Quararibea platyphylla

Quararibea platyphylla is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama. It is threatened by habitat loss.


Picea maximowiczii

Picea maximowiczii, the Japanese bush spruce, is a species of conifer in the pine family. It is endemic to Japan; its range is limited to Akaishi Mountains, Okuchichibu Mountains and the Yatsugatake Mountains on Honshu.


Cressa (plant)

Cressa is a genus of plants in the morning glory family known generally as alkaliweeds. These plants are native to the tropical and subtropical areas of the world. They are clumpy and low-growing but usually have erect stems covered white-haired, green leaves. They produce tiny white flowers about half a centimeter across.
There are four species recognised in the genus "Cressa":


Isotoma scapigera

Isotoma scapigera, commonly known as long-scaped isotome, is a small herbaceous plant in the family "Campanulaceae" native to Western Australia.
The erect, annual herb typically grows to a height of . It blooms between September and December producing blue-purple flowers.
It is found in wet depressions, around salt lakes and on sand dunes in the Mid West, Wheatbelt, South West and Goldfields-Esperance regions of Western Australia where it grows in shallow sandy-clay soils.


Picea crassifolia

Picea crassifolia, the Qinghai spruce, is a species of conifer in the family Pinaceae. It is found only in China.


Calceolaria frondosa

Calceolaria frondosa is a species of plant in the Calceolariaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador.


Cinnamodendron

Cinnamodendron is a genus of plants in family Canellaceae described as a genus in 1840.
"Cinnamodendron" is native to South America and the West Indies.


Sedum clavatum

Sedum clavatum is a succulent plant that grows in compact rosettes that elongate into long stems with time. Originally identified growing in southern Mexico, "S. clavatum" produces white, star-shaped flowers in mid to late spring to early summer. They are often grown as decorative plants in rock gardens. Like almost all succulents, "S. clavatum" needs to be protected from frost and is hardy to . It grows 4 to 6 inches tall at mature height and 8 inches wide. "S. clavatum" is an annual that needs average watering and is categorized as fairly easy to maintain. It flourishes in semi-arid and arid climates from southern California to mid-Texas, but can be grown elsewhere given proper precautions.
Care.
"Sedum clavatum" require porous, well-draining soil and 4–6 hours of sunlight. Plants should be watered when the soil is dry, but over-watering is to be avoided.


Hormidium

Within the Orchidaceae, Hormidium was originally a subgenus of the genus "Epidendrum", but was later raised to a full genus. It is now considered not to be distinct from the genus "Prosthechea", of which it is a synonym. Most of the species of "Hormidium" have been transferred to "Prosthechea", although others are now classified in "Encyclia", "Epidendrum", "Homalopetalum", and "Lepanthes".
Taxonomy.
In 1841, John Lindley used the name "Hormidium" for one of the subgenera into which he divided the genus "Epidendrum". He described the subgenus as having pseudobulbous stems, sessile flowers and with the lip (labellum) of the flower joined (adnate) to the column. Later, in 1861, Heinrich Reichenbach concluded that the subgenus "Hormidium" was superfluous.
In 1883, George Bentham and Joseph Hooker raised "Hormidium" to a full genus. They distinguished "Hormidium" from the other pseudobulbous species of "Epidendrum" with at least a partially adnate labellum, and specifically mentioned only four species, two of which are now retained in "Epidendrum", one which is now placed in "Homalopetalum", and one which is now placed in "Lepanthes". Because the genus "Encyclia" features non-adnate labella, and because the genus "Prosthechea" features labella which are only partially adnate (and therefore do not quite meet Lindley's criteria for "Hormidium"), Bentham and Hooker's description is useful:
"Hormidium" is now considered not to be distinct from the genus "Prosthechea", of which it is a synonym. Most, but not all, of the former species of "Hormidium" have been transferred to "Prosthechea".
Species and synonymy.
The following species have at one time or another been placed in the genus "Hormidium" but are now placed in different genera:


Eusporangiate fern

Eusporangiate ferns are vascular spore plants, whose sporangia arise from several epidermal cells and not from a single cell as in leptosporangiate ferns. Typically these ferns have reduced root systems and sporangia that produce large amounts of spores (up to 7000 spores per sporangium in "Christensenia")
There are four extant eusporangiate fern families, distributed among three classes. Each family is assigned to its own order.
The following diagram shows a likely phylogenic placement of eusporangiate fern classes within the vascular plants.
Cladistics.
While it is generally accepted that the leptosporangiate ferns are monophyletic, it is considered to be likely that the eusporangiate ferns, as a group, are paraphyletic. In each of the three examples from recently published studies, shown in the following table, it can be seen that, together, the four eusporangiate fern families do not form a single clade.


Labordia lydgatei

Labordia lydgatei, the Wahiawa Mountain labordia, is a species of flowering plant in the Loganiaceae family. It is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, where it is present only in the Wahiawa Mountains of Kauai. It is threatened by habitat loss.


Galium rubrum

Galium rubrum (reddish bedstraw or Caglio arrossato) is a plant species in the Rubiaceae. It is known only from mountainous areas on Switzerland and northern Italy (Valle d'Aosta, Piemonte, Lombardia, Trentino-Alto Adige, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Emilia-Romagna).
"Galium rubrum" is an erect to ascending herb with large panicles bearing many small pink or red flowers.


Grona (plant)

Grona is a genus in the flowering plant family Fabaceae. Its native range is worldwide tropics and subtropics.
Taxonomy.
The genus is placed in subfamily Faboideae and tribe Desmodieae. It was previously included in its relative "Desmodium".
There are about 44 species in the genus:


Cistanthe ambigua

Cistanthe ambigua (formerly "Calandrinia ambigua") is a species of flowering plant in the family Montiaceae known by the common name desert pussypaws. It is native to the deserts of northern Mexico and Arizona and California in the United States, where it grows in sandy soils. This is an annual herb producing an upright stem to a maximum height of about 18 centimeters. The thick leaves are linear to spoon-shaped and grow along the stem rather than in a basal rosette at the base of the plant. The inflorescence is a tight cluster of white flowers with 3 to 5 petals each a few millimeters long. The fruit is a capsule containing up to 15 minute shiny black seeds.


Blackbush scrub

Blackbush scrub, or blackbrush scrub, is a vegetation type of the Western United States deserts characterized by low growing, dark gray blackbush ("Coleogyne ramosissima") as the dominant species. Blackbush often occurs in pure stands, giving a uniform dark gray appearance to the landscape.
Mojave Desert.
Blackbrush scrub occurs over a wide elevation range in the Mojave Desert. It may occur as an understory in Joshua tree woodland or pinyon-juniper woodland. Associates in the Mojave Desert include ephedra ("Ephedra nevadensis", "Ephedra viridis"), hop-sage "Grayia spinosa", turpentine broom ("Thamnosma montana"), horsebrush ("Tedradymia spp."), cheesebush ("Ambrosia salsola"), and winter fat ("Krascheninnikovia lanata").
Colorado Plateau.
In the Colorado Plateau, it occurs across uniformly thin soils.


Acanthospermum australe

Acanthospermum australe (Paraguayan starburr, Ihi kukae hipa, Paraguay bur, Paraquay starbur, Pipili, Sheepbur, Spiny-bur) is a South American species of herbaceous plants first described as a species in 1758.
Distribution.
The species is native to:
It has been introduced in China, and is an invasive species in parts of the United States, Canada, and South Africa. It is currently a widespread pioneer in the tropics and sub-tropics.
Extracts.
Extracts of "Acanthospermum australe" have "in vitro" antiviral activity against herpesvirus and poliovirus, but clinical effects have not been studied.


African lily

African lily is a common name for several plants and may refer to:
Plants named African lily


Hawkinsara

Hawkinsara, abbreviated Hknsa. in the horticultural trade, is an intergeneric hybrid of orchids, with parent genera "Broughtonia", "Cattleya", "Laelia" and "Sophronitis".


Calomeria

Calomeria is a plant genus in the dandelion family.
several species now in other genera, including "Basedowia", "Cassinia", "Helichrysum", "Humeocline" and "Thiseltonia".
Description.
"Calomeria amaranthoides" is a tall, fragrant biennial herb, growing to 3.5 metres in height. It has sticky stems and leaves which are green above and whitish beneath and are up to 15 cm long and 5 cm wide. Its flowers appear in large brown to red plumes in the summer (January to April in its native range).
Taxonomy.
The genus was first formally described by E.P. Ventenat in "Jardin de la Malmaison" in 1804.


