tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44850348722550521872024-03-13T13:29:02.223+00:00Tales of a Botany GeekDodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-63629372615785087402009-05-01T21:23:00.021+00:002009-05-02T10:16:51.510+00:00Tucson, Arizona<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnkUbncERa2mPF9b062vE0pOBu1Ty5BhCg0hNO-v_wX13yhHeJ_uWpeJnwp7GeVKmAO2DtrtjJXguRLUQgevu1ouJXzuV3vXg90-ux70CPENIOFYOT-Zk875FDRJ5Zo9K_MVN9QXi_ABe/s1600-h/IMG_0610.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnkUbncERa2mPF9b062vE0pOBu1Ty5BhCg0hNO-v_wX13yhHeJ_uWpeJnwp7GeVKmAO2DtrtjJXguRLUQgevu1ouJXzuV3vXg90-ux70CPENIOFYOT-Zk875FDRJ5Zo9K_MVN9QXi_ABe/s320/IMG_0610.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331020852746931650" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">So I went to the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">33</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">rd</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "> Biannual Convention of the Cactus and Succulent Society of America, </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">in Tucson.</span></span></span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wTzLMy80b4i05m_bHWBGQen2ehNw5yztUITaD9vJp_IMAI7DMGyQuwkOBdgxdhKS00Uz8stkT7LCc9N_VMJthMfbF2COmg89KxzcqYvn47LTcuPQFgDPlxVF_TK2nodrNbjecTieK09A/s1600-h/IMG_0598.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wTzLMy80b4i05m_bHWBGQen2ehNw5yztUITaD9vJp_IMAI7DMGyQuwkOBdgxdhKS00Uz8stkT7LCc9N_VMJthMfbF2COmg89KxzcqYvn47LTcuPQFgDPlxVF_TK2nodrNbjecTieK09A/s320/IMG_0598.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331020847552888178" /></a><div style="text-align: center; "><span style="font-family:Arial;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "> </span></span></i></span><span style="font-family:Times-Italic;"><span style="text-decoration: none; font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Carnegia gigantea</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "> </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">Saguaro detail</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><br /></span></span></div><div><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">Besides of going on a guided one-day fieldtrip, and playing hooky for another morning to go hiking, I listened to a 4-day marathon of succulent related plant talks and absorbed tons of new information. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">First I want to tell you about the fun-fun stuff, f</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">ield-trips.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">A</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">morning hike by myself to the desert riparian habitat of Pima canyon was just what pushed the New York winter out of me. I deeply appreciated the warm sunny morning turning into a dry hot day. </span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div></div></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9tNHoqeGtsq8qizDPA-ZsD2C6P8rAZYMgxpW1DnIfvIjoDfltcRjLJjlJXEF97Mz8jPGvPhAvO5fv7jc9-wI9fnTeyx2fbjc1f7s41ZvND-d8XgBUkccGjbnl-po4OxxvCJTc-5mPUxd/s1600-h/IMG_0596.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9tNHoqeGtsq8qizDPA-ZsD2C6P8rAZYMgxpW1DnIfvIjoDfltcRjLJjlJXEF97Mz8jPGvPhAvO5fv7jc9-wI9fnTeyx2fbjc1f7s41ZvND-d8XgBUkccGjbnl-po4OxxvCJTc-5mPUxd/s320/IMG_0596.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331020840771782466" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;">Pima Canyon</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8F_cFKm8AlpUADGnKGR-11n8igzFZh9KAEMkQA1fVm3iwraiXvwtMTkgaNVoe-d-oQAXvSTKcrCKMahE02MVyyUJnCUn4XTsb2okGYeU14vnuOL9zUQ0PluOJkmDRFFlYjYxpfUtKEdy4/s1600-h/IMG_0527.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8F_cFKm8AlpUADGnKGR-11n8igzFZh9KAEMkQA1fVm3iwraiXvwtMTkgaNVoe-d-oQAXvSTKcrCKMahE02MVyyUJnCUn4XTsb2okGYeU14vnuOL9zUQ0PluOJkmDRFFlYjYxpfUtKEdy4/s320/IMG_0527.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331020838920763458" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Fouquieria splendens</span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">I geeked out over a great diversity of plants, and to make it even more interesting saw tons of beautiful birds that make this productive desert their home. Though the stream itself is dry for most of the year, the area is known for it’s excellent bird watching.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">I never made it to the dam, which is the final point of this hike, due to the fun I had with taking pictures, and watching the, to me unknown Gila Woodpecker</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"> (</span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><a href="http://www.birdphotography.com/species/giwo.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Melanerpes uropygialis</span></a></span></span></i></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><a href="http://www.birdphotography.com/species/giwo.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">)</span></a>. Hanging upside down from the long branches of Ocotillo (</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">Fouquieria splendens</span></span></i></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">), chomping on the fire-red flowers, they definitely were a highlight. (Sorry – I do not have the skill or equipment to take decent bird pictures yet, but here is another fun animal thing, click on pictures to enlarge)</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQgJ9SMszoP0noxUaMEfAye_ZjPrIninI7GEdCjnkVnlvkkCAFwVIZvp3g7XKn4L4kw4XseBnVQTS9OTTL8I4wcfu2bbW1TzZrkqPE0oZK0u8orwYdPT3SdAneWXmSuEiJ50800uLSB9Og/s1600-h/IMG_1012_2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQgJ9SMszoP0noxUaMEfAye_ZjPrIninI7GEdCjnkVnlvkkCAFwVIZvp3g7XKn4L4kw4XseBnVQTS9OTTL8I4wcfu2bbW1TzZrkqPE0oZK0u8orwYdPT3SdAneWXmSuEiJ50800uLSB9Og/s320/IMG_1012_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331020835090498578" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:arial;">NOID fun guy</span></div><div><div><div><div><div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 12pt; "><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Another early rising ended with a major morning-tea incident, but I made it in time to join </span></span><a href="http://www.desertmuseum.org/programs/ifnm_cactusgallery.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Mark Dimmitt</span></span></span></a><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">and a small group of 10 on a fieldtrip to Ironwood National Forest, a newly established park, and to Ragged Top. The first spot is called Waterman Mountains, where we first saw the Ironwoods (</span></span><span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Olneya tesota, Fabaceae</span></span></i></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">),</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> named so for the extraordinary quality of its super heavy dark-red wood. Toxins in the hardwood make it so no fungus or insect can initiate any decomposition, rendering this wood virtually indestructible. Besides of this remarkable trade they actually consider some of them to be as old as 500 years, due to the adaptation to re-sprout from the base if the top dies or burns.</span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAnDF3YQeyNeG8PRniYFuvXMLysEIpQqWr6RGFAfsT6NesfZB5JWMU-8ReIR1JoBFaBE8OWXiq3nv0tQBpNUPXNrQGfk9g467U4KZRKcpRsD18uKcY-skuL-22zjfP4kUHb-4n3_7M95d4/s1600-h/IMG_1116.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 179px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAnDF3YQeyNeG8PRniYFuvXMLysEIpQqWr6RGFAfsT6NesfZB5JWMU-8ReIR1JoBFaBE8OWXiq3nv0tQBpNUPXNrQGfk9g467U4KZRKcpRsD18uKcY-skuL-22zjfP4kUHb-4n3_7M95d4/s320/IMG_1116.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330988957058335154" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></span><!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 12pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Olneya tesota</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 12pt; "><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Trees first leaf out and either keep those leaves for the rest of the season, or loose their leaves and put out a flush of lavender-white flowers. I did not see this, only those promising flower buds, making me wish I could stay a little longer and come back to this location to see this.</span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0Hl3haHoWRTWszV-Rpi9lXB_kSdS-hnrvJUUJ9MkmDmnAp6xNmYMIi8-BRV3ddV7JeFgqzoTCagZSrLuGrcYxde3-TT8GHxwJpdX6DB2T8D5NufNAz9LA9b_dkWA6IzB037c81aGRh1T/s1600-h/IMG_1072.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0Hl3haHoWRTWszV-Rpi9lXB_kSdS-hnrvJUUJ9MkmDmnAp6xNmYMIi8-BRV3ddV7JeFgqzoTCagZSrLuGrcYxde3-TT8GHxwJpdX6DB2T8D5NufNAz9LA9b_dkWA6IzB037c81aGRh1T/s320/IMG_1072.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330988953845321682" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><!--StartFragment--><span style="mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-USfont-family:Arial;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Olneya tesota, </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">flower buds</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpfU4DxYSpAwZ_ShI0It8CoR7GnLN8uzf6sjywk6X5LcjMRfMlSB5mu1SimlLCFhjjlvxxxLRMWm6Zyej5nauYp3NETYiL9vFnYFEaYTYhccw7l41rqiCr2gxxBrJRbhEFnrM-BE7WQtOZ/s1600-h/IMG_0919.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpfU4DxYSpAwZ_ShI0It8CoR7GnLN8uzf6sjywk6X5LcjMRfMlSB5mu1SimlLCFhjjlvxxxLRMWm6Zyej5nauYp3NETYiL9vFnYFEaYTYhccw7l41rqiCr2gxxBrJRbhEFnrM-BE7WQtOZ/s320/IMG_0919.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330988949042576994" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">noid bug is waiting for them to open too </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></span><!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">The other special treat was a beautiful colony of Turk’s head cactus (</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Echinocactus horizonthalonius nicholii</span></span></i></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">), of which we saw seedlings, adults and </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">dead ones, but no flower. The plants here are so much more heavily armed then the plants of South Africa. Different animals?