Syringa × laciniata Syringa × laciniata Syringa × laciniata, the cut-leaf lilac or cutleaf lilac, is a hybrid lilac of unknown, though old origin. It is thought to be a hybrid between "Syringa vulgaris" from southeastern Europe and "Syringa protolaciniata" from western China. Although often cited as being from China, it more likely arose somewhere in southwestern Asia, where it was first scientifically described from cultivated plants in the 17th century, possibly Iran or Afghanistan, or Pakistan, where it has been cultivated since ancient times. It is a deciduous shrub growing to 2 m tall. The leaves are 2–4 cm long, variably entire
Black tree monitor Black tree monitor The black tree monitor or Beccari's monitor ("Varanus beccarii") is a species of lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is a relatively small member of the family, growing to about in total length (including tail). "V. beccarii" is endemic to the Aru Islands off New Guinea, living in an arboreal habitat. The skin color of adults is completely black, to which one common name refers. "V. beccarii" was first described as "Monitor beccarii" by Doria, in 1874. Years later, it was classified as a subspecies of the emerald tree monitor ("V. prasinus"), but a 1991 review