Shishmaref, Alaska

Shishmaref ( ; , ; ) is a city in the Nome Census Area, Alaska, United States. It is located on Sarichef Island in the Chukchi Sea, just north of the Bering Strait and five miles from the mainland. Shishmaref lies within the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. The population was 563 at the 2010 census, up from 562 in 2000.
Etymology.
Shishmaryov is probably a variant of Russian "Shyshmánov" from Turkic "šyšman" ‘fat’, but there is also Old Russian "šiš" ‘rogue, knave’ and "Maréev" ‘(son of) marine’. In a dialect of Canadian Inuktitut, "Qikiqtaq" (formally Kigiktaq) means ‘island’ because it is an island, and the water to the south of it is called Kigiqtam Imarrua ‘waters of Kigiqtaq’, shown in the map of the area in the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve.
Geography.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it (61.62%) is water.
Shishmaref was named in 1821 by explorer Lt. Otto von Kotzebue, of the Imperial Russian Navy, after Capt. Lt. Gleb Shishmaryov who accompanied him on his exploration.
Sarichef Island (on which Shishmaref is located) is part of a dynamic, 100 km-long barrier island chain that records human and environmental history spanning the past 2000 years; the oldest subaerial evidence for the formation of this system is about 1700 years before present, according to carbon 14 dating (see References, below). Erosion at Shishmaref is unique along the islands because of its fetch exposure and high tidal prism, relatively intense infrastructure development during the 20th century, and multiple shoreline defense structures built beginning in the 1970s.
Global warming.
The effect of global climate change upon Shishmaref is sometimes seen as the most dramatic in the world. Rising temperatures have resulted in a reduction in the sea ice which serves to buffer Shishmaref from storm surges. At the same time, the permafrost that the village is built on has also begun to melt, making the shore even more vulnerable to erosion. In recent years the shore has been receding at an average rate of up to 10 feet (3.3 m) per year. Although a series of barricades has been put up to protect the village, the shore has continued to erode at an alarming rate. The Army Corps of Engineers has build a series of walls but none have been completely effective against waves. The town's homes, water system and infrastructure are being undermined. Currently, Shishmaref has obtained funds to construct seawalls that protect some of the shoreline.
The village had plans to relocate several miles to the south, on the mainland to the Tin Creek site. However, Tin Creek proved unsuitable for long term settlement due to melting permafrost in the area. The Shishmaref Erosion and Relocation Coalition, made up of the city, the IRA Council and other organizations, is seeking federal, state and private funding for a move elsewhere. The cost of moving Shishmaref is estimated at $180 million, nearly $320,000 per resident. The village was told by the Obama administration that no federal money was available, therefore tensions arose in 2013 when John Kerry announced Vietnam would receive $17 million to deal with climate change.
Erosion rates along the island front exceed (and are not comparable with) those along adjacent sectors. Erosion is occurring along the entire island chain, but it is exacerbated at Sarichef Island in part because of the hydrographic impacts of hard armoring of a sandy shoreface and permafrost degradation that is accelerated b y infrastructure. Residents are experiencing the effects of coastal retreat on residential and commercial properties.
Residents voted on town relocation several times, as early as 1975 and then in 2002 which approved it. On August 16, 2016, the village voted to move the town to the mainland. The town's residents prefer to think of the move to the mainland as an "expansion" rather than a "relocation", but although a site on the mainland called West Tin-Creek Hills was selected in 2016, there’s still a lot of planning and research to be done before that can be determined viable.
Culture.
Sometimes referred to as "the friendliest village in Alaska," Shishmaref is an Iñupiaq village. Researchers, journalists and the occasional tourist visit Shishmaref, and the city has acquired a reputation for being a gracious host.
Residents rely heavily on a subsistence lifestyle, that is, hunting and gathering much of their food. Primary food sources include sea mammals such as "oogruk" (bearded seal), other seals, and walrus, fish, birds (such as ptarmigan), caribou and moose. The village is well known in the region for its high-quality seal oil and fermented meat.
Shishmaref is known for its Native art. Local artists carve sculptures from whalebone and walrus ivory, that are much sought after by galleries in Alaska and the Lower 48 states. George Aden Ahgupuk (1911–2001), a prominent Iñupiaq sculptor and draftsman lived in Shishmaref.
Shishmaref was home to one of Alaska's most-beloved dog mushers. Herbie Nayokpuk (1929–2006), known as the "Shishmaref Cannonball," finished the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race numerous times, including a second-place finish.
Demographics.
Shishmaref first appeared on the 1920 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It formally incorporated in 1969.
As of the census of 2000, there were 562 people, 142 households, and 110 families residing in the city. The population density was 202.0 people per square mile (78.1/km2). There were 148 housing units at an average density of 53.2 per square mile (20.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.24% Native American (mainly Inupiat), 5.34% White, and 1.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.53% of the population.
Of the 142 households, 52.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.6% were married couples living together, 19.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.96 and the average family size was 4.59.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 40.9% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 12.6% from 45 to 64, and 5.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 125.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 121.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,714, and the median income for a family was $29,306. Males had a median income of $35,357 versus $25,000 for females. The per capita income for the city was $10,487. About 16.2% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.
Education.
Shishmaref is served by the Bering Strait School District. Shishmaref School is the only school in town and serves grades Pre-K through 12 with a population of 183 students and 33 pre-school children. There are 19 teachers at Shishmaref School and is the largest and newest building in settlement.
Transportation.
There are three main roads, Main Street-Airport Road, Housing Trail and Clinic Road. Roads are not paved but have street lighting and do not connect to the outside beyond Shishmaref. Vehicles are mostly ATVs with a few private vehicles and dirt motorcycles.
Some residence will travel by wood vessels around Sarichef Island and a barge delivers goods and materials to Shishmaref when it is ice free.
Shishmaref Airport is the only means of connecting the town to the rest of Alaska. The airport replaced an earlier airport which is now occupied by housing near the lagoon.
Housing.
Houses in Shishmaref are pre-fabricated and mostly single story. Construction material is mostly wood board and sometimes metal. The homes are often damaged from erosion.
Services.
Local healthcare services are provided by the Katherine Miksruag Olanna Health Clinic, a member of the Norton Sound Health Corporation (NSHC) based in Nome, AK. Certified health aides provide general services including lab work, vaccinations, health screenings, and treatment of acute health issues. The clinic utilizes NSHC's electronic medical record system, as well as other modern technologies including video teleconferencing and remote medication dispensing, in order to provide quality care to its patients. Healthcare providers of various specialties also routinely visit the clinic to provide additional services, screenings, and chronic disease state management.
Policing is provided by Shishmaref Police Department and fire services are provided by Shishmaref Volunteer Fire Department.


Epidendrum nocturnum

Epidendrum nocturnum (the "nocturnal epidendrum") is the type species of the genus "Epidendrum" of the Orchidaceae (Orchid family).
The species occurs in Florida, Bahamas, West Indies, Belize, Central America to northern Brazil and the Guyanas. "Epidendrum nocturnum" is common in South Florida.
It is usually autogamous (flowers self-pollinate) and sometimes cleistogamous (flowers self-pollinate before they open).
The haploid chromosome number of "E. nocturnum" has been determined as "n" = 20. The diploid chromosome number has been determined both as 2"n" = 40 and as 2"n" = 80.
In 1984, the variety "E. nocturnum" var. "guadeloupense" was determined to have a diploid chromosome number of 2"n" = 42—48. On November 7, 2010, Kew did not recognize the existence of this variety in its World Checklist of Selected Plant Families.


Solanum conocarpum

Solanum conocarpum, commonly known as marron bacoba, is a vascular plant species in the family Solanaceae found in the US Virgin Islands.
Description.
"Solanum conocarpum" is a thornless and flowering plant. It is a perennial shrub that is endemic to the island of St. John, USVI where there are only approximately 190 plants in the wild. The historical record shows the species was previously found in Puerto Rico and in the U.S. Virgin Islands Dry Forest of both St. Thomas and St. John. "Solalnum conocarpum" can reach up to nine feet high and is found in the dry, deciduous forests of St. John. This shrub grows up to about 3 meters with a number colored bark, elliptical shaped leaves about 2 cm long, and lavender-colored flowers.


Acanthocladus

Acanthocladus is a genus in the family Polygalaceae that is native to South America.


Celastrus

Celastrus, commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is a genus in the family Celastraceae which comprises about 30-40 species of shrubs and vines. They have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Americas.
The leaves are alternate and simple, ovoid, and typically long. The flowers are small, white, pink or greenish, and borne in long panicles; the fruit is a three-valved berry.
In North America, they are known as bittersweet, presumably a result of confusion with the unrelated bittersweet ("Solanum dulcamara") by early colonists. "C. orbiculatus" is a serious invasive weed in much of eastern North America.


Eucalyptus rameliana

Eucalyptus rameliana, commonly known as Ramel's mallee, is a species of low growing mallee that is endemic to desert areas of central Western Australia. It has smooth bark, broadly lance-shaped to egg-shaped adult leaves, flower buds arranged singly in leaf axils, pale yellow flowers and flattened, pyramid-shaped fruit.
Description.
"Eucalyptus rameliana" is a mallee that typically grows to a height of and forms a lignotuber. It has smooth greyish to brown bark. The adult leaves are the same shade of dull green on both sides, egg-shaped to broadly lance-shaped, long and wide on a petiole long. The flower buds are arranged singly in leaf axils, sometimes in groups of three, on a down-turned peduncle long, the individual buds on pedicels long. Mature buds are oval to spherical, long and wide with a conical, or rounded and beaked operculum. Flowering mainly occurs from May to June and the flowers are usually pale yellow, sometimes red. The fruit is a woody, flattened pyramid capsule long and wide with the valves protruding slightly. The seeds are grey brown, flattened pyramid-shaped, long.
Taxonomy.
"Eucalyptus rameliana" was first formally described in 1876 by the botanist Ferdinand von Mueller his book, "Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae". The species was named in honour of Prospero Ramel who had introduced different species of "Eucalypts" into Algeria and southern France.
Distribution.
Ramel's mallee is only known from the Little Sandy Desert south-east of Newman where it grows on sand dunes and swales.
Conservation status.
This eucalypt is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.


Symphoricarpos guatemalensis

Symphoricarpos guatemalensis is a Central American species of flowering plant in the honeysuckle family. It has been found only in Guatemala.
"Symphoricarpos guatemalensis "is an erect branching shrub sometimes as much as 2 meters (80 inches) tall. Leaves are tiny, rarely more than 6 mm (0.24 inch) long. It has white flowers and white fruits.


Polypodium virginianum

Polypodium virginianum, commonly known as rock polypody, rock cap fern, or common polypody, is a small evergreen species of fern native to the Eastern United States and Canada. It generally grows on rocks and occasionally on tree roots in nature.
Description.
"Polypodium virginianum" is a small rhizomatous fern with narrow leaves long and wide borne on smooth, scaleless petioles . Leaves are evergreen, oblong and pinnatifid with acuminate tips.
Large, circular sori are prominently featured on the underside of fertile fronds in late summer and autumn. Sporangia are intermixed with long brown glandular hairs.
Taxonomy.
"Polypodium virginianum" has several synonyms including: "P. vinlandicum" A. Love & D. Love, "P. vulgare" L. var. "americanum" Hooker, "P. vulgare" L. var. "virginianum" (L.) D. C. Eaton. It is generally treated as distinct, though some have recommended it is equally well treated as a North American variety of the circumboreal "Polypodium vulgare".
This species is an allotetraploid of hybrid origin, the parents being "Polypodium appalachianum" and "P. sibiricum".
Distribution and habitat.
"Polypodium virginianum" typically grows on boulders, cliffs, and rocky slopes and does not need well-developed soil. It is common throughout eastern North America; its native distribution ranges from Newfoundland to Yukon south to Georgia, Alabama, and Arkansas.