</span></span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tNKv20SpWviLgaBLXJhyphenhyphenpVajrQH3q3VkLoV372gxiJ_eN8y-YCXacB5Sc22Atgw_0UALgYbRwbz5batMWCXvyvAXI2cgXL8uljPML9ib2SBF7xZaGLxdNe_Felg0cTp2OHHHYo6C1_HK/s1600-h/IMG_0982.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tNKv20SpWviLgaBLXJhyphenhyphenpVajrQH3q3VkLoV372gxiJ_eN8y-YCXacB5Sc22Atgw_0UALgYbRwbz5batMWCXvyvAXI2cgXL8uljPML9ib2SBF7xZaGLxdNe_Felg0cTp2OHHHYo6C1_HK/s320/IMG_0982.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330988945808291698" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><!--StartFragment--><span style="mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-USfont-family:Arial;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Echinocactus horizonthalonius nicholii</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">, well protected seedling under spiny remnants of </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-USfont-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">mother-plant</span></span></span></div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">The Ragged Top location was especially scenic, and the Saguaros, </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Times-Italic;"><i><a href="http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/cagi7.htm"><span style="text-decoration:none;text-underline:nonefont-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Carnegia gigantea</span></span></span></span></a></i></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></span></i></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">here reach their highest density and size in this place. Absolutely amazing! Their root system being super shallow they have to spread as far as they are high, which makes it still impressive when you see them growing all the way up the cliffs on the narrow ledges.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> <br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilBUSh9N4iiD2a9YQhyAzbez8ddnSRecEd817AtmQUTAldm0BapbtihococCeL2iMeL73plC997WaF1bbzPxXeQcdL5RgQmx6ghDGJ3v0jhcyBN9n_gIVW-9IRvz5MUikhraMwhUVQiNY/s1600-h/IMG_1156.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 172px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilBUSh9N4iiD2a9YQhyAzbez8ddnSRecEd817AtmQUTAldm0BapbtihococCeL2iMeL73plC997WaF1bbzPxXeQcdL5RgQmx6ghDGJ3v0jhcyBN9n_gIVW-9IRvz5MUikhraMwhUVQiNY/s320/IMG_1156.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330987446777128242" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><!--StartFragment--><span style="mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-USfont-family:Times-Italic;"><i><span style="text-decoration:none;text-underline:nonefont-family:Arial;"><a href="http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/cagi7.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Carnegia gigantea</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: normal; font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></span></span></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Lectures</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "></span></span></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Right after signing in and picking up my batch and program, I immediately hit the plant sale. The motto was: quick and hard. Not sure if that was the right strategy ($87 damage), but I was telling myself I wont go back there for the rest of my stay, yeah – right, I did not know yet about the great book sale…</span></span></span></b></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZP4vZsS492_hGNHUTebK12v5ACbl2vJB8yp4ISdqHE86t7HMb-rXjL8KT49Em4I6ueCmC69srjJerPIYI5_HSZBjp7YB-V_Zfe6rgF6LZNUOO2EhDAhpKktvFRCl72wfoh79-M1w5jifP/s1600-h/IMG_0808.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZP4vZsS492_hGNHUTebK12v5ACbl2vJB8yp4ISdqHE86t7HMb-rXjL8KT49Em4I6ueCmC69srjJerPIYI5_HSZBjp7YB-V_Zfe6rgF6LZNUOO2EhDAhpKktvFRCl72wfoh79-M1w5jifP/s320/IMG_0808.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330987445438466034" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Cylindropuntia versicolor, </span></span></i></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Staghorn Cholla</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></span><!--StartFragment--></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">One of my favorite lectures was by a USGS guy named Bob Webb, who was talking about the succulent diversity in the central Baja California peninsular. I want to go there NOW! He specified 3 different groups, the cacti, the succulents and the sarco-caulescent plants. Besides of getting a pretty good overview of the genera and species found in this region, I realized again how interesting the distribution aspect of plants is. And of course the related geology and (micro) climates. The regions on the upper side of the fog line, and more on the western side of elevations, showed the highest species richness index (something he had defined earlier). And all this is found mostly in the parts of the peninsular that have winter or mixed season rainfall, with summer rainfall regions being much poorer in species. Interesting, to say the least, as this correlates with what I have seen in South Africa.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4C6Ux0vF5sTcac4p9Ji__3dhyphenhyphenzhf7Gr6vLNrg6HV1YfrY8Kv_AW6RU8bwZq_uB7Kk7qFRi81WmxHinNt5AvBhXPDTsZgqZv8sFGyMXN3_6khje9kfZUSzWrJwzEeo0RyL_z5cOtHH6gx/s1600-h/IMG_0800.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4C6Ux0vF5sTcac4p9Ji__3dhyphenhyphenzhf7Gr6vLNrg6HV1YfrY8Kv_AW6RU8bwZq_uB7Kk7qFRi81WmxHinNt5AvBhXPDTsZgqZv8sFGyMXN3_6khje9kfZUSzWrJwzEeo0RyL_z5cOtHH6gx/s320/IMG_0800.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330987442650897298" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">happy bee</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></span><!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">I another talk, by the research meteorologist Michael Douglas, was about high-resolution satellite imaging of cloud cover over a certain time, in oppositions or in conjunction with precipitation records, and the information that is relevant to plant growing conditions and adaptations. Quite fascinating (here is a link), it seems a helpful tool concerning biogeography, a subject hat I seem to have a lot of interest in. Well, it deals with maps, which I absolutely love, so not too big a surprise…</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvM-OYdHNBf_3yIxG64IEdt0HNlalueF3G10ZTqRHjXAfPFLg1W6riRyIOGKRwnLpSSlGrqTNo62_WzF5gFRo47S_h2SwRPgEkZbpMk0ObJBcIF1tFja0ytylyxhjhD4G_dOkVCmXCTUIu/s1600-h/IMG_0633.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvM-OYdHNBf_3yIxG64IEdt0HNlalueF3G10ZTqRHjXAfPFLg1W6riRyIOGKRwnLpSSlGrqTNo62_WzF5gFRo47S_h2SwRPgEkZbpMk0ObJBcIF1tFja0ytylyxhjhD4G_dOkVCmXCTUIu/s320/IMG_0633.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330987433217132626" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Agave sp. bud imprints</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">I reconnected with Ernst van Jaarsveld, the curator of Kirstenbosch’s Conservatory, who first taught me about cliffs as specialized habitats. He gave a talk about plant exploration in SA, a subject I obviously can’t get enough of. His second lecture I liked even better, this time a ‘habitat’-talk about cliff dwellers. We later talked about the progress on his project of installing a cliff-garden and the new Welwitschia house. </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Lithophytes seem to gain more attention recently, maybe due to the ‘horizontal habitats’ being increasingly destroyed by overgrazing, burning and mining, with most diversity of native species only hanging on to those inaccessible cliffs? I would love to be at Kirstenbosch when Ernst installs the new exhibits.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-MdbDVLQYh66uBkShdCqH-1BMVtRIiNac8e02UJGIoI0cBMkSG1gHG0U0z6SKrFv2xcvshcGqF5ycGSpDAZ7npNDrzP6N1unGkWnb8lApNPf9rShqUl5z6Uuw-k5HtwCblWtNyFwJVUp6/s1600-h/IMG_0926.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-MdbDVLQYh66uBkShdCqH-1BMVtRIiNac8e02UJGIoI0cBMkSG1gHG0U0z6SKrFv2xcvshcGqF5ycGSpDAZ7npNDrzP6N1unGkWnb8lApNPf9rShqUl5z6Uuw-k5HtwCblWtNyFwJVUp6/s320/IMG_0926.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330987427624531618" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">View from waterman Mountain towards Mexico in the distance</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></span><!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Coming back from my morning hike I made it just in time to hear a fabulous talk about Madagascar by Pietr Pavelka, a Czech plants-man. His great photography really stood out from all the other presentations. </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">He gave another lecture with more from the Richtersveld, South Africa. Even with his strong accent he is a good speaker and his pictures are quite fantastic. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8s2MQ8UUrr3FgzkrdTdONQuylhutH511OuOC3vyBSYXIrJ24pSaKsYWLsTrCG3IMd8I1-ben9Z2x9scFtQGlV5BV0RV-DyRikNNZXnVNoyjy9DZZkoZOpF980U6UV-N7IfgGgjhILAX22/s1600-h/IMG_0593.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8s2MQ8UUrr3FgzkrdTdONQuylhutH511OuOC3vyBSYXIrJ24pSaKsYWLsTrCG3IMd8I1-ben9Z2x9scFtQGlV5BV0RV-DyRikNNZXnVNoyjy9DZZkoZOpF980U6UV-N7IfgGgjhILAX22/s320/IMG_0593.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330986385658021906" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Astrolepis sinuata</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">, wavy scaly cloakfern</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">and</span></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP009BptlzIuI2i7MlFaAYogGz08D1O-kpfDUZPoo733RdCDGeWsaGIpDYFTmNcCP9QX11wECETAnd85Csi9pTM2li5ZmJ6Al2801YTTN76i3vjk6-9cxVbQdVQ7He6OCz6b9vg3Hi5Bp2/s1600-h/IMG_0881.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP009BptlzIuI2i7MlFaAYogGz08D1O-kpfDUZPoo733RdCDGeWsaGIpDYFTmNcCP9QX11wECETAnd85Csi9pTM2li5ZmJ6Al2801YTTN76i3vjk6-9cxVbQdVQ7He6OCz6b9vg3Hi5Bp2/s320/IMG_0881.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330986379590284706" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 20px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 20px; font-family:Arial;"><span class="scientific" style=" font-style: italic; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/other-plants/plant15.