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Funguses are part of nature’s cycling action for returning old, dead woody material back to the ecosystem. Far more unusual that expected, some researchers at the University of Guelph (Ontario, Canada) recently discovered that white pine trees have an interesting symbiotic relationship with a certain type of fungus, -a fungus that actually eats bugs! The Laccaria bicolor fungus preys upon insects to extract their nitrogen, which the trees need. In exchange, the trees trade carbon to the fungus for the nitrogen the fungus supplies. Nutrient cycling can be more strange than we have believed. Not only are the fungus basically eating protein, but so are the trees!

I Think I Saw This in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

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Okay, -this just looks like Ewok village homes to me. Ewoks are those little fuzzy teddy bear warrior things from the Endor moon, in the George Lucas movie “Return of the Jedi.”

“Excuse Me, -Is This a Piece of Your Brain?”

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I love this one. Anytime I see anything that even remotely resembles a human brain, I can hear the voice of John Cleese from the comedy series “Faulty Towers” whom in one episode having picked up a piece of lint from the carpet near a particular snooty female guest (whom apparently was at that moment having difficulty with her hearing aid,) asked her rather loudly something to the effect of “I do say, -is this a piece of your brain?”

Something From a Disney Movie, Maybe?

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I can hear the music from the movie "Fantasia" and in my mind can see those mushroom people (apparently in the movie, these were Chinese mushrooms) dancing, spinning and skating around. Very magical.

Nature’s Canvas and Art Supplies

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Back in New York State, we would snap these things off of large dead Elm trees. They were fresh, moist and semi-soft but firm on the underside. Using a dulled nail point, wooden stick like a chopstick or the wrong end of an artist's paint brush, we would scratch images and stuff on these. The fungii would eventually dry and become hard, but the dark, almost black lines would remain against the pale white background. Trace-art, on fungus.

Some diluted washy-paint would finish the artwork, painting the sky or the distant mountains, etc.

Miniature Forests of Fantasy

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I love mosses and mossy banks. Walking on these barefooted, feeling the moist springiness beneath my feet. The smell was amazingly clean, crisp and fresh. The air rich in negative ions, healthy and it just smelled oh so good! The forest is a wonderful place to be. I am longing for Springtime already, -and it's not even really winter yet!

Coconut is a large palm, growing in a tropical countries. It grow vigorously on sandy soils and lightly tolerant of salty waters. It prefer an area with rich supply of sunlight and rainfall. It needs high humidity and not good in dry climate. It needs warm condition for successful growth.

It is made from a dry nut which is full of sinews and pulpy middle layer with a hard woody inner shell enclosing a single seed.

The coconut meat is the one that attach to the inside wall of the stone of the coconut. It is the white and fleshy edible part of the seed. It contain less fat which is saturated and contain less sugar, more protien, high in minerals like zinc, iron and phosphorous. If the coconut still green the meat is thin and tender. It can be made into nata de coco as snack and it is softer and more like jelly.

Coconut has a three bud outlet that are plainly perceptible to the eye when the husk is removed. It is the stone of the coconut which is the hardest part called the shell. It can be use as fuel and can be made as charcoal. The dried coconut shell with husk can be cut into half and it can be used as a floor scrub. It can be made also as wooden pin for cooking.

This is the picture of a coconut cream. It is made by grating the white and fleshy meat of a mature coconut and mix with warm water. The white thick is the cream will be used in cooking by most Asians and it can be made also as coconut candy mix with brown sugar. It can also be refrigerated or doing by a controlled heating to make a coconut virgin oil, which is the cream will rise to the top and separate out of the milk. The left over in making the coconut milk is used also as supply and can be a nourishment for the animals in the farm or ranch.

The coconut juice is produce by cutting the flower cluster of the coconut tree and can be drunk as wine known as "Tuba" in the Philippines.

The water from the immature coconut or not fully develop young coconut can be drunk also as fresh and sweet. It is highly nutritious refreshing drink when the weather is humid and use as a sports drink in the Philippines.