Apuleia leiocarpa

Apuleia leiocarpa is a species of arboreal flowering plant, a member of the family Fabaceae. It is endemic to Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Description.
It has a flattened, wide, dense crown. It reaches in height, with a slightly tortuous and very long trunk, with fins at the base. Rhytidoma that splits into discs. Leaves imparipinadas composed, 05.11 leaflets long. It has small white flowers in clusters, blooming when the leaves fall. The legume fruit is long, with 2-3 seeds, which are and difficult to extract.
It flowers (austral) from September to November, fruiting from October to December, and seed is harvested from November to February.
Ecology.
It belongs to the upper stratum of tall forests. It reproduces very abundantly in secondary forests; sometimes in pure groupings. It abounds in skirts and highs. It grows very slowly, until its middle age, which grows at a rate of in height per year. It is heliophyte, but partly sciophyte.
Wood.
It is yellow, with a specific gravity of 0.8 g / cm³ , with good workability. It has high resistance to weathering and is dimensionally stable. For construction, door frames, windows, bodywork, floors, coatings.In Colombia there is the Maquí, whose sawdust (from wood) produces rasquiña and belongs to the genus Apuleia and grows in the middle Magadalena region and the Uraba region, its specific gravity is similar to 1 g / cm³.
Taxonomy.
"Apuleia leiocarpa" was first described by Julius Rudolph Theodor Vogel in 1919 and published in contributions from the "Gray Herbarium of Harvard University".


Afrovivella

Afrovivella is a monotypic genus of the succulent plant family Crassulaceae. The sole species is Afrovivella semiensis.


Chorizanthe fimbriata

Chorizanthe fimbriata, the fringed spineflower, is an annual plant in the family Polygonaceae, the buckwheats. It is a member of the genus "Chorizanthe", the spineflowers, and is native to southern California and northern Baja California.
Distribution.
The "Chorizanthe fimbriata" species is endemic to the San Jacinto Mountains (California) and the Peninsular Ranges in Southern California and Baja California, below . It is found in coastal sage and montane chaparral and woodlands habitats.
Description.
The "Chorizanthe fimbriata" plant is low-lying at , and spreading in diameter. It bears small star-shaped 5-lobed reddish-purple flowers with yellow tubes.
There are two varieties of the Fringed spineflower:


Encephalartinae


Gastrodia

Gastrodia, commonly known as potato orchids or as 天麻属 (tian ma shu), is a genus of terrestrial leafless orchids in the family Orchidaceae, about ninety of which have been described. Orchids in this genus have fleshy, upright stems and small to medium-sized resupinate flowers with narrow sepals and petals. They are native to Asia (China, the Russian Far East, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent), Australia, New Zealand, central Africa, and various islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Description.
Orchids in the genus "Gastrodia" are leafless, terrestrial, mycotrophic herbs with a fleshy, underground rhizome and an upright flowering stem with a few to many brownish, resupinate flowers. The sepals and petals are fused to form a bell-shaped or irregular tube with the tips free. The petals are usually much smaller than the sepals and the labellum has three lobes and is fully enclosed in the tube.
Taxonomy.
The genus "Gastrodia" was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown and the description was published in "Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen". The type species is "Gastrodia sesamoides".
List of species.
The following is a list of species of "Gastrodia" recognised by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families as at July 2020:
- Taiwan
A paper published in March 2020 described a new species "Gastrodia gunatillekeorum" from Sri Lanka, but the name had not been assessed for inclusion in the above list as at July 2020.
"Gastrodia agnicellus" was discovered in Madagascar and was described in a paper published in November 2020.


Couroupita

Couroupita is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lecythidaceae first described as a genus in 1775. It is native to tropical South America and Central America.


Neostapfia

Neostapfia is a genus of endemic Californian bunchgrasses, in the subfamily Chloridoideae of the grass family, Poaceae. The only known species is Neostapfia colusana, with the common name Colusa grass.
Distribution.
"Neostapfia colusana" is endemic to the Central Valley of California, in the northern section's Sacramento Valley and in the southern section's San Joaquin Valley. The bunchgrass grows in vernal pools, which are seasonal shallow freshwater ponds.
It is native to the Central Valley counties of Glenn, Colusa, Yolo, Solano, Stanislaus, and Merced.
This rare grass is a federally listed threatened species in the United States.
Description.
"Neostapfia colusana" is a clumping bunchgrass with distinctive cylindrical inflorescences covered in flat spikelets.
The inflorescences are said to resemble tiny ears of corn. They fruit in grains covered in a gluey secretion, and when a plant is mature each clump becomes brown and sticky with the exudate.
The genus was named for the botanist Otto Stapf.
Conservation.
The plant is limited to vernal pool habitats, a type of ecosystem which is increasingly rare as Central Valley land is consumed by development and agriculture, and damaged by flood control regimes and other alterations of hydrology.


Kokoona coriacea

Kokoona coriacea is a species of plant in the family Celastraceae. It is a tree found in Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo. It is threatened by habitat loss.


Capparis masaikai

Capparis masaikai, known as mabinlang, grows in the subtropical region of the Yunnan province of China and bear fruits of tennis-ball size. The mature seeds are used in traditional Chinese medicine.
They are also used as sweets; when chewed the seeds elicit a sweet taste.
The origin of the sweet taste was identified as sweet-tasting proteins named mabinlins. They are highly sweet, 100-400 times sweeter than sucrose on a weight basis.


Laxmannia

Laxmannia is a genus of tufted perennial herbs in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Lomandroideae, that are endemic to Australia.
Species:


Marlock

A marlock or moort is a shrubby or small-tree form of "Eucalyptus" found in Western Australia. Unlike the mallee, it is single-stemmed and lacks a lignotuber. It has a dense canopy of leaves which often extends to near ground level.
Marlock species include:
Moorts are a form of marlock with smooth, grey bark including the following species:


Dischidia ruscifolia

Dischidia ruscifolia, also known as million hearts, is an epiphytic plant native to the Philippines.
Description.
This decorative plant comprises stiff, slender green shoots that grow to 3.3 feet in length before taking root at the tip and continuing, which are densely decorated in pairs of stiff, succulent, heart-shaped leaves; hence the name "Million Hearts". Many tiny white flowers appear on the internodes and remain for long periods of time. The plant looks graceful in a hanging pot, but is found in dense clumps and clusters on overhead tree branches in its habitat.
Cultivation.
"Dischidia ruscifolia" is very easily propagated from cuttings and will survive a wide range of treatment from a gardener.


Apetahia

Apetahia was a genus of plants native to various islands of French Polynesia in the South Pacific now considered to be a synonym of "Sclerotheca".


Yellow-fruit nightshade

Solanum virginianum, also called Surattense nightshade, yellow-fruit nightshade, yellow-berried nightshade, Thai green eggplant, Thai striped eggplant (from the unripe fruit), is also known as Indian night shade or yellow berried night shade plant, the common name is Kantakari, Solanumsurattense Brum. f. and Solanum xanthocarpum Schrad. and Wendl. are synonyms of Solanum virginianum L. (Sharma et al., 2010). It is also a medicinal plant used mostly in India. Some part of the plant is poisonous ex. the fruit which is poisonous.
Description.
Plant body.
Thorny Nightshade is a herb which is erect, sometimes woody at base, 50–70 cm tall, copiously armed with sturdy, needlelike, broad-based prickles 0.5–2 cm × 0.5–1.5 mm.
Leaves.
Leaves are unequal paired; stalk 2–3.5 cm, prickly; leaf blade ovate-oblong, 4–9 × 2–4.5 cm, prickly along veins, margin usually 5–9-lobed or pinnately parted, lobes unequal, sinuate, apex acute.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence elongate racemes 4–7 cm. Sepal tube is bell-shaped 1 cm in diameter.
Flowers.
Flowers blue-purple, 1.4–1.6 × 2.5 cm; petals ovate-deltate, 6–8 mm, densely pubescent with stellate hairs. Filaments 1 mm; anthers 8 mm. Style 1 cm.
Fruits.
Fruiting pedicel 2–3.6 cm, with prickles and sparse stellate hairs. Fruiting sepals prickly, sparsely pubescent. Berry pale yellow, 1.3–2.2 cm in diameter. The ripe yellow fruits are around 3 cm in diameter. Flowering normally appears around November to May.
Occurrence.
This plant is cultivated in Himalayas, South-East Malaysia, Australia, and Polynesia region. The plant is found well versed in India, often in waste places, on roadsides and in open space.
Medicine.
The plant has many medical properties. In the tribes of Nilgiris, the plant is used to treat a whitlow (finger abscess): the finger is inserted into a ripe fruit for a few minutes. In Nepal, a decoction of root is taken twice a day for seven days to treat cough, asthma and chest pain.
Ayurvedic Physicians commonly used the drugs of Dashmula in their private practice. Dashmula comprises root of five trees (brihat panchmula) and root of five small herbs (laghu panchmula). Deep study in Ayurveda indicate that out of 33 species of Solanum from family Solanaceae, two species are used in “Dashmula” such as Solanum anguivi Lam. (Bruhati) and Solanum virginianum L. (Kantkari) (Sharma, 2006). The tribals and villagers also used the drugs of Dashmula group for their common ailments. It is estimated that about 8000 metric tons of roots of Dashmula are used annually by Ayurvedic industry in Maharashtra.
Heble et al., (1968) chemically isolated, crystallized, diosgenin and beta cytosterol constituents from Solanum virginianumL. Further they reported the presence of triterpenes like Tupeol. Heble et al., (1971) noted the presence of coumarins, scopolin, scopoletin, esculin and esculetin from plant parts of Solanum virginianum through column chromatography. Hussain et al., (2010) in addition to alkaloids content also determined the presence of flavoinoids and saponin apart from the presence of tolerable level of heavy metals like Cu, Fe, Pb, Cd and Zn. Shankaret al., (2011) reported and quantified bioactive steroidal glycoalkaloid khasianine in addition to solanine and solasomargine through HPTLC. Apigenin showed antiallergic while diosgenin exhibited anti – inflammatory effects (Singh et al., 2010). The leaf extract inhibit the growth of pathogenic organisms. (Seeba, 2009). Tanusak Changbanjong et al., (2010) reported the effect of crude extract of Solanum verginianum against snails and mosquito larvae.
Solanum virginianum L. (Kantkari) is useful in bronchial asthma (Govindan et al., 1999). Krayer and Briggs (1950) reported the antiaccelerator cardiac action of solasodine and some of its derivatives. The plant possesses antiurolthiatic and natriuretic activities. (Patel et al., 2010). A decoction of the fruits of the plant is used for treatment of diabetes (Nadkarni, 1954). Solanum virginianum L. herb is useful in cough, chest pain, against vomiting, hair fall, leprosy, itching scabies, skin diseases and cardiac diseases associated with edema (Kumar et al., 2010).
Roots decoction is used as fabrige, effective diuretic and expectorant. It is diuretic useful in the treatment of catarrhal, fever, cough, asthma, and chest pain (Ghani, 1996). Root paste is utilized by the Mukundara tribals of Rajasthan for the treatment of hernia as well as in flatulence and constipation. Stem, flower and fruits are prescribed for relief in burning sensation in the feed. Leaves are applied locally to relieve body or muscle pains, while its juice mixed with black pepper is advised for rheumatism (Nadkarni, 1954). Fruit juice is useful in sore throats and rheumatism. A decoction of the fruits of the plant is used by tribal and rural people of Orissa for the treatment of diabetes (Nadkarni, 1954). Smoking the seeds of the dried solanum virginanum in a biri warp is said to allay toothache and tooth decay in Indian folk medicine.
"In-vitro" antioxidant and "in-vivo" Antimutagenic properties of "Solanum xanthocarpum" seed extracts, the preliminary qualitative phytochemical screening was done which reveal the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, glycoside, alkaloids, carbohydrates, and reducing sugar etc. Based preliminary qualitative phytochemical screening, Quantitative estimation of polyphenols was performed, quantitative estimation alcoholic extract found significant amounts of polyphenols as compare to aqueous extract. "In-vitro" antioxidants was performed by two method DDPH and superoxide radical scavenging method, the alcoholic extract shows significant antioxidant properties as compare to aqueous extract, based on polyphenols and antioxidant properties alcoholic extracts was used for the antimutagenic (clastogenic) test. Alcoholic extract produced significant result in antimutagenic activity.
References.
https://clinphytoscience.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40816-020-00229-1