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Astrolepis cochisensis</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">, </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Cochise Scaly Cloakfern</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 20px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 20px; font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">growing between</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 20px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 20px; font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUiXCfnA-ATSYD-BBOyRgOIrkL9xLRBVqBoVi7V8yINgKpKIrb_VofE7KTudgrnVy6aNnaUx4n5DxWoKLcXEoOOXhY7u-X1-6h1ptme8huG3-lx2GZPvkkFmKh7gg0XyDMn0nQm0o42RUd/s1600-h/IMG_0580.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUiXCfnA-ATSYD-BBOyRgOIrkL9xLRBVqBoVi7V8yINgKpKIrb_VofE7KTudgrnVy6aNnaUx4n5DxWoKLcXEoOOXhY7u-X1-6h1ptme8huG3-lx2GZPvkkFmKh7gg0XyDMn0nQm0o42RUd/s320/IMG_0580.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330986382716450418" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><!--StartFragment--><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Selaginella arizonica</span></span></i></span><!--EndFragment--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgULOoBLAGdsaQ9xIgE6HgfJHFEz7HaY-jBJYOYUaRFzVMsEMMgeqkYQHP0K3UDC_DU_tIA6tXNTq6gfG1BVVE-pxBwbKXl6vPIehA5vAVMv6dM1n149k2NAI1O7r2Y1DHpg1DlM4sQF6/s1600-h/IMG_0913.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgULOoBLAGdsaQ9xIgE6HgfJHFEz7HaY-jBJYOYUaRFzVMsEMMgeqkYQHP0K3UDC_DU_tIA6tXNTq6gfG1BVVE-pxBwbKXl6vPIehA5vAVMv6dM1n149k2NAI1O7r2Y1DHpg1DlM4sQF6/s320/IMG_0913.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330986372854072498" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Ferrocactus wislizeni</span></span></i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">, the Fishook Barrel Cactus</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></span><!--StartFragment--></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Another worthwhile presentation was the introducing of Australian native succulents by Attila Kapitany, which really showed how little there is known in the greater western succulent world about plants from this continent. He had some beautiful pictures of incredible plants, like </span></span><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stylidium"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Stylidium sp</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">.</span></span></a></i></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">, </span></span><i><a href="http://www.dischidia.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Dischidia sp</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">.</span></span></span></i></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Dorianthes, Peperomia, </span></span><a href="http://florawww.eeb.uconn.edu/plummer.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Hydnophytum</span></span></span></a></i></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Myrmecodia</span></span></i></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">, and I could go on with this list of stuff if I could remember half of what he showed…</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2npVMgIJrziqqzvSqTSdKULZBLlx4HLSKthQ1por0QVqzAlQTbmabkCsgCZyuiNYmRS2tPoc7semIoS-eC8mk07PHi6Y_esCG-G_nZworakUKeKLIn647c9fqw0UYjmqJYrQoeqNsKto/s1600-h/IMG_0739.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2npVMgIJrziqqzvSqTSdKULZBLlx4HLSKthQ1por0QVqzAlQTbmabkCsgCZyuiNYmRS2tPoc7semIoS-eC8mk07PHi6Y_esCG-G_nZworakUKeKLIn647c9fqw0UYjmqJYrQoeqNsKto/s320/IMG_0739.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330986368041887906" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 20px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 20px; font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Ferocactus wislizeni, </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 20px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 20px; font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">detail</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 20px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 20px; font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZuoUe17I6qnqyQRxzg3b0Ec-UChtn8Sk4cWLxodsI_uyOb2sbA2XBXqzZjo_hKDFL9CgbLwKv7tPzsLX3nl7RtvOCi5QBKBe6bCnSN9P4D1xWipc5mCROzz7E77ZtNnw8LdeTEEBul-8/s1600-h/IMG_0965.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZuoUe17I6qnqyQRxzg3b0Ec-UChtn8Sk4cWLxodsI_uyOb2sbA2XBXqzZjo_hKDFL9CgbLwKv7tPzsLX3nl7RtvOCi5QBKBe6bCnSN9P4D1xWipc5mCROzz7E77ZtNnw8LdeTEEBul-8/s320/IMG_0965.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330970815754641090" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a href="http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/pinks/pink02.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Echinocereus fasciculatus</span></a>, </span></span></i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Hedgehog Cactus flower</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRmM2NZkcTg3xKO6NjZfp9UflV7q8IlIcWdTLgHd-HLX731MeFDB2LnvqBXrO5HNTTyJtdcofpuk267LQwZ1SvKFEy7iSzJ9s1FREK0k_zsOrgDjKxv4sGW-SKDpcNmCLmpOjB72cJLuc/s1600-h/IMG_0957.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRmM2NZkcTg3xKO6NjZfp9UflV7q8IlIcWdTLgHd-HLX731MeFDB2LnvqBXrO5HNTTyJtdcofpuk267LQwZ1SvKFEy7iSzJ9s1FREK0k_zsOrgDjKxv4sGW-SKDpcNmCLmpOjB72cJLuc/s320/IMG_0957.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330970811083413330" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></span><!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></span><!--StartFragment--></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Cylindropuntia versicolor, </span></span></i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Staghorn Cholla flower</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Then a succession of lectures about lithophytic (rock dwelling) Tillandsias, about a million Sanseverias from all over, a few snippets about DNA work in Mammelaria genus and finally a talk about plants of the island of </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socotra"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Socotra</span></a> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">in Yemen. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Botany sure makes you work on your geography, I had to look up this botanically famous, but to me unknown, weathered clump of old continent on the African Horn.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBxBlWWmYpavQJ3OU_k2H30W0UiTNyh2GHhTlOQxvwLkc8B1a-89THR4_iOxruj5AQksa1vTzV42Eu6kNKF4KbdnOdKRgHAwGZPpacCQd6h3rpehtNRHyyeCzql667b3Z4f80M-fve_yoK/s1600-h/IMG_0787.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBxBlWWmYpavQJ3OU_k2H30W0UiTNyh2GHhTlOQxvwLkc8B1a-89THR4_iOxruj5AQksa1vTzV42Eu6kNKF4KbdnOdKRgHAwGZPpacCQd6h3rpehtNRHyyeCzql667b3Z4f80M-fve_yoK/s320/IMG_0787.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330970806218089346" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></span><!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></span><!--StartFragment--><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Opuntia santa-rita</span></span></span></i></span><!--EndFragment--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">So here comes my short rant - skip if you rather hear about plants only</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in; "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">·</span></span></span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">I am profoundly annoyed by those presentations with the wife in every other picture next to the plant – </span></span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">always</span></span></span></span></i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"> mentioned, as ‘this is my wife next to the so-and-so plant’. And what about all these phallus reverences whenever and wherever there is something upright? One guy went even as far as having several (yes! – not just one) pictures of animals (elephant, baboon) with erected penises throughout his PPP. What the F&*#$%?</span></span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"> </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">There are also way too few woman getting around in this boys-only-club (of all 28 original speakers 26 are men and 2 women). TOTALLY uncool. The end.</span></span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVfGu9ELo3KMo6bpK03eSjI67w6NBggvz2XQMlZRrDueYFy3ejMn3PAaPyLzWNVUv59VBZ-cK3NyNx6-o1TE9gXcU8Qj8S3El8yzjLMWB_niJrWIBGW1H5J2suDWd7tAuRBi3txf3CGhQ/s1600-h/IMG_0784.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVfGu9ELo3KMo6bpK03eSjI67w6NBggvz2XQMlZRrDueYFy3ejMn3PAaPyLzWNVUv59VBZ-cK3NyNx6-o1TE9gXcU8Qj8S3El8yzjLMWB_niJrWIBGW1H5J2suDWd7tAuRBi3txf3CGhQ/s320/IMG_0784.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330970803984268498" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></span><!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></span><!--StartFragment--></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Opuntia engelmannii,</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> detail</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">After listening to even more stuff about Aloes, hybridizing Adeniums, Echeverias in the wild, and Aeoniums on the Canary Islands,</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> my ears hummed, my eyes blurred, and my throat was dry. There was only one thing to do; a cold margarita on the Hotel terrace watching the sunset over the Santa Catalina Mountains</span></span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDI7nmr03LvrknOvvUfc2Fybq_IQ5mgk6EssYqI-fnyALQXPKso8WFxLnw5HaiNufONR0QzJo99GPRKrbXwEqwAVwHQJw6UQnOgdiX7r8wVnEnuoE-Yvj9Y0pvVZpqwNcG6ZnPaCfSVA5p/s1600-h/IMG_1188.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDI7nmr03LvrknOvvUfc2Fybq_IQ5mgk6EssYqI-fnyALQXPKso8WFxLnw5HaiNufONR0QzJo99GPRKrbXwEqwAVwHQJw6UQnOgdiX7r8wVnEnuoE-Yvj9Y0pvVZpqwNcG6ZnPaCfSVA5p/s320/IMG_1188.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330970798318670994" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">View from the Westin La Paloma Resort, </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">where the convention was held, is an extremely fancy affair, spread out and beautifully located at the bottom of the Santa Catalina Mountain range north of Tucson, part of the Coronado National Forest. </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div></div></div></div></div></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-10157705071939006512009-03-29T16:41:00.012+00:002009-03-30T15:48:37.407+00:00Bavaria<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Bavaria</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjILiGOEA1GA-e5rq_lD7p9BM8PwG7paVhDcstOplNuzNGChvAiuhW0aZdZeMGoBWN5VAiLkC9cSSP49EdTJlqDatCrPGqPVtDrij27D4RgGfJcQ_CoRJ99QIrQKCCkRiRqd5vI9iPnt8FC/s1600-h/IMG_9340.