Question: What was the building or structure prior to the existence of this building?

Instruction: Retrieve a Wikipedia paragraph that provides an answer to the given query about the image.

30 St Mary Axe. 30 St Mary Axe (previously known as the Swiss Re Building and informally known as the Gherkin) is a commercial skyscraper in London's primary financial district, the City of London. It was completed in December 2003 and opened in April 2004. With 41 floors, it is 180 (m) tall and stands on the sites of the former Baltic Exchange and Chamber of Shipping, which were extensively damaged in 1992 in the Baltic Exchange bombing by a device placed by the Provisional IRA in St Mary Axe, a narrow street leading north from Leadenhall Street.After plans to build the 92-storey Millennium.

30 St Mary Axe. Tower were dropped, 30 St Mary Axe was designed by Norman Foster and the Arup Group. It was erected by Skanska; construction started in 2001.The building has become a recognisable landmark of London, and it is one of the city's most widely recognised examples of contemporary architecture. It won the 2003 Emporis Skyscraper Award.## Site and early plans.The building stands on the site of the former Baltic Exchange (24–28 St Mary Axe), which was the headquarters of a global marketplace for shipping freight contracts and soft commodities, and the Chamber of Shipping (30–32 St Mary Axe). The tower's topmost panoramic.

30 St Mary Axe. dome, known as the "lens", recalls the iconic glass dome that covered part of the ground floor of the Baltic Exchange and much of which is now displayed at the National Maritime Museum. "The Gherkin" nickname was applied to the current building at least as early as 1999, referring to the plan's highly unorthodox layout and appearance.On 10 April 1992, the Provisional IRA detonated a bomb close to the Baltic Exchange, causing extensive damage to the historic building and neighbouring structures. The United Kingdom government's statutory adviser on the historic environment, English Heritage, and the City of London's governing body,.

30 St Mary Axe. the City of London Corporation, were keen that any redevelopment must restore the Baltic Exchange's old façade onto St Mary Axe. The Exchange Hall was a celebrated fixture of the shipping market.English Heritage then discovered that the damage was far more severe than initially thought, and they stopped insisting on full restoration, albeit over the objections of architectural conservationists. The Baltic Exchange and the Chamber of Shipping sold the land to Trafalgar House in 1995. Most of the remaining structures on the Baltic Exchange site were then carefully dismantled, and the interior of Exchange Hall and the façade were preserved,.

30 St Mary Axe. accepted.## Planning process.John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, granted planning permission on 23 August 2000 to construct a building on the site, which would be much larger than the old Exchange. The site needed development, was not on any of the "sight lines" (planning guidance requires that new buildings do not obstruct or detract from the view of St Paul's Cathedral dome when viewed from a number of locations around London), and had housed the Baltic Exchange.The plan for the site was to reconstruct the Baltic Exchange. GMW Architects proposed a new rectangular building surrounding a restored exchange: it would.


Question: Which place is this plant endemic to?

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Dacrydium cupressinum. Dacrydium cupressinum, commonly known as rimu, is a large evergreen coniferous tree endemic to the forests of New Zealand. It is a member of the southern conifer group, the podocarps. The former name "red pine" has fallen out of common use.## Distribution.Rimu grows throughout New Zealand, in the North Island, South Island and Stewart Island/Rakiura. This species is common in lowland and montane forest. Although the largest concentration of trees is now found on the West Coast of the South Island, the biggest trees tend to be in mixed podocarp forest near Taupo (e.g., Pureora, Waihaha, and Whirinaki Forests). A.

Dacrydium cupressinum. the main sources of wood for New Zealand, including furniture and house construction. However, many of New Zealand's original stands of rimu have been destroyed, and recent government policies forbid the felling of rimu in public forests, though allowing limited logging on private land. "Pinus radiata" has now replaced rimu in most industries, although rimu remains popular for the production of high quality wooden furniture. There is also limited recovery of stump and root wood, from trees felled many years before, for use in making bowls and other wood turned objects.The inner bark can also be used to treat burns.

Dacrydium cupressinum. and cuts.## In cultivation.Although slow to establish, with a long juvenile period and fairly high moisture requirements, rimu is widely grown as an ornamental tree in New Zealand. It is attractive at all growth stages, usually quite narrow when young, then developing into a broader tree with weeping branches before finally progressing to its more upright adult form. While rimu does exhibit some variation in the wild, garden cultivars are largely unknown, except for one recent introduction, 'Charisma', which is a compact, golden-foliaged form.


Question: Which place is this plant endemic to?

Instruction: You have to find a Wikipedia segment that answers the question about the displayed image.

Schizachyrium scoparium. Schizachyrium scoparium, commonly known as little bluestem or beard grass, is a species of North American prairie grass native to most of the contiguous United States (except California, Nevada, and Oregon) as well as a small area north of the Canada–US border and northern Mexico. It is most common in the Midwestern prairies and is one of the most abundant native plants in Texas grasslands.Little bluestem is a perennial bunchgrass and is prominent in tallgrass prairie, along with big bluestem ("Andropogon gerardi"), indiangrass ("Sorghastrum nutans") and switchgrass ("Panicum virgatum"). It is a warm-season species, meaning it employs the C4 photosynthetic.

Schizachyrium scoparium. pathway.## Description.Little bluestem grows to become an upright, roundish mound of soft, bluish-green or grayish-green blades in May and June that is about two to three feet high. In July, it initiates flowering stalks, which reach four to five feet in height. In fall, it displays a coppery or mostly orange color with tints of red or purple. Sometimes it displays in some places, as in sandy soils, a redder fall color. It becomes a more orangish-bronze in winter until early spring, when it becomes more tan.## Cultivation.It is recommended for USDA zones 3 to 10.The plant grows best in.

Schizachyrium scoparium. full sun and on well-drained soils. It can be dug up and divided in spring, as many other perennials, for propagation or to reduce the size of an old, big plant. It can be burned in late winter or early spring in a prairie or meadow before new growth, like many American prairie grasses (big bluestem, Indian-grass, and switchgrass), which burn quickly and cleanly.## Cultivars.A number of cultivars have been developed. 'Carousel' is a compact form with especially good fall color developed by Chicagoland Grows. 'The Blues' is a selection that has bluer foliage. 'Standing Ovation' is a tight, upright.

Schizachyrium scoparium. form with bluer and thicker blades and sturdier stems.## Subdivisions.One variety, var. "littorale", is native to the eastern and southern coastal strip of the United States, as well as the shores of the Great Lakes. It is adapted to sand dune habitat, and is sometimes considered a separate species, "S. littorale".## Culture.Little bluestem is the official state grass of Nebraska and Kansas.## Ecology.Little bluestem is drought tolerant, and is a larval host to the cobweb skipper, common wood nymph, crossline skipper, Dakota skipper, dusted skipper, Indian skipper, Leonard's skipper, Ottoe skipper, and swarthy skipper.Missouri Botanical Garden's Kemper Center for Home.


Question: Who is the architect of this facility?

Instruction: Determine the Wikipedia snippet that matches the question of this image.

Battersea Power Station. Battersea Power Station is a decommissioned Grade II* listed coal-fired power station, located on the south bank of the River Thames, in Nine Elms, Battersea, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It was built by the London Power Company (LPC) to the design of Leonard Pearce, Engineer in Chief to the LPC, and CS Allott & Son Engineers. The architects were J. Theo Halliday and Giles Gilbert Scott. The station is one of the world's largest brick buildings and notable for its original, Art Deco interior fittings and decor.The building comprises two power stations, built in two stages, in a.

Battersea Power Station. The site was chosen for its proximity to the River Thames for cooling water and coal delivery, and because it was in the heart of London, the station's immediate supply area.The proposal sparked protests from those who felt that the building would be too large and would be an eyesore, as well as worries about the pollution damaging local buildings, parks and even paintings in the nearby Tate Gallery. The company addressed the former concern by hiring Sir Giles Gilbert Scott to design the building's exterior. He was a distinguished architect and industrial designer, famous for his designs for the.

Battersea Power Station. Giles Gilbert Scott was involved in the project much later on, consulted to appease public reaction, and referred to in the press as "architect of the exterior". The station was designed in the "brick-cathedral" style of power station design, which was popular at the time. Battersea is one of a very small number of examples of this style of power station design still in existence in the UK, others being Uskmouth and Bankside. The station's design proved popular straightaway, and was described as a "temple of power", which ranked equal with St Paul's Cathedral as a London landmark. In a.


Question: What is the closest parent taxonomy of this plant?

