peeling bark on the trunk. The twigs are slender and often pendulous and the leaves are roughly triangular with doubly serrate margins and turn yellow in autumn before they fall. The flowers are catkins and the light, winged seed get widely scattered by the wind. The silver birch is a hardy tree, a pioneer species, and one of the first trees to appear on bare or fire-swept land. Many species of birds and animals


title: "Betula pendula" content: are found in birch woodland, the tree supports a wide range of insects and the light shade it casts allows shrubby and other plants to grow beneath its canopy. It is planted decoratively in parks and gardens and is used for forest products such as joinery timber, firewood, tanning, racecourse jumps and brooms. Various parts of the tree are used in traditional medicine and the bark contains triterpenes which have been shown to have medicinal properties. The silver birch is a medium-sized deciduous tree, typically reaching tall (exceptionally up to ), with a slender trunk usually under diameter. The bark


title: "Betula pendula" content: on the trunk and branches is golden-brown at first, but later this turns to white as a result of papery tissue developing on the surface and peeling off in flakes, in a similar manner to the closely related Paper birch ("B. papyrifera"). The bark remains smooth until the tree gets quite large, but in older trees, the bark thickens, becoming irregular, dark and rugged. Young branches have whitish resin warts and the twigs are slender, hairless and often pendulous. The buds are small and sticky, and development is sympodial, that is to say the terminal bud dies away and growth


title: "Betula pendula" content: continues from a lateral bud. The species is monoecious with male and female catkins found in the same tree. Some shoots are long and bear the male catkins at the tip, while others are short and bear female catkins. The immature male catkins are present during the winter but the female catkins develop in the spring, soon after the leaves unfurl. The leaves have short slender stalks and are long, triangular with broad, untoothed, wedge-shaped bases, slender pointed tips and coarsely double-toothed, serrated margins. They are sticky with resin at first but this dries as they age leaving small white


title: "Betula pendula" content: scales. The foliage is a pale to medium green and turns yellow early in the autumn before the leaves fall. In mid-summer, the female catkins mature and the male catkins expand and release pollen, and wind pollination takes place. The small 1 to 2 mm winged seeds ripen in late summer on pendulous, cylindrical catkins long and broad. The seeds are very numerous and are separated by scales, and when ripe, the whole catkin disintegrates and the seeds are spread widely by the wind. Silver birch can easily be confused with the similar downy birch ("Betula pubescens"). Yet, downy birch


title: "Betula pendula" content: are characterised by hairy leaves and young shoots whereas the same parts on silver birch are hairless. The leaf base of silver birch is usually a right angle to the stalk while for downy birch it is rounded. In terms of genetic structure the trees are quite different but do, however occasionally hybridise. The silver birch grows naturally from western Europe eastwards to Kazakhstan, the Sakha Republic in Siberia, Mongolia and the Xinjiang province in China, and southwards to the mountains of the Caucasus and northern Iran, Iraq and Turkey. It is also native to northern Morocco and has become


title: "Betula pendula" content: naturalised in some other parts of the world. In the southern parts of its range it is mainly found in mountainous regions. Its light seeds are easily blown by the wind and it is a pioneer species, one of the first trees to sprout on bare land or after a forest fire. It needs plenty of light and does best on dry, acid soils and is found on heathland, mountainsides and clinging to crags. Its tolerance to pollution make it suitable for planting in industrial areas and exposed sites. It has been introduced into North America where it is known


title: "Betula pendula" content: as the European white birch, and is considered invasive in the states of Kentucky, Maryland, Washington and Wisconsin. It is naturalised and locally invasive in parts of Canada. Three subspecies of silver birch are accepted: "B. pendula" is distinguished from the related downy birch ("B. pubescens", the other common European birch) in having hairless, warty shoots (hairy and without warts in downy birch), more triangular leaves with double serration on the margins (more ovoid and with single serrations in downy birch), and whiter bark often with scattered black fissures (greyer, less fissured, in downy birch). It is also distinguished cytologically,


title: "Betula pendula" content: silver birch being diploid (with two sets of chromosomes), whereas downy birch is tetraploid (four sets of chromosomes). Hybrids between the two are known, but are very rare, and being triploid, are sterile. The two have differences in habitat requirements, with silver birch found mainly on dry, sandy soils, and downy birch more common on wet, poorly drained sites such as clay soils and peat bogs. Silver birch also demands slightly more summer warmth than does downy birch, which is significant in the cooler parts of Europe. Many North American texts treat the two species as conspecific (and cause confusion