The coconut leaves can be made as materials to make baskets and straw for roof cover and the fiber of the husk of the coconut is used in making rope and the leaflets midribs tied together can be made as brooms and brushes. The trunk of the coconut is used to make furnitures and the roots can be use as dye.

All parts of the coconut are useful. It is an economic value and it is the tree of a thousand uses.

Image credit: Mimifroufrou

Corpse flower is native to Sumatra Islands. It is believed to be the largest flower in the world with 2.11 meter tall. Often this flower grows more than 25 feet long. The weight of this flower is 80 kilograms. It smells like decomposing mammal.

Hydnora Africana (Hydnoraceae)

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

Hydnora Africana is native to Southern Africa. This parasitic plant grows underground, but the flower emerges above the ground. This flower emits an odor of feces to attract dung beetles, carrion beetles etc.

Helicodiceros muscivorus (Dead Horse Arum Lily)

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

Dead Horse Arum Lily is native to the north-western Mediterranean region. This flower has an unpleasant odor of rotting meat. This has a rare feature of raising its temperature by thermogenesis.

Dracunculus vulgaris (Dragon Arum)

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
Dragon Arum is native to Greece, Balkans, Crete and Aegean Islands. This flowers smells like rotting flesh. This has large spathe and spadix.

Rafflesia arnoldii

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

Rafflesia is native to Sumatra and Borneo Islands. This is the largest individual flower. This flower can grow three feet across and weighs more than 10 kilograms. It smells like rotting flesh. Another interesting feature of this plant is, it has no leaves, stems and roots.

Stapelia

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
Stapelia is widely prevalent in South Africa. This flower is hairy textured and emits the smell of rotten flesh to attract the blow flies.

Huernia

Image credit: Home.quicknet

Huernia is native to Eastern and South Africa. The flowers of this species are funnel or bell shaped. They emit the odor of dead flesh to attract flies.

Photo credit: nature products.net

This flower blooms in the mountainous regions of Myanmar. It grows on a vine which is a member of the cucumber family ( Cucurbitaceae).  In the winter it produces fruit of really bright, fiery red colour.

Photo credit: natureproducts.net

This close up of its flower shows the almost ragged looking frills that are its petals and are present when it first opens. The plant grows at a furious rate. A seed planted in warm wet conditions will have produced a climber big enough to cover an area of more than ten square feet after two months.

Heliconia

Photo credit: pbase.com

This is originally a jungle flower which is related to the banana. It is now cultivated under glass and in tropical regions as a decorative flower. These are not at all hardly and need to be protected at all times although some varieties have been developed that will withstand slightly lower temperatures once the flowers have died off. The flowers themselves have very fine hairs along the petals and these can cause skin irritation in some people.

Naked Coral Tree

Photo credit: latimes.blog

The naked coral tree blooms several times each year. These trees can be grown in gardens in mild climates and will grow up to thirty feet high, producing a whole host of amazing flowers.  Colours range from white, through browns of different shades to pinks and reds. In the autumn the green leaves turn a golden brown colour and make the tree look like a living sculpture.

Cockspur Coral Tree

 

Photo credit: terryco.us

This is the national flower of Argentina.  Because of their rainforest origin these plants bloom serveral times per year but it is difficult to get seed (or beans) from them when they are grown out of their natural environment.  The tree loses its leaves in cooler weather but in spite of its origin it can survive a little frost. It grows to about twelve feet high and has a soft wooden trunk a bit like balsa wood in texture and density.

Bolivian Fuschia

Photo credit: strangewonderfulthings.com

This strangely beautiful Bolivian rain forest tree sends out long hanging clusters of flowers for most of the year. These stems are around four inches long and the flowers open in succession right down the stem over a few months. Once the blooms have gone this fuschia forms small green fruit which is said to be very tasty.

Pink Puya

Photo credit: strangewonderfulthings.com

This is a very rare species which is native to Argentina. The goreous pink, blue, mauve and white flowers actually change colour as the flowers mature.   This one can be grown in mild climates as it's hardy down to about twenty degrees.