Instruction: Determine the Wikipedia snippet that matches the question of this image.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. Asplenium rhizophyllum, the (American) walking fern, is a frequently-occurring fern native to North America. It is a close relative of "Asplenium ruprechtii" (syn: "Camptosorus sibiricus") which is found in East Asia and also goes by the common name of "walking fern".## Description."Asplenium rhizophyllum" is a small fern whose undivided, evergreen leaves and long, narrow leaf tips, sometimes curving back and rooting, give it a highly distinctive appearance. It grows in tufts, often surrounded by child plants formed from the leaf tips. The leaves of younger plants tend to lie flat to the ground, while older plants have leaves more erect.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. or arching.## Roots and rhizomes.It does not spread and form new plants via the roots. Its rhizomes (underground stems) are upright or nearly so, short, about 1 (mm) in diameter, and generally unbranched. They bear dark brown or blackish, narrowly triangular or lance-shaped scales which are strongly clathrate (bearing a lattice-like pattern). The scales are 2 to 3 (mm) long and 0.5 to 1 (mm) wide (occasionally as narrow as 0.2 (mm)) with untoothed margins.## Leaves.The stipe (the stalk of the leaf, below the blade) is 0.5 to 12 (cm) long (occasionally up to 15 (cm) long), and ranges from.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. one-tenth to one and one-half times the length of the blade. The stipe is reddish-brown and sometimes shiny at the base, becoming green above, and narrowly winged. Scales like those of the rhizome are present at the stipe base, changing to tiny club-shaped hairs above.The leaf blades are not subdivided, as in most other ferns, but are narrowly triangular to linear or lance-shaped. Their shape can be quite variable, even on the same plant. They measure from 1 to 30 (cm) long and from 0.5 to 5 (cm) across and have a leathery texture with sparse hairs, more abundant below.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. than above. The rachis (leaf axis) is dull green in color and almost devoid of hairs. On the underside of the blade, the veins are difficult to see and anastomose (split and rejoin each other), forming a series of areoles (the small areas enclosed by the veins) near the rachis. Fertile fronds are usually larger than sterile fronds, but their shape is otherwise the same. The base of the blade is typically heart-shaped (with the stipe protruding from the cleft); the bulges on either side of the cleft are frequently enlarged into auricles (rounded lobes), or occasionally into sharply-pointed, tapering.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. lobes. The leaf tips may be rounded but are typically very long and attenuate (drawn out); the attenuate tips are capable of sprouting roots and growing into a new plant when the tip touches a surface suitable for growth. On rare occasions, the auricles at the leaf base will also take on an attenuate shape and form roots at the tip. The ability of the leaf tips to root and form a new plant at some distance from the parent gives the species its common name. The young leaves forming from a bud at the leaf tip are round to.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. pointed at their apex, not yet having developed the long-attenuate shape.Specimens of "A. rhizophyllum" with forked blades have been found in Arkansas and Missouri. The fork usually occurs in the tip, perhaps due to growth after insect damage, but one specimen was found forking from the upper part of the stipe.## Sori and spores.Fertile fronds bear a large number of sori underneath, 1 to 4 (mm) long, which are not arranged in any particular order. The sori are often fused where veins join, and may curve to follow the vein to which they are attached. The sori are covered by.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. inconspicuous thin, white indusia with untoothed edges. Each sporangium in a sorus carries 64 spores. The diploid sporophyte has a chromosome number of 72.## Similar species.The leaf shape and proliferating tips easily distinguish "A. rhizophyllum" from most other ferns. Its hybrid descendants share the long-attenuate leaf tip, but are more deeply lobed. An artificial backcross between "A. rhizophyllum" and "A. tutwilerae" was closer to "A. rhizophyllum" in morphology, but still remained some lobes in the basal part of the blade, had a shallowly undulating, rather than smoothly curved, leaf edge in the apical part, showed a maroon color in the.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. stipe up to the base of the leaf blade, and possessed the abortive spores of a sterile hybrid. "A. ruprechtii", the Asian walking fern, also possesses attenuate, proliferating tips, but has a lanceolate leaf blade, which tapers to a wedge at the base rather than forming a heart shape. "A. scolopendrium", the hart's-tongue fern, has larger, longer leaves that are glossy with a rounded tip.## Taxonomy.This species is commonly known as North American walking fern or simply walking fern, because the growth of new plants at the leaf tip allows it to "walk" across surfaces over several generations. The specific.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. epithet "rhizophyllum", meaning "root leaf", also reflects this characteristic.Linnaeus first gave the walking fern the binomial "Asplenium rhizophyllum" in his "Species Plantarum" of 1753. In 1833, J.H.F. Link placed the species in a segregate genus, "Camptosorus", because of the irregular arrangement of its sori (in contrast to the rest of "Asplenium", where the sori are confined to the edge of veins). John Smith did not feel that this character was sufficient to segregate it from the rest of "Asplenium", but placed it in the genus "Antigramma", another "Asplenium" segregate, on the basis of its reticulate venation, to the convolutions of.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. which he attributed the soral arrangement. It was commonly placed either in "Asplenium" and "Camptosorus" by later authors, the latter genus including the similar Asian species "A. ruprechtii" but phylogenetic studies have shown that "Camptosorus" is nested within "Asplenium" and its species should be treated as part of that genus. The name "Asplenium rhizophyllum" has also been applied to two other species; in current botanical practice, these are illegitimate later homonyms of Linnaeus' name of 1753. The first of these homonyms was created by Linnaeus himself in 1763, when he accidentally used the name twice, applying it first to his.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. original taxon and again to a species from the West Indies which also proliferates at the leaf tips. He had referred to the West Indian species as "A. radicans" in 1759, the name by which it is known today. In 1834, Gustav Kunze transferred the species "Caenopteris rhizophylla" to "Asplenium" without changing the epithet; George Proctor identified this species, based on a specimen from Dominica, with "A. conquisitum", now synonymized with "A. rutaceum". A global phylogeny of "Asplenium" published in 2020 divided the genus into eleven clades, which were given informal names pending further taxonomic study. "A. rhizophyllum" belongs to.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. the ""A. cordatum" subclade" of the ""Schaffneria" clade". The "Schaffneria" clade has a worldwide distribution, and members vary widely in form and habitat. There is no clear morphological feature that unites the "A. cordatum" subclade; the sister species of "A. rhizophyllum" is "A. ruprechtii", which shares an undivided leaf blade and a proliferating tip, while the other three species are scaly spleenworts of dry habitats in Africa and the Middle East.## Hybrids.Walking fern is one of the three parental species of the "Appalachian "Asplenium" complex", a group of Asplenium hybrids and their progenitors known from eastern North America. Hybridization between.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. walking fern and mountain spleenwort ("A. montanum") has given rise through chromosome doubling to a new, fertile, species, lobed spleenwort ("A. pinnatifidum"). The sterile hybrid between walking fern and ebony spleenwort ("A. platyneuron"), known as Scott's spleenwort ("A. × ebenoides"), may be found where the two parents are in contact; at one locality, in Havana Glen, Alabama, "A. × ebenoides" has undergone chromosome doubling to produce a fertile species, Tutwiler's spleenwort ("A. tutwilerae").Much more rarely, walking fern hybridizes with two other common spleenworts of eastern North America. The hybrid between walking fern and wall-rue ("A. ruta-muraria"), known as unexpected spleenwort.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. ("A. × inexpectatum"), is known from a single specimen collected on dolomite in Adams County, Ohio. The hybrid between walking fern and maidenhair spleenwort, ("A. trichomanes" ssp. "trichomanes"), Shawnee spleenwort ("A. × shawneense"), is known from one collection on sandstone in the Shawnee Hills of Illinois.A triploid hybrid between walking fern and Tutwiler's spleenwort was accidentally produced in culture. A similar plant collected from limestone in Shepherdstown, West Virginia could have originated from the same parents, from an unreduced (diploid) gametophyte of Scott's spleenwort crossed with walking fern, or from an unreduced walking fern gametophyte crossed with ebony spleenwort.## Infraspecific.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. taxa.In 1813, Henry Muhlenberg listed lobed spleenwort as "Asplenium rhizophyllum" var. "pinnatifidum", although he did not provide a description distinguishing the variety from the typical species. It was described as the species "A. pinnatifidum" by Thomas Nuttall in 1818.A number of forms have been described, of limited taxonomic value. In 1883, J. C. Arthur described walking ferns from limestone cliffs in Muscatine County, Iowa that lacked auricles at the leaf base, with the blade abruptly tapering at the base instead. In this respect, the plants closely resembled "A. ruprechtii", but the leaf shape of the Iowa plants was lanceolate (widest.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. near the base) rather than ovate (widest in the middle), and the wide point of the leaf in the Iowa plants appeared slightly lobed. He named these plants "Camptosorus rhizophyllus" var. "intermedius"; the variety was subsequently given the status of a form by Willard N. Clute. In 1922, Ralph Hoffmann gave the name "C. rhizophyllus" f. "auriculatus" to specimens with proliferating auricles, based on material on limestone from New Marlborough, Massachusetts. In 1924, Frederick W. Gray described as "C. rhizophyllus" f. "angustatus" material from a sandstone boulder in Monroe County, West Virginia. These had a short stipe, less than 1.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. (in) long, and narrow leaf blades, less than 0.375 (in) wide, with the sori almost at the margins. He argued that as they were found along with normal material, they were not solely due to sun exposure. Finally, in 1935, Carl L. Wilson described "C. rhizophyllus" f. "boycei" based on material collected from the base of a limestone boulder in Highgate Springs, Vermont by Guy Boyce. These plants had deeply lobed auricles, and erose (jagged or indented) leaf margins with rounded edges.## Distribution.The principal range of "A. rhizophyllum" is in the Appalachian Mountains and the Ozarks. It can be found.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. from southern Quebec and Ontario along the Appalachians and Piedmont southwestward to Mississippi and Alabama, along the Ohio Valley and into the Ozarks west to Nebraska and Oklahoma, and along the Mississippi Valley north to Wisconsin and Minnesota. It has become extinct in Maine and Delaware. The distribution typically follows area of limy soil; sometimes said to be rare, it is better described as locally abundant where conditions favor it.## Ecology and conservation.Walking fern grows on shaded boulders, ledges and in crevices, usually covered with moss. On rare occasions, it is found on fallen tree trunks, as an epiphyte, or.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. on the ground. It is usually found on limestone or other alkaline rocks, rarely on sandstone or other acidic rocks.While globally secure, it is endangered in some states and provinces at the edge of its range. NatureServe considers it critically imperiled (S1) in Mississippi, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, imperiled (S2) in Michigan and South Carolina, and vulnerable (S3) in North Carolina and Quebec.## Cultivation.It was introduced into cultivation in England in 1680. It prefers low to medium light levels, and a moist, basic potting mix, or soil with added lime chips. Michigan conservation plan Last report from Maine Report.

Asplenium rhizophyllum. from sandstone in Michigan Hardy Fern Library Connecticut Botanical Society Flora of Pennsylvania.


Question: Which city or region does this place locate in?

Instruction: I want to find a paragraph from Wikipedia that answers my question about this image.

Begijnhof, Amsterdam. The Begijnhof is one of the oldest hofjes in Amsterdam, Netherlands. A group of historic buildings, mostly private dwellings, centre on it. As the name suggests, it was originally a Béguinage. Today it is also the site of two churches, the Catholic "Houten Huys" and the English Reformed Church.## Earliest times.The Begijnhof is the only inner court in Amsterdam which was founded during the Middle Ages, and therefore lies within the Singel — the innermost canal of Amsterdam's circular canal system. The Begijnhof is at medieval street level, which means a meter below the rest of the old city center.It.

Begijnhof, Amsterdam. is unclear when exactly the Begijnhof (Beguines' court) was founded. In 1346, the beguines still lived in a house (a document of that time mentioned one "beghynhuys"). A courtyard was only first mentioned in 1389, probably after the religious status of the city rose due to the Amsterdam Eucharistic Miracle of 1345.Originally the Begijnhof was entirely encircled by water (the "Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal", the "Spui" and the "Begijnensloot" or "Beguines' Ditch"), with the sole entrance located at the "Begijnensteeg" ("Beguines' Alley"), which had a bridge across the Begijnensloot. The back facades were therefore water-locked. The Spui entrance only dates back to.