title: "Betula pendula" content: by combining the downy birch's alternative vernacular name 'white birch', with the scientific name "B. pendula" of the other species), but they are regarded as distinct species throughout Europe. Several varieties of "Betula pendula" are no longer accepted, including "B. pendula" var. "carelica", "fontqueri", "laciniata", "lapponica", "meridionalis", "microlepis", and "parvibracteata", as well as forms "Betula pendula" f. "bircalensis", "crispa", and "palmeri". Other synonyms include: The silver birch has an open canopy which allows plenty of light to reach the ground. This allows a variety of mosses, grasses and flowering plants to grow beneath which in turn attract insects. Flowering plants


title: "Betula pendula" content: often found in birch woods include primrose ("Primula vulgaris"), violet ("Viola riviniana"), bluebell ("Hyacinthoides non-scripta"), wood anemone ("Anemone nemorosa") and wood sorrel ("Oxalis acetosella"). Small shrubs that grow on the forest floor include blaeberry ("Vaccinium myrtillus") and cowberry ("Vaccinium vitis-idaea"). Birds found in birch woodland include the chaffinch, tree pipit, willow warbler, nightingale, robin, woodcock, redpoll and green woodpecker. The branches of the silver birch often have tangled masses of twigs known as witch's brooms growing among them, caused by the fungus "Taphrina betulina". Old trees are often killed by the decay fungus "Piptoporus betulinus" and fallen branches rot rapidly


title: "Betula pendula" content: on the forest floor. This tree commonly grows with the mycorrhizal fungus "Amanita muscaria" in a mutualistic relationship. This applies particularly to acidic or nutrient-poor soils. Other mycorrhizal associates include "Leccinum scabrum" and "Cantharellus cibarius". It has been shown that, as well as mycorrhiza, the presence of microfauna in the soil assists the growth of the tree, as it enhances the mobilization of nutrients. The larvae of a large number of species of butterflies, moths and other insects feed on the leaves and other parts of the silver birch. In Germany, almost 500 species of insect have been found on


title: "Betula pendula" content: silver and downy birch including 106 beetles and 105 lepidopterans, with 133 insect species feeding almost exclusively on birch. Birch dieback disease can affect planted trees, while naturally regenerated trees seem less susceptible. This disease also affects "Betula pubescens" and in 2000 was reported at many of the sites planted with birch in Scotland during the 1990s. In the United States, the wood is attacked by the bronze birch borer ("Agrilus anxius"), an insect pest to which it has no natural resistance. "Betula pendula" is considered a species of least concern by the IUCN Red List. The synonym "Betula oycowiensis"


title: "Betula pendula" content: (as "B. oycoviensis") was previously listed on the Red List as vulnerable, though it is now considered a synonym of "Betula pendula" subsp. "pendula". "Betula szaferi" was previously considered extinct in the wild on the Red List, but is now considered a form of "B. pendula" with the presence of a mutant gene, causing it to grow weakly and fruit heavily. Silver birch is often planted in parks and gardens, grown for its white bark and gracefully drooping shoots, sometimes even in warmer-than-optimum places such as Los Angeles and Sydney. In Scandinavia and other regions of northern Europe, it is


title: "Betula pendula" content: grown for forest products such as lumber and pulp, as well as for aesthetic purposes and ecosystem services. It is sometimes used as a pioneer and nurse tree elsewhere. Silver birch wood is pale in colour with no distinct heartwood and is used in making furniture, plywood, veneers, parquet blocks, skis, kitchen utensils and in turnery. It makes a good firewood that produces a good heat when burnt but is quickly consumed by the flames. Slabs of bark are used for making roof shingles and strips are used for handicrafts such as wooden footwear and small containers. Historically, the bark


title: "Betula pendula" content: was used for tanning. Bark can be heated and the resin collected; the resin is an excellent waterproof glue and useful for starting fires. The thin sheets of bark that peel off young wood contain a waxy resin and are easy to ignite even when wet. The dead twigs are also useful as kindling for outdoor fires. Birch brushwood is used for racecourse jumps and besom brooms. In the spring, large quantities of sap rise up the trunk and this can be tapped. It contains around 1% sugars and can be used in a similar way to maple syrup, being