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 179px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjILiGOEA1GA-e5rq_lD7p9BM8PwG7paVhDcstOplNuzNGChvAiuhW0aZdZeMGoBWN5VAiLkC9cSSP49EdTJlqDatCrPGqPVtDrij27D4RgGfJcQ_CoRJ99QIrQKCCkRiRqd5vI9iPnt8FC/s320/IMG_9340.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318654530967395410" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maypole_tradition_in_Bavaria">'</a></span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maypole_tradition_in_Bavaria">Maibaum</a></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maypole_tradition_in_Bavaria">'</a></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">On my recent short trip to Munich/Bavaria I took advantage of any time off to look again at the landscape I grew up with, but this time with my 'new' (botanically educated) eyes. This country of rolling hills and lakes, formed by the retrieving glaciers, is rich in history and cultivation of its fertile soils. </span></span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMTLGGJr9Ay2UzgxGVe47DYsUfpaDXt16yMDvwRLVUiaAmJ9_RK2p3cCuD1R_PjH3-GHKSgxdljTTbfxffClkiDJ_uQ24fvKolxN1yxekhwGNjPeXUmnizavH4tLK6nepQanywfFdNs6C/s1600-h/IMG_9348.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMTLGGJr9Ay2UzgxGVe47DYsUfpaDXt16yMDvwRLVUiaAmJ9_RK2p3cCuD1R_PjH3-GHKSgxdljTTbfxffClkiDJ_uQ24fvKolxN1yxekhwGNjPeXUmnizavH4tLK6nepQanywfFdNs6C/s320/IMG_9348.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318654524927897938" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">'Our milk makes Bavaria strong!'</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">And yes - this is dairy country at it's best! One thing that I learned to truly appreciate only when i moved away is the Northern European law of the </span></span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_to_roam"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">'<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">freedom to roam'</span>.</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This also might explain why the people here go so often for 'walks' one could call this is a national pastime. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">But then there is also the pilgrimage, a extended version of the walk, usually directed towards a church housing some ancient reliquaries. These churches are often part of large monasteries, which commonly house breweries and inns. One of my favorite is '</span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Kloster</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Andechs</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">', famous for it's dark beer and beer garden. One way to get there is a 21/2 hour walk through some of the most beautiful of </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Bavaria's</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> landscapes.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3pECzdSjkgTsSxOgVV-OwP76VIKx_-1SYSQuBmmQfUMxg4wItUw9ZZhyMAVRgJa-Pe59MJ7wxc5FV4ZZ-EtpB7kULazQB979R4bheDNj6aERTq_WPrRm2KRbGBj99krZF-bcrwKEjIw0/s1600-h/IMG_9207.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 179px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3pECzdSjkgTsSxOgVV-OwP76VIKx_-1SYSQuBmmQfUMxg4wItUw9ZZhyMAVRgJa-Pe59MJ7wxc5FV4ZZ-EtpB7kULazQB979R4bheDNj6aERTq_WPrRm2KRbGBj99krZF-bcrwKEjIw0/s320/IMG_9207.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318654513872357410" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Hedera</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> helix</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsJ3emkit9Cx8SzyBgnKuQWlclrWvwlLZogVQyDriL8VzzesZw5_3VjomURE7MELc5cxUyd7cNZwq2rrxFtS9xXTUmMeT9tH5rOLrBggP0Leqdh7gk9F168ou0jhJhHq6Hl5g48B1rebb9/s1600-h/IMG_9293.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsJ3emkit9Cx8SzyBgnKuQWlclrWvwlLZogVQyDriL8VzzesZw5_3VjomURE7MELc5cxUyd7cNZwq2rrxFtS9xXTUmMeT9tH5rOLrBggP0Leqdh7gk9F168ou0jhJhHq6Hl5g48B1rebb9/s320/IMG_9293.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318653843871868834" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Hedera</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> helix</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> fruit</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">One thing I noticed more this time, probably because of the leaf less season, is the amount of ivy growing up trees. Ivy is a native here (in contrast to the US where it is considered an invasive) and has a strong tradition of symbolic and medicinal use, going all the way back to the Egyptians. It is strongly associated with the roman god of wine, Bacchus, and the Greeks wore ivy wraths around their heads believing it to wake 'bacchanal enthusiasm' and to cool their brains while drinking and eating until they passed out.... </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">As to the ivy completely covering the trunks of so many trees, there is no evidence found to today that this is detrimental to the tree, as long as it does not shade out the host.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvapTIqU2KYNhdTovv0J-C71ADmuUEoH9VRFBVGRgdshD_NUg4iEHmAW4Qsoh8e1-a_RAdy55ZKmUh7wQLwM27LcTFM3yF4bj9nuMVIUNlWOG_6lF6I2b96MQEikSSm61l_Lf9xQwBvHwr/s1600-h/IMG_9215.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvapTIqU2KYNhdTovv0J-C71ADmuUEoH9VRFBVGRgdshD_NUg4iEHmAW4Qsoh8e1-a_RAdy55ZKmUh7wQLwM27LcTFM3yF4bj9nuMVIUNlWOG_6lF6I2b96MQEikSSm61l_Lf9xQwBvHwr/s320/IMG_9215.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318653840123593938" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Corylus</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">avellana</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">female flower</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHLnQ-ooKNjyI2Wc7xJs3cXsYcFPbTI4jwrXxlN2CkeMsHiLQYL3hUvBFm-odMB80iUockXYhrBRvgWA-t6G7AXc5TSgBEXWgUV4rKIpRJiVPL2-eCKG3CZbcOqpWo03eKVqTvv8qdAUu/s1600-h/IMG_9216.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHLnQ-ooKNjyI2Wc7xJs3cXsYcFPbTI4jwrXxlN2CkeMsHiLQYL3hUvBFm-odMB80iUockXYhrBRvgWA-t6G7AXc5TSgBEXWgUV4rKIpRJiVPL2-eCKG3CZbcOqpWo03eKVqTvv8qdAUu/s320/IMG_9216.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318653836487013154" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Corylus</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">avellana</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> male catkin and female flower</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Another plant that is visually dominant this time of the year is the common hazel, </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Corylus</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">avellana</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">another native around here. The yellow catkins covering these shrubs early in the spring before the leaves come out, make this plant highly visible along the forest and field edges and also in parks and gardens. This is a very important food plant going all the way back to the </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Mesolithic</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> age, when it was the dominating woody plant in the forests of central </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Europe</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54Yzdm0PU5_eUhGiGSTd7M4ywQZJD6A-ss_3zpKpfjiZ7i5_-pT-Zg48bAH2tY7EYtDw88s-MOVU4nZ84sXYU6EsKg5fPGtZ9t4jl75gguM0aUUnNR8d2FizSBWlN55vyGMGkOPu1f1jq/s1600-h/IMG_9211.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54Yzdm0PU5_eUhGiGSTd7M4ywQZJD6A-ss_3zpKpfjiZ7i5_-pT-Zg48bAH2tY7EYtDw88s-MOVU4nZ84sXYU6EsKg5fPGtZ9t4jl75gguM0aUUnNR8d2FizSBWlN55vyGMGkOPu1f1jq/s320/IMG_9211.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318653829054874578" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Clematis </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">vitalba</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: italic;font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Also highly visible are the fluffy seed heads of </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://caliban.mpiz-koeln.mpg.de/%7Estueber/thome/band2/tafel_074.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Clematis </span></span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">vitalba</span></span></span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">a native climber that covers deciduous trees and shrubs along the edges of woods, and is a nitrogen indicator. And in the right light it is absolutely gorgeous!</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgea1VpDl_XpK78q6PgSoyf33MfoPDJAQ6-tJ6-wqFkV0fpp8tcy1tWhdxdzIqAXNb1ffQyAn2uPYXaF7DaGftf-RhWdO42lBaHMqGGrDxokZUpSx31XcGpEd9-ZuGz62C4RE6G89U6-z5j/s1600-h/IMG_9314.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgea1VpDl_XpK78q6PgSoyf33MfoPDJAQ6-tJ6-wqFkV0fpp8tcy1tWhdxdzIqAXNb1ffQyAn2uPYXaF7DaGftf-RhWdO42lBaHMqGGrDxokZUpSx31XcGpEd9-ZuGz62C4RE6G89U6-z5j/s320/IMG_9314.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318653251114073570" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Eranthis</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">hyemalis</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: italic;font-family:arial;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I just learned </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Eranthis</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">hyemalis</span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> to be native to southern Europe, but this little beauty has been cultivated here since the 16</span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">th</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> century and is wildly naturalized. As it is one of the first flowers in the season it is important as first food to bees. All parts of these little tubers are highly poisonous, making the plant popular with murderers of the </span></span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medea"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Greek mythology</span></span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUiRRoY6g3-_RVQgpHVQm7zVD3j2vUbP6RNUTI3FHGAVDIZLKT2XX9Na8-XlBlLRRPbBUuY9Of4jHqJ7oKn3walgvNcR8Ml8vBraE4kmiehEPMDrLM4WlAvLZ9s2hVw6PsZoZsd6sh1XA/s1600-h/IMG_9231.