Aichryson

Aichryson is a genus of about 15 species of succulent, subtropical plants, mostly native to the Canary Islands, with a few in the Azores, Madeira and Morocco, and one in Portugal.
The species of "Aichryson" are not frost-resistant. They are related to "Sempervivum, Jovibarba, Greenovia, Aeonium" and "Monanthes", readily seen in their similar flowers.
The genus name comes from a contraction of the Greek "aei" (always) and "chrysos" (gold).
Several species are cultivated as ornamental plants. The hybrid cultivar "Aichryson" × "aizoides" var. "domesticum" 'Variegatum' is a recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Taxonomy.
Recent phylogenentic studies of Crassulaceae indicate that "Aichryson" is closely related to "Monanthes" and "Aeonium" (both genera are also largely endemic to the Canary Islands). Two other genera of Crassulaceae that have many-parted (polymerous) flowers ("Sempervivum" and "Jovibarba") are not closely related to the three Canary Island genera.
On the Canary Islands, the center of species diversity seems to be the island of La Palma.
Relationships within "Aichryson" were investigated by Fairfield et al. (2004) ["Plant Systematics and Evolution" 248: 71–83]. They found that the five subspecies of "A. pachycaulon" were not each other's closest relatives (monophyletic) and additional species may need to be erected after additional study.
Species.
Other species recognized by Nyffeler in Eggli 2004 are:
Recently named species include:


Nepenthes samar

Nepenthes samar is a tropical pitcher plant native to the Philippines. It is known only from the island of Samar, after which it is named. It is closely allied to "N. merrilliana".


Malmeoideae

The Malmeoideae are a subfamily of trees and other plants of the family Annonaceae.
Tribes and Genera.
The Angiosperm Phylogeny Website, which recognises Malmeoideae as one of four subfamilies, containing 9 tribes and the following genera:
Annickieae.
Auth: Couvreur et al., 2019
Piptostigmateae.
Auth: Chatrou & Saunders 2012 - African genera:
Malmeeae.
Auth: Chatrou & Saunders 2012 - tropical Americas
Maasieae.
Auth: Chatrou & Saunders 2012
Fenerivieae.
Auth: Chatrou & Saunders 2012
Dendrokingstonieae.
Auth: Chatrou & Saunders 2012
Monocarpieae.
Auth: Chatrou & Saunders 2012
Miliuseae.
Auth: Hooker & Thomson 1855


Guttation

Guttation is the exudation of drops of xylem sap on the tips or edges of leaves of some vascular plants, such as grasses, and a number of fungi. Guttation is not to be confused with dew, which condenses from the atmosphere onto the plant surface. Guttation generally happens during the night time.
Process.
At night, transpiration usually does not occur, because most plants have their stomata closed. When there is a high soil moisture level, water will enter plant roots, because the water potential of the roots is lower than in the soil solution. The water will accumulate in the plant, creating a slight root pressure. The root pressure forces some water to exude through special leaf tip or edge structures, hydathodes or water glands, forming drops. Root pressure provides the impetus for this flow, rather than transpirational pull. Guttation is most noticeable when transpiration is suppressed and the relative humidity is high, such as during the night.
Guttation formation in fungi is important for visual identification, but the process causing it is unknown. However, due to its association with stages of rapid growth in the life cycle of fungi, it has been hypothesised that during rapid metabolism excess water produced by respiration is exuded.
Chemical content.
Guttation fluid may contain a variety of organic and inorganic compounds, mainly sugars, and potassium. On drying, a white crust remains on the leaf surface.
Girolami et al. (2005) found that guttation drops from corn plants germinated from neonicotinoid-coated seeds could contain amounts of insecticide consistently higher than 10 mg/l, and up to 200 mg/l for the neonicotinoid imidacloprid. Concentrations this high are near those of active ingredients applied in field sprays for pest control and sometimes even higher. It was found that when bees consume guttation drops collected from plants grown from neonicotinoid-coated seeds, they die within a few minutes. This phenomenon may be a factor in bee deaths and, consequently, colony collapse disorder.
Nitrogen levels.
If high levels of nitrogen appear in the fluid, it is a sign of fertilizer burn. Excess nitrogen must be leached from the soil by addition of large quantities of water. This is the best way to restore soil fertility, but it may result in water pollution.


Chorizanthe wheeleri

Chorizanthe wheeleri is a rare species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family known by the common names Santa Barbara spineflower and Wheeler's spineflower. It is endemic to Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands, two of the Channel Islands of California.
It resembles the closely related plant known as Turkish rugging ("Chorizanthe staticoides") and any reported mainland occurrences are actually specimens of this much more common species.
"Chorizanthe wheeleri" is erect, growing up to about 25 centimeters tall, reddish in color and hairy in texture. The inflorescence is a dense cluster of flowers, each flower surrounded by six hairy bracts with hooked awns at the tips. The flower is white to red and only 2 or 3 millimeters wide.


Trillium recurvatum

Trillium recurvatum, the prairie trillium, toadshade, or bloody butcher, is a species of perennial herbaceous flowering plant in the family Melanthiaceae. It is native to parts of central and eastern United States, where it is found from Iowa south to Texas and east to North Carolina and Pennsylvania. It grows in mesic forests and savannas, often in calcareous soils. It is also known as bloody noses, red trillium, prairie wake-robin, purple trillium, and reflexed trillium, in reference to its reflexed sepals.
Description.
"Trillium recurvatum" grows up to tall with three ovate to lanceolate bracts, mottled green, long and across, petiolate at maturity.
The flower has three brown to maroon petals that are long and across, with the petal tips arching over the stamens. The sepals are recurved, pointing downwards when the flower has fully opened. The anthers are also dark purple, up to long. The stigmas are recurved at the tips. It is distinguished from other sessile-flowered "Trillium" species, such as "Trillium sessile", by its reflexed sepals.
The fruit is green, sometimes streaked with purple or white, with six well-developed ridges. The seeds have an oil-rich structure called an elaiosome, which promotes dispersal by ants and other foraging insects.
Conservation.
"Trillium recurvatum" is common throughout much of its range. It is not considered to be globally threatened, and its status is considered secure. However, it is monitored by conservation agencies in several states at the edge of its range, where it becomes rare. For example, in Wisconsin it is considered rare or uncommon (S3) and therefore a species of special concern. In Michigan, it is considered a state threatened species and is protected by law.


