Prumnopitys ferruginea

Prumnopitys ferruginea, commonly called miro, is an evergreen coniferous tree which is endemic to New Zealand. Before the genus "Prumnopitys" was distinguished, it was treated in the related genus "Podocarpus" as "Podocarpus ferrugineus".
It grows up to 25 m high, with a trunk up to 1.3 m diameter. The leaves are linear to sickle-shaped, 15–25 mm long and 2–3 mm broad, with downcurved margins. The plants are dioecious with pollen cones being solitary while those of female plants hang from a curved, scaly stalk. The seed cones are highly modified, reduced to a central stem 2–3 cm long bearing 1-3 scales, each scale maturing berry-like, oval, about 20 mm long and 10–15 mm broad, red to purple-red with a soft edible pulp covering the single seed. The seeds are dispersed by the New Zealand pigeon, which eats the very conspicuous 'berries' and passes the seeds in its droppings. It is found growing on both lowland terrain and on hill slopes throughout the two main islands as well as on Stewart Island/Rakiura (47° S). The Tree can live for at least 600 years.
The scientific name "ferruginea" derives from the rusty colour of dried herbarium specimens of the leaves.
Distinguishing miro from matai.
Miro is distinguished from the related, and (initially) very similar looking matai ("Prumnopitys taxifolia") in four aspects of its anatomy; its cones, bark, seeds and leaves.


Cymbopogon winterianus

Cymbopogon winterianus, common name java citronella, is a perennial aromatic plant from the family Poaceae, originating in western Malesia. Used in perfumery products and cosmetics, a source of Citronella oil.


Tetragonia implexicoma

Tetragonia implexicoma, commonly known as bower spinach, is a species of plant in the Aizoaceae, or ice-plant family. A similar species is "Tetragonia tetragonioides", however this species has larger leaves and a shorter flowering time.
Distribution and habitat.
Bower spinach is found mainly in coastal regions of New Zealand and southern Australia as well as on many nearby island groups. It occupies a variety of habitats from sand and shingle beaches through coastal woodland, shrubland and grassland, and as exposed, salt-pruned vegetation on cliffs and stacks. It may also be found well inland, in farmland where it is grown in barberry hedges, or on calcareous sandstone or limestone outcrops in dense forest.
Description.
Bower spinach is a scrambling subshrub that forms dense leafy patches of up to . The stems are long and trailing, often succulent and coloured red or pink when young, maturing to dark green to brown-black and becoming woody. The leaves are alternate, clustered and semi-succulent. Leaves are rhombic to angular-ovate, sometimes bearing coarse hairs when young. The yellow flowers are solitary, strongly scented and have 12-20 stamens; 2 styles. Flowering August to November. The fruits are long, pink to dark red, succulent berries which are eaten by birds and lizards.


Chondrilla juncea

Chondrilla juncea is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by a number of common names, including rush skeletonweed, gum succory, devil's grass, and nakedweed. The plant is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, but it is known throughout most temperate regions of the world as an introduced species which is usually considered a noxious weed.
Description.
It is a thin, spindly plant which reaches a meter in height. It starts from a basal rosette of leaves and branches extensively, often forming a weedy thicket. It produces small daisylike flowers with rectangular yellow ray florets. The fruit is an achene about a centimeter long topped with a white pappus. It reproduces by seed but also by cloning itself at the root; tilling of soil and chopping up plants actually help this species disperse by sectioning and distributing root parts.
Distribution.
Native.
From the Aral Sea area in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in Central Asia, westward through Russia, through Europe, to Portugal; and southward through the Caucasus and Southwest Asia, and west to North Africa.
Introduced.
North America, earlier only on the East Coast, but by the 1960s reaching Washington, Oregon, and northern California. Weed in Eastern Australia.
Weed Risk.
This plant is considered a very troublesome weed in many areas. It easily invades fields, clogs harvesting machines, and successfully competes with other plants for water. There are several biological control measures used against this plant. The skeletonweed gall midge ("Cystiphora schmidti" - an insect), the skeletonweed gall mite ("Aceria chondrillae" - an arachnid), and skeletonweed rust ("Puccinia chondrillina" - a rust fungus of "Chondrilla") all show potential for controlling infestations.
Uses.
In the Greek island of Crete the leaves and the tender shoots of a local variety called ampelosyrida (αμπελοσυρίδα) or glykosyrida (γλυκοσυρίδα) are eaten raw or boiled in salads by the locals. The plant is also traditionally consumed by ethnic Albanians (Arbëreshë) in the Vulture area (southern Italy). "Chondrilla juncea" may have an anti-oxidant activity and some potential for medicinal use. XO-inhibiting activity shown by extracts of the aerial parts of the plant with potential benefits for hyperuricaemia and gout.


Oxalis lasiandra

Oxalis lasiandra, common names palm tree oxalis and Mexican shamrock, is a plant species native to the Mexican State of Oaxaca but grown as an ornamental in other regions. It occurs in "Quercus-Acacia" and "Quercus" forests at elevations of .
"Oxalis lasiandra" is a perennial herb up to tall. It is closely related to "O. magnifica" but the bulb scales have 15–25 nerves. Leaves have 7–9 leaflets. Flowers are pink to crimson, drooping at night but pointing upward in the daytime.


Eucharidium

Eucharidium is a genus of [[flowering plants] in [[family (biology)|family]] [[Onagraceae]]. They are used as [[ornamental plant]]s and are considered to be very hardy. They grow to be, on average, one foot tall.
[[Category:Onagraceae]]
[[Category:Onagraceae genera]]


Black wattle

Black wattle is the common name for a number of species of trees that are native to Australia, as listed below:
It may also refer to "Callicoma serratifolia", a tall shrub or tree which is also found in Australia.


Hymenophyllum cristatum

Hymenophyllum cristatum is a species of fern in the family Hymenophyllaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss.


Coleoptile

Coleoptile is the pointed protective sheath covering the emerging shoot in monocotyledons such as grasses in which few leaf primordia and shoot apex of monocot embryo remain enclosed. The coleoptile protects the first leaf as well as the growing stem in seedlings and eventually, allows the first leaf to emerge. Coleoptiles have two vascular bundles, one on either side. Unlike the flag leaves rolled up within, the pre-emergent coleoptile does not accumulate significant protochlorophyll or carotenoids, and so it is generally very pale. Some preemergent coleoptiles do, however, accumulate purple anthocyanin pigments.
Coleoptiles consist of very similar cells that are all specialised to fast stretch growth. They do not divide, but increase in size as they accumulate more water. Coleoptiles also have water vessels (frequently two) along the axis to provide a water supply.
When a coleoptile reaches the surface, it stops growing and the flag leaves penetrate its top, continuing to grow along. The wheat coleoptile is most developed in the third day of the germination (if in the darkness).
Tropisms.
Early experiments on phototropism using coleoptiles suggested that plants grow towards light because plant cells on the darker side elongate more than those on the lighter side. In 1880 Charles Darwin and his son Francis found that coleoptiles only bend towards the light when their tips are exposed. Therefore, the tips must contain the photoreceptor cells although the bending takes place lower down on the shoot. A chemical messenger or hormone called auxin moves down the dark side of the shoot and stimulates growth on that side. The natural plant hormone responsible for phototropism is now known to be indoleacetic acid (IAA).
The Cholodny–Went model is named after Frits Warmolt Went of the California Institute of Technology and the Russian scientist N. Cholodny, who reached the same conclusion independently in 1937. It describes the phototropic and gravitropic properties of emerging shoots of monocotyledons. The model proposes that auxin, a plant growth hormone, is synthesized in the coleoptile tip, which senses light or gravity and will send the auxin down the appropriate side of the shoot. This causes asymmetric growth of one side of the plant. As a result, the plant shoot will begin to bend toward a light source or toward the surface.
Coleoptiles also exhibit strong geotropic reaction, always growing upward and correcting direction after reorientation. Geotropic reaction is regulated by light (more exactly by phytochrome action).
Physiology.
The coleoptile acts as a hollow organ with stiff walls, surrounding the young plantlet and the primary source of the gravitropic response. It is ephemeral, resulting in rapid senesence after the shoot emerges. This process resembles the creation of aerenchyma in roots and other parts of the plant. The coleoptile will emerge first appearing yellowish-white from an imbided seed before developing chlorophyll on the next day. By the seventh day, it will have withered following programmed cell death. The coleoptile grows and produces chlorophyll only for the first day, followed by degradation and water potential caused growth. The two vascular bundles are organized parallel longitudinally to one another with a crack forming perpendicularly. Greening mesophyll cells with chlorophyll are present 2 to 3 cell layers from epidermis on the outer region of the crack, while nongreening cells are present everywhere else. The inner region contains cells with large amyloplasts supporting germination as well as the most interior cells dying to form aerenchyma.
The length of the coleoptile can be divided into an irreversible fraction, length at turgor pressure 0, and reversible fraction, or elastic shrinking. Changes induced by white light increase water potential in epidermal cells and decrease osmotic pressure, which resulted in an increase in the length of the coleoptile. The presence of the expanding coleoptile has also been shown to support developing tissues in the seedling as a hydrostatic tube prior to its emergence through the coleoptile tip.
Adventitious roots initially derive from the coleoptile node, which quickly overtake the seminal root by volume. In addition to being more numerous, these roots will be thicker (.3-.7mm) than the seminal root (.2-.4mm). These roots will grow faster than the shoots at low temperatures and slower at high temperatures.