Begijnhof, Amsterdam. the 19th century.## Characteristics.The Begijnhof differs from the usual Amsterdam patricians' court in that this old people's home was not founded by private persons. It bore closer resemblance to a convent, although the beguines enjoyed greater freedom than nuns in a convent. While beguines took a vow of chastity, and while they considered themselves obliged to attend Holy Mass every day and pray various official prayers, they were free to leave the court at any time in order to get married.## Tall Amsterdam houses.The buildings in the court are tall, characteristically Amsterdam-style town-houses, emphasising the court's relatively private character. The.

Begijnhof, Amsterdam. Begijnhof is the only court whose houses have addresses bearing the name of the court itself. Unlike most courts, the houses here do not form rows joining one dwelling with another; instead, there are 47 regular town houses, each with its individual aspect, and most of them with facades from the 17th and 18th centuries. However, the buildings themselves are usually of earlier date, eighteen of them still possessing a Gothic wooden framework.## The Wooden House.The ancient, restored wooden house ("Het Houten Huys", 34 Begijnhof) is famous as one of the two wooden houses still existing in the center of.

Begijnhof, Amsterdam. Amsterdam (the other one being Zeedijk 1); there are annexed villages like Nieuwendam (Amsterdam North) with many wooden houses and even a wooden church. This house dates from about 1528, and is the oldest wooden house in Amsterdam.The courtyard has two bleaching greens, one on each side of the chapel.## Gates.The old Begijnesloot gate, restored in 1907, dates from 1574 and has a gable stone depicting Saint Ursula, patron saint of the Amsterdam beguines. The Spui gate from about 1725 was replaced by the present gatehouse in the 19th century. The Begijnhof has a great number of gable stones, many.

Begijnhof, Amsterdam. of which show a strong Roman Catholic character.## Religious strife.After the Alteration (Protestant takeover) of 1578, when Amsterdam came under Calvinist rule, the Begijnhof was the only Roman Catholic institution to be allowed to remain in existence. This was because the houses were the beguines' private property. The Chapel, however, was closed and lay empty for around 30 years before being ceded to the English Presbyterians, and since that time has been alluded to as the "English Church". Several of the pulpit panels were designed by Piet Mondrian.## A clandestine church.In 1671, the architect Philip Vingboons converted two dwellings opposite.

Begijnhof, Amsterdam. the Chapel entrance into a "schuilkerk", or conventicle church, for Catholics, the "Church of the Saints John and Ursula", named after the patron saints of the Begijnhof. This church was kept secret, as was demanded by the city government, and could not be recognized as a church from the outside. In 1908 this became the Miracle Church, after the original Miracle Church had been deliberately destroyed by its Protestant owners.## Buried in the gutter.The most famous beguine in the Begijnhof's history is sister Cornelia Arens, who died on 14 October 1654. (Her date of birth is unknown, but she professed.

Begijnhof, Amsterdam. the vows of chastity and the Catholic faith on 6 July 1621.) Rather than be laid to rest in the Chapel, which she considered "desecrated" by Presbyterians, she chose to be buried in the gutter of the court. Legend has it that contrary to her wish, she was in fact buried in the Chapel, but her coffin was found in the adjoining gutter the following day. This happened two more times, until she was at last laid to rest in the gutter. Another version of the legend is that her soul found no peace and roamed the court at night.

Begijnhof, Amsterdam. until she was buried in the gutter.## The last beguine."Sister Antonia", whose original name was Agatha Kaptein, was born on 13 April 1887 at Akersloot. The last beguine, she died on 23 May 1971 at the age of 84. She was buried in the Sisters' Grave in the St. Barbara's Roman Catholic Cemetery in Amsterdam on 26 May of the same year.## Renovation.Until its renovation in 1979, the court had 140 dwellings — some 110 of them consisting of a single room, and about 25 comprising two. The occupants likewise numbered 140. The renovations enlarged the houses to two or.

Begijnhof, Amsterdam. three rooms. Since that time, the number of female inhabitants has been an unvaried 105. Beguines and Beghards Website of the Begijnhof Images of Begijnhof.


Question: What is this plant named after?

Instruction: Determine the Wikipedia snippet that matches the question of this image.

Banksia. Banksia is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes, and fruiting "cones" and heads. "Banksias" range in size from prostrate woody shrubs to trees up to 30 metres (100 ft) tall. They are found in a wide variety of landscapes: sclerophyll forest, (occasionally) rainforest, shrubland, and some more arid landscapes, though not in Australia's deserts.Heavy producers of nectar, "banksias" are a vital part of the food chain in the Australian bush. They are an important food source for all sorts of.

Banksia. nectarivorous animals, including birds, bats, rats, possums, stingless bees and a host of invertebrates. Further, they are of economic importance to Australia's nursery and cut flower industries. However, these plants are threatened by a number of processes including land clearing, frequent burning and disease, and a number of species are rare and endangered.## Description.Banksias grow as trees or woody shrubs. Trees of the largest species, "B. integrifolia" (coast banksia) and "B. seminuda" (river banksia), often grow over 15 metres tall, some even grow to standing 30 metres tall. "Banksia" species that grow as shrubs are usually erect, but there are.

Banksia. several species that are prostrate, with branches that grow on or below the soil.The leaves of "Banksia" vary greatly between species. Sizes vary from the narrow, 1– centimetre long needle-like leaves of "B. ericifolia" (heath-leaved banksia), to the very large leaves of "B. grandis" (bull banksia), which may be up to 45 centimetres long. The leaves of most species have serrated edges, but a few, such as "B. integrifolia", do not. Leaves are usually arranged along the branches in irregular spirals, but in some species they are crowded together in whorls. Many species have differing juvenile and adult leaves (e.g.,.

Banksia. "Banksia integrifolia" has large serrated juvenile leaves).The flowers are arranged in flower spikes or capitate flower heads. The character most commonly associated with "Banksia" is the flower spike, an elongated inflorescence consisting of a woody axis covered in tightly packed pairs of flowers attached at right angles. A single flower spike generally contains hundreds or even thousands of flowers; the most recorded is around 6000 on inflorescences of "B. grandis". Not all "Banksia" have an elongate flower spike, however: the members of the small "Isostylis" complex have long been recognised as "banksias" in which the flower spike has been reduced.

Banksia. to a head; and recently the large genus "Dryandra" has been found to have arisen from within the ranks of "Banksia", and sunk into it as "B." ser. "Dryandra". They similarly have capitate flower heads rather than spikes."Banksia" flowers are usually a shade of yellow, but orange, red, pink and even violet flowers also occur. The colour of the flowers is determined by the colour of the perianth parts and often the style. The style is much longer than the perianth, and is initially trapped by the upper perianth parts. These are gradually released over a period of days, either.

Banksia. from top to bottom or from bottom to top. When the styles and perianth parts are different colours, the visual effect is of a colour change sweeping along the spike. This can be most spectacular in "B. prionotes" (acorn banksia) and related species, as the white inflorescence in bud becomes a brilliant orange. In most cases, the individual flowers are tall, thin saccate (sack-shaped) in shape.Occasionally, multiple flower spikes can form. This is most often seen in "Banksia marginata" and "B. ericifolia" "(pictured right)".As the flower spikes or heads age, the flower parts dry up and may turn shades of.

Banksia. orange, tan or dark brown colour, before fading to grey over a period of years. In some species, old flower parts are lost, revealing the axis; in others, the old flower parts may persist for many years, giving the fruiting structure a hairy appearance. Old flower spikes are commonly referred to as "cones", although they are not technically cones according to the botanical definition of the term: cones only occur in conifers and cycads.Despite the large number of flowers per inflorescence, only a few of them ever develop fruit, and in some species a flower spike will set no fruit.

Banksia. at all. The fruit of "Banksia" is a woody follicle embedded in the axis of the inflorescence. In many species, the resulting structure is a massive woody structure commonly called a cone. Each follicle consists of two horizontal valves that tightly enclose the seeds. The follicle opens to release the seed by splitting along the suture. In some species, each valve splits too. In some species the follicles open as soon as the seed is mature, but in most species most follicles open only after stimulated to do so by bushfire. Each follicle usually contains one or two small seeds,.

Banksia. each with a wedge-shaped papery wing that causes it to spin as it falls to the ground.## Taxonomy.Specimens of "Banksia" were first collected by Sir Joseph Banks and Dr Daniel Solander, naturalists on the "Endeavour" during Lieutenant (later Captain) James Cook's first voyage to the Pacific Ocean. Cook landed on Australian soil for the first time on 29 April 1770, at a place that he later named Botany Bay in recognition of "the great quantity of plants Mr Banks and Dr Solander found in this place". Over the next seven weeks, Banks and Solander collected thousands of plant specimens, including.

Banksia. the first specimens of a new genus that would later be named "Banksia" in Banks' honour. Four species were present in this first collection: "B. serrata" (Saw Banksia), "B. integrifolia" (Coast Banksia), "B. ericifolia" (Heath-leaved Banksia) and "B. robur" (Swamp Banksia). In June the ship was careened at Endeavour River, where specimens of "B. dentata" (Tropical Banksia) were collected.The genus "Banksia" was finally described and named by Carolus Linnaeus the Younger in his April 1782 publication "Supplementum Plantarum"; hence the full name for the genus is ""Banksia" L.f.". Linnaeus placed the genus in class Tetrandra, order Monogynia of his father's.

Banksia. classification, and named it in honour of Banks. The name "Banksia" had in fact already been published in 1775 as "Banksia" J.R.Forst & G.Forst, referring to some New Zealand species that the Forsters had collected during Cook's second voyage. However Linnaeus incorrectly attributed the Forsters' specimens to the genus "Passerina", and therefore considered the name "Banksia" available for use. By the time Joseph Gaertner corrected Banks' error in 1788, "Banksia" L.f. was widely known and accepted, so Gaertner renamed "Banksia" J.R.Forst, & G.Forst to "Pimelea", a name previously chosen for the genus by Banks and Solander.The first specimens of a.

Banksia. "Dryandra" were collected by Archibald Menzies, surgeon and naturalist to the Vancouver Expedition. At the request of Joseph Banks, Menzies collected natural history specimens wherever possible during the voyage. During September and October 1791, while the expedition were anchored at King George Sound, he collected numerous plant specimens, including the first specimens of "Dryandra ("now" Banksia) sessilis" (Parrotbush) and "D. ("now" Banksia) pellaeifolia". Upon Menzies' return to England, he turned his specimens over to Banks; as with most other specimens in Banks' library, they remained undescribed for many years. Robert Brown gave a lecture, naming the new genus "Dryandra" in.