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Hypnotic in its beauty, but deadly if consumed.  As you may have guessed, this plant is named after the hero of Greek mythology.

Azaleas

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Most harmful if ingested by a dog, azaleas have a soft texture and petals that seem to flow with the wind.  Azalea festivals are held in cities all over North America.

Belladonna

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Also called "deadly nightshade," one of the most toxic plants in the western hemisphere, belladonna is often used as a recreational drug.  The hallucinations produced by belladonna are typically unpleasant, however, and there are occasional unpleasant overdoses.  It is also used for alternative and mainstream medicinal purposes.

Bloodflower

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Its bright, cheerful colors are quite inviting and appropriate as ornamental plants.  Although not healthy for human consumption, bloodflower is a food source for butterflies.

Crown Vetch

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Toxic to horses, but beneficial for cultivating the earth, crown vetch has been named the state beautification plant of Pennsylvania.

False Indigo

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Elegantly shaped, false indigo is not as bad as its name implies.  It has a plethora of medicinal usages, but if consumed in excess, false indigo could induce vomiting or diarrhea.

Henbane

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Also called "stinking nightshade," henbane can be fatal to animals in small doses.  The "hen" part may not necessarily have to do with chickens...

Larkspur

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Western varieties of larkspur are poisonous to cattle, but its delicate petals would have you believe its a faerie in disguise.

Lily of the Valley

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Also known as "Our Lady's tears," lily of the valley looks more like a handle of little bells--serene and inviting.  If untended, however, they can spread like wild fire.

Nightshade

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More generally, nightshade is alsoknown as the potato family; some of these, like eggplant, are edible and others are indeed deadly.

White Blossom                      Pink Blossom                       Yellowish Blossom

It originated in Japan and they call it Sakura. There are different kinds of the Cherry blossom trees and there are about 100 of them that can be found in Japan. The petals also varies, there are 5, 20 or 100 petals in each blossom. They also have different colors, from white, pink, and yellowish blossoms.

Cherry Blossoms can also be found in different country like United States of America, Italy and many more.

Dogwood Trees

It has about 30-50 of different species which can grow as a shrub or a tree. The flower color can be white, pink or yellow and the fruit color can be red, or white, blue even. It can also grow of up to 30 feet. Dogwoods are can be found in the USA or in Canada and in many other countries.

The Golden Shower Tree

It can be found in the tropical countries. This tree has green leaves and the flowers are colored yellow which can be seen in the summer. This tree can grow of up to 6 meters.

Fire Tree or Flame Tree

It can grow to 5 meters or up 12 meters in height. The leaves are green and the flower can be from red to orange and they have large petals. The fire tree grows in the near-tropical areas, it can survive droughts or in salty waters. The scientific name for the fire tree is delonix regia and they are a family to Fabaceae.

The Maple Tree or the Acer

It can be a tree or a shrub. There are about 125 different kind of a maple tree. Maple tree can grow up to 30-40 meters and their leaves are pointed. Their color is green but in autumn it turns red or yellow. The maple syrup is produced the sap of the maple tree. Bowling pins are also made from maple trees.

White Calla Lily

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Any of several chiefly southern African plants of the genus Zantedeschia, and is widely cultivated as ornamentals and cut flowers for their showy white, yellow, pink, colors. It is uniquely bringing forth a single petal corresponding to the second and/or third element of the Fibonacci series, with zero being the first element as shown above.

Euphorbia

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Euphorbia is one of the most diverse genera in the plant kingdom, consisting more than 2000 species. They are mostly found in Continental Africa and America as well as in the exotic island country of Madagascar. For uniquely having two petals, it may correspond to the fourth element of the Fibonacci sequence.

Trillium

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Is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant of about 40-50 species. They are native to temperate regions in Asia and North America. Common names include trillium, wakerobin, and birthroot. For having three petals, it can represent the number three (3), the 5th element of the Fibonacci series.