Meier Schwarz

Meier Schwarz (born 1926 in Nuremberg) is an Israeli plant physiologist.
Biography.
Meier Schwarz is the child of Jewish parents. His father, Ludwig Schwarz, merchant, born in Egenhausen/Ansbach, was a German army officer in the First World War, and was highly decorated. Ludwig Schwarz was board member of the Orthodox Jewish Adas Isroel congregation in Nuremberg. He was murdered by the Nazis in September 1937. According to official records, Schwarz's mother Meta Schwarz, née Stern, who was born in Wiesenbach/Rothenburg, died in 1940 due to a "shortage of medicine." In fact the Nazis did not provide Jews with medicine. Schwarz's only brother Joseph was head of the Hakhshara in Neuendorf/Fürstenwalde. He was murdered in 1943 in Auschwitz.
Following the Night of Broken Glass in November 1938, the family succeeded in organizing Meier Schwarz's emigration. He managed to flee in a Kindertransport to Jerusalem. He was one of the early pioneers of Kibbutz Hafetz Hayim and became an active member of the Jewish underground organization, the Haganah. At the age of 22 he was the commander of one of the three Exodus ships, the "Ocean Vigour."
After the establishment of the state, Schwarz worked as teacher and farmer. For 20 years he lived on Kibbutz Hafetz Haim, and spent another 14 years in Petah Tikva before moving to Jerusalem in 1973. To this day he lives with his wife, a survivor of Auschwitz, in Jerusalem's Old City. They have seven children, as well as many grand children and great grand children.
Academic career.
Among Schwarz's academic achievements is the development of hydroculture (soilless culture) which makes it possible to grow plants in desert areas using minimal irrigation. In this capacity he received a doctorate in plant physiology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He worked as a researcher and advisor in this field in Germany, Singapore, Chile and United States (where he worked for NASA).
Schwarz was head of the Department for Soilless Cultures at the Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research in Beer Sheva. He worked as an inspector for the ministry of education for biology lessons at high schools in Israel, and taught at Bar-Ilan University. For 12 years, he headed the teachers' seminary for science at the Jerusalem College for Women. Schwarz was member of the board of trustees of the University of Haifa.
Schwarz was President of the International Society for Soilless Cultures (ISOSC), and founder of the Natural Sciences Department of Teacher Education at the Jerusalem College and the Jerusalem College of Technology. He also served as President of The International Society of Religious Researchers.
Public activities.
Since 1988, as the Director of the Synagogue Memorial and Beit Ashkenaz organizations in Jerusalem, Schwarz has led a project to publish memorial books for the former synagogues of Germany and Austria, and the Jewish communities who built them. He works with international partners and universities in this capacity. Eight memorial books have been published thus far.
Schwarz is a representative of CENTRA, the organization of Jewish-German immigrants to Israel who arrived in the 1930s. He represents the Survivors of German origin in the Union of Survivor Organization and Yad Vashem.
Published works.
More than 70 scientific reports and 12 books


Dioscorea analalavensis

Dioscorea analalavensis is a herbaceous vine in the genus "Dioscorea" which is native to Madagascar.


Koenigia mollis

Koenigia mollis is a species of flowering plant in the family Polygonaceae, native to the eastern Himalayas and Myanmar.


Abies bornmuelleriana

Abies bornmuelleriana, the Turkish fir is a rare, coniferous evergreen tree, most likely a natural hybrid between Caucasian fir ("Abies nordmanniana") and Grecian fir ("Abies cephalonica").
On the back of its foliage, the Turkish fir has a silvery hue, exposed as a result of the upward growth habit of its needles. This characteristic makes the tree, along with its pleasant fragrance, a common ornamental.
Turkish fir is typically a narrow and conical tree, with a mature height of 20 to 30 meters (60 to 100 feet), and growing 1.8 to 4 meters (6 to 28 feet) wide. It has dense, dark green upswept needles 2.5 to 3 cm (1 to 1.2 inches) long. Seed cones are purplish-brown and 10 to 14.5 cm (4 to 5.8 inches) long.
Some authorities classify it as a subspecies of "A. nordmanniana" ("A. nordmanniana" subsp. "bornmuelleriana"). Another common name is Uludağ fir.
Its native range is in northwestern Turkey, including the western Pontic Mountains south of the Black Sea, and Uludağ and other mountains southeast of the Sea of Marmara.


Habenaria quinqueseta

Habenaria quinqueseta, the longhorn bog orchid, is a species of orchid closely related to "H. macroceratitis" and often mistaken for it.
"Habenaria quinqueseta" is native to Central America, the West Indies (Cuba, the Bahamas, Hispaniola, Jamaica), southern Mexico (Oaxaca, Veracruz, Chiapas), northern South America (Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas), and the southeastern United States (from Texas to South Carolina).


Triarius (tree)

The Triarius, a tree, is a very large "Eucalyptus regnans" that is located in southern Tasmania, Australia. In 2010 the tree was estimated to be tall, its diameter was , and the volume of the trunk was .
The tree was discovered in August 2008 by employees of Forestry Tasmania while analysing the data collected by LiDAR system used in mapping and assessment of state forest resources. The tree was discovered located in secondary forest and survived logging and forest fires by a lucky coincidence. Next to the "Triarius", south-east from it there grows the highest known eucalypt in the world - the tall "E. regnans" named "Centurion".


Crossosoma

Crossosoma is a genus of the plant family Crossosomataceae. It consists of two species of shrubs.
"Crossosoma californicum" Nutt. is found on the Palos Verdes Peninsula and San Clemente and Santa Catalina islands of California, as well as Guadalupe Island in Baja California.
"Crossosoma bigelovii" S.Wats. occurs in the deserts of California, Nevada, Arizona, and Baja California.


Didymocystis

Didymocystis is a genus of green algae in the family Oocystaceae.


Olearia bullata

Olearia bullata is a small divaricating shrub endemic to New Zealand, from the plant family Asteraceae. It has small brownish green leaves with a large amount of interlacing twigs and grows to around 3m in height.


Pennisetum villosum

Pennisetum villosum is a species of flowering plant in the grass family Poaceae, known by the common name feathertop grass or just feathertop. It is native to northeastern Africa and parts of the Arabian Peninsula, and it is grown elsewhere as an ornamental plant. It can sometimes be found growing wild where it has escaped cultivation. This is a perennial grass growing in rhizomatous clumps, producing erect stems up to about 75 centimeters tall. The inflorescence is a panicle of clustered spikelets surrounded by a cloudlike mass of plumose white bristles up to 5 centimeters long.
The Latin specific epithet "villosum" means “with soft hairs”.
In temperate zones it is hardy in mild or coastal areas, where temperatures do not fall much below freezing. Alternatively it is often grown as an annual.
This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.


Epipogium roseum

Epipogium roseum, commonly known as the ghost orchid, leafless nodding orchid or 虎舌兰 (hu she lan), is a leafless terrestrial mycotrophic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has up to sixteen cream-coloured, yellowish or pinkish flowers with an enlarged ovary on a fleshy hollow flowering stem. This ghost orchid is widely distributed in tropical Africa, Asia, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Australia and some Pacific Islands.
Description.
"Epipogium roseum" is a leafless, terrestrial mycotrophic herb that has a fleshy underground rhizome and a fleshy, hollow, dull yellow flowering stem tall. There are between two and sixteen resupinate cream-coloured, yellowish or pinkish flowers long with an unusually swollen overy. The sepals are linear to lance-shaped, long, wide and the petals are often slightly shorter and wider. The dorsal sepal and petals are joined at the base and spread weakly. The labellum is egg-shaped, long, wide with a spur at its base. Flowering occurs from December to March in Australia and from April to September in China. The plants appear a few days after the first heavy rains of the wet season and set seed within a few days.
Taxonomy and naming.
This ghost orchid was first described in 1857 by David Don who gave it the name "Limodorum roseum" and published the description in "Prodromus florae Nepalensis". In 1857, John Lindley changed the name to "Epipogium roseum". The specific epithet ("roseum") is a Latin word meaning "rose-coloured".
Distribution and habitat.
"Epipogium roseum" grows in high rainfall habitats, especially rainforest, on decaying wood. It is found in many countries including China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kashmir, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, tropical Africa, New Guinea, Australia and some Pacific islands including the Solomon Islands. In Australia it occurs from the Windsor Tableland in Queensland to the Macleay River in New South Wales.


Lancea tibetica

Lancea tibetica is a herbaceous plant of the Mazaceae family. "Lancea tibetica" is found in grasslands, sparse forests, along streams between the altitudes of 2000 and 4500 meters in the Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan and Tibet Autonomous Region regions of China, Bhutan, India, Mongolia, Sikkim and Nepal.


Canopy conductance

Canopy conductance, commonly denoted formula_1, is a dimensionless quantity characterizing radiation distribution in tree canopy. By definition, it is calculated as a ratio of daily water use to daily mean vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Canopy conductance can be also experimentally obtained by measuring sap flow and environmental variables. Stomatal conductance may be used as a reference value to validate the data, by summing the total stomatal conductance formula_2 of all leaf classes within the canopy.
formula_3


Rhododendron sect. Rhodora

Rhodora was a section of subgenus "Pentanthera" in the genus "Rhododendron", that has since been discontinued. It comprised two species, both deciduous shrubs native to eastern North America:
Description.
The section was closely related to sect. "Pentanthera", differing from it in the flower corolla having only three lobes, rather than five, the upper three lobes of sect. "Pentanthera" being joined into a single three-lipped lobe in sect. "Rhodora".
Taxonomy.
The distinct floral structure resulted in Rhodora being treated as a distinct genus at one time. Treating it as such though resulted in the remainder of the genus "Rhododendron" being paraphyletic. However detailed phylogenetic analysis revealed that "Rhodora" was not a distinct entity, but rather polyphyletic, and it was disassembled, each species being allocated to other sections. "Rhododendron canadense" was moved to section "Pentanthera", subgenus "Hymenanthes" and "Rhododendron vaseyi" was moved to section "Sciadorhodion", which then became a new section of subgenus Azaleastrum.


Capsosiphon

Capsosiphon is a genus of green algae in the family Ulotrichaceae.
Effect.
Calcium and iron are particularly abundant in the general components of the mesophyll, with 20.6% of the protein, 0.5% of the fat, 35.4% of the carbohydrate, 1.5% of the fiber and 22.7% of the mineral. The components of the dried product are crude protein 4.6% ~ 6.6%, crude fat 1.1 ~ 1.4%, crude fiber 2.5 ~ 4.2%, ash 28.6 ~ 49.2% and soluble nitrogen free 40.9 ~ 60.9%. It is mainly edible in the southern coastal region and has a sweet taste than parasitic, so it is delicious. It has a good effect of preventing and calming the gastric ulcer or duodenal ulcer. Especially low blood pressure low cholesterol and hypertension and atherosclerosis therapy is said to be effective as a treatment. Contains a large amount of calcium and iron, and is good for children to promote growth and prevention of osteoporosis.


Grevillea divaricata

Grevillea divaricata is a shrub of the family Proteaceae native to central-western New South Wales. it is known only for a single specimen.


Geranium endressii

Geranium endressii, commonly called Endres cranesbill or French crane's-bill, is a species of hardy flowering herbaceous or semi-evergreen perennial plant in the genus "Geranium", family Geraniaceae.
It is native to the Western Pyrenees in Spain, and is cultivated as a garden subject. Growing to tall and broad, it has a mounding to sprawling habit, therefore is useful as groundcover in light shade. The leaves are deeply divided and the flowers are soft pink with red veins. It is very hardy, down to at least and possibly less.
The cultivar ‘Castle Drogo’ has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.