Coryloideae

Coryloideae is a subfamily in the woody angiosperm family Betulaceae, commonly known as the birch family, and consists of four extant genera - "Corylus" L., "Ostryopsis" Decne., "Carpinus" L., and "Ostrya" Scop. These deciduous trees and shrubs are primarily distributed in the boreal and cool temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere, with the majority occurring in Asia, many occurring in North America and a few species occurring as far south as South America. Synapomorphies such reduced staminate flowers, advanced wood anatomy features, and the presence of spermidines in pollen define the Coryloideae.
While the division of the extant members of the Betulaceae into six genera is uncontroversial, the placement of these genera into higher taxonomic ranks and the level of these ranks are debated. Extensive studies on the basis of ribulose- 1,5-biphosphate carboxylase ("rbc"L) sequences, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences, morphology, and various combined data sets support the dichotomy of the Betulaceae into two major clades. A few authors have divided the genera into two families, the Betulaceae ("Alnus", "Betula") and Corylaceae ("Carpinus", "Ostrya", "Corylus", "Ostryopsis"). Many modern authors recognize two separate clades within the family, either as tribes Betuleae and Coryleae or subfamilies Betuloideae and Coryloideae. There has also been debate on the further division of the Coryloideae into two tribes: Coryleae ("Corylus") and Carpineae ("Ostryopsis", "Carpinus", "Ostrya").
Fossil record.
Based on distribution patterns of fossil and extant representatives ("Corylus", "Carpinus", and "Ostrya") across temperate latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, the Betulaceae probably originated in the temperate zones of Laurasia during the Cretaceous. The pollen record also suggests that the Betuloideae predate the Coryloideae. "Alnus" and "Betula" differentiated as early 80 Mya during the Santonian in the Cretaceous. The earliest pollen grains of the Coryloideae, belonging to "Corylus", appeared 67 Mya during the Maestrichtian in the Paleocene. "Carpinus" and "Ostrya" appeared later, 60 Mya and 41 Mya respectively; "Ostryopsis" has not yet been confirmed by similar fossil remains.
"Corylus" subclade.
"Corylus", commonly known as the hazels, is often considered a sister group to the "Ostryopsis"-"Carpinus"-"Ostrya" subclade. "Corylus" is placed as the sister group to the remaining Coryloideae because it shares plesiomorphic character states with the Betuloideae such as bisexual inflorescences, staminate flowers with a perianth, a haploid chromosome number of 14, and nonoperculate pollen apertures with thickened endexine. The monophyly of "Corylus" species is defined by several morphological synapomorphies, including the large animal-dispersed nuts, hypogeal seed germination, and filaments that are completely divided longitudinally. The genus is recognized as having either two or three main divisions as sections or subgenera, with sections often being divided into subsections. Some authors divide it into subgenera "Acanthochlamys", "Phyllochlamys", and "Siphonochlamys". Others divide the genus into two sections ("Acanthochlamys" and "Corylus") with section "Corylus" into three subsections ("Corylus", "Colurnae", and "Siphonochlamys").
"Ostryopsis–Carpinus–Ostrya" subclade.
The "Ostryopsis"–"Carpinus"–"Ostrya" subclade is defined by staminate flowers without a perianth, operculate pollen apertures with endexine not thickening at apertural region, a base chromosome number of 8, and a plicate leaf vernation pattern. Several characters, including glabrous receptacle of staminate flowers, smooth nutlet surface, and secondary veins extending directly into leaf teeth, differentiate "Ostryopsis" from "Carpinus" and "Ostrya".
"Ostryopsis" is often considered the sister group of "Carpinus" and "Ostrya", but its phylogenetic position is debated. A close relationship with "Corylus" is supported by wood anatomy characters and chloroplast gene sequences. The placement of "Ostryopsis" as sister to the "Ostrya"-"Carpinus" clade is supported by a phylogenetic tree based on chloroplast DNA data but placement basal to "Corylus" is supported in an ITS-based tree.
"Carpinus" is often considered sister to "Ostrya". DNA sequences suggest that "Carpinus" might have differentiated from the extinct genus "Palaeocarpinus". "Carpinus" is defined by several morphological characters including presence of pistillodes in the male florets, and leafy bracts subtending the flowers and fruits. "Carpinus" is divided into two sections, "Distegocarpus" and "Carpinus", based on floral bracts, infructescences, and scales. Section "Carpinus" is further divided into three subsections – "Carpinus", "Monbeigianae" and "Polyneurae". The monophyly of the genus is debatable. ITS data suggests the genus is paraphyletic while chloroplast DNA and nuclear 5S spacer data support it as monophyletic. "Carpinus" may also be considered paraphyletic depending on the placement of "Ostrya".
"Ostrya" has a close relationship with "Carpinus", which is strongly supported by ITS and rbcL sequences and morphological and combined data from several studies. Although both genera share similar inflorescences, pollen grains and vessels with simple perforations, they differ in leaf epidermal characters and their infructescence bracts, which are radially symmetrical and inflated bladder-like in "Ostrya" and are open and flat in "Carpinus".
While the close relationship of "Carpinus" and "Ostrya" is supported by data, the monophyly of the two genera has remained controversial. Some studies have nested "Ostrya" within "Carpinus" between sections "Carpinus" and "Distegocarpus" on the basis of ITS data or placed "Ostrya" as a basal grade to the "Carpinus" clade on the basis of chloroplast DNA data.


Najas kurziana

Najas kurziana, called the Bihar water nymph, is an aquatic plant growing in fresh water ponds. It is a rare and little-known species known from East Timor and from the State of Bihar in India. The species was initially discovered between Kishenganj and Oolabena, near the border with Nepal.


Gymnosperm

The gymnosperms, also known as Acrogymnospermae, are a group of seed-producing plants that includes conifers, cycads, "Ginkgo", and gnetophytes. The term "gymnosperm" comes from the composite word in ( and ), literally meaning 'naked seeds'. The name is based on the unenclosed condition of their seeds (called ovules in their unfertilized state). The non-encased condition of their seeds contrasts with the seeds and ovules of flowering plants (angiosperms), which are enclosed within an ovary. Gymnosperm seeds develop either on the surface of scales or leaves, which are often modified to form cones, or solitary as in yew, "Torreya", "Ginkgo".
The gymnosperms and angiosperms together compose the spermatophytes or seed plants. The gymnosperms are divided into six phyla. Organisms that belong to the Cycadophyta, Ginkgophyta, Gnetophyta, and Pinophyta (also known as Coniferophyta) phyla are still in existence while those in the Pteridospermales and Cordaitales phyla are now extinct.
65% of gymosperms are dioecious.
By far the largest group of living gymnosperms are the conifers (pines, cypresses, and relatives), followed by cycads, gnetophytes ("Gnetum", "Ephedra" and "Welwitschia"), and "Ginkgo biloba" (a single living species).
Some genera have mycorrhiza, fungal associations with roots ("Pinus"), while in some others ("Cycas") small specialised roots called coralloid roots are associated with nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria.
Classification.
A formal classification of the living gymnosperms is the "Acrogymnospermae", which form a monophyletic group within the spermatophytes. The wider "Gymnospermae" group includes extinct gymnosperms and is thought to be paraphyletic. The fossil record of gymnosperms includes many distinctive taxa that do not belong to the four modern groups, including seed-bearing trees that have a somewhat fern-like vegetative morphology (the so-called "seed ferns" or pteridosperms). When fossil gymnosperms such as these and the Bennettitales, glossopterids, and "Caytonia" are considered, it is clear that angiosperms are nested within a larger gymnospermae clade, although which group of gymnosperms is their closest relative remains unclear.
The extant gymnosperms include 12 main families and 83 genera which contain more than 1000 known species.
Subclass Cycadidae
Subclass Ginkgoidae
Subclass Gnetidae
Subclass Pinidae
Diversity and origin.
Over 1000 living species of gymnosperm exist. It is widely accepted that the gymnosperms originated in the late Carboniferous period, replacing the lycopsid rainforests of the tropical region. This development appears to have resulted from a whole genome duplication event around . Early characteristics of seed plants are evident in fossil progymnosperms of the late Devonian period around 383 million years ago. It has been suggested that during the mid-Mesozoic era, pollination of some extinct groups of gymnosperms was by extinct species of scorpionflies that had specialized proboscis for feeding on pollination drops. The scorpionflies likely engaged in pollination mutualisms with gymnosperms, long before the similar and independent coevolution of nectar-feeding insects on angiosperms. Evidence has also been found that mid-Mesozoic gymnosperms were pollinated by Kalligrammatid lacewings, a now-extinct family with members which (in an example of convergent evolution) resembled the modern butterflies that arose far later.
Conifers are by far the most abundant extant group of gymnosperms with six to eight families, with a total of 65–70 genera and 600–630 species (696 accepted names). Conifers are woody plants and most are evergreens. The leaves of many conifers are long, thin and needle-like, other species, including most Cupressaceae and some Podocarpaceae, have flat, triangular scale-like leaves. "Agathis" in Araucariaceae and "Nageia" in Podocarpaceae have broad, flat strap-shaped leaves.
Cycads are the next most abundant group of gymnosperms, with two or three families, 11 genera, and approximately 338 species. A majority of cycads are native to tropical climates and are most abundantly found in regions near the equator. The other extant groups are the 95–100 species of Gnetales and one species of Ginkgo.
Uses.
Gymnosperms have major economic uses. Pine, fir, spruce, and cedar are all examples of conifers that are used for lumber, paper production, and resin. Some other common uses for gymnosperms are soap, varnish, nail polish, food, gum, and perfumes.
Life cycle.
Gymnosperms, like all vascular plants, have a sporophyte-dominant life cycle, which means they spend most of their life cycle with diploid cells, while the gametophyte (gamete-bearing phase) is relatively short-lived. Two spore types, microspores(male) and megaspores(female), are typically produced in pollen cones or ovulate cones, respectively. Gametophytes, as with all heterosporous plants, develop within the spore wall. Pollen grains (microgametophytes) mature from microspores, and ultimately produce sperm cells. Megagametophytes develop from megaspores and are retained within the ovule. Gymnosperms produce multiple archegonia, which produce the female gamete. During pollination, pollen grains are physically transferred between plants from the pollen cone to the ovule. Pollen is usually moved by wind or insects. Whole grains enter each ovule through a microscopic gap in the ovule coat (integument) called the micropyle. The pollen grains mature further inside the ovule and produce sperm cells. Two main modes of fertilization are found in gymnosperms. Cycads and "Ginkgo" have motile sperm that swim directly to the egg inside the ovule, whereas conifers and gnetophytes have sperm with no flagella that are moved along a pollen tube to the egg. After syngamy (joining of the sperm and egg cell), the zygote develops into an embryo (young sporophyte). More than one embryo is usually initiated in each gymnosperm seed. The mature seed comprises the embryo and the remains of the female gametophyte, which serves as a food supply, and the seed coat.
Genetics.
The first published sequenced genome for any gymnospermae was the genome of "Picea abies" in 2013.


Begonia elnidoensis

Begonia elnidoensis is an endemic species of "Begonia" discovered in El Nido, Palawan, Philippines. The species was compared to "Begonia wadei", in that both species have thick-trunked stem, differing in the widely to very widely ovate or subtriangular leaves, with the latter having obliquely ovate leaves, 3-4 secondary leaf veins where the latter has 6 on each side of the midrib, with glabrous petioles compared to latter having puberulous to tomentose, an inflorescence measuring 20–40 cm in length compared to only 6–20 cm, and the differently-sized bracts and capsules.
Etymology.
The specific epithet "elnidoensis" derives from El Nido, Palawan where the species was first discovered.