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUiRRoY6g3-_RVQgpHVQm7zVD3j2vUbP6RNUTI3FHGAVDIZLKT2XX9Na8-XlBlLRRPbBUuY9Of4jHqJ7oKn3walgvNcR8Ml8vBraE4kmiehEPMDrLM4WlAvLZ9s2hVw6PsZoZsd6sh1XA/s320/IMG_9231.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318653247316772962" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">reflection in shallow pond</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiovkRTlhR4jShMndvLpPJTvgjQdOuIMwmsRchSfspHv3NyqVusBjBuK3p7Zp187vu2LjDygSw-cKYvai8VnsPWZ03tRkOmT-EfxWVaQYpYEsD4BRJLM8jwrFJRYsYRRD9Rf8tlHZtW9bNz/s1600-h/IMG_9250.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiovkRTlhR4jShMndvLpPJTvgjQdOuIMwmsRchSfspHv3NyqVusBjBuK3p7Zp187vu2LjDygSw-cKYvai8VnsPWZ03tRkOmT-EfxWVaQYpYEsD4BRJLM8jwrFJRYsYRRD9Rf8tlHZtW9bNz/s320/IMG_9250.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318653243311033394" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">old </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">infructescent</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> of </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Carduus</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">acanthoides</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The walk to </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Andechs</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> leads you through these wonderful light forests dominated by the European beech tree </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Fagus</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">salvaticus</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> This is my favorite tree of them all, and I have to apologize for the lousy picture (please do not click on this one - it's embarrassing)</span></span></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYG3vHFwJ4mWsYE0fUSmKKiXdqKrJU6R_pesxxbo7Jtd714LBf_F1Y6ttMueV9Q7bUZWTMd4sV7MKk6_C3dBqc7BAeAw624CxlKYD6k8hOLJ2XwPCeYwfKpFAqmqulgfoTttTFvpa0ZeLe/s1600-h/IMG_9328.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYG3vHFwJ4mWsYE0fUSmKKiXdqKrJU6R_pesxxbo7Jtd714LBf_F1Y6ttMueV9Q7bUZWTMd4sV7MKk6_C3dBqc7BAeAw624CxlKYD6k8hOLJ2XwPCeYwfKpFAqmqulgfoTttTFvpa0ZeLe/s320/IMG_9328.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318653242447744370" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Another plant that has a lot of meaning to me is </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Hepatica</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">nobilis</span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, the common liverwort native to Europe. This beautiful little gem of the </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ranunculaceae</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> family typically grows in these beech forests, and has recently been renamed to </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Anemone </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">hepatica</span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, but I am not sure how accepted this new classification is.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">As a little child I often went into the woods behind my parents house to collect small bouquets of this flower, gifting it to whoever I found worthy of it that particular day.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> <br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKM30cwnl4-xbopbxzC81M3lDmEUiG2YpZsCHi5wGVJ8PISAAEZ-BakVGauYoiTlATQiImNACp_yTkPNJohptSlhU4TGFPT1NiaT1XUYuSj6Fw9PhAundGctjhN-iWN6UJhNLemooCiMo/s1600-h/IMG_9322.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKM30cwnl4-xbopbxzC81M3lDmEUiG2YpZsCHi5wGVJ8PISAAEZ-BakVGauYoiTlATQiImNACp_yTkPNJohptSlhU4TGFPT1NiaT1XUYuSj6Fw9PhAundGctjhN-iWN6UJhNLemooCiMo/s320/IMG_9322.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318653231966438050" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">leaf of </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Hepatica</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">nobilis</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Zd_aF4ubl_Bsqqd966LRqrAIZErC8Ux4CuMvSb55yGqU2sssyMTxfy6OZiGn3AesAjelF8ymR2Zxj2oq3eADu4LxqdvxNns-nwpRRbMHfHvvod_j0Xz93nhCzCWexgxbviF_0Z_Bw3Zs/s1600-h/IMG_9329.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Zd_aF4ubl_Bsqqd966LRqrAIZErC8Ux4CuMvSb55yGqU2sssyMTxfy6OZiGn3AesAjelF8ymR2Zxj2oq3eADu4LxqdvxNns-nwpRRbMHfHvvod_j0Xz93nhCzCWexgxbviF_0Z_Bw3Zs/s320/IMG_9329.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318652456527887698" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBN78ze3Wk_Z_WfHHSUIe6LTm5py2Vgfa7Tf0mvsnqVpnc1oCjFD9Ssr9bwHt_lrMeKeSl6ur4JpA4zYUXOcu0Rr9czdkcos7OzrPtWzD4z4m9N8z16aPmxStFREcqok90LFIjkz4vF3_/s1600-h/IMG_9334.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBN78ze3Wk_Z_WfHHSUIe6LTm5py2Vgfa7Tf0mvsnqVpnc1oCjFD9Ssr9bwHt_lrMeKeSl6ur4JpA4zYUXOcu0Rr9czdkcos7OzrPtWzD4z4m9N8z16aPmxStFREcqok90LFIjkz4vF3_/s320/IMG_9334.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318652450830931970" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Hepatica</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">nobilis</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">flower</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:arial;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The name is easy to remember if you look at the leaf shape and color. The purple color of leaf, stem and flower is associated with the pigment </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Anthocyan</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, which is said to be able to convert light into heat, and such preventing the delicate little thing to die off in the frosts still occurring around this time of the year.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxw1xtb4e6BD9xQ6Tt1j9rfGYlDs9K_8TEdFiIOQdQIsmWZZFGz7obknI2XlkGjp2fPZx9tr-AD-1738SkDJr3_JcQo6wpHF2bsJIgFqfvv-5sc1fquoLq80-489zQnD8IsglVrybQacd_/s1600-h/IMG_9346.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxw1xtb4e6BD9xQ6Tt1j9rfGYlDs9K_8TEdFiIOQdQIsmWZZFGz7obknI2XlkGjp2fPZx9tr-AD-1738SkDJr3_JcQo6wpHF2bsJIgFqfvv-5sc1fquoLq80-489zQnD8IsglVrybQacd_/s320/IMG_9346.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318652439116799122" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Salix</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">caprea</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">male catkins before release of pollen</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:arial;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">And then there is the '</span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Palmkatzerl</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">' </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Salix</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">caprea</span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. The hairy little male flowers are very popular cuttings for vases, especially around Easter and Palm Sunday, alas the name, loosely translated as 'palm kittens'.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi9Jmm2nEsvlaJF6JrgdzNAmKzSkGb09j8E-_Ls6eAK8T39O4QRC0gyFEXePsjAPQg0ixflz9C50jvnbJYhPIanAu-Ko_uqDKPMmoBzPr2pbkZO10hbRl4BbIRdmZKK5guT1_CNQYZj61m/s1600-h/IMG_9349.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi9Jmm2nEsvlaJF6JrgdzNAmKzSkGb09j8E-_Ls6eAK8T39O4QRC0gyFEXePsjAPQg0ixflz9C50jvnbJYhPIanAu-Ko_uqDKPMmoBzPr2pbkZO10hbRl4BbIRdmZKK5guT1_CNQYZj61m/s320/IMG_9349.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318652428305378482" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnILtLIOAtq6L84QpiEk5t2D_o-l3uQOszDKx_af9_Q8HVQN2hyphenhyphenqgA_PJsBRqdXKdKm-_ZrpYdDXW3c2C-f_eVJvmN2bssXYarZkaVgbfjUnKd5J0nRZoXnCe7nZ4yFgG3hJ_bKb3aBIrK/s1600-h/IMG_9358.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnILtLIOAtq6L84QpiEk5t2D_o-l3uQOszDKx_af9_Q8HVQN2hyphenhyphenqgA_PJsBRqdXKdKm-_ZrpYdDXW3c2C-f_eVJvmN2bssXYarZkaVgbfjUnKd5J0nRZoXnCe7nZ4yFgG3hJ_bKb3aBIrK/s320/IMG_9358.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318652415912524978" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Part of the walk is along cultivated fields, still not tilled after last years harvest, and sometimes way to close to those fields that have freshly been fertilized with cow manure. But that's part of country life....</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ywMIZy7nTfit_YeWHWy_6qdxgyiIEY6wwso2OZ-pWlRiZoukC2HBHNbkoO4McK1cC3wB8_PrrbfiAcZYVpw-kToqkKrQtA6kHZY2JWkQxsdbl-HItOZHFSaq-isio__EOH1qa832ETjz/s1600-h/IMG_9362.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ywMIZy7nTfit_YeWHWy_6qdxgyiIEY6wwso2OZ-pWlRiZoukC2HBHNbkoO4McK1cC3wB8_PrrbfiAcZYVpw-kToqkKrQtA6kHZY2JWkQxsdbl-HItOZHFSaq-isio__EOH1qa832ETjz/s320/IMG_9362.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318651642926320178" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The rewards of the long walk (if it is not enough in itself) wait inside the large dining hall of the </span></span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">cloister</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. A shared mass (one liter) of the famous dark beer draft, now during lent with even more alcohol content, is almost a meal in itself and the hardy plate of pork roast with the finest crust (I suspect some more dark beer involved there) with a real pretzel (not to be confused with those preetzel-like things sold in Central Park), and a healthy portion of sauerkraut - this should illustrate what pilgrimage means to me.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UInDrMV23eFtTAHdFdJWbccCzzR5_XQDHLlknc3kUv6gq28ECUzayquV6fPqr9oyffRINm8i4IS882-bwFf2ZryiffokP14vepIbrPz_RXOCawaS9jyblBxMJ-zuG_z8qMdTBE_AGIMM/s1600-h/IMG_9369.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UInDrMV23eFtTAHdFdJWbccCzzR5_XQDHLlknc3kUv6gq28ECUzayquV6fPqr9oyffRINm8i4IS882-bwFf2ZryiffokP14vepIbrPz_RXOCawaS9jyblBxMJ-zuG_z8qMdTBE_AGIMM/s320/IMG_9369.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318651638490903634" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The monastery sits absolutely picturesque on top of a large hill overlooking the </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">lake Ammersee, and on our way down we caught the last of the late winter sun sinking into the lake behind the trees.