Nageia maxima

Nageia maxima is a species of conifer in the family Podocarpaceae. It is found only in Malaysia. It is threatened by habitat loss.


Thatch palm

Thatch palm is a common name for several different species of palm trees that are used for thatching, and may refer to:


Afrothismia baerae

Afrothismia baerae is a member of the genus "Afrothismia". It is endemic to Kenya and is critically endangered due to loss of habitat.


Frankeniaceae


Prothallus

A prothallus, or prothallium, (from Latin "pro" = forwards and Greek "θαλλος" ("thallos") = twig) is usually the gametophyte stage in the life of a fern or other pteridophyte. Occasionally the term is also used to describe the young gametophyte of a liverwort or peat moss as well.
The prothallus develops from a germinating spore. It is a short-lived and inconspicuous heart-shaped structure typically 2–5 millimeters wide, with a number of rhizoids (root-like hairs) growing underneath, and the sex organs: archegonium (female) and antheridium (male). Appearance varies quite a lot between species. Some are green and conduct photosynthesis while others are colorless and nourish themselves underground as saprotrophs.
Alternation of generations.
Spore-bearing plants, like all plants, go through a life-cycle of alternation of generations. The fully grown sporophyte, what is commonly referred to as the fern, produces genetically unique spores in the sori by meiosis. The haploid spores fall from the sporophyte and germinate by mitosis, given the right conditions, into the gametophyte stage, the prothallus. The prothallus develops independently for several weeks; it grows sex organs that produce ova (archegonia) and flagellated sperm (antheridia). The sperm are able to swim to the ova for fertilization to form a diploid zygote which divides by mitosis to form a multicellular sporophyte. In the early stages of growth, the sporophyte grows out of the prothallus, depending on it for water supply and nutrition, but develops into a new independent fern, which will produce new spores that will grow into new prothallia etc., thus completing the life cycle of the organism.
Theoretical advantages of alternation of generations.
It has been argued that there is an important evolutionary advantages to the alternation of generations plant life-cycle. By forming a multicellular haploid gametophyte rather than limiting the haploid stage to gametes, there is often only one allele for any genetic trait. Thus, alleles are not masked by a dominant counterpart (there "is" no counterpart).
One benefit of this is that a mutation that causes a lethal, or harmful, trait expression will cause the gametophyte to die; thus, the trait cannot be passed on to future generations, preserving the strength of the gene pool. Furthermore, if individual cells of the gametophyte compete with one another, somatic mutations that reduce cell vigour may prevent a cell lineage from reproducing.


Clematis smilacifolia

Clematis smilacifolia, is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. It usually grows on the margins of woodland areas and is native to tropical Asia.


Solanum tuberosum


Crocanthemum dumosum

Crocanthemum dumosum, common names bushy frostweed and bushy rockrose, is a perennial plant that is native to the United States.
Conservation status.
It is listed as endangered in Rhode Island, threatened in New York, a species of special concern in Massachusetts. It is listed as a species of special concern and believed extirpated in Connecticut.


Melica harfordii

Melica harfordii is a species of grass known by the common name Harford's oniongrass.
Distribution.
It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California, where it grows in many types of habitat, including mountain forests and open hillsides. It is found in the foothills and higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada.
Description.
"Melica harfordii" is a perennial bunchgrass growing up to in maximum height.
The inflorescence is a narrow series of spikelets tipped with nearly invisible awns.


Lindsaea linearis

Lindsaea linearis is known as the screw fern, as the fronds may have a twisting appearance. A small fern of widespread distribution in many parts of Australia. Found in a variety of habitats, often near swamps or moist places. By rocks, heathland or open forest. It has a dark stem, unlike the similar necklace fern, which is green.
The screw fern was first described by Swedish botanist Olof Swartz in 1801, and still bears its original name.


Volkameria

Volkameria is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. It is pantropical in distribution. Many of the species are found in coastal habitats.
The species of "Volkameria" are mostly shrubs, sometimes subshrubs or lianas, rarely small trees. The stems have swollen nodes. The flowers are usually fragrant. The fruit matures black or brown, separating into four corky pyrenes.
"Volkameria aculeata" and "Volkameria glabra" are grown as ornamentals in the tropics. "Volkameria heterophylla" is also known in cultivation. "Volkameria inermis" is planted as a sand binder.
History.
"Volkameria" was named by Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum in 1753. According to OED the genus was named after Johann Georg Volckamer (1616-1693), a German botanist, though other sources give credit to his son, Johann Georg Volckamer, the Younger (1662-1744), or to Johann Christoph Volkamer (1644-1720), another German botanist.
In 1895, John Isaac Briquet defined the genus "Clerodendrum" broadly, to include all of those species now placed in "Rotheca", "Clerodendrum", "Volkameria", and "Ovieda". This was considered questionable by many, but for the next 100 years, Briquet's circumscription was usually followed, mostly because of confusion and uncertainty regarding this group of at least 200 species.
In 2010, a molecular phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences showed that most of the "Clerodendrum" species that had been in "Volkameria" were more closely related to "Aegiphila", "Ovieda", "Tetraclea", and "Amasonia" than to other species of "Clerodendrum". (See the phylogenetic tree at Lamiaceae). Following these results, "Volkameria" was reinstated. Some species that had been erroneously placed in "Volkameria" were excluded. Some of the poorly known species in "Clerodendrum" might still need to be transferred to "Volkameria".


Calophyllum sil

Calophyllum sil is a species of flowering plant in the Calophyllaceae family. It is found in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.


Hypolepis ambigua

Hypolepis ambigua, (commonly known as pigfern) is a species of fern that grows in New Zealand.
The fern has broad fronds which grow up to 120 cm long, the fronds have mostly colourless hairs and some brown-tinged hairs on the midribs, while the stalks have red-brown or pale-brown bristly hairs. It grows in the shade in moist soil.


Collinsia grandiflora

Collinsia grandiflora is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family known by the common names giant blue eyed Mary and large-flowered collinsia. This wildflower is native to western North America from British Columbia to northern California where it grows in coniferous understory and woodland.
Description.
This is an erect annual herb reaching about 35 centimeters in maximum height. It produces a thin stem and narrow leaves and looks grasslike before flowering. It produces a showy inflorescence which is separated into interrupted levels, with each level producing a row of one to several flowers. Each pea-like flower is just over a centimeter wide and bright purple with white upper lips. The fruit is a capsule containing four seeds. The plant is relatively small, but its features are larger than most other "Collinsia", hence its common names.


Celtis philippensis

Celtis philippensis, is an Asian species of flowering plant in the family Cannabaceae.
In culture.
Known as "මැදිතෙල්ල - medithella" in Sinhala.


Lithophragma parviflorum

Lithophragma parviflorum is a species of flowering plant in the saxifrage family known by the common name smallflower woodland star. It is native to much of western North America from British Columbia to California to South Dakota and Nebraska, where it grows in several types of open habitat. It is a rhizomatous perennial herb growing erect or leaning with a naked flowering stem. The leaves are mainly located low on the stem, each cut into three lobes or divided into three lobed leaflets. The stem bears up to 14 flowers, each in a cuplike calyx of red or green sepals. The five petals are bright white, up to 1.6 centimeters long, and usually divided into three toothlike lobes.
Varieties.
The Flora of North America North of Mexico considers "L. parviflorum" var. "trifoliatum" to be a separate species endemic to California. But the Jepson Manual considers it to be a variety of "L. parviflorum".


Pittosporum muricatum

Pittosporum muricatum is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic to New Caledonia.
Location and history.
This plant is commonly known as melatumnin.


Passiflora pardifolia

Passiflora pardifolia is a small "Passiflora" with very distinct leaf markings. The leaf markings of "P. pardifolia" look very similar to the dumbcane. The fruits of "P. pardifolia" looks similar to the blueberry.


Chionothrix

Chionothrix is a genus of plants in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae and is found in Africa distributed in north-east tropical africa.
The genus has 2 accepted species:


Gisekiaceae


British NVC community MG3

British NVC community MG3 ("Anthoxanthum odoratum - Geranium sylvaticum" grassland) is one of the mesotrophic grassland communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system. It is one of four such communities associated with well-drained permanent pastures and meadows.
This community is a localised community of northern England. There are three subcommunities.
Community composition.
The following constant species are found in this community:
Five rare species of lady's-mantle "Alchemilla" are associated with this community: "A. acutiloba", "A. glomerulans", "A. monticola", "A. subcrenata" and "A. wichurae".
Distribution.
This community, although widespread in the past, is now almost confined to a few upland valleys in County Durham, North Yorkshire and Cumbria.
Subcommunities.
There are three subcommunities:


Isoetes mississippiensis

Isoetes mississippiensis, the Mississippi quillwort, is a small aquatic pteridophyte from the family Isoetaceae.
Distribution and habitat.
The species can be found in the southern part of Mississippi in the tributaries of the Pearl River. "Isoetes mississippiensis" occurs in persistent, sluggish streams in the southern part of Mississippi. Other plants that occupy the same habitat include the graminoids such as rushes and panicgrass. "Isoetes mississippiensis" only occurs in two known locations, neither of which is in a protected area.
Description.
The rootstock of "Isoetes mississippiensis" is brown, bilobed, subglobose, and measures between 0.5-1.0cm long and 1.0-1.5cm wide. The sporophylls are a bright green which darkens with age and becomes pale towards the base. The sporophylls are also spirally arranged and can grow to 40cm long and 2.0mm wide at the mid-length. Its sporangium are ovate, with most being between 4-10mm long and 4-5mm wide. It is distinct from other "Isoetes" species due to it having a chromosome count of 2n=22, the presence of laevigate megaspore ornamentation, and the differences of its habitat in comparison to similar species in the genus.


Sedum obtusatum

Sedum obtusatum is a species of flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae known by the common name Sierra stonecrop. It is native to the Sierra Nevada and adjacent high mountain ranges of California, its distribution extending north into Oregon and east into Nevada. It grows in rocky mountain habitat.
Description.
It is a succulent plant forming basal rosettes of waxy leaves. The leaves are oval or spoon shaped and up to 3 centimeters long, with smaller ones occurring farther up the stem. The leaves are green to blue green to red tinged or all red. The inflorescence is an erect, sometimes flat-topped array of many flowers. The flowers have white petals tinged with green, yellow, or orange. It typically blooms from May to June.
Though it is not an obligatory host, it is described as a beneficial organism for the "Euptoieta claudia" butterfly.
Variety.
One variety of this species, var. "paradisum", is a very rare plant limited to the Trinity Mountains of California; it is sometimes treated as a species in its own right, the Canyon Creek stonecrop ("Sedum paradisum").