title: "Betula pendula" content: drunk fresh, concentrated by evaporation or fermented into a "wine". In Sweden, the bark of birch trees was ground up and used to make bark bread, a form of famine food. The removal of bark was at one time so widespread that Carl Linnaeus expressed his concern for the survival of the woodlands. Silver birch is used in traditional medicine as a diuretic and is reputed to be useful in the treatment of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, gout, kidney stones, nephritis, cystitis, digestive disturbances and respiratory diseases. For these purposes, a decoction of the bark or leaves is


title: "Betula pendula" content: generally used. Externally silver birch is used to promote healing, relieve pain and treat inflammations and infections of the skin such as eczema and psoriasis. The outer part of the bark contains up to 20% betulin. The main components in the essential oil of the buds are α-copaene (~10%), germacrene D (~15%) and δ-cadinene (~13%). Also present in the bark are other triterpene substances which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antiviral and anti-cancer properties. The silver birch is Finland's national tree. Leafy, fragrant boughs of silver birch (called vihta or vasta) are used to gently beat oneself in the


title: "Betula pendula" content: Finnish sauna culture. Successful birch cultivation requires a climate cool enough for at least the occasional winter snowfall. As they are shallow-rooted, they may require water during dry periods. They grow best in full sun planted in deep, well-drained soil. The cultivars marked above have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Betula pendula Betula pendula, commonly known as silver birch, warty birch, European white birch, or East Asian white birch, is a species of tree in the family Betulaceae, native to Europe and parts of Asia, though in southern Europe it is only found at higher altitudes.


title: "United States Institute of Peace" content: on December 6, 2006. In Fall 2008, U.S. Institute of Peace, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the American Academy of Diplomacy jointly convened the Genocide Prevention Task Force to "spotlight genocide prevention as a national priority and to develop practical policy recommendations to enhance the capacity of the U.S. government to respond to emerging threats of genocide and mass atrocities". The 14-member task force, co-chaired by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Defense Secretary William Cohen, outlined "a national blueprint to prevent genocide and mass atrocities". In December 2008, the task force released its report "Preventing Genocide:


title: "Lawrence Taylor" content: he was arrested in Miami-Dade County, Florida for leaving the scene of an accident after striking another vehicle with his Cadillac Escalade. He had already committed the same offense in 1996 when he totaled his Lexus in a one-car accident and left the scene, saying he did not think the law required the reporting of a single driver incident. He was released on a $500 bond, and the other driver later sued him, seeking $15,000. He was arrested six months later for having sex with a 16-year-old girl at a Holiday Inn located in Montebello, New York. He was charged


title: "Yellow-breasted chat" content: Yellow-breasted chat The yellow-breasted chat ("Icteria virens") is a large songbird found in North America, and is the only member of the family Icteriidae. It was once a member of the New World warbler family, but in 2017 the AOS (American Ornithological Society) moved it to its own family. Its placement is not definitely resolved. The yellow-breasted chat is found throughout North America. It breeds from the southern plains of Canada to central Mexico, and mainly migrates to Mexico and Central America for the winter, although some may overwinter in coastal areas farther north. This species occurs in areas where


title: "Yellow-breasted chat" content: dense shrubby growth is common. Today, its habitat often consists of abandoned farmland and other rural areas where overgrown vegetation proliferates. If they are considered part of the family Parulidae (New World warblers), yellow-breasted chats are the largest species of parulid. In fact, they can often weigh more than twice as much as other parulid species. However, their membership in this taxonomic family is disputed. This species reaches a total length of and a wingspan of . Body mass can range from . Among standard measurements, the wing chord is , the elongated tail is , the relatively long, heavy


title: "Yellow-breasted chat" content: bill is and the tarsus is . These birds have olive upperparts with white bellies and bright yellow throats and breasts. Other signature features of yellow-breasted chats are its large white eye-rings and blackish legs. If seen, this species is unlikely to be mistaken for any other bird. The yellow-breasted chat is a shy, skulking species of bird, often being heard but not seen. The breeding habitats of this species are dense, brushy areas and hedgerows. The nests of these birds are bulky cups made of grasses, leaves, strips of bark, stems of weeds and lined with finer grasses, wiry


title: "Yellow-breasted chat" content: plant stems, pine needles and sometimes roots and hair. Nests are invariably placed in thick shrubs and often only about above the ground. They will lay from 3 to 5 creamy white eggs with reddish brown blotches or speckles, incubated by the female, hatch in 11 to 12 days. Both parents tend the young, who fledge in approximately 8 to 11 days. Chats are apparently vigilant guards of their nests, as parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds is not as frequent as with other cup nest builders. However, they are not as monogamous as other warblers. In one study in central Kentucky,