Bhendi yellow vein mosaic virus

Bhendi yellow vein mosaic virus (BYVMV) or okra yellow vein mosaic (OYVMV) is a viral disease caused by monopartite "Begomovirus" affecting okra plants. It was first found in 1924 in Bombay, India, and Sri Lanka. It is the major limitation of the production of okra. This disease is transmitted by whitefly.


Epilobium coloratum

Epilobium coloratum, known by the common names purpleleaf willowherb and cinnamon willow-herb, is a species of flowering plant in the genus "Epilobium" of the willowherb family Onagraceae. This species is native to the Midwest and Eastern United States (excluding the U.S. states of Mississippi and Florida), as well as the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the island of Newfoundland.
Description.
"Epilobium coloratum" is an herbaceous perennial plant that can reach in height. Small flowers with 4 notched petals of white or light pink rest each at the end of a single short stalk.
Distribution and habitat.
"Epilobium coloratum" is native to and present in the Midwest and Eastern United States (excluding the U.S. states of Mississippi and Florida), as well as the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the island of Newfoundland.
Habitats include poorly-drained prairies; moist, wooded areas; bogs; marshes; and, edges of rivers and ponds. Occasional flooding is tolerated.
Conservation.
"Epilobium coloratum" is classified as LC (Least Concern) on the IUCN Red List. NatureServe lists it as Secure (G5) worldwide and Critically Imperiled (S1) in Alabama, Oklahoma, the Island of Newfoundland, and Prince Edward Island; Imperiled (S2) in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia; and, Vulnerable (S3) in North Carolina, North Dakota, and Quebec.


Gypsophila oldhamiana

Gypsophila oldhamiana, the Manchurian baby's-breath or Oldham's baby's-breath, is a flowering plant of the family Caryophyllaceae.


Githopsis pulchella

Githopsis pulchella is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common names Sierra bluecup and largeflower bluecup. It is endemic to California, where it grows in the lower elevations of the Sierra Nevada and in the southern reaches of the Cascade Range.
This is an annual herb producing an erect stem to a maximum height anywhere between 4 and 40 centimeters. The hairy or hairless stem has occasional small lance-shaped leaves. The solitary flower appears at the top of the stem. It is one or two centimeters long, bell-shaped, and deep violet with a white throat. The small, erect style can be seen in the throat.


Armeria welwitschii

Armeria welwitschii is a species of flowering plant in the thrift family (Plumbaginaceae), endemic to central coastal Portugal. It is often cultivated as an ornamental in rock gardens.
Description.
"Armeria welwitschii" is a perennial evergreen subshrub up to in height. It has numerous aerial branches, covered with dry leaves. It has lanceolate leaves that reach up to long by wide. Its pods are reddish, scapes are long and sometimes pubescent. The flower calyx is and has pink to white, sometimes purple flower petals. 2n=18; n=9. It flowers between February and May.
Distribution and habitat.
"Armeria welwitschii" grows in sand dunes and coastal cliffs on sandy or rocky soils from Cabo Mondego south to Cascais in central coastal Portugal. It lives in frost-free Mediterranean climates in its native habitat but can tolerate USDA hardiness zone 6.


Hibiscus moscheutos

Hibiscus moscheutos, the rose mallow, swamp rose-mallow, crimsoneyed rosemallow, or eastern rosemallow, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae. It is a cold-hardy perennial wetland plant that can grow in large colonies. The hirsute leaves are of variable morphology, but are commonly deltoidal in shape with up to three lobes. It is found in wetlands and along the riverine systems of the eastern United States from Texas to the Atlantic states, its territory extending northward to southern Ontario.
Numerous forms exist in nature. Petal colors range from pure white to deep rose, and most have an eye of deep maroon. Taxonomic consensus is lacking for the nomenclature of the multiple subspecies. The flowers are borne apically, whereas the related "Hibiscus laevis" carries bud and bloom along the stem.
Ecology.
It is a larval host for the common checkered skipper, the gray hairstreak, the Io moth, and the pearly wood nymph.
Cultivation.
This is a popular garden plant. It can be propagated by seed, or by crown divisions during winter dormancy, and some success can be achieved by hard-wood stem cuttings. Numerous hybrids of the native North American "Hibiscus" species have been released by the commercial nursery trade. In cultivation the species or the hybrids can be used in bog gardens or other water features. They are attractive and have wildlife value for nectar-feeders and birds.
Cultivars.
Many cold-hardy hibiscus cultivars are hybrids of "H. moscheutos", "H. palustris", "H. coccineus", "H. laevis", "H. militaris", "H. grandiflorus", "H. dasycalyx", "H. mutabilis". With indeterminate genetic contributions from each parent species. Hibiscus breeders do not preclude the possibility of self-pollination. However, recent research has shown that artificial pollination just after the flower has opened using a high pollen load will ensure that most of the resulting seeds are from the selected pollen parent. Early hibiscus breeders were likely aware of this and used it to their advantage.
Conservation.
In Canada this plant is listed as a species of special concern under the Species at Risk Act.


Lonicera xylosteum

Lonicera xylosteum, commonly known as fly honeysuckle, European fly honeysuckle, dwarf honeysuckle or fly woodbine is a deciduous shrub.
The glossy red (or occasionally yellow) berries of this shrub are mildly poisonous to humans – children who ingest a large number (c. 30) of berries may experience abdominal pain and vomiting.


Microtropis sarawakensis

Microtropis sarawakensis is a species of plant in the family Celastraceae. It is a tree endemic to Borneo where it is confined to Sarawak.


Passiflora coccinea

Passiflora coccinea (common names scarlet passion flower, red passion flower) is a fast-growing vine. The vine is native to northern South America.
Most plants cultivated as "Passiflora coccinea" turn out to be "Passiflora miniata" Vanderpl.


Daemonorops

"Daemonorops" was a genus of rattan palms in the family Arecaceae, now considered synonymous with Calamus.
Species found primarily in the tropics and subtropics of southeastern Asia with a few species extending into southern China and the Himalayas.
The stems of the "Daemonorops" are harvested for their cores, which are used for everything from canes to furniture. The fruits of certain species, in particular "Daemonorops draco", produce a red resin known as "Dragon's blood".
"Daemonorops" species are dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate individuals.
Polysaccharides found in some "Daemonorops" species are known for their medicinal anticoagulant properties.


Platygyrium

Platygyrium is a genus of mosses belonging to the family Hypnaceae.
The species of this genus are found in Eurasia and Northern America.
Species:


Bark pocket

 Bark pockets are patches or inclusions of bark partially or fully embedded in the wood of a tree. They can also be used as biomonitors. Bark pockets are considered a nuisance in the lumber industry because they are considered a defect, and lower the grade of the wood. Bark pockets can also weaken tree forks, and can result in damage to the junction under stress.
Formation.
Bark pockets can be formed by inosculation, formation of a tree fork, encapsulation of a branch, joining together of an uneven trunk, or encapsulation of another object. During inosculation, the bark trapped between the two joining trunk becomes surrounded with wood once the trunks fuse. The resulting bark pocket formed during inosculation or in a tree fork is referred to as included bark.
When a branch is encapsulated, the outer bark on the branch may remain inside the wood of the tree, as the trunk widens and grows around the branch.
As biomonitors.
Bark pockets can be used as an indicator of air pollutants during which the time they formed. They can be used to monitor heavy metals such as lead and copper, as dust or other matter deposited on the bark at the time of formation is still present. One study analysed the amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in bark pockets as a historical record of air quality, possible due to the interaction between PAHs and lipids in the bark.


Acer granatense

Acer granatense, the Spanish maple, is a species of flowering plant in the genus "Acer", native to Spain, including the Balearic islands, and Morocco. Considered by some authorities to be a subspecies of the Italian maple, "Acer opalus" subsp. "granatense", it is often found growing on cliffs and crevices in mountainous areas.


Fuchsia orientalis

Fuchsia orientalis is a species of plant in the family Onagraceae. It is endemic to Ecuador.


Gentianopsis virgata

Gentianopsis virgata (commonly called "lesser fringed gentian", "narrow-leaved fringed gentian", or "smaller fringed gentian") is a biennial herbaceous species, native to eastern USA and eastern Canada.
Taxonomy.
Broadly transcribed, "Gentianopsis crinita" is an eastern North American species complex, containing a group of closely related taxa, including "G. virgata". Further species were described in the past, but a lack of difference in nrDNA and morphology does not support their recognition. Three subspecies are currently recognized:


Amaranthus polygonoides

Amaranthus polygonoides is a species of flowering plant. It goes by the common name of tropical amaranth.


Begonia secunda

Begonia secunda is a species of plant in the family Begoniaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.


Ceratozamia santillanii

Ceratozamia santillanii is a species of cycad in the family Zamiaceae.


Begonia tabonensis

Begonia tabonensis is an endemic species of "Begonia" discovered in Tabon Cave, Lipuun Point, Municipality of Quezo, in Palawan, Philippines. This species resembles "B. mindorensis" Merr., widely ovate and uniformly green leaves, and inflorescence with sessile glands. However the two species differs on several characteristics: "Begonia tabonensis" have shorter petioles(10 cm long), smaller leaves(4-8 x 4–6.4 cm); deciduous, chartaceous, glabrous or very sparsely glandular bracts; and slightly pointed, crescent-shaped ovary wing; whereas, "B. mindorensis" have longer petioles(25 cm long), larger leaves(10-15 x 6-10 cm); persistent, coriaceous, densely glandular bracts; and acute, triangular ovary wing.
Etymology.
The specific epithet refers to Tabon Cave where the new species was discovered.


Antigonon

Antigonon is a genus of flowering plants in the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae. It contains three species native to the Americas.
Antigonon are vines producing branching stems with tendrils from a tuberous root system. Their leaves are alternately arranged, with flowers borne in raceme-like clusters, often toward the ends of the stems. The bell-shaped flowers have five tepals usually in shades of pink or purplish, and sometimes yellowish or white. The stamens are joined at the bases, forming a tube.
Species include:


Eriogonum congdonii

Eriogonum congdonii is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common name Congdon's buckwheat. It is endemic to the Klamath Mountains of northern California, where it is an uncommon member of the serpentine soils flora in the local forests. It is a low, matting shrub growing up to about half a meter wide and tall. The woolly leaves are widely lance-shaped and are found along the stems, especially in clusters at the stem tips. The inflorescence is an erect, dense umbel of many tiny bright yellow flowers.