Heuchera brevistaminea

Heuchera brevistaminea is a rare species of flowering plant in the saxifrage family known by the common name Laguna Mountains alumroot. It is endemic to the Laguna Mountains of San Diego County, California. It grows in rock crevices and steep cliffsides in the chaparral. This is a rhizomatous perennial herb producing an inflorescence up to 25 centimeters tall. The flowers are bright pink or magenta.


Odontites

Odontites is a genus of flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae.
Phylogeny.
The phylogeny of the genera of Rhinantheae has been explored using molecular characters. "Odontites" belongs to the core Rhinantheae. It is the sister genus to "Bellardia", and then to "Tozzia" and "Hedbergia". These taxa are closely related to the genus "Euphrasia". In turn, these five genera share phylogenetic affinities with "Bartsia".
Conservation.
One of the "Odontites" species, "O. granatensis", endemic to the Sierra Nevada in Spain, was so threatened that in 1993 only 1,500 plants survived in two locations. Due to conservation efforts the plant has made a comeback, numbering over 100,000 in 2006.


Aerangis luteoalba

Aerangis luteoalba is a species of epiphytic orchid native to eastern and central Africa. This species includes 2 currently recognized varieties:


Aponogeton capuronii

Aponogeton capuronii (named after René Paul Raymond Capuron) is an aquatic plant found in southeastern Madagascar.
Description.
"Aponogeton capuronii" has a rhizome up to 10 x 2-cm thick. Leaf blade 7–20 cm long petiolate, slightly leathery, 20–40 cm long and 3-4.5(-8) cm wide, flat or highly bullate and undulate, dark olive-green coloring. Apex acute, base round, cuneate or slightly cordate. Peduncle 40-60(-300) cm long, swollen toward the inflorescence. Spathe up to 1.5 cm long, caducous. Inflorescence with 2, seldom 3 up to 14 cm long spikes with omnilateral flowers; 2 white tepals; 6 stamens; 3-4 carpels with 2(-4) ovules each. Fruit about 6x3 mm in size, with a terminal beak. Seeds up to 3.25 x 1.5 mm in size, simple testa (van Bruggen, 1985).
Culture.
A decorative "Aponogeton", though with limited adaptability to living conditions in the aquarium. It was imported on a few occasions, but successful cultivation was the exception. A specimen featuring bullate leaf blades has been cultivated successfully for more than 20 years by J. Bogner in the Botanical Gardens Munich. The plant is kept in soft, weak acid water in a shaded location. According to this data, "Aponogeton capuronii" does not require a specific rest phase.
Ecology.
The species grows in rivers with fast-flowing water. In February 1968, Bogner discovered plants in the Man-dromondromotra River (Madagascar) in a depth of 20–30 cm. When the author visited this location in December 1986, the river had a water level of nearly 2 m. The plants had hardly any juvenile leaves, which hinted at limited growth activity. "Water values of this location were as follows:" temperature 27.3 °C (air 30 °C at 13:30 h), pH 6.0, GH/KH < 1 °dH, Fe2+ = 0.05 mg/1, NOj not detectable. The substrate consisted of sand and gravel mixed with coarse, yellow clay.
Other.
Forms specific to some locations and featuring bullate, undulate and flat blades have been identified.


Potamogeton richardsonii

Potamogeton richardsonii is a species of aquatic plant known by the common name Richardson's pondweed. It is native to much of northern North America, including all of Canada and the northern and western United States. It grows in water bodies such as ponds, lakes, ditches, and streams. This perennial herb grows a narrow, mostly unbranched stem from a mat of rhizomes in the substrate. It reaches about a meter in maximum length. The leaves are up to 13 centimeters long and about 3 wide with crinkly pointed or rounded tips. The inflorescence is a spike of flowers arising from the water surface on a peduncle.


Paeonia jishanensis

Paeonia jishanensis is a species of peony which produces white flowers, sometimes with pink shading at the base of the petals, in mid to late spring. The flowers are always borne singly. "P. jishanensis" can reach to 1.2m in height. This species was once thought to be a variety of "P. suffruticosa".


Campylophyllum

Campylophyllum is a genus of mosses belonging to the family Hypnaceae.
The genus was first described by Wilhelm Philippe Schimper.
The species of this genus are found in Europe and America.
Species:


Xanthocyparis

Xanthocyparis (synonym Callitropsis) is a genus of cypresses in the family Cupressaceae, comprising one species native to North America and one native to Vietnam in southeast Asia.
Nomenclature and circumscription.
In 2002, Aljos Farjon and others described the new genus "Xanthocyparis" to accommodate the new Vietnamese species "X. vietnamensis" and another species, "X. nootkatensis", the Nootka cypress, which had been formerly included in the genus "Chamaecyparis" as "C. nootkatensis". This was based in part on the discovery that "C. nootkatensis" was more closely related to the genus "Cupressus" than to "Chamaecyparis".
In 2004, Damon Little and others, while confirming the above relationship with further evidence, pointed out that as circumscribed by Farjon "et al.", "Xanthocyparis" included the type species of "Callitropsis" ("Cupressus nootkatensis", a synonym of "Chamaecyparis nootkatensis" and "Xanthocyparis nootkatensis"). "Callitropsis" had been described by Anders Sandøe Ørsted in 1864, but this name had been overlooked by Farjon and most other authors; under the rules of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, "Callitropsis" as the earlier-published name had nomenclatural priority over "Xanthocyparis" if that genus included "Cupressus nootkatensis". Little "et al." therefore recognized "Xanthocyparis" as a synonym of "Callitropsis". The name "Xanthocyparis" was proposed for conservation over "Callitropsis", a decision that was ratified at the International Botanical Congress in 2011.
Little "et al." also presented evidence that "Cupressus" is paraphyletic with respect to "Juniperus" and "Xanthocyparis", with the North American species of "Cupressus" being more closely related to "Xanthocyparis" than they are to the European and Asian "Cupressus" species. These species were transferred to ""Callitropsis" by Damon Little in 2006, although this transfer was not universally accepted. In 2009, most of the North American species previously included in "Callitropsis"" were placed in a separate genus, "Hesperocyparis".


Anacampseros albissima

Anacampseros albissima is a species of succulent plant native to the Karoo desert of South Africa.


Campanula primulifolia

Campanula primulifolia is a plant species of the genus "Campanula". It is native to Portugal and Spain.


Collomia

Collomia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae. Species in the genus are known generally as trumpets, mountain trumpets, or trumpet flowers. They are native to North America and southern South America. The genus name comes from the Greek "kolla" ("glue"), a reference to the seeds, which become gelatinous in texture when wet.
There are about 15 species in the genus.
Species include:


List of plants of the Amazon rainforest of Brazil

This is a list of plants found in the wild in Amazon Rainforest vegetation of Brazil. The estimates from useful plants suggested that there are 800 plant species of economic or social value in this forest,
according to Giacometti (1990).
Annonaceae.
Plant unknown


Polymeria calycina

Polymeria calycina, also known as Slender Bindweed, is a species of prostrate herbaceous vine native to northern and Eastern Australia. The species grows in savanna woodlands, open forests and occasionally grasslands.


Lunularia cruciata


Orobanche aegyptiaca

Orobanche aegyptiaca, the Egyptian broomrape, is a plant which is an obligate holoparasite from the family Orobanchaceae with a complex lifecycle. This parasite is most common in the Middle East and has a wide host range including many economically important crops.
Selective control of Egyptian broomrape is extremely difficult because the close association between host crop and parasite limits the use of most mechanical and herbicidal approaches.
Disease cycle.
A single Egyptian broomrape plant is capable of producing hundreds of thousands of extremely small (0.15-0.5 mm long) seeds. These seeds, dispersed by the wind, animals, or by more artificial means such as farm machinery, survive in the soil and have the ability to remain viable in the soil for more than 15 years. When the seeds are dropped, they are dormant. They require after-ripening, or further ripening after the seed has fallen from the plant, which is completed by the time the dry season has ended. As the rainy season begins, the seeds imbibe water and move into a conditioning phase which lasts 1–3 weeks, depending on whether the temperature remains optimal, between 60 and 70 °F. At this point, the seeds only need a chemical signal from the roots of a host plant to germinate. The seeds can remain in this conditioned state for several months. If the seed never receives the chemical signal to germinate and dries out, it returns to its dormant state, ready to be reconditioned when the next rainy season begins.
When a conditioned seed receives a chemical signal from a host plant, it germinates, forming a germ tube which grows toward the host. From this germ tube, it grows a haustorium, which is the part of the broomrape which attaches the parasite to the host and grows into the host’s vascular system. The parasite is then able to draw out water and nutrients from its host. At this point, "O. aegyptiaca" grows rapidly, developing above-ground flower stalks. The flowers develop between February and May. A medium-sized plant can produce more than 400 flowers, which each produce around 500 seeds. The complete lifecycle of this parasite, if completed in one season, lasts 10 to 15 weeks.
Hosts and symptoms.
The host range for Egyptian broomrape is fairly wide, including many broadleaf vegetables, field crops, and some ornamentals. Tomato, potato, tobacco, eggplant, peppers, peas, carrot, celery, mustard, spinach, and chrysanthemum are among the susceptible plants. In areas such as southern Russia, melons are also potential hosts. Some plant species have been reported as being hosts for "O. aegyptiaca" that, in reality, are not hosts. Because the physical attachment of the parasite occurs below ground, checking that the plant’s roots are connected to the weed is essential.
The most obvious sign of "O. aegyptiaca" parasitism is the visible parasitic plant near the base of the plant being attacked. Egyptian broomrape is a very short plant with purple flowers and a purple to brown stem. Plants that have been parasitized by this weed will show evidence of water stress, leaf yellowing, and stunted growth.
Environment.
"Orobanche aegyptiaca" is adapted to soils with a high pH, like those in the Middle East where it is native, and requires high temperatures for ideal germination and growth. Because "O. aegyptiaca" is an obligate parasite it is found only in association with the crops it attacks, especially irrigated crops.
Management.
Three main types of control exist for "Orobanche aegyptiaca": chemical, cultural, and biological.
Chemical control can be achieved by soil fumigation with methyl bromide. This method is effective yet is rarely used because only a shallow layer of the soil is affected, it is a costly treatment, and methyl bromide poses environmental concerns. Another form of chemical control is soil solarization, which is a solar heating of the soil by placing clear polyethylene sheets over moist soil. This kills the majority of seeds that are viable and induces secondary dormancy in the rest. Lastly, sulfonylurea and imidazolinone herbicides have been shown in many studies to be an effective form of chemical control for "O. aegyptiaca" with the efficacy depending on the method of application, the species of crop, and the timing of the application. One study has shown application times between 14 and 42 days after planting to be ideal for controlling Egyptian broomrape.
Some forms of cultural control of "O. aegyptiaca" include sanitation efforts to help prevent the movement of seeds, individual picking of weeds by hand, and avoidance by changing the sowing time or not growing a host plant. Reducing spread of infected soil by farm machinery, avoidance of grazing on infected plants, and staying away from the use of hay produced from "Orobanche"-infested plants are all methods to help prevent the movement of seeds. The individual picking of weeds by hand is very important, as the plant is able continue living as only a stem and produce a flower that can spread seeds even while not connected to the host. Any avoidance strategy must be carried out with a plant that cannot be parasitized by "O. aegyptiaca" and could take up to 20 years to complete, as this is how long the plant's seeds can remain viable in the soil. Also, because seeds can safely pass through an animal's digestive system, ensuring manure is not contaminated is important. Another option for cultural control is the use of trap crops or catch crops. Trap crops promote the germination of "O. aegyptiaca" seeds, but do not allow parasitism; these include flax, mung bean, maize, and sorghum. Catch crops allow parasitism, but are destroyed before the parasitic plants flower, so the broomrape seeds cannot be produced and dispersed. Finally, limited success has been seen with host plant resistance in sunflower, faba bean, lentil, and tomato. Resistant cultivars of sunflower were bred in Russia and Spain, but quickly lost their host-plant resistance due to selection towards more aggressive biotypes of the plant that had adapted to the new cultivars. In the resistant sunflower cultivars, germination was still induced, but the plant's germ tube never develops after penetration by the haustorium. Macromolecules are transferred from the host to the parasite, so one method for resistance is the introduction of an antimicrobial gene from the flesh fly into the host genome. This allows for its protein product to be transferred to the parasite and work as a means of control.
Most forms of biological control are still being developed and studied, although three species are potential forms of control: "Fusarium oxysporum", "F. solani", and "Sclerotinia sclerotiorum". "F. oxysporum" has been shown to successfully control "O. aegyptica" in sunflower and tobacco, while "S. sclerotiorum" has been shown to cause wet rot in the plant without having any negative impact on the host. Field experiments carried out in Hungary showed promise for control with some "F. solani" isolates. The "Fusarium" species usually work through phytotoxins that help them to conquer "O. aegyptica" 's defenses and establish themselves.
Importance.
Because Egyptian broomrape can cause severe damage to economic crops and ornamentals, it is important to understand the plant as a parasite and to fully comprehend its life cycle. By understanding its lifecycle, management is possible.
In Israel, the production of processing tomatoes is in danger as a result of high crop yield losses due to heavy infestations of "O. aegyptiaca". Approximately $1.3 to 2.6 billion have been lost in annual food crop losses in the regions near the Mediterranean, Northern Africa, and Asia. Egyptian broomrape and branched broomrape ("O. ramosa") have infested an annual average of 2.6 million ha of crops from the family Solanaceae, including tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant.