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRM7HDolQH48vQwlFBBtdzCF9QDLZrSP6D5R0JDiSzR2X2FUfsMBXapVLrTyHVdhSQdE-ZFwYKapK4q-MDs8vV8BzlconDJeotARYmusAZ4o0IQzODNPffPZPpnGWtCSdCQI7cB29iKb7h/s1600-h/IMG_9382.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRM7HDolQH48vQwlFBBtdzCF9QDLZrSP6D5R0JDiSzR2X2FUfsMBXapVLrTyHVdhSQdE-ZFwYKapK4q-MDs8vV8BzlconDJeotARYmusAZ4o0IQzODNPffPZPpnGWtCSdCQI7cB29iKb7h/s320/IMG_9382.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318651635766061682" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I felt we did properly pacify the winter gods, and honored the beginning of spring.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqevy5yfdLPhqd5ZFgGHOm7bCzNTiu3mzJgoSdpWiWkZfI8sSw-rMXIbEXaLNWhh6Fu9rgCw2xnlUJk-dMSZBQ0d7QAwYb5WXx4nWqXX3GoNmwOkDPgCpKQ72ZCwPgqovEiMzjefId1nC/s1600-h/IMG_9391.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqevy5yfdLPhqd5ZFgGHOm7bCzNTiu3mzJgoSdpWiWkZfI8sSw-rMXIbEXaLNWhh6Fu9rgCw2xnlUJk-dMSZBQ0d7QAwYb5WXx4nWqXX3GoNmwOkDPgCpKQ72ZCwPgqovEiMzjefId1nC/s320/IMG_9391.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318651634396665986" /></a><br /></div></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-46430746276879266002009-02-11T04:08:00.020+00:002009-03-30T15:49:11.789+00:00How I Met Darwin<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">How I Met Darwin </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVA2DnL8OH4A-2avhBR4c36iiPPp2YYAh0iXNf8jCm8SpZPnXUvjbt9CAFCMaS-ShohBbO2Rn0daJmfkuBhvsg7uilOjH-vaIK-ICv1JWq5OCOg9eCAXCt7TbZkhLl4v9gsJbpVvV2G4b/s1600-h/IMG_3955.jpg"></a></span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><img style="text-decoration: underline;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVA2DnL8OH4A-2avhBR4c36iiPPp2YYAh0iXNf8jCm8SpZPnXUvjbt9CAFCMaS-ShohBbO2Rn0daJmfkuBhvsg7uilOjH-vaIK-ICv1JWq5OCOg9eCAXCt7TbZkhLl4v9gsJbpVvV2G4b/s320/IMG_3955.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301388616012396786" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">My biggest and most enduring passions in life are traveling and the natural world. I have been to the Galapagos Islands several times, the first was 23 years ago, when I saw Darwin’s famous islands arriving on a freight ship from Guayaquil. I had been on my first long voyage, traveling the Andes, when inspired by a photograph of the sky over the archipelago I headed out to sea. This first travel truly changed my life. It awakened lifelong passions that, growing over all those years, I now make my profession. And it inspired me to learn more about Darwin, which is not so surprising as I had dreamed of being an explorer since childhood.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 33px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzkUB2zLD-JF5SPhR_dSZ7Ti1zzIIv-xxw5UnjJ8ibXTlC-7kdoFODuDwGECviY5DoluqWZA9y60OXR_AiXOjUvoIbESxg6pyjSAOZRoAPk8inaoPrVKbHIO7PmbhUO-JSNekgrfX_8xX/s1600-h/IMG_4186.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzkUB2zLD-JF5SPhR_dSZ7Ti1zzIIv-xxw5UnjJ8ibXTlC-7kdoFODuDwGECviY5DoluqWZA9y60OXR_AiXOjUvoIbESxg6pyjSAOZRoAPk8inaoPrVKbHIO7PmbhUO-JSNekgrfX_8xX/s320/IMG_4186.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301388615621052578" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">My most recent visit found the place as fascinating as ever, and I learned a lot of new things about every aspect of nature – including my own species (</span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Homo sapiens</span></span></span></i></span><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">). There was a lot of new development in the town of Puerto Ayora, and many places were hard to recognize. Some people I had met during previous stays were now gone, and others, trying to eradicate invasive species, had carried their passion for this marvel of nature to new levels of dedication.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 33px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTv__h3RxsGlvw-9V0vntqUaAVDvVc4w-dpX052Q95rkIBTguaO3o3OPugwELfyY4L7N7Swf45rkOrEbYOyjqsCYYCBmVzdf_-APW71f6gtaQoILZAYw8obnjcDoMRdYf-zs6omf8Ty-ma/s1600-h/IMG_4034.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTv__h3RxsGlvw-9V0vntqUaAVDvVc4w-dpX052Q95rkIBTguaO3o3OPugwELfyY4L7N7Swf45rkOrEbYOyjqsCYYCBmVzdf_-APW71f6gtaQoILZAYw8obnjcDoMRdYf-zs6omf8Ty-ma/s320/IMG_4034.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301388605776892162" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">In the highlands I saw (and heard...) the giant tortoises mate, and got really nostalgic seeing my hammock trees, the gigantic and non native balsas. I took several day trips on boats, and learned to appreciate the ocean surrounding the islands even more than before. These waters are teeming with the most amazing life, from crustaceans to the most colorful fish. Over 300 species have already been described from the rich ocean waters around the archipelago, and there is a strong effort made to giving them the same protection and control as life on land.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 33px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnpVQJWJAkFthtMeyW2Jy2_jxJ5Cz2oux2OXbRBLEMLYUUhZu3MRzl5WJTCpVo0UCYIpoRTmo7AvMlAt-vjKqtOJ_y78sWr94wdh_FxbOvlfuZ2xjP1aEN2qAnCxxqH23ZJiJaJ1UF20x/s1600-h/IMG_4033.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnpVQJWJAkFthtMeyW2Jy2_jxJ5Cz2oux2OXbRBLEMLYUUhZu3MRzl5WJTCpVo0UCYIpoRTmo7AvMlAt-vjKqtOJ_y78sWr94wdh_FxbOvlfuZ2xjP1aEN2qAnCxxqH23ZJiJaJ1UF20x/s320/IMG_4033.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301388605826276178" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=" ;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Chamaesyce amplexicaulis</span></span></span></i></span><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Euphorbiaceae- Native, from Isla Bartolomé</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">On the morning of the last day of my stay I decided to visit Tortuga Bay as a final good by. The hike from town takes a little less then an hour, starting at a tall rock overhang, which used to be a large obstacle along the trek, and now is the edge of the rapidly expanding residential development. A new cobbled path leads you over fields of rough lava, with the occasional group of tree opuntia.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 33px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipy7Z29DoFQtwwVBBmhFypyX1-70o0UoOZjUTF1-0tox8Btth1Y_t1hoakgrYCPZk4y59ITHnOBvD92tiVjRCDogMR5gvJ9jphO0rd6KdNahSvnNFcbQ-ugBzUtNZf62XQI2r9XFVZhfAJ/s1600-h/IMG_3920.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipy7Z29DoFQtwwVBBmhFypyX1-70o0UoOZjUTF1-0tox8Btth1Y_t1hoakgrYCPZk4y59ITHnOBvD92tiVjRCDogMR5gvJ9jphO0rd6KdNahSvnNFcbQ-ugBzUtNZf62XQI2r9XFVZhfAJ/s320/IMG_3920.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301388090090912354" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 28px; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 28px; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">In this arid coastal zone giant prickly pear (</span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Opuntia echios</span></span></span></i></span><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> variation </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">gigantean</span></span></span></i></span><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> and</span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> O. echios </span></span></span></i></span><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">variation</span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> barringtonensis</span></span></span></i></span><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) and candelabra cacti (Jasminocereus thouarsii) grow </span></span></span></span><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">on what seems to be barren lava flows, but actually hosts the most species. The path is great for bird watching; endemic mockingbirds and the famous finches flew by on their search of food in the first hours of the equatorial day.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 33px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZbQU4tfpqvMSZd44YdAIXg2hbwsfeqHnHKCCjVWmkSVOR0-cRCPkmagwA8D5pdDbqglhOPiTh7YQ7hQLSIxWYfquh9oxSp1HDOEPAzA7v4pFIXPI0gIBxHwYXqO90PQVfpoULUKLqNR6/s1600-h/IMG_3966.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZbQU4tfpqvMSZd44YdAIXg2hbwsfeqHnHKCCjVWmkSVOR0-cRCPkmagwA8D5pdDbqglhOPiTh7YQ7hQLSIxWYfquh9oxSp1HDOEPAzA7v4pFIXPI0gIBxHwYXqO90PQVfpoULUKLqNR6/s320/IMG_3966.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301388086437135186" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Lizards basking in the emerging sun spread out on the black lava. This was a quiet place this early, permitting intimacy with my beloved Galapagos sky, dominating this island world.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6dg4KVCO19a8Ai_u22DMcEBMTj7M8Nzwi9PuFANj_6TTcIDkd6LimL5jZhZGSX12S2MoVa9flOVGgRqdok1xa7vLRIRSBXmlvhmI7dw4wXPpTTeUAHdkNNqXualcSCHUmkTi5duy64BKP/s320/IMG_4088.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301387518120603490" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 33px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Finally, I arrived at the long, wide beach. Years before I had seen sea (the pacific green) turtles laying their eggs here, but this was neither the right season nor the right time of the day. It was going to be a sunny and hot day, and the Pacific honored it’s name by producing a mellow surf. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 33px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYvQI23dyaiF1jZ2oi-9SNIxlFagitkH_6z4kCKVUr-YtTSadPtS0D5bPvIRt6cX2qiHPETrWGqleiIqqG6NcWGmCAvgVM-_uFMRx_LdrzrKJ89PbDhfgXli65QIKR_iOvEFPY02VmyeC/s1600-h/IMG_3939.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYvQI23dyaiF1jZ2oi-9SNIxlFagitkH_6z4kCKVUr-YtTSadPtS0D5bPvIRt6cX2qiHPETrWGqleiIqqG6NcWGmCAvgVM-_uFMRx_LdrzrKJ89PbDhfgXli65QIKR_iOvEFPY02VmyeC/s320/IMG_3939.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301388085990248146" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">In the shallow water I could spot the fins of small sand sharks breaking the surface, and the few rocks on this sand beach hosted the ever-present sea iguana drying in the sun and spitting sea salt.