Banksia. 1809, however Joseph Knight published the name "Josephia" before Brown published his paper with the description of "Dryandra". Brown ignored Knight's name, as did subsequent botanists.In 1891, Otto Kuntze, strictly applying the principle of priority, argued that "Pimelea" should revert to the name "Banksia" J.R.Forst & G.Forst. He proposed the new genus "Sirmuellera" to replaced "Banksia" L.f. and transferred its species to the new genus. This arrangement was largely ignored by Kuntze's contemporaries."Banksia" L.f. was formally conserved and "Sirmuellera" rejected in 1940."Banksia" belongs to the family Proteaceae, subfamily Grevilleoideae, and tribe Banksieae. There are around 170 species. The closest relatives.

Banksia. of "Banksia" are two genera of rainforest trees in North Queensland ("Musgravea" and "Austromuellera").## Subgeneric arrangement.Alex George arranged the genus into two subgenera—subgenus "Isostylis" (containing "B. ilicifolia", "B. oligantha" and "B. cuneata") and subgenus "Banksia" (containing all other species except those he considered dryandras)—in his 1981 monograph and 1999 treatment for the Flora of Australia series. He held that flower morphology was the key to relationships in the genus. Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele published the official merging of "Dryandra" within "Banksia" in 2007, recalibrating the genus into subgenus "Banksia" and subgenus "Spathulatae".## Distribution and habitat.All but one of the.

Banksia. living "Banksia" species are endemic to Australia. The exception is "B. dentata" (tropical banksia), which occurs throughout northern Australia, and on islands to the north including New Guinea and the Aru Islands. An extinct species, "B. novae-zelandiae", was found in New Zealand. The other species occur in two distinct geographical regions: southwest Western Australia and eastern Australia. Southwest Western Australia is the main centre of biodiversity; over 90% of all "Banksia" species occur only there, from Exmouth in the north, south and east to beyond Esperance on the south coast. Eastern Australia has far fewer species, but these include some.

Banksia. of best known and most widely distributed species, including "B. integrifolia" (coast banksia) and "B. spinulosa" (hairpin banksia). Here they occur from the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia right around the east coast up to Cape York in Queensland.The vast majority of "Banksia" are found in sandy or gravelly soils, though some populations of "B. marginata" (silver banksia) and "B. spinulosa" do occur on soil that is heavier and more clay-like. "B. seminuda" is exceptional for its preference for rich loams along watercourses.Most occur in heathlands or low woodlands; of the eastern species, "B. integrifolia" and "B. marginata" occur in.

Banksia. forests; many south-western species such as "B. grandis", "B. sphaerocarpa", "B. sessilis", "B. nobilis" and "B. dallanneyi" grow as understorey plants in jarrah ("Eucalyptus marginata"), wandoo ("E. wandoo") and karri ("E. diversicolor") forests, with "B. seminuda" being one of the forest trees in suitable habitat.Most species do not grow well near the coast, notable exceptions being the southern Western Australian species "B. speciosa", "B. praemorsa" and "B. repens". Only a few species, such as "B. rosserae" and "B. elderiana" (swordfish banksia), occur in arid areas. Most of the eastern Australian species survive in uplands, but only a few of the.

Banksia. Western Australian species native to the Stirling Ranges – "B. solandri", "B. oreophila", "B. brownii" and "B. montana" – survive at high altitudes.Studies of the south-western species have found the distribution of "Banksia" species to be primarily constrained by rainfall. With the exception of "B. rosserae", no species tolerates annual rainfall of less than 200 millimetres, despite many species surviving in areas that receive less than 400 millimetres. "Banksia" species are present throughout the region of suitable rainfall, with greatest speciation in cooler, wetter areas. Hotter, drier regions around the edges of its range tend to have fewer species with.

Banksia. larger distributions. The greatest species richness occurs in association with uplands, especially the Stirling Range.## Evolution and fossil record.There are many fossils of "Banksia". The oldest of these are fossil pollen between 65 and 59 million years old. There are fossil leaves between 59 and 56 million years old found in southern New South Wales. The oldest fossil cones are between 47.8 and 41.2 million years old, found in Western Australia. Although "Banksia" is now only native to Australia and New Guinea, there are fossils from New Zealand, between 21 and 25 million years old.Evolutionary scientists Marcell Cardillo and Renae.

Banksia. Pratt have proposed a southwest Australian origin for banksias despite their closest relatives being north Queensland rainforest species.## Ecology.Banksias are heavy producers of nectar, making them an important source of food for nectivorous animals, including honeyeaters and small mammals such as rodents, antechinus, honey possums, pygmy possums, gliders and bats. Many of these animals play a role in pollination of "Banksia". Various studies have shown mammals and birds to be important pollinators. In 1978 Carpenter observed that some banksias had a stronger odour at night, possibly to attract nocturnal mammal pollinators. Other associated fauna include the larvae of moths (such.

Banksia. as the Dryandra Moth) and weevils, which burrow into the "cones" to eat the seeds and pupate in the follicles; and birds such as cockatoos, who break off the "cones" to eat both the seeds and the insect larvae.A number of "Banksia" species are considered rare or endangered. These include "B. brownii" (feather-leaved banksia), "B. cuneata" (matchstick banksia), "B. goodii" (Good's banksia), "B. oligantha" (Wagin banksia), "B. tricuspis" (pine banksia), and "B. verticillata" (granite banksia).## Response to fire."Banksia" plants are naturally adapted to the presence of regular bushfires in the Australian landscape. About half of "Banksia" species are killed by.

Banksia. bushfire, but these regenerate quickly from seed, as fire also stimulates the opening of seed-bearing follicles and the germination of seed in the ground. The remaining species usually survive bushfire, either by resprouting from a woody base known as a lignotuber or, more rarely, epicormic buds protected by thick bark. In Western Australia, banksias of the first group are known as 'seeders' and the second group as 'sprouters'.Infrequent bushfires at expected intervals pose no threat, and are in fact beneficial for regeneration of "banksia" populations. However, too frequent bushfires can seriously reduce or even eliminate populations from certain areas, by.

Banksia. killing seedlings and young plants before they reach fruiting age. Many fires near urban areas are caused by arson, and thus the frequency is often much higher than fires would have been prior to human habitation. Furthermore, residents who live in areas near bushland may pressure local councils to burn areas near homes more frequently, to reduce fuel-load in the bush and thus reduce ferocity of future fires. Unfortunately there are often discrepancies in agreed frequency between these groups and conservation groups.## Dieback.Another threat to "Banksia" is the water mould "Phytophthora cinnamomi", commonly known as "dieback". Dieback attacks the roots.

Banksia. of plants, destroying the structure of the root tissues, "rotting" the root, and preventing the plant from absorbing water and nutrients. "Banksia"'s proteoid roots, which help it to survive in low-nutrient soils, make it highly susceptible to this disease. All Western Australian species are vulnerable, although most eastern species are fairly resistant.Vulnerable plants typically die within a few years of infection. In southwest Western Australia, where dieback infestation is widespread, infested areas of "Banksia" forest typically have less than 30% of the cover of uninfested areas. Plant deaths in such large proportions can have a profound influence on the makeup.

Banksia. of plant communities. For example, in southwestern Australia "Banksia" often occurs as an understorey to forests of jarrah ("Eucalyptus marginata"), another species highly vulnerable to dieback. Infestation kills both the jarrah overstorey and the original "Banksia" understorey, and over time these may be replaced by a more open woodland consisting of an overstorey of the resistant marri ("Corymbia calophylla"), and an understorey of the somewhat resistant "Banksia sessilis" (parrot bush).A number of species of "Banksia" are threatened by dieback. Nearly every known wild population of "B. brownii" shows some signs of dieback infection, which could possibly wipe it out within.

Banksia. years. Other vulnerable species include "B. cuneata", and "B. verticillata".Dieback is notoriously difficult to treat, although there has been some success with phosphite and phosphorous acid, which are currently used to inoculate wild "B. brownii" populations. However this is not without potential problems as it alters the soil composition by adding phosphorus. Some evidence suggests that phosphorous acid may inhibit proteoid root formation.Because dieback thrives in moist soil conditions, it can be a severe problem for banksias that are watered, such as in the cut flower industry and urban gardens.## Uses.## Gardening.Most of species are shrubs, only few of them.

Banksia. can be found as trees and they are very popular because of their size, the tallest species are: "B. integrifolia" having its subspecies "B. integrifolia" subsp. "monticola" notable for reaching the biggest size for the genus and it is the most frost tolerant in this genus, "B. seminuda", "B. littoralis", "B. serrata"; species that can grow as small trees or big shrubs: "B. grandis", "B. prionotes", "B. marginata", "B. coccinea", "B. speciosa" and "B. menziesii". Due to their size these species are popularly planted in parks, gardens and streets, the remaining species in this genus are only shrubs.Banksias are popular.

Banksia. garden plants in Australia because of their large, showy flower heads, and because the large amounts of nectar they produce attracts birds and small mammals. Popular garden species include "B. spinulosa", "B. ericifolia", "B. aemula" (Wallum Banksia ), "B. serrata" (Saw Banksia), "Banksia media" (Southern Plains Banksia) and the cultivar "Banksia" 'Giant Candles'. "Banksia" species are primarily propagated by seed in the home garden as cuttings can be difficult to strike. However commercial nurserymen extensively utilize the latter method (indeed, cultivars by nature must be vegetatively propagated by cuttings or grafting).Over time, dwarf cultivars and prostrate species are becoming more.

Banksia. popular as urban gardens grow ever smaller. These include miniature forms under 50 cm high of "B. spinulosa" and "B. media", as well as prostrate species such as "B. petiolaris" and "B. blechnifolia" .Banksias possibly require more maintenance than other Australian natives, though are fairly hardy if the right conditions are provided (sunny aspect and well drained sandy soil).They may need extra water during dry spells until established, which can take up to two years. If fertilised, only slow-release, low-phosphorus fertilizer should be used, as the proteoid roots may be damaged by high nutrient levels in the soil. All respond.

Banksia. well to some form of pruning.Within the Australian horticultural community there is an active subculture of "Banksia" enthusiasts who seek out interesting flower variants, breed and propagate cultivars, exchange materials and undertake research into cultivation problems and challenges. The main forum for exchange of information within this group is ASGAP's "Banksia Study Group".## Cut flower industry.With the exception of the nursery industry, "Banksia" have limited commercial use. Some species, principally "B. coccinea" (scarlet banksia), "B. baxteri", "B. hookeriana" (Hooker's banksia), "B. sceptrum" (sceptre banksia), and "B. prionotes" (acorn banksia), and less commonly "B. speciosa" (showy banksia), "B. menziesii" (Menzies' banksia),.