Columbine

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Any of various other plants of the genus Aquilegia, and is characterized by divided leaves and showy flowers of various colors. Columbine is the state flower of Colorado. With its five petals it can very well represent number five (5), the sixth member of the Fibonacci series.

Bloodroot

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Also known as bloodwort, pauson, red puccoon root is an eight petalled flower native from Nova Scotia, Canada down to Florida, United States. For having eight petals (8), it may represent the number 8, the 7th member of the Fibonacci series.

Black-Eyed Susan

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Very common place in the United States, perhaps this is the most popular wild flower in North America. The brown domed center is surrounded by thirteen bright yellow petals; a number that could represent number 13 for the 8th member of the series.

Shasta Daisy

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Its petals are white, and elongated and incised oblong. In their proper position the petals would make an approximately 10 cm radius, making the flower large. The domed part at the center is circulated by the characteristic 21 petals; thus, representing the 9th member of the series

Field Daises

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Although some members of this species do have different number of petals, but in general, they commonly have thirty four (34), qualifying it to represent the number 34 of the Fibonacci sequence, the 10th member of the series.

These flowers carrying the elements of the Fibonacci series may not pose any wonder for the huge part of nature is mathematically predictable, just like the planets in their faithful course around the sun are being governed by a not so complex mathematics. But, are they product of an accidental event in the cosmos? Or caused by an intelligent being, the very same simple logic that the presence of a piece of wrist watch is impossible without an intelligent designer?

Impatiens Psittacina (Parrot Flower)

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Impatiens psittacina is a rare flower that looks like a parrot. Hence this flower is called parrot flower. This rare species grow in Thailand and in limestone soil with a pH that is higher than normal. The flower is normally in the size of 5cm and blooms in October and November. As this is rare species Government of Thailand imposed a ban on exporting these species.

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Spider flowers (flowers that look like spider) belong to Grevellia genus.

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Grevellia Speciosa - Red Spider Flower

Spider flower hangs from a stalk like a spider suspended from its web. In the image blow you can see it clearly.

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Commonly there are five types of spider flowers. They are red, pink, grey, green and white. Generally these flowers flower in spring and winter. Spider flowers are prevalent in Sydney, Australia.

Bladder Campion (Silene Vulgaris)

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Bladder Campion is a weed that occurs throughout most of the United States and Europe.

This flower appears like bladder.

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Lithops

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What do you think the above images? They appear as if flowers are grown to stones. But they are lithops otherwise known as living stones or flowering stones. Lithops is a genus of rare plants native to South Africa. These water-retaining plants grow in the desert regions. They appear like pebbles by blending in with surrounding pebbles to avoid being eaten by predators.

Lithops cannot wilder for a year even though they do not have sufficient water. Some species of these plants can live 7,500 feet above the sea level. Another specialty of these is they can bear the temperature of 46°C. Generally these plants flower in autumn. The germination process of these species is quite interesting. All seeds are layered in a cup-shaped structure, when rain falls, this cup opens and the seeds fall on the ground. Then the cup closes and opens again when there is rain.

Tree of Christ

This tree is miraculously growing and resembling Christ on the Cross. The facial features are quite clear and the form of the body is astounding.

The Living Tree of Life and Nature

This tree is like visiting a zoological park containing hundreds of different species that will be preserved for hundreds of thousands of years.

Limpopo, Mozambique is known for the traditional sculpture and wood carvings that artists produce known as "family trees". These trees are large depictions of various figures that tell a story.

Arbol Del Tule

This tree is more than two thousand years old, it's about 40 m high, and the bottom of it, as shown on the picture above, is about 42 m wide. The Arbol Del Tule is located in Santa Maria the Tule. That is to the east of the City of Oaxaca, approximately 8 miles by Federal Highway 190.

"Drive-Through Tree"

This famous tree is located in the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees, a pleasurable drive of 36 miles from the hotels and camps in Yosemite Valley. The "Wawona" tree is 227 feet tall and 90 feet in circumference. In this grove, more than six hundred giant Sequoias have been growing here for centuries; sequoias are the largest and oldest trees.