</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></p></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhE-ChShIi25fOw0IlbTGajLDo7MV0Jk7VNQ2HQRwikThSUlyySvfWrWefk04vI2GqWRvHJMCryW1uq4kVFlHLGy8lTgCdZkQCvRy3ipvcVttRzHoGxaUsuxB3E79u1djo7pp4weu8Maac/s320/IMG_4076.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301387521136610450" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Luminous orange-red Sally-Lightfoot crabs contrasted with the black lava, and sanderlings ran up and down the water line.</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl_E8fLPST4L1qVAtxJ6_raMzvwF48EVVkri1HO0-ZTBlz8JW9b2H-tblXLFseZV0YDxevAlJWuZOxC175TLI2Og44ep2TUnpORDCCRInn4XQLAmYalSYvhSK7hNPcWNbouXU5UoLcT8FF/s1600-h/IMG_4190.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl_E8fLPST4L1qVAtxJ6_raMzvwF48EVVkri1HO0-ZTBlz8JW9b2H-tblXLFseZV0YDxevAlJWuZOxC175TLI2Og44ep2TUnpORDCCRInn4XQLAmYalSYvhSK7hNPcWNbouXU5UoLcT8FF/s320/IMG_4190.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301388082967753730" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span style=" ;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I had a wonderful walk along this absolutely pristine beach, and went all the way to it's end. Another well-laid path allowed me to walk along the water further, eventually leading me to a place where more birds were fishing along this rocky mangrove (</span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Rhizophora mangle</span></span></span></i></span><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) coastline, and I sat down for a while to watch them hunt for breakfast. </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">What pure pleasure to take them all in on my last day of visiting. I think I remember masked boobies, a brown pelican, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 55px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> lava gulls chased by the perpetual robbers the friga</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tebirds, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 39px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 79px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 55px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">red-billed tropicbirds among others. I watched them for nearly an hour, and when I turned around I stared at a booby, sitting only a few meters to my right watching a lava heron, which in turn was watching the water’s surface intently for little fish. Sweet!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 33px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3umu79Ych6xRZyLX4Vo80kM-5muYgXfsQxe88D6Y_07Gxh90PQw4FlrMxQzxovVKNMo6onG992vv6i8VRr-UBN_d4w5Fzm7MqNXUfk6kVObu6I2cvZzZiUjkFdwZvnevJ52OczU-frvQ/s1600-h/IMG_3979.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3umu79Ych6xRZyLX4Vo80kM-5muYgXfsQxe88D6Y_07Gxh90PQw4FlrMxQzxovVKNMo6onG992vv6i8VRr-UBN_d4w5Fzm7MqNXUfk6kVObu6I2cvZzZiUjkFdwZvnevJ52OczU-frvQ/s320/IMG_3979.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301387514035055266" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A turtle swam by, into the lagoon, and at one point I thought I could see a small manta fly by underwater. What a perfect good-by those Galápageños were giving me! </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 33px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 33px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">But the sun was standing higher now, really heating up the day. I decided to finish the last part of the path and go swimming in the small sheltered bay, hidden around a long bend. The path led me to an area with an old grove of gorgeous tree opuntias, and immediately there were a few finches circling about.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Coming around another turn I startled; </span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A few meters ahead between a few tall plants, stood a man wearing a old straw hat and wide shirt and trousers of a rough material which looked like linen. I looked closer:</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">He was a young odd-looking fellow with huge 19</span></span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">th</span></span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> century reddish-blond sideburns, staring at me at least as surprised as I was.</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">‘Hi – my name is Darwin’, he said with a clearly British voice.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">‘Hi – I thought so!’ I answered without thinking.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">What a stupid response, where were my manners? How about a polite “Nice to meet you Charles, heard a lot about you!”</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Something was truly odd here, and in my puzzlement I turned to my left still not thinking properly.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">There it was: about half a dozen more people, all in normal modern clothing, holding microphones and cameras. A film crew!</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And not just any film crew as it turned out, but those insanely dedicated and talented guys that were finishing the shooting of the great BBC documentary</span></span></span></span><span style=" ;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></i></span><span style=" ;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">‘Galapagos: The Islands That Changed the World’</span></span></span></i></span><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">We exchanged a few greetings and explanations, and they asked if I had seen any sand sharks. After I told them where, I went on my way, still quite bedazzled.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Yes – my Darwin was ‘only’ a filmmaker taking advantage of his likeliness with the great naturalist, and was acting as him in a segment of the documentary – but to me, that morning, I had truly met Charles Darwin in his world.</span></span></span></span></p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihgojPL8wR1vpLi6pn8FK_brRJL_ze5nDkwOS2qUH-4boam3aGedh39EZxRvnJ_4t48e62hpkyTysZFrSMYtxit9Tep59Qv0JmH7X2ynxLox7gi9Ns7srFc22YoJgWSR3AL5ify5NAK2PE/s1600-h/IMG_4197.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihgojPL8wR1vpLi6pn8FK_brRJL_ze5nDkwOS2qUH-4boam3aGedh39EZxRvnJ_4t48e62hpkyTysZFrSMYtxit9Tep59Qv0JmH7X2ynxLox7gi9Ns7srFc22YoJgWSR3AL5ify5NAK2PE/s320/IMG_4197.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301387509707148066" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">Happy Birthday</span></span></div></span></div></div></div></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-59087025248765154552009-01-31T18:20:00.013+00:002009-03-30T15:49:35.202+00:00Winter in the Conservatory<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Winter in the Conservatory</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The American Desert House and especially the African Desert House at the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory are some of my favorite places, especially this time of the year. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">While a lot of plants are dormant in the new world, the old world is in bloom. Euphorbiaceae, Crassulaceae, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Senecio spp.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, and most spectacular the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Aloe spp.,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> are showing their best colors now. It is strange to see these plants flower in January here in NY, exactly 6 month after staying in South Africa during peak Aloe-bloom-time. This is 'natural' behaviour nevertheless, as they obviously react to the temperatures and amount of light they are getting now. I am still not completely clear on how these two factors, combined with the amount of moisture available, really determine the plant cycles. I am also learning more and more about how much, or little, control there is in an artificial indoor environment. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">One thing this very clearly demonstrates is, that these African desert tropicals are from the south of the southern half of the globe. I love how horticulture and botany tie in with geography!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMovYR5Sf2CHInTT1KvKKkpasKAXWymKrfehqmpvNZf0whnaSAQwW-eP116G7CTfvxiG6zxCryqVRR2_HNdMp_6hgltRcQiwBB3_1LFs6qikEBWIfHjuytatwnjRVAna2eg6NA37b7O8K/s320/Cotyledon+tomentosa.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297526933852448578" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Cotyledon tomentosa,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Crassulaceae</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW0_gGggnkvPCIA72lxlEVHK7ezMwaO3s671SbV212jWmUwcKdbZuugsbyk9PQe7esLCtfeD099PCo1GHCqFLF3af3Yz-fSEvaK3vZmQ-1XX7yLAOqk9Sr2JrvB4QYXCE3ROt8W96A07PG/s1600-h/Cotyledon+tomentosa+flower+.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW0_gGggnkvPCIA72lxlEVHK7ezMwaO3s671SbV212jWmUwcKdbZuugsbyk9PQe7esLCtfeD099PCo1GHCqFLF3af3Yz-fSEvaK3vZmQ-1XX7yLAOqk9Sr2JrvB4QYXCE3ROt8W96A07PG/s320/Cotyledon+tomentosa+flower+.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297526936151983410" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> flower</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I did not even notice when I took the following two pictures, but they are a wonderful example illustrating </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convergent_evolution"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">convergent evolution</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">! </span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">All </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Agave spp</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. are from the Americas, and all </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Aloe spp.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> originate in the African Continent. They belong to different families, and are not closely related. Equally arid conditions, and similar ecosystems resulted into almost identical physical appearance. Evolution is definitely one of the larger 'transmission gears' in the complex interactions of the natural world.