Bergamot mint

Bergamot mint may refer to either of two fragrant herbs in the mint family, Lamiaceae:


Aristogeitonia

Aristogeitonia is a plant genus in the family Picrodendraceae, described as a genus in 1908. It is native to Africa and Madagascar.


Chrysophylloideae

Chrysophylloideae is a subfamily of flowering plants in the chicle family, Sapotaceae.


Corchorus cunninghamii

Corchorus cunninghamii, known as the native jute, is a rare shrub species in the family Malvaceae. It is endemic to Australia. Plants grow to 1.5 metres high and produce yellow flowers.


Hydrocharis morsus-ranae

Hydrocharis morsus-ranae, frogbit, is a flowering plant belonging to the genus "Hydrocharis" in the family Hydrocharitaceae. In North America, it is referred to as common frogbit or European frog's-bit to distinguish it from the related American frogbit ("Limnobium spongia").
It is a small floating plant resembling a small water lily. It bears small, three-petalled white flowers. The floating leaves are kidney-shaped and grow in rosettes on the water surface, with the roots hanging down into the water column but not normally touching bottom. Frogbit is fast growing and spreads rapidly by stolons, surviving the winter as dormant turions which rest on the bottom, rising again to the surface in spring.
Frogbit is native to Europe and parts of Asia, but it was introduced to Canada in the 1930s and has become invasive in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States, particularly around the Great Lakes. It is considered a pest in this region as it colonises waterways and forms dense masses of vegetation on the surface, threatening native biodiversity, although in its native areas it is rarely dominant.


Warburgia salutaris

Warburgia salutaris (pepper-bark tree, , , , ) is a species of tree in the family Canellaceae. It is found in eastern and southern African locations e.g. Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini, Malawi and Zimbabwe and Kenya. It is threatened by habitat loss. It is a popular medicinal plant and is overharvested in the wild, another reason for its endangerment. The Pepper-bark tree is a protected tree in South Africa. Various projects are investigating methods of propagation under controlled conditions with subsequent planting in the wild.
This is an erect tree growing up to about ten metres in maximum height, but known to reach 20 metres at times. It has a thick canopy of aromatic, shiny green leaves. The evergreen leaf blades are lance-shaped, measuring up to 11 cm long by 3 wide. The flowers have ten yellow-green petals. They are each just under a centimeter long and are solitary or borne in small clusters of up to 3. The fruit is a berry, leathery purple or black in color when ripe, measuring up to 4 cm wide.
The leaves are used to add peppery flavoring to food and tea. The bitter taste of the tree's bark and leaves is due to the presence of iridoids. The aromatic, oily, yellowish wood is used for firewood.
It is attractive and makes a good shade tree.
Traditional medicine.
This plant is used medicinally by the Maasai people to treat malaria. It is used as a snuff or smoked for respiratory complaints such as common cold and cough. The bark can be purchased at markets in Tanzania, and elsewhere.


Chamaescilla corymbosa

Chamaescilla corymbosa, commonly known as blue stars, blue squill or mudrurt, is a tuberous perennial herb species in the genus "Chamaescilla". It is endemic to southern Australia.
Plants are 10 to 15 cm high and have grass-like basal leaves
The bright blue flowers have 6 petals (each with three nerves) and 6 stamens.
These appear in groups of two or more are produced from August to October in the species' native range. The seed capsules contain black, glossy seeds.
There are two currently recognised varieties:
The species occurs in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania.


Desert flora


Burmis Tree

The Burmis Tree is a limber pine located in south western Alberta in the community of Burmis, Alberta, along the Crowsnest Highway (Highway 3) and east of municipality of Crowsnest Pass. The tree died in the late 1970s after losing its needles. Limber trees are known to survive harsh conditions and are one of the longest living trees in Alberta. The Burmis tree was estimated to be between 600 and 750 years old. In 1998, it was toppled by wind, however members of local community refused to leave it lying. The tree was stabilized by Alberta Culture, Historic Sites staff using stainless steel rods and brackets. In 2004, vandals cut one of the tree's main branches. Locals fixed it again with glue and a prop pole. The community rallied to have the new Highway 3 built around the tree rather than destroy the heritage symbol it has become. The tree remains as the sole point of interest in the once prosperous town of Burmis.
Burmis Tree is also a band from Vancouver BC, playing dark regional folk/rock and named after the limber pine.


Ilex ericoides

Ilex ericoides is a species of plant in the family Aquifoliaceae. It is endemic to Peru.


Glyptopetalum zeylanicum

Glyptopetalum zeylanicum is a tree species in the family Celastraceae native to Peninsular India and Sri Lanka. The specific epithet "" refers to the species being native to the island of Sri Lanka.
Description.
"Glyptopetalum zeylanicum" grows as a small understory tree up to tall. Its branches are slender and pubescent.


