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Whau Local Board Area
''Entelea arborescens'' or whau is a species of malvaceous tree endemic to New Zealand. ''E. arborescens'' is the only species in the genus ''Entelea''. A shrub or small tree to 6 m with large lime-like leaves giving a tropical appearance, whau grows in low forest along the coast of the North Island and the northern tip of the South Island. The dry fruit capsules are very distinctly brown and covered with spines. The common name ''whau'' is a Māori word that appears to derive from the common Polynesian word for hibiscus, particularly '' Hibiscus tiliaceus'', which it superficially resembles. Alternate names include 'New Zealand mulberry', 'corkwood' and 'evergreen lime'. Description Within the Malvaceae, ''Entelea'' is placed within tribe Sparrmannieae and subfamily Grewioideae, a position confirmed by ndhF DNA sequence data. As is the case with most malvaceous plants, ''E. arborescens'' has alternate, stipulate foliage. The bright green, obliquely cordate leav ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robert Brown (botanist, Born 1773)
Robert Brown (21 December 1773 – 10 June 1858) was a Scottish botanist and paleobotanist who made important contributions to botany largely through his pioneering use of the microscope. His contributions include one of the earliest detailed descriptions of the cell nucleus and cytoplasmic streaming; the observation of Brownian motion; early work on plant pollination and fertilisation, including being the first to recognise the fundamental difference between gymnosperms and angiosperms; and some of the earliest studies in palynology. He also made numerous contributions to plant taxonomy, notably erecting a number of plant families that are still accepted today; and numerous Australian plant genera and species, the fruit of his exploration of that continent with Matthew Flinders. Early life Robert Brown was born in Montrose, Scotland on 21 December 1773, in a house that existed on the site where Montrose Library currently stands. He was the son of James Brown, a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cork (material)
Cork is an impermeable buoyant material. It is the phellem layer of bark tissue which is harvested for commercial use primarily from '' Quercus suber'' (the cork oak), which is native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa. Cork is composed of suberin, a hydrophobic substance. Because of its impermeable, buoyant, elastic, and fire retardant properties, it is used in a variety of products, the most common of which is wine stoppers. The montado landscape of Portugal produces approximately half of the cork harvested annually worldwide, with Corticeira Amorim being the leading company in the industry. Cork was examined microscopically by Robert Hooke, which led to his discovery and naming of the cell. Cork composition varies depending on geographic origin, climate and soil conditions, genetic origin, tree dimensions, age (virgin or reproduction), and growth conditions. However, in general, cork is made up of suberin (average of about 40%), lignin (22%), polysaccharid ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Monotypic Malvales Genera
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispecific" or "monospecific" is sometimes preferred. In botanical nomenclature, a monotypic genus is a genus in the special case where a genus and a single species are simultaneously described. Theoretical implications Monotypic taxa present several important theoretical challenges in biological classification. One key issue is known as "Gregg's Paradox": if a single species is the only member of multiple hierarchical levels (for example, being the only species in its genus, which is the only genus in its family), then each level needs a distinct definition to maintain logical structure. Otherwise, the different taxonomic ranks become effectively identical, which creates problems for organizing biological diversity in a hierarchical system. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Loam
Loam (in geology and soil science) is soil composed mostly of sand (particle size > ), silt (particle size > ), and a smaller amount of clay (particle size < ). By weight, its mineral composition is about 40–40–20% concentration of sand–silt–clay, respectively. These proportions can vary to a degree, however, and result in different types of loam soils: sandy loam, silty loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam, silty clay loam, and loam. In the USDA, United States Department of Agriculture, soil texture, textural classification triangle, the only soil that is not predominantly sand, silt, or clay is called "loam". Loam soils generally contain more nutrients, moisture, and humus than sandy soils, have better drainage and infiltration of water and air than silt- and clay-rich soils, and are easier to tillage, till than clay soils. In fact, the primary definition of loam in most dictionaries is soils containing hu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Beilschmiedia Tawa
''Beilschmiedia tawa'', commonly known as the tawa, is a New Zealand broadleaf tree common in the central parts of the country. Tawa is often the dominant canopy tree species in lowland forests in the North Island and the north east of the South Island, but will also often form the subcanopy in primary forests throughout the country in these areas, beneath Podocarpaceae, podocarps such as kahikatea, Prumnopitys taxifolia, mataī, Miro (tree), miro and rimu. Individual specimens may grow up to or more in height, with trunks up to in diameter, and they have smooth dark bark. The Māori word "tawa" is the name for the tree. Tawa produce small inconspicuous flowers followed by long fruit of a dark red plum colour. With such large fruits, tawa is notable for the fact that it relies solely on the New Zealand pigeon (kererū) and (where present) the North Island kōkako for dispersal of its seed. These are the only remaining birds from New Zealand's original biota (ecology), biota ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Karaka (tree)
''Corynocarpus laevigatus'', commonly known as karaka or the New Zealand laurel, is a medium-sized evergreen tree in the family Corynocarpaceae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is common throughout the North Island and less common in the South Island. ''C. laevigatus'' individuals are also found on the Chatham Islands, Kermadec Islands, and the Three Kings Islands. ''C. laevigatus'' is mostly a coastal tree, although in the North Island, it is also found inland. ''Corynocarpus laevigatus'' was first described in 1776 by the German naturalists Georg and Johann Reinhold Forster. ''C. laevigatus'' grows to heights of up to and has a stout trunk of up to in diameter. Its leaves are leathery, dark to bright green in colour and up to long. From August to November, ''C. laevigatus'' produces large oval-shaped orange-coloured fruits, about in length. ''C. laevigatus'' seeds are highly toxic to humans and contain poisonous toxins and other glucosides of 3-nitropropionic acid ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