Banksia. "B. burdettii" and "B. ashbyi" are grown on farms in Western and Southern Australia, as well as Israel and Hawaii, and the flower heads harvested for the cut flower trade. Eastern species, such as "B. ericifolia", "B. robur" and "B. plagiocarpa", are sometimes cultivated for this purpose. The nectar is also sought by beekeepers, not for the quality of the dark-coloured honey, which is often poor, but because the trees provide an abundant and reliable source of nectar at times when other sources provide little.## Woodworking."Banksia" wood is reddish in color with an attractive grain but it is rarely used.

Banksia. as it warps badly on drying. It is occasionally used for ornamental purposes in wood turning and cabinet paneling. It has also been used to make keels for small boats. Historically, the wood of certain species such as "B. serrata" was used for yokes and boat parts. The large "cones" or seed pods of "B. grandis" are used for woodturning projects. They are also sliced up and sold as drink coasters; these are generally marketed as souvenirs for international tourists. Woodturners throughout the world value "Banksia" pods for making ornamental objects.## Indigenous uses.The Indigenous people of south-western Australia would suck.

Banksia. on the flower spikes to obtain the nectar, they also soaked the flower spikes in water to make a sweet drink. The Noongar people of southwest Western Australia also used infusions of the flower spikes to relieve coughs and sore throats. The Girai wurrung peoples of the western district of Victoria used the spent flower cones to strain water by placing the cones in their mouths and using them like a straw. "Banksia" trees are a reliable source of insect larvae which are extracted as food.## Cultural references.## Field guides and other technical resources.A number of field guides and other.

Banksia. semi-technical books on the genus have been published. These include:Field Guide to BanksiasWritten by Ivan Holliday and Geoffrey Watton and first published in 1975, this book contained descriptions and colour photographs of species known at the time. It was largely outdated by the publication of Alex George's classic 1981 monograph, but a revised and updated second edition was released in 1990."The Banksias"This three volume monograph contains watercolour paintings of every "Banksia" species by renowned botanical illustrator Celia Rosser, with accompanying text by Alex George. Its publication represents the first time that such a large genus has been entirely painted. Published.

Banksia. by Academic Press in association with Monash University, the three volumes were published in 1981, 1988 and 2000 respectively.The "Banksia" BookBegun by Australian photographer Fred Humphreys and Charles Gardner, both of whom died before its completion, "The Banksia Book" was eventually completed by Alex George and first published in 1984. It included every species known at the time, with a second edition appearing in 1987 and third in 1996.The "Banksia" AtlasIn 1983 the Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) decided to pilot an Australia-wide distribution study of a significant plant genus. "Banksia" was chosen because it was a high-profile, widely distributed.

Banksia. genus that was easily identified, but for which distribution and habitat was poorly known. The study mobilised over 400 volunteers, collecting over 25,000 field observations over a two-year period. Outcomes included the discovery of two new species, as well as new varieties and some rare colour variants, and discoveries of previously unknown populations of rare and threatened species. The collated data was used to create "The Banksia Atlas", which was first published in 1988.Banksias, Waratahs and Grevilleas and all other plants in the Australian Proteaceae familyWritten by J. W. Wrigley and M. Fagg, this was published by Collins Publishers in.

Banksia. 1989. A comprehensive text on all the Proteaceae genera with good historical notes and an overview of the 1975 Johnson & Briggs classification. It is out of print and hard to find.## May Gibb's "Banksia men".Perhaps the best known cultural reference to "Banksia" is the "big bad Banksia men" of May Gibbs' children's book "Snugglepot and Cuddlepie". Gibb's "Banksia men" are modelled on the appearance of aged "Banksia" "cones", with follicles for eyes and other facial features. There is some contention over which species actually provided the inspiration for the "Banksia men": the drawings most resemble the old cones of.

Banksia. "B. aemula" or "B. serrata", but "B. attenuata" (slender banksia) has also been cited, as this was the species that Gibbs saw as a child in Western Australia.## Other cultural references.In 1989, the Banksia Environmental Foundation was created to support and recognise people and organizations that make a positive contribution to the environment. The Foundation launched the annual Banksia Environmental Awards in the same year."B. archaeocarpa"†"B. attenuata""B. integrifolia""B. seminuda""B. ericifolia""B. grandis""B. marginata""B. prionotes""B. dentata""B. novae-zelandiae"†"B. spinulosa""B. sphaerocarpa""B. sessilis""B. nobilis""B. dallanneyi""B. praemorsa""B. repens""B. rosserae""B. elderiana""B. solandri""B. oreophila""B. brownii""B. montana""B. goodii" (Good's Banksia)"B. tricuspis" (Pine Banksia)"B. verticillata" (Granite Banksia)"Isostylis""B. cuneata" (Matchstick Banksia)"B.

Banksia. ilicifolia" (Holly-leaved Banksia)"B. oligantha" (Wagin Banksia) "Banksiamyces" The Banksia Page of ASGAP Banksia Study Group of ASGAP Banksia Farm, Private collection of all Banksia Species, Mount Barker, Western Australia.


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Old Courthouse (St. Louis). The Old St. Louis County Courthouse was built as a combination federal and state courthouse in St. Louis, Missouri. Missouri's tallest habitable building from 1864 to 1894, it is now part of Gateway Arch National Park and operated by the National Park Service for historical exhibits and events.## History.Land for the courthouse was donated in 1816 by Judge John Baptiste Charles Lucas and St. Louis founder Auguste Chouteau. Lucas and Chouteau required the land be "used forever as the site on which the courthouse of the County of St. Louis should be erected." The Federal style courthouse was completed in.

Old Courthouse (St. Louis). around the courthouse in the center of St. Louis for the new Gateway Arch National Park, which was then known as Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. President Franklin Roosevelt declared in an Executive Order the area would be a national monument and landscape design, sidewalks and other infrastructure was added. The courthouse formally became part of the new monument area in 1940. Replaced in 1941, the roof was renovated in 1955, 1985 and 2010. The National Park Service maintains four history galleries on St. Louis and NPS offices within. The courthouse once had up to 12 courtrooms, but now there are.


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Red panda. word (""), meaning "cat". The specific epithet "fulgens" is Latin for "shining, bright".## Taxonomy.The red panda was described and named in 1825 by Frederic Cuvier, who gave it its current scientific name "Ailurus fulgens". Cuvier's description was based on zoological specimens, including skin, paws, jawbones and teeth "from the mountains north of India", as well as an account by Alfred Duvaucel. The red panda was described earlier by Thomas Hardwicke in 1821, but his paper was only published in 1827. In 1902, Oldfield Thomas described a skull of a male red panda specimen under the name "Ailurus fulgens styani" in.

Red panda. to glaciation events on the southern Tibetan Plateau in the Pleistocene.## Phylogeny.The placement of the red panda on the evolutionary tree has been debated. In the early 20th century, various scientists placed it in the family Procyonidae with raccoons and their allies. At the time, most prominent biologists also considered the red panda to be related to the giant panda, which would eventually be found to be a bear. A 1982 study examined the similarities and differences in the skull between the red panda and the giant panda, other bears and procyonids, and placed the species in its own family.

Red panda. Ailuridae. The author of the study considered the red panda to be more closely related to bears. A 1995 mitochondrial DNA analysis revealed that the red panda has close affinities with procyonids. Further genetic studies in 2005, 2018 and 2021 have placed the red panda within the clade Musteloidea, which also includes Procyonidae, Mustelidae (weasels and relatives) and Mephitidae (skunks and relatives).## Fossil record.The family Ailuridae appears to have evolved in Europe in either the Late Oligocene or Early Miocene, about . The earliest member "Amphictis" is known from its 10 (cm) skull and may have been around the same.

Red panda. 24 (C). Throughout this range, it has been recorded at elevations of 2000-4300 (m).In Nepal, it lives in six protected area complexes within the Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests ecoregion. The westernmost records to date were obtained in three community forests in Kalikot District in 2019. Panchthar and Ilam Districts represent its easternmost range in the country, where its habitat in forest patches is surrounded by villages, livestock pastures and roads. The metapopulation in protected areas and wildlife corridors in the Kangchenjunga landscape of Sikkim and northern West Bengal is partly connected through old-growth forests outside protected areas. Forests in this.

Red panda. (km2) and the six females of 0.94 (km2) within a forest cover of at least 19.2 (ha). The females travelled 419–841 (m) per day and the males 660–1473 (m). In the mating season from January to March, adults travelled a mean of 795 (m) and subadults a mean of 861 (m). They all had larger home ranges in areas with low forest cover and reduced their activity in areas that were disturbed by people, livestock and dogs.## Diet and feeding.The red panda is largely herbivorous and feeds primarily on bamboo, mainly the genera "Phyllostachys", "Sinarundinaria", "Thamnocalamus" and "Chimonobambusa". It also.

Red panda. its habitat, the causes of which include increasing human population, deforestation, the unlawful taking of non-wood forest material and disturbances by herders and livestock. Trampling by livestock inhibits bamboo growth, and clearcutting decreases the ability of some bamboo species to regenerate. The cut lumber stock in Sichuan alone reached 2661000 (m3) in 1958–1960, and around 3597.9 (km2) of red panda habitat were logged between the mid 1970s and late 1990s. Throughout Nepal, the red panda habitat outside protected areas is negatively affected by solid waste, livestock trails and herding stations, and people collecting firewood and medicinal plants. Threats identified in.

Red panda. protect and monitor red panda habitats in other parts of Nepal. Community outreach programs have been initiated in eastern Nepal using information boards, radio broadcasting and the annual International Red Panda Day in September; several schools endorsed a red panda conservation manual as part of their curricula. Since 2010, community-based conservation programmes have been initiated in 10 districts in Nepal that aim to help villagers reduce their dependence on natural resources through improved herding and food processing practices and alternative income possibilities. The Nepali government ratified a five-year Red Panda Conservation Action Plan in 2019. From 2016 to 2019, 35.