Hernandiaceae

The Hernandiaceae are a family of flowering plants (angiosperms) in the order Laurales. Consisting of five genera with about 58 known species, they are distributed over the world's tropical areas, some of them widely distributed in coastal areas, but they occur from sea level to over 2000 m.
The family is closely related to the Lauraceae, and many species inhabit laurel forest habitat; they have laurel-like (lauroid) leaves. Based on morphology, chromosome numbers, geographical distribution, and phylogenetic analyses, the family is clearly divided into two groups that have been given the rank of subfamilies Gyrocarpoideae and Hernandioideae.
Overview.
The Hernandaceae are important components of tropical forests, ranging from low-lying to montane forests.
Because of the lack of worldwide knowledge about the family in general, little is known about their diversity yet. The knowledge of this family to national level, is that to be expected in countries with limited economic means with the vast majority of species indeterminate or even poorly determined. Recently described new species come from collections made in countries with limited economic means. Therefore, an increase in the study of family, at national level, is of utmost importance for the progress of the systematics of the family in general. Trees of the family Hernandiaceae predominate in the world's laurel forests and cloud forests, which occur in tropical, subtropical, and mild temperate regions of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, highlighting the African, Indian, and Pacific Ocean islands, New Caledonia, Madagascar, and central Chile.
The main economic uses for this family are essential oils, found in many species that are important for spices and perfumes, and the hardwood of many species is a source for timber around the world. A great number of species is in danger of extinction due to overexploitation as medicinal plants or timber extraction and loss of habitat.
Taxonomy.
The family has been recognised by most taxonomists.
The APG IV system (2016) recognizes this family, and assigns it to the order Laurales in the clade Magnoliids. As circumscribed by APG, the family includes those plants that sometimes have been treated as forming the family Gyrocarpaceae.
Ecology.
The Hernandiaceae are a very important family; their species inhabit the ecosystems with monoecious, rarely dioecious, deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and perennial climbing plants. The mode of dispersion is variable among the species.
Most species of genus "Hernandia" have red domes, suggesting zoochory, while "Hernandia guianensis" is hydrochorian in fresh water, and "H. nymphaeifolia" and "Gyrocarpus americanus" are hydrochorian in sea water.
The fruits are eaten by birds, passing through their digestive tracts, or are regurgitated; seeds germinate easily after. Zoocorian seeds are mostly in small fruits, desired by birds, containing many times a sticky substance coating the seed. Expelled, the seed sticks to the branch of trees and even dead bodies, or just in soil, germinating later.
Some fruits open very violently, expelling the seeds away. Others are small nuts or non-fleshy bodies (achenes) provided with hooks or filaments that stick to the fur of animals or are shaped to float in water or facilitate transport by wind.
They are distributed in the lower areas of the tropics, especially in rain forests, cloud forests, and laurel forest, although some species exist even in subtropical or arid areas; they occur from sea level to over 2000 m. Distributions in Africa and the Americas, for example, from "Gyrocarpus hababensis "and "G. americanus", relict character, appear to be due to marine transgressions in the past.
The family originated in the coastal laurel forests of Gondwana, which is the reason for its pattern of distribution. The Hernandaceae inhabit montane tropical forests, some species reaching 4000 m above sea level, but most species are more frequent in low-altitude rainforests. Some deciduous species have adapted to demanding conditions in semiarid climates, but then they tend to depend on favorable edaphic conditions, for example, perennial aquifers, periodic groundwater flows, or periodically flooded forests in sand containing hardly any nutrients.
Flowers and fruit.
The plants can have both sexes (it means, [hermaphrodite]), or monoecious. The flowers forms gropus of little flowers (inflorescences), forming in cymes in regular, ever tetracyclic or like a cycle. They present a s the non-reproductive part of the flower (perianth) with a different corolla and calyx . The corolla doesn't seems like flesh. Androecial members don't belong of the perianth and keeps in liberty of other, single-whorled. The pollen-producing reproductive organ (androecium) is only in fertile stamens. It also include a variation which form of 1–2 nectariferous glands outside the stamens, the including staminodes. Staminodes in exterior to the stamens viable to reproduction (3–5); de seppalous are opposite alternating with the inner perianth whorl (oppositisepalous). The Anthers are dehiscing constitued for longitudinal valves. The wall of anther in seed of two cotiledons only one type. The pollen grains don't have apperture, constitued by 2 cells. The ovule production are given by gynoecium of one carpel, which are reduced in number related to the perianth. The pistil is constitued by only one cell. the Gynoecium is also monomerous with only one carpel in inferior side. The placentation seems to be in an apix. The ovules form a testa from the outer integument (bitegmic), inverted so that the micropyle faces the placenta (anatropous), with two or more cell layers between the megasporophyte and the epidermal cells (crassinucellate) and pendulous. The endosperm formation is always from cells.
The fruit in some species is not fleshy with carpel indehiscent, seem to be with wings or included in an bloomed envelope derived from connate bracteoles. The seed without endosperm has two cotyledons with the appearance of flesh, oil producing, soft). The embryo is straight.
Uses.
The bark, seeds, and young leaves are purgative. The root is chewed as a remedy against eating poisonous crabs and fishes. The juice of the bark and leaves has depilatory properties. The available information on the plant parts used by Samoan healers, their modes of preparation, and application have been listed in Table 1.
Among the chemical compounds isolated from the family Hernandiaceae, the alkaloid corytuberine is the oldest known compound. Later, its derivative "O","O"-dimethylcorytuberine was reported from several "Hernandia" species, including "H. nymphaeifolia". Actinodaphnine and hernandion, were the earliest chemical compounds reported from the family hernandiaceae respectively.


Momordica enneaphylla

Momordica enneaphylla is a species of plant in the family Cucurbitaceae. It is found in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Gabon. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical swamps. It is threatened by habitat loss.


Leymus arenarius

Leymus arenarius is a psammophilic (sand-loving) species of grass in the family Poaceae, native to the coasts of Atlantic and Northern Europe. "Leymus arenarius" is commonly known as sand ryegrass, sea lyme grass, or simply lyme grass.
Taxonomy.
"Leymus arenarius" originated from the hybridization of "L. racemosus" and another unknown species in central Eurasia or from a polyploidization event. DNA analysis shows that inland and coastal plants are statistically not different from each other. "L. arenarius" is a recent cultivar, and has had little time to accumulate genetic differences. "Leymus arenarius" is much younger than its North American relative "L. mollis", which has been around since the ice age. Icelandic "L. arenarius" is molecularly uniform. Polish "L. arenarius" is also reported to be molecularly uniform.
Distribution.
"Leymus arenarius" is native to the coasts of northern and western Europe. A closely related species "Leymus mollis" (previously "Elymus arenarius" ssp. "mollis") is native to the northern coasts of North America.
Growth and development.
Nitrogen.
"Leymus arenarius" can grow exponentially in terms of height and root growth in the presence of nitrogen. "Leymus arenarius" is known to take up nitrogen into its root system. Raising nitrogen concentrations can aid in growth as over time plant mass above to surface will not change, but will accumulate in the root system. The roots themselves also retain nitrogen as they come in contact with it and in the surrounding un-vegetated areas. This assists in primary succession with surrounding flora and fauna, and a decrease in soil erosion. After volcanic events "L. arenarius" causes dunes and their soil depth to grow exponentially over time. Nitrogen increases seed production, raising the yield of seeds as much as 70% in Icelandic "L. arenarius". The seed density also increased with the addition of nitrogen, in comparison to phosphorus and potassium which only produce marginal increases for both seed yield and density. Leaf size and density are also influenced by nutrient additions. Removing nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium resulted in a reduction of leaf mass up to 20%. Nitrogen usage is a cost-effective tool to use to increase abundance and effectiveness of "L.arenarius".
Fungi.
"Leymus arenarius" benefits from the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The presence of the fungi increases the ability of "L. arenarius" to have an extensive root system and to bind soil particles. When adding fungi in its natural habitat, more seeds survived and grew than without the fungi present.
Adaptability.
"Leymus arenarius" can adapt easily to a highly salinized area. When comparing the salt tolerances of the Icelandic populations and the inland populations, the Icelandic populations expressed a higher salt tolerance than the inland populations. The trait for salt tolerance is heritable. The seeds of Icelandic populations germinated more in the presence of a high salt concentration than seeds of the inland population. In Finland the same salinity tolerance is also observed near roadsides where salt is distributed every season during snowfall. The pH near roadsides is closer to the pH present near saltwater beaches.
Immune system.
"Leymus arenarius" has a high immunity to pathogens. In total there are 160 transcripts for antimicrobial peptides present in seedlings. There are 30 transcripts encoding for unique antimicrobial peptides. These are not present in other plant species, and add to the immune system of the plant itself, making it immune to more pathogens than any of its relatives.
Uses.
In the Canadian Arctic and Alaska, "Leymus arenarius" is used by Inuit, Cupiit, and Yup'ik peoples for basket weaving. Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, is particularly known for its sea lyme basketry – a tradition that almost died out for in the late 20th century but has since been revived.
In Europe, the plant's stems are used for roof thatching and can be woven into a coarse fabric. Seeds have provided food in the past. Beginning as early as the 18th century, the plant's extensive network of roots was used in stabilizing sands on northern coastal beaches. In Iceland, the grass was harvested as a wild grain as early as the 12th century.
Law.
During the 17th century reign of William III, the Scottish Parliament passed a law protecting "Leymus arenarius". Under the 18th century reign of George I, the British Parliament expanded the law to protect the plant on English coasts. This law went as far as declaring the cutting or possession of the grass to be a penal offense.


Fulfordianthus

Fulfordianthus is a genus of liverworts in the family Lejeuneaceae. It contains the following species (but this list may be incomplete):


Marattiidae


Solanum nelsonii

Solanum nelsonii (often misspelled Solanum nelsoni), common names pōpolo and Nelson's horsenettle, is a partially woody sprawling shrub-like perennial plant in the family Solanaceae, part of the "Solanum" or nightshade genus. This poisonous plant is endemic to the Pacific Islands. It grows low in coastal sites in coral rubble to pure sand.
"Solanum nelsonii" was listed as an "endangered species" wherever found by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on September 30, 2016. Pōpolo is used in restoration projects around the state of Hawaii and the Northwest Hawaiian Islands.
Nelson's horsenettle was first described by Michel Félix Dunal. The scientific name "Solanum nelsonii" has also – invalidly – been given to two other species of nightshade:
Several varieties of Nelson's horsenettle have been described, but they are not usually considered valid anymore:


Cryptocoryne wendtii

Cryptocoryne wendtii, the Wendt's water trumpet, is a species of herb which is a popular aquarium plant which is native to Sri Lanka. It was described by Dutch botanist Hendrik de Wit in honour of aquarium hobbyist and writer Albert Wendt.
Distribution.
It is native to Sri Lanka and has been introduced into Florida
Description.
A very variable species and numerous 'forms' of variable taxonomic status have been discussed, for example "Tropica". The "Mi Oya" form is named after the river it is found in Sri Lanka.
Cultivation.
An easy plant to grow and one of the most robust "Cryptocoryne" species it is common and widely found in the aquarium trade. It is variable under different light and other environmental conditions. It is propagated by runners.


Selaginella willdenowii

Selaginella willdenowii is a species of vascular plant in the Selaginellaceae family. It is a spikemoss known by the common names Willdenow's spikemoss and peacock fern due to its iridescent blue leaves. Like other Selaginallales, it is fern ally and not a true fern.
"Selaginella willdenowii" is sometimes spelt incorrectly as "Selaginella willdenovii".
Description.
The blue iridescence is produced by thin-film interference produced by a thin layer of cells with lamellar structure in the upper cuticle of leaves. It is suggested that this adaptation reduces the effect of strong sun beams filtering through the canopy that would otherwise damage shade-adapted species. Blue iridescence is found also "Selaginella uncinata" and both species are adapted for extreme shade below the forest canopy.


Eulophia alta

Eulophia alta is a species of orchid, known as the wild coco. It is widespread across tropical and subtropical parts of Africa, South America, Central America, Mexico and the West Indies, as well as the southeastern United States (states of Georgia and Florida).


Ptaeroxylaceae

Ptaeroxylaceae are a small family of Southern African indigenous trees and woody lianes, most of them from Madagascar, comprising only two genera. Such a family was not recognized by the APG II system of classification (2003), which noted that it was a synonym of Rutaceae. The APG III system of 2009, an updated version of the last system, did not mention the family. All species within this family are included within Rutaceae.
The family Ptaeroxylaceae was recognized by the Thorne system (1992), Dahlgren system, and Reveal system and placed in the Rutales.
Genus: "Cedrelopsis"
Species:
Genus: "Ptaeroxylon"


Eriogonum nervulosum

Eriogonum nervulosum is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common name Snow Mountain buckwheat. This uncommon plant is endemic to the inland North Coast Ranges of California, where it is known from only a handful of occurrences, most of which are in Lake County. It is named for Snow Mountain, a local peak.
In the wild the plant grows in serpentine soils in its native mountains.
Description.
This is a low perennial herb forming mats of rounded leaves with woolly undersides. It produces erect inflorescences no taller than 15 centimeters, which bear rounded clusters of pale yellow to dark pink flowers.
Cultivation.
It is sometimes successfully cultivated in rock gardens.