Astragalus ehrenbergii

Astragalus ehrenbergii (also called Tragacantha ehrenbergii or in Hebrew "קדד אהרנברג") is a terrestrial, perennial plant with alternating, smooth pinnate leaves and yellow flowers. Ehrenbergii blooms in June, and can be found in Israel.


Petalophyllum ralfsii

Petalophyllum ralfsii, the petalwort, is a liverwort of the order Fossombroniales. It is a small green bryophyte that occurs in the Mediterranean region as far east as Turkey, and along the Atlantic coast of Europe as far as northwest Scotland. It grows primarily on moist sand dunes.
Description.
The plants are small, typically less than 15 mm long by 10 mm wide (0.6 in by 0.4 in), and thallose; that is, the plant is not differentiated into root, stem, and leaf. The thallus consists of a midrib flanked by two wings that bear erect, leaf-like lamellae on their dorsal surface.
Distribution and habitat.
"Petalophyllum ralfsii" has a widespread distribution across Europe, primarily in the Mediterranean region. It has a specific habitat requirement, being restricted to dune slacks with certain features; it needs open, damp conditions, often growing on low hummocks rather than on the wettest parts of the slack. In Britain, the largest population occurs at Achnahaird in Scotland, the most northerly point in its range. Other locations include Braunton Burrows and Dawlish Warren in Devon; Kenfig, Aberffraw and the Carmarthen Bay dunes in Wales; Lindisfarne off the coast of Northumberland; the Isles of Scilly and the Sefton Coast in Merseyside. These dunes are increasingly under threat, leading to the species being classified as "vulnerable", and the British Isles may now be the liverwort's stronghold.
It sometimes grows beside paths, where trampling feet keep down competing vegetation. Plants with which this liverwort may be associated include various mosses, grasses such as the common bent ("Agrostis capillaris"), red fescue ("Festuca rubra") and Yorkshire-fog ("Holcus lanatus"), the grey sedge ("Carex flacca") and the buck’s-horn plantain ("Plantago coronopus").


Davallia trichomanoides

Davallia trichomanoides, also known as black rabbit's foot fern, is a fern in the family Davalliaceae which is found in Malaysia. Its height is from 15 to 45 cm. Partial or full shade is required for the growth of it. It can survive in dryness.


Brain cactus

Brain cactus may refer to:


Polygala alpestris

Polygala alpetris is a species of flowering plant in the milkwort family (Polygalaceae). It was described in 1823 and is endemic to Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Georgia, Turkey and Switzerland.


Phytophthora megakarya

Phytophthora megakarya is an oomycete plant pathogen that causes black pod disease in cocoa trees in west and central Africa. This pathogen can cause detrimental loss of yield in the economically important cocoa industry, worth approximately $70 billion annually. It can damage any part of the tree, causing total yield losses which can easily reach 20-25%. A mixture of chemical and cultural controls, as well as choosing resistant plant varieties, are often necessary to control this pathogen.
Hosts and symptoms.
"Phytophthora megakarya"'s only known host is "Theobroma cacao", or the cocoa tree, located in West and Central Africa. It is considered to be the most virulent species of "Phytophthora" which infects "T. cacao", causing the greatest percentage of yield loss. This pathogen causes black pod disease which produces an array of symptoms throughout the host’s life cycle.
"P. megakarya" is a facultative parasite that can infect any part of the cacao tree at any time under optimal environmental conditions. Trees as young as seedlings may show symptoms of infection such as blight or root rot. Bark wounds, called cankers, can form on stems and branches as a result of disease. Infected cocoa pods rot and turn black, providing insight on the origin of the disease name. Other symptoms that may occur include damping off, dieback, lesions, mummification, premature drop, soft rot, and shriveling.
The process of infection by "P. megakarya" is quite rapid. Small translucent spots on the pod can be seen 2 to 3 days after infection. Whitish spores can be seen growing on these spots 3 to 5 days following their emergence. The spots will grow and darken in color until eventually the entire pod turns black and becomes mummified. In more advanced stages, the pathogen may take over the internal tissues and cause the cocoa beans to become warped. "P. megakarya" also readily forms stem cankers that are usually confined to the lower part of the tree, but may be present anywhere on the tree. Canker lesions may extend beneath the soil surface, providing a source of primary inoculum.
"P. megakarya" can be distinguished from other "Phytophthora" species by its production of gametangia. These gametangia have large nuclei containing five to six chromosomes and sporangia growing off of medium-length stalks.
Disease cycle.
"P. megakarya" is an oomycete that has a polycyclic disease cycle, producing three asexual spore types: sporangia, zoospores, and chlamydospores. Although it is rare, "P. megakarya" can also produce sexual oospores through heterothallic mating which requires two different mating types; so far none have been observed. Mycelium plays an important role in the infection of the cocoa trees; mycelium found in the soil and in cankers on the bark develops into sporangia, which can then germinate. Zoospores are produced from these sporangia as secondary inoculum. They may infect the plant either directly or indirectly depending on the availability of water. A direct infection by the zoospore results in the production of more mycelia, which may develop into sporangia capable of releasing more inoculum or chlamydospores. Chlamydospores serve as survival structures for "P. megakarya", in some instances surviving as long as 18 months. An indirect infection results in the formation of encysted spores in the absence of water; mycelium production occurs after germination of these spores.
"P. megakarya" depends heavily on the correct environmental conditions to cause disease. Primary infections usually occur in June, however, disease peaks between August and October. Under humid conditions a single pod may produce up to 4 million sporangia. These sporangia can be dispersed by rain, movement of planting materials, insects, rodents, and contaminated harvesting tools.
Pathogenesis.
Not much is known about the pathogenesis of "P. megakarya". Like all oomycetes, zoospores produced by "P. megakarya" need free water on plant surfaces in order to encyst, germinate, and penetrate host tissues. For the pathogen to enter a plant cell, the effector protein of the pathogen must attach itself to the binding protein of the plant, thereby getting carried into the cell. A germ tube is formed during germination of the zoospore which typically gives rise to an appressorium. These structures penetrate the epidermal cells of the plant’s tissue and form haustoria. Haustoria invade the plant intracellularly to retrieve nutrients while further dispersing the pathogen within the host. Chlamydospores that survive in the soil produce mycelia that can also infect plant structures. Infections of stems and branches lead to the formation of cankers while infections on cocoa pods cause pod rot. The development of cankers has also been associated with insects that burrow into the bark of cocoa trees.
Environment.
"Phytophthora" spp. occur wherever cocoa is grown and is the most economically detrimental pathogen of cocoa in West Africa where the two species "P. megakarya" and "P. palmivora" dominate. West Africa’s environment is characterized by a dry season from November until February. During this time, moisture-laden air from the equator moves in, providing ideal moisture conditions for the growth of both cocoa trees and "P. megakarya". Cocoa is known to grow well in countries that occur in the subhumid zone, primarily in the forested areas of the countries. The forested regions of West Africa near the equator receive 1500mm to 2000mm of rain; cocoa is planted in these areas where the forest is cleared. Since "P. megakarya" favors wet conditions, these forested regions are ideal during the wet seasons.
"P. megakarya" survives in the soil during elongated dry periods. When the conditions are right, zoospores swim toward the surface of the soil where a fine aerosol is produced in the presence of water to transport the spores to the pods. In comparison to "P. palmivora", "P. megakarya" is able to produce greater quantities of inoculum more quickly and can distribute it earlier in the season; thus it may infect more pods in a shorter time than "P. palmivora".
Management.
Chemical control.
Chemical control is often necessary to conserve yield, although it can come at a very high price. Chemical control targets the initial inoculum, reducing the amount of mycelium and sporangia present. In west Africa chemicals are applied using spray tanks. Fungicides such as copper oxychloride, Mancozeb, and Metalaxyl+Mancozeb are typically used. Mixtures of these chemicals can be used to prevent the pathogen from acquiring resistance to certain chemical compounds. Many of these fungicides contain heavy metals which can be damaging to the environment. Spraying is recommended 4-6 times a year from the last week of May to the end of the growing period. Overuse of chemicals will result in increasing amounts of heavy metals being absorbed into the environment.
Cultural control.
Cultural practices not only reduce the incidence of disease but also allow for better use of chemical control. If the disease is not causing much damage, cultural control alone may be sufficient. Removal of infected plant parts reduces sporangial inoculum and is an effective cultural control. Weeding reduces the humidity of the surrounding air which is unfavorable for the production of sporangia. Frequently harvesting the pods reduces the amount of sporangial inoculum. Another form of cultural control is the burning of the pod husk piles to destroy additional sources of chlamydospores and sporangia. These cultural practices can limit disease caused by "P. megakarya" significantly.
Biological control.
In certain regions of Africa, "Trichoderma asperellum" is used as a biological control agent. It is applied as a wettable powder, containing cassava flour and "T. asperellum." Though this method has shown positive results, the formulation is not practical for such a wet, tropical region. Research is being done into examining different formulations that can more effectively be applied.
Genetic resistance.
Choosing a resistant variety of plant is an effective method of minimizing the damage of "P. megakarya". Breeding for resistance for either "P. palmivora" or "P. megakarya" will increase the plant's resistance to both pathogens simultaneously. Much of the current research into "P. megakarya" and black pod disease is looking at the cellular processes involved in infection. Through the examination and understanding of these processes, researchers can alter the genetic makeup of "T. cacao" trees in hopes of more effectively controlling the spread of black pod disease. Growing a cocoa variety with resistance can also increase the effectiveness of chemical applications. Resistance will also reduce the quantity of infectious plants, thereby reducing the amount of cultural control required.
Importance.
"Phytophthora megakarya" is the most important cocoa pathogen in central and west Africa. It is endemic to Cameroon, Nigeria, and Ghana and is present as an invasive pathogen in Côte d'Ivoire. These countries account for four of the top ten world producers of cocoa, Côte d'Ivoire being the number one producer worldwide. In some cases, when left untreated, the pathogen has led to an 80% loss of cocoa pods. However, the infection may not always be localized on the pods. Cankers formed on the bark of the cocoa trees lead to a reduction of tree vigor and total yield, and in extreme cases, result in a 10% loss of trees annually. As the trees age pod production decreases; warnings of chocolate shortages as soon as 2020 have been predicted based on the combination of these factors.