Red panda. the giant panda and golden snub-nosed monkey, with which it overlaps in range.## In captivity.The London Zoo received two red pandas in 1869 and 1876, the first of which was caught in Darjeeling. The Calcutta Zoo received a live red panda in 1877, the Philadelphia Zoo in 1906, and Artis and Cologne Zoos in 1908. In 1908, the first captive red panda cubs were born in an Indian zoo. In 1940, the San Diego Zoo imported four red pandas from India that had been caught in Nepal; their first litter was born in 1941. Cubs that were born later were.

Red panda. sent to other zoos; by 1969, about 250 red pandas had been exhibited in zoos. The Taronga Conservation Society started keeping red pandas in 1977.In 1978, a breed registry, the "International Red Panda Studbook", was set up, followed by the Red Panda European Endangered Species Programme in 1985. Members of international zoos ratified a global master plan for the captive breeding of the red panda in 1993. By late 2015, 219 red pandas lived in 42 zoos in Japan. The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park participates in the Red Panda Species Survival Plan and kept about 25 red pandas by.

Red panda. 2016. By the end of 2019, 182 European zoos kept 407 red pandas. Regional captive breeding programmes have also been established in North American, Australasian and South African zoos.## Cultural significance.The red panda's role in the culture and folklore of local people is limited. A drawing of a red panda exists on a 13th-century Chinese scroll. In Nepal's Taplejung District, red panda claws are used for treating epilepsy; its skin is used in rituals for treating sick people, making hats, scarecrows and decorating houses. In western Nepal, Magar shamans use its skin and fur in their ritual dresses and believe.

Red panda. that it protects against evil spirits. People in central Bhutan consider red pandas to be reincarnations of Buddhist monks. Some tribal people in northeast India and the Yi people believe that it brings good luck to wear red panda tails or hats made of its fur. In China, the fur is used for local cultural ceremonies. At weddings, the bridegroom traditionally carries the hide. Hats made of red panda tails are also used by local newlyweds as a "good-luck charm".The red panda was recognised as the state animal of Sikkim in the early 1990s and was the mascot of the.


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Diphasiastrum digitatum. Diphasiastrum digitatum is known as groundcedar, running cedar or crowsfoot, along with other members of its genus, but the common name fan clubmoss can be used to refer to it specifically. It is the most common species of "Diphasiastrum" in North America. It is a type of plant known as a clubmoss, which is within one of the three main divisions of living vascular plants. It was formerly included in the superspecies "Diphasiastrum complanatum". For many years, this species was known as "Lycopodium flabelliforme" or "Lycopodium digitatum".Its common name is due to its resemblance to cedar boughs lying on the.


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Harpaphe haydeniana. Harpaphe haydeniana, commonly known as the yellow-spotted millipede, almond-scented millipede or cyanide millipede, is a species of polydesmidan ("flat-backed") millipede found in the moist forests along the Pacific coast of North America, from Southeast Alaska to California. The dark coloration with contrasting yellow-tipped keels warn of its ability to exude toxic hydrogen cyanide as a defense. Despite the various common names given the species, the coloration pattern, cyanide defense, and associated almond scent occur in other flat-backed millipedes around the world.## Description."Harpaphe haydeniana" reach a length of 4–5 centimeters (1.6–2 in) when mature. The upper surface of the body is.

Harpaphe haydeniana. black to olive green, and is distinctively marked along the sides with patches of a yellowish colour. "H. haydeniana" has approximately twenty body segments, bearing a total of 30 (males) or 31 (females) pairs of legs. The difference between males and females is due to one pair of legs on the seventh segment in males being modified to form gonopods used for sperm transfer. Individuals may live for 2–3 years.## Distribution."Harpaphe haydeniana" occurs from southeast Alaska south to Monterey County, California, as far east as the Sierra Nevada mountains.## Ecology."Harpaphe haydeniana" is an important part of the forest ecosystem, breaking.

Harpaphe haydeniana. down leaf litter and freeing its nutrients for other organisms. It is commonly associated with redwood forests where many individuals may be found within a small area. Immature millipedes feed on humus."Harpaphe haydeniana" has few predators, due to its aposematic coloration and its ability to secrete hydrogen cyanide when threatened. This behaviour gives rise to the common names "cyanide millipede" and "almond-scented millipede" (since cyanide smells of almonds), although cyanide secretion is not unique to "H. haydeniana". Nonetheless, at least one species, the ground beetle "Promecognathus laevissimus", is a specialised predator of "H. haydeniana".## Similar species.Two other species of "Harpaphe.

Harpaphe haydeniana. ("H. pottera" and "H. telodonta") occur within the range of "H. haydeniana", both with yellow-tipped paranota. "H. telodonta" (Humboldt and Del Norte counties, California) is slightly more brown in colour and has more strongly pointed keels while "H. pottera" (Mendocino and Humboldt counties) can only be distinguished by close examination of the male reproductive organs (gonopods).The genus "Harpaphe" is in the family Xystodesmidae, which contains several other species with similar markings, including North American species of "Boraria", "Chonaphe", "Paimokia", "Hybaphe" and "Montaphe". Exact species determination requires examination of the male gonopods, but the sharply pointed posterior corners of the paranota.

Harpaphe haydeniana. can help distinguish "Harpaphe" from "Hybaphe" and "Chonaphe".Outside of North America, superficially similar species include "Anoplodesmus saussurii" which has been mistakenly called "H. haydeniana", and "Asiomorpha coarctata", the latter species being native to Southeast Asia but widely introduced around the world, including the American Gulf Coast region. The ability to secrete hydrogen cyanide is shared by other members of the Polydesmida, the largest order of millipedes.


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Marble Bridge. The Siberian Marble Gallery is a decorative pedestrian roofed Palladian bridge (gallery walkway) in Empress Catherine Park in the former royal residence Tsarskoye Selo (now town of Pushkin) near Saint Petersburg, Russia. It connects the Swan Islands — an artificial archipelago of seven islets in the landscape park of Tsarskoe Selo — spanning a rivulet flowing between several ponds. The bridge was modelled after the Palladian Bridge (1736) in the park of Wilton House, in England, and served as a showcase for Ural marble. All the details of the bridge — including the granite Ionic colonnade — were produced in.


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Swastika. The swastika (卐 or 卍) is an ancient religious and cultural symbol, predominantly in various Eurasian, as well as some African and American cultures, now also widely recognized for its appropriation by the Nazi Party and by neo-Nazis. It continues to be used as a symbol of divinity and spirituality in Indian religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. It generally takes the form of a cross, the arms of which are of equal length and perpendicular to the adjacent arms, each bent midway at a right angle.The word "swastika" comes from , meaning "conducive to well-being". In Hinduism, the right-facing.

Swastika. Textile number T.231-1923 held at the V&A Museum in London includes small swastikas in its design. This piece was found at Qau-el-Kebir, near Asyut, and is dated between 300 and 600 CE.The "Tierwirbel" (the German for "animal whorl" or "whirl of animals") is a characteristic motif in Bronze Age Central Asia, the Eurasian Steppe, and later also in Iron Age Scythian and European (Baltic and Germanic) culture, showing rotational symmetric arrangement of an animal motif, often four birds' heads. Even wider diffusion of this "Asiatic" theme has been proposed, to the Pacific and even North America (especially Moundville).## Historical use.In.

Swastika. used on coinage as a backdrop to the .## Non-Eurasian samples.## Africa.Swastikas can be seen in various African cultures. In Ethiopia the Swastika is carved in the window of the famous 12th-century Biete Maryam, one of the Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela. In Ghana, the swastika is among the adinkra symbols of the Akan peoples. Called "nkontim", swastikas could be found on Ashanti gold weights and clothing.## Americas.The swastika is a Navajo symbol for good luck, also translated to "whirling log". Though it was also used by some Native American groups, many object to its use today. The symbol was used on.

Swastika. German Nazi party and would soon become the foremost symbol of the German Reich. The fact that these gates survived the cleanup after the German occupation of Norway during WW II is a testimony to the innocence and good faith of the power plant and its architects. The architects Bjercke and Eliassen knew the swastika as a symbol of power plants on maps in Scandinavia, and as the logo of Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget, ASEA.## Eurasia (Russia).The left-handed swastika was a favorite sign of the last Russian Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. She wore a talisman in the form of a swastika,.


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Strapless. Strapless is a 1989 film written and directed by David Hare.## Plot summary.An expatriate American doctor in London allows herself to lighten up when her freewheeling younger sister and a mysterious man enter her life. Her inhibitions released, the beautiful doctor learns that freedom has its own price.Blair Brown – Dr. Lillian HempelBruno Ganz – Raymond ForbesBridget Fonda – Amy HempelAlan Howard – Mr. CooperMichael Gough – Douglas BrodieHugh Laurie – ColinDana Gillespie – Julie KovagoSpencer Leigh – HusAlexandra Pigg - Helen## Release.After the film's May 1990 U.S. theatrical release, it was released on videocassette in the United States by.


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Swastika. The swastika (卐 or 卍) is an ancient religious and cultural symbol, predominantly in various Eurasian, as well as some African and American cultures, now also widely recognized for its appropriation by the Nazi Party and by neo-Nazis. It continues to be used as a symbol of divinity and spirituality in Indian religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. It generally takes the form of a cross, the arms of which are of equal length and perpendicular to the adjacent arms, each bent midway at a right angle.The word "swastika" comes from , meaning "conducive to well-being". In Hinduism, the right-facing.

Swastika. Textile number T.231-1923 held at the V&A Museum in London includes small swastikas in its design. This piece was found at Qau-el-Kebir, near Asyut, and is dated between 300 and 600 CE.The "Tierwirbel" (the German for "animal whorl" or "whirl of animals") is a characteristic motif in Bronze Age Central Asia, the Eurasian Steppe, and later also in Iron Age Scythian and European (Baltic and Germanic) culture, showing rotational symmetric arrangement of an animal motif, often four birds' heads. Even wider diffusion of this "Asiatic" theme has been proposed, to the Pacific and even North America (especially Moundville).## Historical use.In.

Swastika. used on coinage as a backdrop to the .## Non-Eurasian samples.## Africa.Swastikas can be seen in various African cultures. In Ethiopia the Swastika is carved in the window of the famous 12th-century Biete Maryam, one of the Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela. In Ghana, the swastika is among the adinkra symbols of the Akan peoples. Called "nkontim", swastikas could be found on Ashanti gold weights and clothing.## Americas.The swastika is a Navajo symbol for good luck, also translated to "whirling log". Though it was also used by some Native American groups, many object to its use today. The symbol was used on.