Brunellia almaguerensis

Brunellia almaguerensis is a species of plant in the Brunelliaceae family. It is endemic to Colombia.


Encephalartos heenanii

Encephalartos heenanii is a species of cycad in Southern Transvaal Province, South Africa.
Description.
It is an arborescent plant, with a stem up to 3 m tall and with a diameter of 25–35 cm that often has shoots or branches that branch off from the base.
The leaves are 100–125 cm long, light green in color. The spine is sometimes twisted in a spiral and the upper part is clearly curved. The lanceolate leaflets, 12–15 cm long, are arranged on the rachis in the opposite way, at an angle of 45-80º; the margins are integer and smooth. The leaves of the basal part are smaller, but they are not reduced to spines.
It is a dioecious species, with male ovoid-shaped cones, yellow in color, 27–30 cm long and 15–17 cm wide. On each plant they grow up to three at a time. The female cones, of the same shape, are 23–30 cm long and have a diameter of 17–18 cm. Usually each plant produces only one, but up to three can rarely be present.
The seeds, 23–25 mm long, have an oblong shape and are covered by a red flesh.


Clypeola elegans

Clypeola elegans is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae. It is native to Iran, Transcaucasia and Turkey.
The type specimen is kept at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.


Ripogonum elseyanum

Ripogonum elseyanum, commonly known as hairy supplejack, is a climbing vine, or sometimes a shrub, native to coastal rainforests of New South Wales and Queensland, Australia.
The species was named by Mueller to honour the surgeon and naturalist, Joseph Ravenscroft Elsey (1834–1857), who was with Mueller on the 1856 expedition led by Augustus Gregory.


Trichodiadema burgeri

Trichodiadema burgeri is succulent plant of the genus "Trichodiadema", native to the Western Cape Province, South Africa, where it is known from the Montagu and Oudtshoorn regions.
Description.
A small, erect, clumping shrub. The imbricate leaves are tipped with white radiating bristles (the typical diadems of the genus).
The flowers are reddish in colour, with filamentous staminodes at the centre. The flower stalk and base are covered in thick hairs.
The pale fruit capsule has five locules (not six like "T. densum"), each with very well developed covering membranes.
This species very closely resembles "Trichodiadema densum", which is more compact and has six locules.


Zygogynum howeanum

Zygogynum howeanum, commonly known as hotbark or hot bark, is a species of plant in the family Winteraceae. It is endemic to Australia’s subtropical Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea. The specific epithet refers to the locality.
Description.
Hotbark is a tree that grows to 13 m in height. It has a dark, smooth trunk. Its large, bluntly pointed leaves are dark green on the upper surface and paler beneath. The white flowers are 20 mm in diameter, flowering from June to December, and are insect-pollinated. The fruit is a round black berry, 8 mm across, containing 5–15 small seeds.
Distribution and habitat.
Occurring mainly in moist and sheltered parts of the forests of Lord Howe's southern mountains – Mounts Gower and Lidgbird – the species forms a distinctive component of the vegetation from sea level to the peaks. Small numbers also occur elsewhere on the island. Within its restricted range it is common and locally abundant.


Distemonanthus

Distemonanthus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It belongs to the subfamily Dialioideae. It contains a single species, Distemonanthus benthamianus.


Heliotropium aff. wagneri

Heliotropium" aff. "wagneri is an undescribed plant in the family Boraginaceae. It resembles "Heliotropium wagneri", but differs in fruits breaking up into four nutlets and flowers that are always yellow, never white.
Endemic to Samhah in Yemen, its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland and rocky shores.


Viscaceae

Viscaceae is a taxonomic family name of flowering plants. In this circumscription, the family includes the several genera of mistletoes. This family name is currently being studied and under review as in past decades, several systems of plant taxonomy recognized this family, notably the 1981 Cronquist system.
However, the APG II system of 2003 does not recognize the family, treating it as a synonym of Santalaceae. This did not end the taxonomic debate among botanists and there are many that still think Viscaceae should be an accepted family name. According to the APG IV system Der and Nickrent (2008) found seven well supported clades in Santalaceae, but relationships between these clades are still poorly understood. The traditional and cultural uses of species within the Viscaceae merit further attention.
Clades or genera treated as belonging to the currently debated family name Viscaceae include:


Gelsemium elegans

Gelsemium elegans, commonly known as heartbreak grass, is a poisonous plant of the family Gelsemiaceae found in China and other Asian countries. It contains toxic alkaloids such as gelsemine, gelsenicine, gelsevirine and koumine.
Crumbled leaves of this plant, surreptitiously added to food, were used in the 23rd of December 2011 poisoning of Long Liyuan, a magnate of the Chinese timber industry, and perhaps in the 10th of November 2012 poisoning of Alexander Perepilichny, a Russian financier cooperating with a fraud investigation in London, though the role of the plant in his death has been disputed.


Pittosporum eriocarpum

Pittosporum eriocarpum is a plant species of the Indian suncontinent in the Pittosporaceae family, native to Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. This taxon is threatened by habitat loss.


Chamaegigas

Chamaegigas is a genus which contains only one species, Chamaegigas intrepidus, an aquatic plant that is native to central-west Namibia, growing in semi-arid and savanna regions. It grows in shallow temporary pools on granite inselbergs, surviving regular environmental extremes that include drastic daily changes in temperature and pH, along with extreme fluctuations in wetting and drying. "Chamaegigas intrepidus" means "intrepid dwarf giant", referring to the tiny plant's ability to thrive even in the desert.
Description.
"Chamaegigas intrepidus" grows in intertwined mats, with two different leaves. One is an underwater awl-shaped leaf that is long. Two pairs of unequal length leaves float on the water, and oval-shaped. The plant grows from a small rhizome growing in a combination of sand, organic debris, leaf remains, and animal dung that is deep. The flowers have two lips, and are white or pale pink with purple speckles.
"Chamaegigas intrepidus" is one of approximately 330 desiccant-tolerant vascular plants, 90% of which are found growing on inselbergs. It is one of the rare desiccant-tolerant vascular plants that is not a fern or monocotyledon. The basal leaves can survive complete drying for 4.5 months, with more than 50% of them reviving after receiving moisture—so the plants simply resume growing once the pools fill again after a dry spell. New floating leaves, which do not survive drying as well as the basal leaves, can reach the water surface as soon as 2–4 days after the pool refills, with flowers appearing as early as 4 days after breaking dormancy.
Taxonomy.
"Chamaegigas intrepidus" was discovered by German botanist Kurt Dinter in 1909. The full binomial name translates to "intrepid dwarf giant", referring to the small plant's ability to survive the most extreme conditions. It is considered to be a resurrection plant because it quickly revives from complete dormancy.
Habitat and distribution.
The plant is native to central-west Namibia, growing in semi-arid conditions in very shallow () temporary pools in granitic rock. The pools can dry out and refill 15 to 20 times each year. The pools also go through daily extremes of temperature and pH. Water temperatures can range from between day and night, while the late afternoon water pH can be greater than 10 and morning pH less than 6. The rhizomes can also be exposed to temperatures during the 11-month dry season.