Dichotomosiphon

Dichotomosiphon is a genus of green algae in the family Dichotomosiphonaceae. This genus is distinguished from all other members of the Bryopsidales by its oogamous reproduction and freshwater habitat. In both vegetative and reproductive aspects, it is remarkably similar to the genus "Vaucheria", which is a member of the unrelated class Xanthophyceae.


Goleta Beach

Goleta Beach is a region of coastline located near Goleta, California, just east of the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) campus. A portion of the shore of Goleta Bay is managed by the County of Santa Barbara, as the Goleta Beach County Park (GBCP). The beach itself is partly man-made as sand was spread onto an existing sandspit in 1945. The beach is a seasonal habitat for migrating shorebirds, including the snowy plover, an endangered species, and is occasionally closed due to nourishment efforts.
Elements.
Slough and wetlands.
Goleta Slough is a nearby tidal estuary that empties into the Pacific Ocean. The slough drains the Goleta Valley and watershed, and receives the water of all of the major creeks in the Goleta area, including the southern face of the Santa Ynez Mountains. The slough ecosystem has been affected by the numerous berms and tide gates that alter tidal circulation (Audubon, 2003).
The Goleta Slough wetlands once covered approximately ; however, the current size is about . Most of the habitat conversion occurred in the early 1940s, when a small airport was expanded to accommodate an airfield for the Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara, located immediately south of the estuary on what is now the University of California at Santa Barbara campus. After the war, that airfield became the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport. Groups, such as the Sierra Club and Audubon Society, have been especially concerned regarding the flora and fauna in the Goleta Slough and its surrounding uplands. The UCSB student-supported and student-led Coastal Fund has worked with the Goleta Slough Management Committee, to conduct minor ecological restoration, such as the removal of non-native plants. The Goleta Slough Management Committee has been a vocal supporter of the California Coastal Conservancy’s plans for a major restoration project that would allow an experimental opening prior to a return to tidal circulation, in at least one of the marshland basins. It was able to secure approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to go ahead with the experiment as the action may affect the Santa Barbara Airport.
Park.
The park is a day-use park (open from 8:00 am to sunset) that features 27 picnic tables, four horseshoe pits, three restrooms, a volleyball court and other amenities. The park once featured a “Windamajig”, an active wind animated art piece sculpture. Unfortunately, the art installation was damaged by strong winds in 2006 and removed.
The park itself is large and of beach are included in the domain (Kisner, 1998). The pier, More’s Landing, was first built in 1874 and further modifications were done in the late 1920s, by the federal Department of Forestry (Kisner, 1998). The Beachside Restaurant closed in February 2021. The park is popular with locals and tourists alike and receives about 1.5 million visitors per year, making it the most heavily used park in the Santa Barbara County Park system (SBCPD, 2003). The park provides 580 parking spaces, as many visitors arrive by car, via Highway 217.
The western point.
The base of the point is described as “a rocky intertidal habitat, although species present there are more like those [found near] pier pilings” (Kisner, 1998). Freshwater seeps and some exposed pipes drain from the UCSB campus nearby the point. Most importantly, the rocky point and surrounding bluffs suffer from serious erosion most often associated with El Nino events. The shape of the bay focuses wave energy at the location. Because of the erosion, the edge of the bluffs above has become somewhat unstable and may be dangerous for those walking nearby.
History.
The estuary mouth fluctuated along the beach while 40,000 years of coastal uplift raised the mesa to the east and west. Since the late 19th century, Santa Barbara residents have been modifying the Goleta Beach area. Cattle grazing in the watershed begun in 1846 and fires caused hillsides to erode and fill parts of the Goleta Slough with sediment. In the early 20th century, local landowners invited citizens to bring fill to the beach on which a state beach park was established. Meanwhile, in 1943 the federal government continued the filling of the estuary when it bulldozed the historic Mescalitan Island just inside the estuary to create an airbase for use during World War II (SBCPD, 2003). In the 1960s, further construction continued on the wetlands including a sewage treatment facility and California Highway 217, and the state park was turned over to Santa Barbara County.
Erosion.
An ongoing problem concerning Goleta Beach is coastal erosion; sand and sediment is constantly being washed away and the beach is narrowing. In fact, in the last 14 years, the beach has been eroding at an average rate of -per-year. If no action is taken, the park, which consists of outdoor grills, horseshoe pits, a playground, public restrooms and shower, five parking lots and other county-maintained facilities (SBCPD, 2006), as well as the restaurant building is in danger of being lost. However, some proposed solutions designed to absorb wave energy and prevent erosion — particularly the so-called “hard engineering” solutions — may increase erosion elsewhere or alter the south central coast littoral cell.
A number of plans have been proposed by different stakeholders and they generally fall under three broader philosophies. The first belief is that the park must be saved at all costs and supporters have argued for “hard engineering” coastal defense. A second group of stakeholders on the opposite extreme of the spectrum calls for managed retreat where existing utilities and structures are ripped out and nature is allowed to take its course. A third option, a moderate compromise suggests that the current ‘soft’ beach nourishment strategy is worth continuing.
Coastal defense.
The structural proposals consist of numerous strategies. One possible structure is a breakwater. Breakwaters are placed a few hundred feet offshore and create a harbor. Unfortunately, a breakwater would likely adversely affect littoral drift and the creation of a Goleta Bay harbor is probably too extreme. Another strategy is the installation of groynes (or groins), wood or concrete ‘fences’ that stretch out into the ocean, perpendicular to the beach. Groynes cause sediment to build up on one side but have the unhelpful consequence of preventing sediment to accumulate on the other side.
Another structure proposed is a seawall. A seawall is a concrete wall placed against the base of bluffs or sea cliffs that runs parallel to the ocean. While a sea wall may appear to be stopping erosion, a seawall can only diffuse wave energy which means that the areas on either side of the wall are likely to experience accelerated erosion. Again, this is not desired as the UCSB mesa might be adversely affected.
A fourth type of structure is a revetment. A revetment is similar to a seawall but usually consists of boulders piled at the base of cliffs. While it is less likely to accelerate erosion to either side, the area in front of a revetment may suffer. Sediment that would normally have been deposited on the beach instead bounces off the rocks and is dispersed elsewhere.
Managed retreat.
Some organizations of users, such as the Surfrider Foundation, have called for managed retreat. Scientists and coastal engineers know that hard structures cause greater erosion of the beach sand. This option would protect coastal resources while preserving park amenities by reconfiguring them. There is no evidence that the current protection measures currently in place have caused the erosion of beach sand at either Goleta Beach or any down coast beaches. The California Coastal Commission permits armoring in order to protect public access and recreational uses. This beach is visited by over 1.4 million visitors annually.
Beach nourishment.
A third strategy is that of beach nourishment (a ‘soft’ approach). Nourishment consists of depositing sand on top of the beach in order to expand its width. This approach is not extremely expensive and is already being done at Goleta Beach. In addition to the direct transporting of sand to the beach, it would also be helpful if sediment built up in upriver basins (behind dams) be removed and placed slightly downstream to be naturally washed down to the ocean. The mouth of the slough should be kept open by periodic dredging as blockage causes eutrophication.
The Northern Gold Coast Beach Protection Strategy is an example of a successful execution of this technique. Between 1992 and 1999, the Gold Coast City Council worked with experts on a proposed plan to stop beach erosion. Options originally considered included groynes, breakwaters, and others but the City Council finally chose to dredge sediment from the nearby Gold Coast Broadwater, pump it through large pipes, and deposit it along five kilometers of coast. In addition, they planned a near-shore artificial reef to protect the project. Between 1999 and 2000, the plan was carried out with 1.1 million cubic meters of sediment being transported from the Broadwater to the beach (Jackson, 2004). Further dredging of nearby areas provided sand that was used to fill large geotextile sandbags that were dropped nearshore to create the reef. Since then, the beach has been monitored with coastal imaging technology and has fared well. Due to the significant differences in the coastline and tidal conditions, this alternative may not be applicable at Goleta Beach.
The area in dispute is currently fully armored with large boulders to the west of the restaurant building and has been so for a number of years. Another option on this project is to request the Coastal Commission to permit the existing rocks. There is no scientific evidence that the current protective measures have resulted in loss of sand to down coast beaches.


Anacampseros filamentosa

Anacampseros filamentosa is a species of succulent plant native to the Karoo region of South Africa.
Description.
This plant forms clusters of tiny stems, each covered in densely-packed, round leaves.
Each leaf is almost a sphere in shape, but has a tiny, down-turned "chin" at its tip. The leaves, and the entire plant, are covered in a dense coat of hair, giving it a white colour. Additionally, a few longer, bristly hairs extend further out (though in the northern part of its range, the "namaquensis" subspecies has shorter bristles that do not extend further than the leaves).
The flowers are pink.


Oxalidaceae

The Oxalidaceae, or wood sorrel family, are a small family of five genera of herbaceous plants, shrubs and small trees, with the great majority of the 570 species in the genus "Oxalis" (wood sorrels). Members of this family typically have divided leaves, the leaflets showing "sleep movements", spreading open in light and closing in darkness.
The genus "Averrhoa" of which starfruit is a member, is usually included in this family (e.g. APG IV, 2016), but some botanists place it in a separate family Averrhoaceae.


Pseudophoenix

Pseudophoenix is a genus of palms which is native to the wider Caribbean. Three species of the four species are endemic to Hispaniola, while the fourth, "P. sargentii", is widely distributed in the northern Caribbean (Greater Antilles, Windward Islands, Bahamas), Florida, and the Yucatán Peninsula (Belize and southeastern Mexico).
Trees in this genus are medium to large palms with single, unclustered trunks. They lack spines and have pinnately compound leaves. Flowers are green and bisexual; the ripe fruit are red.