Swastika. German Nazi party and would soon become the foremost symbol of the German Reich. The fact that these gates survived the cleanup after the German occupation of Norway during WW II is a testimony to the innocence and good faith of the power plant and its architects. The architects Bjercke and Eliassen knew the swastika as a symbol of power plants on maps in Scandinavia, and as the logo of Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget, ASEA.## Eurasia (Russia).The left-handed swastika was a favorite sign of the last Russian Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. She wore a talisman in the form of a swastika,.


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Octagon. In geometry, an octagon (from the Greek ὀκτάγωνον "oktágōnon", "eight angles") is an eight-sided polygon or 8-gon.A "regular octagon" has Schläfli symbol {8} and can also be constructed as a quasiregular truncated square, t{4}, which alternates two types of edges. A truncated octagon, t{8} is a hexadecagon, {16}. A 3D analog of the octagon can be the rhombicuboctahedron with the triangular faces on it like the replaced edges, if one considers the octagon to be a truncated square.## Properties of the general octagon.The sum of all the internal angles of any octagon is 1080°. As with all polygons, the external.

Octagon. angles total 360°.If squares are constructed all internally or all externally on the sides of an octagon, then the midpoints of the segments connecting the centers of opposite squares form a quadrilateral that is both equidiagonal and orthodiagonal (that is, whose diagonals are equal in length and at right angles to each other).The midpoint octagon of a reference octagon has its eight vertices at the midpoints of the sides of the reference octagon. If squares are constructed all internally or all externally on the sides of the midpoint octagon, then the midpoints of the segments connecting the centers of opposite.

Octagon. squares themselves form the vertices of a square.## Regular octagon.A regular octagon is a closed figure with sides of the same length and internal angles of the same size. It has eight lines of reflective symmetry and rotational symmetry of order 8. A regular octagon is represented by the Schläfli symbol {8}.The internal angle at each vertex of a regular octagon is 135° (formula_1 radians). The central angle is 45° (formula_2 radians).## Area.The area of a regular octagon of side length "a" is given byformula_3In terms of the circumradius "R", the area isformula_4In terms of the apothem "r" (see also.

Octagon. inscribed figure), the area isformula_5These last two coefficients bracket the value of pi, the area of the unit circle.The area can also be expressed asformula_6where "S" is the span of the octagon, or the second-shortest diagonal; and "a" is the length of one of the sides, or bases. This is easily proven if one takes an octagon, draws a square around the outside (making sure that four of the eight sides overlap with the four sides of the square) and then takes the corner triangles (these are 45–45–90 triangles) and places them with right angles pointed inward, forming a square.

Octagon. The edges of this square are each the length of the base.Given the length of a side "a", the span "S" isformula_7The span, then, is equal to the "silver ratio" times the side, a.The area is then as above:formula_8Expressed in terms of the span, the area isformula_9Another simple formula for the area is formula_10More often the span "S" is known, and the length of the sides, "a", is to be determined, as when cutting a square piece of material into a regular octagon. From the above,formula_11The two end lengths "e" on each side (the leg lengths of the triangles (green.

Octagon. in the image) truncated from the square), as well as being formula_12 may be calculated asformula_13## Circumradius and inradius.The circumradius of the regular octagon in terms of the side length "a" isformula_14and the inradius isformula_15## Diagonals.The regular octagon, in terms of the side length "a", has three different types of diagonals:Short diagonal;Medium diagonal (also called span or height), which is twice the length of the inradius;Long diagonal, which is twice the length of the circumradius.The formula for each of them follows from the basic principles of geometry. Here are the formulas for their length:Short diagonal: formula_16 ;Medium diagonal: formula_17 ;.

Octagon. ("silver ratio" times a) Long diagonal: formula_18 .## Construction and elementary properties.A regular octagon at a given circumcircle may be constructed as follows:Draw a circle and a diameter AOE, where O is the center and A, E are points on the circumcircle.Draw another diameter GOC, perpendicular to AOE.(Note in passing that A,C,E,G are vertices of a square).Draw the bisectors of the right angles GOA and EOG, making two more diameters HOD and FOB.A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H are the vertices of the octagon.A regular octagon can be constructed using a straightedge and a compass, as 8 = 23, a power of two:The regular octagon.

Octagon. can be constructed with meccano bars. Twelve bars of size 4, three bars of size 5 and two bars of size 6 are required.Each side of a regular octagon subtends half a right angle at the centre of the circle which connects its vertices. Its area can thus be computed as the sum of 8 isosceles triangles, leading to the result:formula_19for an octagon of side "a".## Standard coordinates.The coordinates for the vertices of a regular octagon centered at the origin and with side length 2 are:(±1, ±(1+)) (±(1+), ±1).## Dissection.Coxeter states that every zonogon (a 2"m"-gon whose opposite sides are.

Octagon. parallel and of equal length) can be dissected into "m"("m"-1)/2 parallelograms.In particular this is true for regular polygons with evenly many sides, in which case the parallelograms are all rhombi. For the "regular octagon", "m"=4, and it can be divided into 6 rhombs, with one example shown below. This decomposition can be seen as 6 of 24 faces in a Petrie polygon projection plane of the tesseract. The list defines the number of solutions as 8, by the 8 orientations of this one dissection. These squares and rhombs are used in the Ammann–Beenker tilings.## Skew octagon.A skew octagon is a.

Octagon. skew polygon with 8 vertices and edges but not existing on the same plane. The interior of such an octagon is not generally defined. A "skew zig-zag octagon" has vertices alternating between two parallel planes.A regular skew octagon is vertex-transitive with equal edge lengths. In 3-dimensions it will be a zig-zag skew octagon and can be seen in the vertices and side edges of a square antiprism with the same D4d, [2+,8] symmetry, order 16.## Petrie polygons.The regular skew octagon is the Petrie polygon for these higher-dimensional regular and uniform polytopes, shown in these skew orthogonal projections of in A7,.

Octagon. B4, and D5 Coxeter planes.## Symmetry of octagon.The "regular octagon" has Dih8 symmetry, order 16. There are 3 dihedral subgroups: Dih4, Dih2, and Dih1, and 4 cyclic subgroups: Z8, Z4, Z2, and Z1, the last implying no symmetry.On the regular octagon, there are 11 distinct symmetries. John Conway labels full symmetry as r16. The dihedral symmetries are divided depending on whether they pass through vertices (d for diagonal) or edges (p for perpendiculars) Cyclic symmetries in the middle column are labeled as g for their central gyration orders. Full symmetry of the regular form is r16 and no symmetry is.

Octagon. labeled a1.The most common high symmetry octagons are p8, an isogonal octagon constructed by four mirrors can alternate long and short edges, and d8, an isotoxal octagon constructed with equal edge lengths, but vertices alternating two different internal angles. These two forms are duals of each other and have half the symmetry order of the regular octagon.Each subgroup symmetry allows one or more degrees of freedom for irregular forms. Only the g8 subgroup has no degrees of freedom but can seen as directed edges.## Uses of octagons.The octagonal shape is used as a design element in architecture. The Dome of.


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Toxicodendron diversilobum. Toxicodendron diversilobum (syn. "Rhus diversiloba"), commonly named Pacific poison oak or western poison oak, is a woody vine or shrub in the sumac family, Anacardiaceae. It is widely distributed in western North America, inhabiting conifer and mixed broadleaf forests, woodlands, grasslands, and chaparral biomes. Peak flowering occurs in May. Like other members of the genus "Toxicodendron", "T. diversilobum" causes itching and allergic rashes in most people after contact by touch or smoke inhalation. Despite its name, it is not closely related to oaks.## Description."Toxicodendron diversilobum" is extremely variable in growth habit and leaf appearance. It grows as a dense 0.5-4.


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Elephant. in size led to the development and elongation of the mobile trunk to provide reach. The number of premolars, incisors and canines decreased.The cheek teeth (molars and premolars) of proboscideans became larger and more specialized, especially after elephants started to switch from C3-plants to C4-grasses, which caused their teeth to undergo a three-fold increase in teeth height as well as substantial multiplication of lamellae after about five million years ago. Only in the last million years or so did they return to a diet mainly consisting of C3 trees and shrubs. The upper second incisors grew into tusks, which varied.

Elephant. develop gigantism in these conditions. Dwarf elephants are known to have lived in Indonesia, the Channel Islands of California, and several islands of the Mediterranean.## Anatomy.## Size.Elephants are the largest living terrestrial animals. African bush elephants are the largest species, with males being 304 - 336 (cm) tall at the shoulder with a body mass of 5.2 - 6.9 (MT) and females standing 247 - 273 (cm) tall at the shoulder with a body mass of 2.6 - 3.5 (MT). Male Asian elephants are usually about 261 - 289 (cm) tall at the shoulder and 3.5 - 4.6 (MT) whereas.

Elephant. of cracking a peanut shell without breaking the seed. With its trunk, an elephant can reach items at heights of up to 7 (m) and dig for water under mud or sand. Individuals may show lateral preference when grasping with their trunks: some prefer to twist them to the left, others to the right. Elephants are capable of dilating their nostrils at a radius of nearly 30%, increasing the nasal volume by 64%, and can inhale at over 150 (m/s) which is around 30 times the speed of a human sneeze. Elephants can suck up food and water both to.

Elephant. teeth falls out at four to six years old. The third set falls out at 9–15 years of age and set four lasts until 18–28 years of age. The fifth set of teeth falls out at the early 40s. The sixth (and usually final) set must last the elephant the rest of its life. Elephant teeth have loop-shaped dental ridges, which are thicker and more diamond-shaped in African elephants.## Tusks.The tusks of an elephant are modified second incisors in the upper jaw. They replace deciduous milk teeth at 6–12 months of age and grow continuously at about 17 (cm) a.

Elephant. well into a gallop, even accounting for leg length. Spring-like kinetics could explain the difference between the motion of elephants and other animals. During locomotion, the cushion pads expand and contract, and reduce both the pain and noise that would come from a very heavy animal moving. Elephants are capable swimmers. They have been recorded swimming for up to six hours without touching the bottom, and have swum as far as 48 (km) at a stretch and at speeds of up to 2.1 (km/h).## Organs.The brain of an elephant weighs 4.5 – 5.5 (kg) compared to 1.6 (kg) for a.

Elephant. human brain. It is the largest of all terrestrial mammals. While the elephant brain is larger overall, it is proportionally smaller than the human brain when compared to their size. At birth, an elephant's brain already weighs 30–40% of its adult weight. The cerebrum and cerebellum are well developed, and the temporal lobes are so large that they bulge out laterally. Their temporal lobes are proportionally larger than in other animals, including humans. The throat of an elephant appears to contain a pouch where it can store water for later use. The larynx of the elephant is the largest known.