Tunnel Tree located in Sequoia National Park

"Lady Liberty" of Florida

 

The Senator

 

This tree is currently the Florida Champion. It's named after Florida Senator M.O. Overstreet, who donated the tree and surrounding land to Seminole County in 1951. In 1946, the American Forestry Association estimated the "Senator's" age was 3,500 years old.

Incredibly, Lady Liberty has been around since Jesus walked the earth as man. "It was growing here when the Hittites sacked Old Babylon and ended the rule of the descendants of Hammurabi in that kingdom. That's ancient! "

 

1. World's Tallest Living and Oldest Teak Tree - Kannimari Teak, India



Do you know that the tallest and oldest living teak tree in the world is located in Parambikulam Wild Life Sanctuary of Palghat, Kerala, India? It is 47.5 meters tall with a girth of 642 cm.

2. World's Largest Banyan Tree - India



Another amazing tree in India is a banyan tree that stands in the Indian Botanical Gardens in Howrah. This 200 year-old tree is considered as the world's largest banyan tree, with a circumference of approximately 330 meters. It was really incredible. This single tree looks like an entire forest.

3. The Tingle Tree - Australia



There's only one place where you can find the red tingle tree in the world - Walpole-Nornalup National Park, Australia. They are the largest of all the eucalyptus with a girth of up to 26 meters. Growing up to 75 meters tall these trees, can live to over 400 years old.

4. World's Largest Teak Tree - Thailand



The tallest and oldest teak tree in the world is the Kannimari teak in India but the largest teak tree in the world is the Big Teak Tree Forest Park in Nam Pat District, Uttaradit. It has an approximate age of 1,511 years, measuring 37 meters in height and 6.57 meters in diameter.

5. Largest Ginkgo - Japan



The world's largest ginkgo is located in Sarukawa No Ichou. It is 50 meters tall with a girth of 11.2 meters. This ginkgo is about 1,000 years of age and one of the tallest in Japan.

6. The Senator - Largest Bald Cypress in the USA



The Senator is the largest Bald cypress tree in the United States. It is 35 m (115 ft) tall, with a trunk diameter of 344 cm, and an estimated stem volume of 119.4 m3. It is located in Big Tree Park, Longwood, Florida, and as of 1993, is estimated to be 3500 years old.

7. Largest Eucalyptus Tree in the US



The largest eucalyptus tree in the US is in Fort Ross State Park.

8. World's Largest Cryptomeria - Jomon Sugi Tree - Japan



Jomon Sugi is a very large tree located on Yakushima Island, Japan. It is Japan's national tree. This large “Yakusugi Cedar” (Cryptomeria japonica)tree was located in 1996 and has since become quite famous. It is said to be the largest specimen of Cryptomeria known. It is 25 meters tall and estimated to be around 2,200 years old. It is called “Jomon-sugi” (meaning Old Cedar though it's not a cedar) and is located in the Yakushima World Heritage Area.

9. Gloucester Tree - Australia



Looking for some adventure and fun and want to experience climbing some of the highest trees in the world? A giant karri tree in the Gloucester National park, Australia called the Gloucester tree is the tallest fire-lookout tree in the world. The Gloucester tree has a height of 61 meters or 201feet. Visitors can climb up to a platform in its upper branches for a spectacular view of the surrounding karri forest.

10. World's Largest Cashew Tree - Brazil



Have you seen the largest cashew tree in the world? The largest cashew tree in the world is found in Brazil. The tree covers an area of about 7500 square meters, with a perimeter of about 500 meters.

11. The Square Knot Tree



The square Knot Tree

I found this unusual and unlabeled tree on the Internet and I labeled it “The Square Knot Tree”. I've learned this figure during scouting in my elementary school days.

Travel around the world and see some of the most astonishing species of trees. I would like to see all these trees personally one day.