Agropyron cristatum

Agropyron cristatum, the crested wheat grass, crested wheatgrass, fairway crested wheat grass, is a species in the family Poaceae. This plant is often used as forage and erosion control. It is well known as a widespread introduced species on the prairies of the United States and Canada.
History.
"Agropyron cristatum" is one of several closely related grass species referred to as crested wheatgrass. It is unable to hybridize with its similar relatives, as it is a diploid species, whereas its closest relative, "Agropyron desertorum", is a tetraploid species. It was introduced from Russia and Siberia to North America in the first half of the twentieth century, and widely used to reseed abandoned marginal cropland undergoing varying degrees of soil erosion and secondary succession. "A. cristatum" is very long lived, with stands often remaining productive for 30 years or more.
Description.
"Agropyron cristatum" is a densely tufted grass, with culms ranging from 30–50 cm high at maturity. Its sheaths are scabrous or the lowest ones pubescent. Its blades are up to 8 mm wide and scabrous to pubescent above. Its spikes are flat and range from 2–7 cm long, with spikelets ranging from 8–15 mm long, being 3–5-flowered, densely crowded, and spreading to ascending. Its glumes are 4–6 mm long, awn-tipped, and its lemmas are 6–8 mm long and either awnless or awn-tipped.
"Agropyron cristatum" is known among other grasses and wheats for its relatively high granivory. Granivory, or granivores, describe the interaction between animals and seeds. "Agropyron cristatum"s high granivory indicates that animals feed on the seeds of the plant as their primary, or even exclusive, food source. Although this raises concerns about the plant's continued ability to reproduce if its seeds are all being consumed, the high granivory of this species does indicate that "Agropyron cristatum" is an important food source.
Habitat.
"Agropyron cristatum" is best adapted to dry rangeland conditions and is most frequently found in such circumstances. It prefers from 23 to 38 cm of precipitation per year, but can tolerate more moisture on favourable sites, extending its range into tundra and taiga conditions and elevations up to 2000 m above sea level in the southern portions of its adapted area. It prefers well drained, deep, loamy soils of medium and moderately coarse texture, including Chernozemic, Solonetzic, Regosolic, Brunisolic and Luvisolic soils. "A. cristatum" can tolerate salinity in the range of 5 to 15 mS/cm and prefers moderately alkaline conditions. It has low to medium fertility requirements. It will not tolerate prolonged flooding.
"Agropyron cristatum" is the most shade-tolerant of the crested wheatgrasses, but does best in open conditions. "A. cristatum" is extremely drought tolerant. It achieves this drought tolerance by starting growth very early in the season, then going dormant from seed set until fall when it will exhibit vegetative regrowth if moisture is sufficient.
A recent study has shown that invasive populations of "Agropyron cristatum" have spread across the upper U.S. as well as southern Canada, and the invading "Agropyron cristatum" populations have been found to have a higher granivory than native grasslands and they maintain dominance even when native grassland species are reintroduced. This current study indicated that the increased granivory of "Agropyron cristatum" did not contribute to its competitive success. The study did show that although "A. cristatum" was found to have higher granivory, after 2 years the difference between "A. cristatum"s granivory and that of native species lessens, and that there was no apparent preference among the animals for either wheat. Therefore, the factors responsible for "Agropyron cristatum"s high granivore content are still relatively unknown.
"Agropyron cristatum" is very tolerant of grazing, although under dry conditions new stands should be protected from grazing for at least two years as the seedling are slow to develop. "A. cristatum" can be damaged by several fungi, including leaf and stripe rusts, snow mold and some arthropods including black grass bugs ("Labops" sp.) in pure plantings.
Uses.
"Agropyron cristatum" has been bred into many cultivars selected for attributes ranging from forage yield to drought tolerance to turf types that will exhibit more pronounced degrees of rhizomatous growth habit. It has been and continues to be, widely used in both agricultural and industrial reclamation activities.
"Agropyron cristatum" is known among other grasses and wheats for its relatively high granivory. Granivory describe the interaction between animals and seeds. "Agropyron cristatum"'s high granivory indicates that animals feed on the seeds of the plant as their primary, or even exclusive, food source. Although this raises concerns about the plant's continued ability to reproduce if its seeds are all being consumed, the high granivory of this species does indicate that "Agropyron cristatum" is an important food source. Studies have been conducted in search of the cause of "Agropyron cristatum"'s increased granivory, but as of yet a high relative granivory has not been proven to be a unique characteristic of "A. cristatum," and could actually be attributed to factors other than the plant's genome, such as environmental conditions.
One promising factor that could lead to, and be responsible for, increased granivore in "Agropyron cristatum" is a certain genetic difference found on chromosome 6 of plants with a higher granivore content. Plants with a translocation on chromosome 6P yield wheat of greater weight and longer spike length than those without the mutation. "Agropyron cristatum" possesses higher tiller number, higher floret numbers, and greater resistance to various pathogens such as wheat rusts, powdery mildew, and barley yellow dwarf virus than many of its close wheat relatives. It has been used to cross-breed with other species of grass and wheat to transfer a greater disease resistance to them, as well as enhance their properties as a food source. This cross-breeding involves the transferring of the chromosome 6P translocation to the species it is cross-breeding with. Chromosome 6P of "A. cristatum" has also been proven to play an important role in regulating fertile tiller number and it possesses positive and negative regulators of tiller number. These regulators were specifically found to be on the 6PS and 6PL chromosome arms. High floret numbers and number of kernals per spike is controlled by genes located on chromosome 6P of "Agropyron cristatum". "Agropyron cristatum"’s genes can be used to instill leaf resistance in other species of wheat. Three backcrosses between "Agropyron cristatum" and "Aegilops tauschii" produces a number stable, fertile lines of "Aegilops tauschii" that then has resistance to leaf rust. Also, multi-spike cultivars of "A. cristatum" have been found to be more stable agronomically and achieve higher yields than cultivars with large-spike type.
It is an easy grass to establish by seed, having both high germination rates and high seedling vigour. It also establishes rapidly relative to many other grasses. Under non-irrigated conditions in low precipitation areas, Crested Wheatgrasses are consistently some of, if not the, highest yielding and persistent of domestic forage grasses. However, "A. cristatum" is lower yielding, although it is slightly more palatable, relative to other Crested Wheatgrasses.
"Agropyron cristatum" shows an immense toughness to a wide range of environmental conditions. "Agropyron cristatum" can be grown in cold temperatures, drought conditions, and relatively high amounts of salinity. It also has a resistance to barley yellow dwarf, wheat streak mosaic viruses, and leaf rust disease as well as containing high protein content.
"Agropyron cristatum" is a highly competitive and persistent plant in drier areas, and has a moderate ability to spread by seed. As such, its use in and adjacent to remaining natural grassland communities within its adapted areas in outside its native Eurasian distribution has come under criticism as a factor in natural grassland biodiversity loss, although the subject is still being studied. One such fear is that its seedlings' emergence does not decrease under herbicide treatment.
Tenacity.
The importance of "Agropyron cristatum" is often undermined, as the plant has not been domesticated for modern agricultural use. "Agropyron cristatum"’s ability to withstand various environmental and biological blighting makes it a truly unique and valuable organism. Recent studies highlight the importance of "A. cristatum" in future agricultural development because it exhibits several desirable traits for the improvement of domesticated wheat. While some of these traits may be related to yield production of the wheat, other significant traits include biotic and abiotic stress resistance genes that enable "A. cristatum" to grow proficiently. The importance of this knowledge is that researchers can use this genetic information regarding stress resistance genes to introduce new desirable traits in other domesticated wheat species that aid their growth in harsh environments. Ultimately, this leads to better yields for more human consumption.
The phenotypic success that "Agropyron cristatum" experiences is primarily due to the success of its root system. Recent studies show how root development contributes to the competitiveness of "A. cristatum" by testing its ability to flourish over other forms of vegetation in grassland environments. These studies provide data on how long the roots grow and how concentrated soil volume becomes with roots of "A. cristatum". The results shows that "A. cristatum" typically allocates more of its biomass in its roots than its shoots when compared to other grassland species. Interpretation of this data suggests that because "A. cristatum" has a better foundation, it can outcompete other species for resources. These reports give significant insights into why "A. cristatum" is so competitive and why the development of this species could be a valuable asset to the food production as a perennial plant that is very competitive with its roots. In addition to this data, new research implies that whatever genes are enabling the roots to beat out the competition are homogeneous in nature (therefore more easily passed down through generations) and is the reason the species is as dominant. Once these genes become identified, agriculturalists can seek to implement them into genetically modified versions of wheat species to create a more durable and successful domesticated wheat species in our limited environment.
Today, researchers can annotate important functional genes that may be valuable for human use in the field of agriculture. This can be accomplished by utilizing next-generation sequencing techniques to analyze transcriptomes and genomes. Studies show that "A. cristatum" contains an abundance of protein family domains including nucleotide-binding domain-ARC (NB-ARC), AP2 domains, Myb family transcription factors (Myb), and late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins that are all stress resistance genes. Specifically, NB-ARC proteins deal with general immune resistances, AP2 domains relate to cold temperature and drought resistance, Myb proteins also aid in drought resistance but also help in salinity stress, and LEA genes generally involve resistance from other abiotic stresses. With this information, the next step is to actually introduce versions of these desirable genes into domesticated species. The results from a 2013 study displays the effects of introducing translocations between those desirable traits from "A. cristatum" to modern wheat species. Using the method of intergenic translocations, the research shows that successful integrations have been completed and that those plants do in fact grow normally as well. Another method from a successful 2015 study involves the use of intergenic hybridization to introduce resistance genes associated with leaf rust. To sum up, the numerous biotic and abiotic resistance genes that "A. cristatum" presents leads to the success of the species which could and can be applied to modern day food production of the wheat domesticated species.


Dioscorea aesculifolia

Dioscorea aesculifolia is a herbaceous vine in the genus "Dioscorea". The type specimen was collected in Brazil in 1994. The type specimen is damaged, but it appears to have palmate leaves with leaflets arranged in groups of five – a feature which is in contrast to the simple leaves of most well-known species of the genus "Dioscorea".


Chlorodesmis

Chlorodesmis is a genus of green algae in the family Udoteaceae. Algae in this genus produce the toxic diterpene chlorodesmin to defend themselves against generalist herbivores This toxin also kills certain corals that touch the alga. Certain fish like the green coral goby that live in the corals eat the alga to enhance their own toxicity. Other coral dwelling fish like Paragobiodon echinocephalus actively trim the alga even though they don't eat it.


Canarium elegans

Canarium elegans is a species of trees in the family Burseraceae. It is found in Madagascar.


Koenigia alaskana

Koenigia alaskana (synonym Aconogonon alaskanum, Persicaria alpina) is an Asian and North American species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family known by the common names Alaska wild-rhubarb and alpine knotweed.
Description.
This herbaceous perennial grows up to 2 meters (almost 7 feet) tall, with a woody root. Flowers are white or pale green, borne in elongated arrays.
Distribution.
"Koenigia alaskana" is native to Alaska, the Yukon, and Magadan Oblast in the Russian Far East.
Cultivation.
It is cultivated in areas with enough space for its substantial mounds of foliage. Under the name "Persicaria alpina" it has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.


Passiflora alata

Passiflora alata, the winged-stem passion flower, is a species of flowering plant. It is an evergreen vine, growing to or more, which bears an edible type of passion fruit. It is native to the Amazon, from Peru to eastern Brazil.
Names.
The local peoples refer to it as "ouvaca", meaning "red star" due to the appearance of its flower. Other names include fragrant grenadilla, and "maracuja de refresco". The specific epithet "alata" means "winged", referring to the 4-winged stems.
Description.
The leaves are oval or oblong, long and wide. The fragrant flower is wide, with red curved tepals, and a prominent fringed corona in bands of purple and white giving the appearance of stripes. It usually blooms around late summer or early fall, needing full sun exposure. "P. alata" attracts bees, butterflies and birds.
The solitary fruit is highly prized by local people. It is egg-shaped, yellow to bright orange, long and in diameter. It weighs from .
Cultivation.
In temperate zones "P. alata" is usually cultivated indoors, though it can also be grown outside in areas where the temperature does not fall below . It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Medicinal uses.
In Brazil, "P. alata" is officially recognized as a phytomedicine, and was included in first edition of Brazilian Pharmacopoeia in 1929. It is well known in folk medicine throughout South America, though the exact pharmacological composition of the plant is little understood and requires more study.


Holarrhena mitis

Holarrhena mitis is a small, fragrant-flowered tree in the family Apocynaceae. It is found in Sri Lanka at elevations below . It has smooth, white bark and soft, fine-grained, yellow-white wood.
The wood and bark have been used to treat fevers and dysentery.
Common names include "kiri-mawara" or "kiri-walla" in Sinhala and "kuluppalai" in Tamil.


Paeonia daurica subsp. macrophylla

Paeonia daurica" subsp. "macrophylla is from the western Caucasus in Georgia, growing between 800 and 1000 m. It was formerly regarded as a separate species, Paeonia macrophylla, but in 2002, the Chinese botanist Hong Deyuan reduced it to a subspecies of "Paeonia daurica". It grows on rocky slopes and in alpine valleys. Its leaves are a dark green and flowers are white tinged with yellow, produced in late spring or early summer.


Dicentra nevadensis

Dicentra nevadensis, the Sierra bleeding heart or Tulare County bleeding heart, is a perennial plant endemic to gravelly outcroppings in the Sierra Nevada peaks of Tulare and Fresno Counties in California.
It has previously been treated as a subspecies of "Dicentra formosa" (Pacific bleeding heart). The plant is found at elevations of .
Description.
"Dicentra nevadensis" leaves are finely divided and sprout from the base of the plant.
Flowers are heart-shaped, dull white, pink, or yellow-brown, hanging in racemes on bare stems above the leaves. When dried, the flowers turn black.
Seeds are borne in a capsule one to two centimeters long.