Elephant. among mammals. The vocal folds are long and are attached close to the epiglottis base. When comparing an elephant's vocal folds to those of a human, an elephant's are longer, thicker, and have a larger cross-sectional area. In addition, they are tilted at 45 degrees and positioned more anteriorly than a human's vocal folds.The heart of an elephant weighs 12 – 21 (kg). It has a double-pointed apex, an unusual trait among mammals. In addition, the ventricles separate near the top of the heart, a trait they share with sirenians. When standing, the elephant's heart beats approximately 30 times per.

Elephant. fully erect and has a Y-shaped orifice. The female has a well-developed clitoris at up to 40 (cm). The vulva is located between the hind legs instead of near the tail as in most mammals. Determining pregnancy status can be difficult due to the animal's large abdominal cavity. The female's mammary glands occupy the space between the front legs, which puts the suckling calf within reach of the female's trunk. Elephants have a unique organ, the temporal gland, located in both sides of the head. This organ is associated with sexual behaviour, and males secrete a fluid from it when.

Elephant. and will eat leaves, twigs, fruit, bark, grass and roots. They are born with sterile intestines and require bacteria obtained from their mother's feces to digest vegetation. African elephants are mostly browsers while Asian elephants are mainly grazers. They can consume as much as 150 (kg) of food and 40 (L) of water in a day. Elephants tend to stay near water sources. Major feeding bouts take place in the morning, afternoon and night. At midday, elephants rest under trees and may doze off while standing. Sleeping occurs at night while the animal is lying down. Elephants average 3–4 hours.

Elephant. he matures, a male spends more time at the edge of his group and associates with outside males or even other families. At Amboseli, young males spend over 80% of their time away from their families when they are 14–15. When males permanently leave, they either live alone or with other males. The former is typical of bulls in dense forests. Asian males are usually solitary, but occasionally form groups of two or more individuals; the largest consisted of seven bulls. Larger bull groups consisting of over 10 members occur only among African bush elephants, the largest of which numbered.

Elephant. up to 144 individuals. Bulls only return to the herd to breed or to socialize, they do not provide prenatal care to their offspring but rather play a fatherly role to younger bulls to show dominance.Male elephants can be quite sociable when not competing for dominance or mates, and will form long-term relationships. A dominance hierarchy exists among males, whether they range socially or solitarily. Dominance depends on the age, size and sexual condition, and when in groups, males follow the lead of the dominant bull. Young bulls may seek out the company and leadership of older, more experienced males,.

Elephant. whose presence appears to control their aggression and prevent them from exhibiting "deviant" behaviour. Adult males and females come together for reproduction. Bulls associate with family groups if an oestrous cow is present.## Sexual behaviour.## Musth.Adult males enter a state of increased testosterone known as musth. In a population in southern India, males first enter musth at the age of 15, but it is not very intense until they are older than 25. At Amboseli, bulls under 24 do not go into musth, while half of those aged 25–35 and all those over 35 do. Young bulls appear to enter.

Elephant. season. A cow in oestrus releases chemical signals (pheromones) in her urine and vaginal secretions to signal her readiness to mate. A bull will follow a potential mate and assess her condition with the flehmen response, which requires the male to collect a chemical sample with his trunk and bring it to the vomeronasal organ. The oestrous cycle of a cow lasts 14–16 weeks with a 4–6-week follicular phase and an 8- to 10-week luteal phase. While most mammals have one surge of luteinizing hormone during the follicular phase, elephants have two. The first (or anovulatory) surge, could signal to.

Elephant. males that the female is in oestrus by changing her scent, but ovulation does not occur until the second (or ovulatory) surge. Fertility rates in cows decline around 45–50 years of age.Bulls engage in a behaviour known as mate-guarding, where they follow oestrous females and defend them from other males. Most mate-guarding is done by musth males, and females actively seek to be guarded by them, particularly older ones. Thus these bulls have more reproductive success. Musth appears to signal to females the condition of the male, as weak or injured males do not have normal musths. For young females,.

Elephant. the approach of an older bull can be intimidating, so her relatives stay nearby to provide support and reassurance. During copulation, the male lays his trunk over the female's back. The penis is very mobile, being able to move independently of the pelvis. Before mounting, it curves forward and upward. Copulation lasts about 45 seconds and does not involve pelvic thrusting or ejaculatory pause. Elephant sperm must swim close to 2 (m) to reach the egg. By comparison, human sperm has to swim around only 76.2 (mm).Homosexual behaviour is frequent in both sexes. As in heterosexual interactions, this involves mounting.

Elephant. to groom, drink, and feed itself are fully developed. It still needs its mother for nutrition and protection from predators for at least another year. Suckling bouts tend to last 2–4 min/hr for a calf younger than a year and it continues to suckle until it reaches three years of age or older. Suckling after two years may serve to maintain growth rate, body condition and reproductive ability.Play behaviour in calves differs between the sexes; females run or chase each other while males play-fight. The former are sexually mature by the age of nine years while the latter become mature.

Elephant. around 14–15 years. Adulthood starts at about 18 years of age in both sexes. Elephants have long lifespans, reaching 60–70 years of age. Lin Wang, a captive male Asian elephant, lived for 86 years.## Communication.Touching is an important form of communication among elephants. Individuals greet each other by stroking or wrapping their trunks; the latter also occurs during mild competition. Older elephants use trunk-slaps, kicks, and shoves to discipline younger ones. Individuals of any age and sex will touch each other's mouths, temporal glands, and genitals, particularly during meetings or when excited. This allows individuals to pick up chemical cues.

Elephant. vegetation. They are usually bluffing when performing these actions. Excited elephants may raise their trunks. Submissive ones will lower their heads and trunks, as well as flatten their ears against their necks, while those that accept a challenge will position their ears in a V shape.Elephants produce several vocalisations, usually through the larynx, though some may be modified by the trunk. These include trumpets, roars, barks, snorts, growls and rumbles which may be produced for either short or long range communication. Elephants may produce infrasonic rumbles. For Asian elephants, these calls have a frequency of 14–24 Hz, with sound pressure.

Elephant. in Central Africa, 110,000 in eastern Africa, 204,000 in southern Africa, and 19,000 in western Africa. About 214,000 elephants were estimated to live in the rainforests, fewer than had previously been thought. From 1977 to 1989, elephant populations declined by 74% in East Africa. After 1987, losses in elephant numbers accelerated, and savannah populations from Cameroon to Somalia experienced a decline of 80%. African forest elephants had a total loss of 43%. Population trends in southern Africa were mixed, with anecdotal reports of losses in Zambia, Mozambique and Angola while populations grew in Botswana and Zimbabwe and were stable in.

Elephant. South Africa. Conversely, studies in 2005 and 2007 found populations in eastern and southern Africa were increasing by an average annual rate of 4.0%. The IUCN estimated that total population in Africa is estimated at around to 415,000 individuals for both species combined as of 2016.African elephants receive at least some legal protection in every country where they are found, but 70% of their range exists outside protected areas. Successful conservation efforts in certain areas have led to high population densities. As of 2008, local numbers were controlled by contraception or translocation. Large-scale cullings ceased in 1988 when Zimbabwe abandoned.

Elephant. be around 40,000–50,000, although this may be a loose estimate. Around 60% of the population is in India. Although Asian elephants are declining in numbers overall, particularly in Southeast Asia, the population in the Western Ghats appears to be increasing.## Threats.The poaching of elephants for their ivory, meat and hides has been one of the major threats to their existence. Historically, numerous cultures made ornaments and other works of art from elephant ivory, and its use rivalled that of gold. The ivory trade contributed to the African elephant population decline in the late 20th century. This prompted international bans on.

Elephant. riding on them or to pin the soldier to the ground and impale him.One of the earliest references to war elephants is in the Indian epic "Mahabharata" (written in the 4th century BC, but said to describe events between the 11th and 8th centuries BC). They were not used as much as horse-drawn chariots by either the Pandavas or Kauravas. During the Magadha Kingdom (which began in the 6th century BC), elephants began to achieve greater cultural importance than horses, and later Indian kingdoms used war elephants extensively; 3,000 of them were used in the Nandas (5th and 4th centuries.

Elephant. BC) army while 9,000 may have been used in the Mauryan army (between the 4th and 2nd centuries BC). The "Arthashastra" (written around 300 BC) advised the Mauryan government to reserve some forests for wild elephants for use in the army, and to execute anyone who killed them. From South Asia, the use of elephants in warfare spread west to Persia and east to Southeast Asia. The Persians used them during the Achaemenid Empire (between the 6th and 4th centuries BC) while Southeast Asian states first used war elephants possibly as early as the 5th century BC and continued to.

Elephant. an overabundance of the animals.Keeping elephants in zoos has met with some controversy. Proponents of zoos argue that they offer researchers easy access to the animals and provide money and expertise for preserving their natural habitats, as well as safekeeping for the species. Critics claim that the animals in zoos are under physical and mental stress. Elephants have been recorded displaying stereotypical behaviours in the form of swaying back and forth, trunk swaying, or route tracing. This has been observed in 54% of individuals in UK zoos. Elephants in European zoos appear to have shorter lifespans than their wild counterparts.

Elephant. after cullings in the 1970s and 1980s. Because of the timing, these attacks have been interpreted as vindictive. In parts of India, male elephants regularly enter villages at night, destroying homes and killing people. Elephants killed around 300 people between 2000 and 2004 in Jharkhand while in Assam, 239 people were reportedly killed between 2001 and 2006.Local people have reported their belief that some elephants were drunk during their attacks, although officials have disputed this explanation. Purportedly drunk elephants attacked an Indian village a second time in December 2002, killing six people, which led to the killing of about 200.

Elephant. no similar animals familiar to Western audiences. The use of the elephant as a symbol of the U.S. Republican Party began with an 1874 cartoon by Thomas Nast. As characters, elephants are most common in children's stories, in which they are generally cast as models of exemplary behaviour. They are typically surrogates for humans with ideal human values. Many stories tell of isolated young elephants returning to a close-knit community, such as "The Elephant's Child" from Rudyard Kipling's "Just So Stories", Disney's "Dumbo," and Kathryn and Byron Jackson's "The Saggy Baggy Elephant". Other elephant heroes given human qualities include Jean.