</span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGt1CWtk-6XQu14s9uUl2K8Doyuq3AJ2FPa_DvWSB0uCus1fT_C-KFvCAGe4AIrT5NowK8RhDsZtgtTKZrBuqBGenogpEVRUYbwK738wEotSdJPYgCn-t1D7D60VXVYVZdKa1LMKOXAZ1/s1600-h/Aloe+detail.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGt1CWtk-6XQu14s9uUl2K8Doyuq3AJ2FPa_DvWSB0uCus1fT_C-KFvCAGe4AIrT5NowK8RhDsZtgtTKZrBuqBGenogpEVRUYbwK738wEotSdJPYgCn-t1D7D60VXVYVZdKa1LMKOXAZ1/s320/Aloe+detail.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297526923279898882" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Aloe sp. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Asphodelaceae, detail</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFB9n_PMwJ2oJApucg_YGYp2MfHMAXC0zyZJXvMZBpyypp3tOBUAkb7H8mvEz64RIkmZeN7UyVQlWxdEdZOjbu5t5fhqWUwrtxVW2ihO-1QsGCRfAin70jBXo3To52ELqA5hBkB9CUK7rR/s1600-h/Agava+detail+II.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFB9n_PMwJ2oJApucg_YGYp2MfHMAXC0zyZJXvMZBpyypp3tOBUAkb7H8mvEz64RIkmZeN7UyVQlWxdEdZOjbu5t5fhqWUwrtxVW2ihO-1QsGCRfAin70jBXo3To52ELqA5hBkB9CUK7rR/s320/Agava+detail+II.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297526921237044450" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Agave sp.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Agavaceae, detail</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggz6i4GPjjaAq9pdIgUtGyveO50MsrP-s1_Qk8oZIr38K_VAB-RmxUhjM77FbS5avoGQ2yDXxSMo6VO792XUdLY-13hX4DLH95NamtuxM7xDmfHE1_i3dXshrl_eNCFDOpDnha6ywZgWO/s1600-h/Agave+detail.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggz6i4GPjjaAq9pdIgUtGyveO50MsrP-s1_Qk8oZIr38K_VAB-RmxUhjM77FbS5avoGQ2yDXxSMo6VO792XUdLY-13hX4DLH95NamtuxM7xDmfHE1_i3dXshrl_eNCFDOpDnha6ywZgWO/s320/Agave+detail.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297525108930293954" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Agave sp.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, unfolded leaf detail</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The genus </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Crassula</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> might have some of my favorite flowers, here you see a very typical example. Note how half the anthers' pollensacs already releasing their pollen (white tips), and how the stigmas are still arranged in this neat onion shape (they will unfold and become receptive later to avoid self-pollination).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/82/Anther-schematic-detail.png/73px-Anther-schematic-detail.png" width="73" height="120" border="0" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; vertical-align: middle; background-image: url(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Checker-16x16.png); background-repeat: repeat; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; " /> </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xFhWJuQy4CyigyS1-jo77F8miWEp2971Lqw4BMMqoxrvuhAf5bElAV2eT7lPEO4ZFkBy2LqeEANVgtSiieHyoEWmTrQBTLe37lY-mKF6QYPEWrq_g9Bsk9nCloVSSeyj0yVx9OY9gnuQ/s1600-h/Crassula+ovata.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/St%C3%A5ndare%2C_Nordisk_familjebok.png/120px-St%C3%A5ndare%2C_Nordisk_familjebok.png" width="120" height="91" border="0" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; vertical-align: middle; background-image: url(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Checker-16x16.png); background-repeat: repeat; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; " /></span></span></a></span></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Anther and</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Stamen diagramm</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xFhWJuQy4CyigyS1-jo77F8miWEp2971Lqw4BMMqoxrvuhAf5bElAV2eT7lPEO4ZFkBy2LqeEANVgtSiieHyoEWmTrQBTLe37lY-mKF6QYPEWrq_g9Bsk9nCloVSSeyj0yVx9OY9gnuQ/s1600-h/Crassula+ovata.JPG"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xFhWJuQy4CyigyS1-jo77F8miWEp2971Lqw4BMMqoxrvuhAf5bElAV2eT7lPEO4ZFkBy2LqeEANVgtSiieHyoEWmTrQBTLe37lY-mKF6QYPEWrq_g9Bsk9nCloVSSeyj0yVx9OY9gnuQ/s320/Crassula+ovata.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297525105884604258" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Crassula ovata</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, Crassulaceae</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></div></div></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-91837517192007757332009-01-20T04:09:00.004+00:002009-01-31T22:08:25.885+00:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">President</span></span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6QP9xNKA7LcfRbhFbfj6dtMf92EWmlmQkOSM7Su9aOsn5HmWdz4_adsDGdpXAafEKIS3PcJnH4sNfAN6TTWYZDM4WU_gNcwfPgh5EhNh96BcGtAW8j21XOK5XFEAxTBmehwePvMXMPGE/s320/Obama_flag_smiles_m.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293223593912041986" /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-69219019717226105482008-12-08T14:48:00.007+00:002009-03-30T15:49:55.067+00:00Tennessee<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Tennessee</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgme9brZUGavl0uTdbBQ6ZWi2ERFJuBbLxPcVnWrwvEvHuzQgYFjxKW2ZwLsL8YrmDLV-LW6Id-s4WB2kV63xeY24yUy5kdr32RnJMHGghhtB1qVrSylAPmrBUC10kohw6DcAlm3GpDjc1v/s320/IMG_7560.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277433512798780898" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">I spend the week of Thanksgiving in and around Knoxville, Tennessee and Ashville, North Carolina, as guest of Sarah and her parents. What beautiful country this is! And I do not say this just because I am American citizen now and have a sudden rush of patriotism. Rolling green (there is pine and still some hemlock) ridges, if seen from up high changing into fading shades of steel blue. Really pretty!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7So7O2TAFPiB5UKbjKaAY-i4aUz2MwZ3_bWtfdbsNgMjE0Xan30tJgqhZ04RNljyQrM3LF23LAjgQD1HHlUAcgnC9glLgkA8ZfV0A5TmOyNk8j0ZFq9wv-l1lLKVfhXcSwubiFJ3c8P7n/s320/IMG_7551.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277433505304692834" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">This is LULU</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUIgqLlh4uNLJs9XUQWobkeBlnsBzNwz5Ja2F7a8SAQ4cBvDj03x4EDWswlbgQL_6TFyNIX-hJa9XiaMSJ-Dh8Glu4pk75qWZXZPc8431jnutdmGgODuFOhnbZqi19FUFZzsmf6S0_w9F/s320/IMG_7573.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277433497493745954" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">We went hiking and geeking out on plants, shopped at famous Hammer’s in Clinton (I got me a flannel plaid John Deere jacket-!), had a memorable dinner at ‘Tables’, explored the brand new arboretum and kept eating well thanks to Liz.</span></span></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBIz7ngkqdK8wpBr1-ECeY4B7rujHF9BH3XGWH3cMG-mBMH0N0ihiSkcIgmBukI2vZJrFVj8kRXy_OmjkPwx97h0cftvbEkHymnRhTrGmHPrGvITngDtHFdnwMXUmqCuBhLAyx0I9tGKfZ/s320/IMG_7800.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277433494882581282" /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZOvZqJrSqy53hDrMwuMDExv-eMA2BK0nmGBDWzpCD50rux1ps5O1j_yI8hgqCSB7mJMexCkZyrMX3ym8Ev41-tvwa6yIOp_6DzQCfdl3XmGuPPjzoNQzqvvcWoKT4L8OhQXhIwHI_NKy/s320/IMG_7795.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277434201699246642" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVooApIlc4PUUx3wIoJJ6eQ-111X4aWN9D0JROiPsZxojIHqrtSTwABTozf_ETrKvUYEQvJdqNnn8qhjOXj67nxZdwzKmeku87aaMPDtrZPaBJVRsSmLHd1cCJIP0wOMMKYhAjc7ZcokM/s320/IMG_7627.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277434199444530194" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">I did very much enjoy the flora being so different to up north - but here the trees rule! To me extensive deciduous forests like these are still exotic.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyymhyphenhyphenJrR33KbAKCj-Az1RDTXaeFCqopyAUDPTe3ISUrbqsyoeprNB-x9wP8AWiw6_-Jv8GmbXbxQuT9M5AycPPpPm7C0RY-JuPP7pdh6oyoSeOhf71eMa8FMlizIsuzNqOUU7-bmvmY4P/s320/IMG_7654.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277434190505682850" /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-KmwPBa9wGbliax5oonKR3t7xkn7v78AlkSBHbm8qJpiRQ5t3qZwtajDNTuJ1Y6Y7WACxuoLLBCyspZwyhzWf5rMnUZXCgsubJ1I_MBMDPpwsDMmGTCRpvVdY6hsVQaipuQ9cXIZy3wm/s320/IMG_7661.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277434186135307778" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPFY8OZqdzlbCBDrbwin_5uBNB_KDCDroO_xmux1Gow0Pz6MEXexS0mvnwa2eQLKdzHOLYNvdmP4r_4iRuMf8_B9rr30zeZtVsx1DwScMTX1TOqwo3VjBwUqH2J4JC-TkilR2XWKscAMD/s1600-h/IMG_7697.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPFY8OZqdzlbCBDrbwin_5uBNB_KDCDroO_xmux1Gow0Pz6MEXexS0mvnwa2eQLKdzHOLYNvdmP4r_4iRuMf8_B9rr30zeZtVsx1DwScMTX1TOqwo3VjBwUqH2J4JC-TkilR2XWKscAMD/s320/IMG_7697.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277435160985213042" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Our rental in front of Starbucks...</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSqnPYXiwPcOz52CutbTnEobO4YRhXrZ63hBnQ2xUx6GVqmTr-PvU94OifEWaVcO1mSMMdIdS1u9WmCTja7cTQfm9GaCKA-f4HF6HmWaFGLLLdaskIaZ2VieYt_dBhYoSyOE0Zf9USNhko/s1600-h/IMG_7708.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSqnPYXiwPcOz52CutbTnEobO4YRhXrZ63hBnQ2xUx6GVqmTr-PvU94OifEWaVcO1mSMMdIdS1u9WmCTja7cTQfm9GaCKA-f4HF6HmWaFGLLLdaskIaZ2VieYt_dBhYoSyOE0Zf9USNhko/s320/IMG_7708.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277435151901210226" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">We gave considerable business to various Starbucks’ in the two states, some being actual drive-throughs. In NY I am not such a fan, but out here driving, they are fabulous I have to admit.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMb1tPD7lDnS3ko4Cid96u62cvzD5WQVrw5x1238HUlBBLe635k6LpdEf-envp-301y5sEzhr85P8_c_A1Bd9yBAQJWVifX2SNDwZ7j-jwG_PLY-SwQ0yE82pPweab_41Eg118nvVGyUq/s1600-h/IMG_7731.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMb1tPD7lDnS3ko4Cid96u62cvzD5WQVrw5x1238HUlBBLe635k6LpdEf-envp-301y5sEzhr85P8_c_A1Bd9yBAQJWVifX2SNDwZ7j-jwG_PLY-SwQ0yE82pPweab_41Eg118nvVGyUq/s320/IMG_7731.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277435138538407010" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Great shopping out here!</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">The only thing missing was DOLLYWOOD. I am a great fan, and we drove right by it - but I was told it was the wrong time of year, so I am looking forward to to a similar trip in the spring! </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3b9h5sqDVYP81rR5vpccHIlf-ukuY_gcSbNrCmLMZqFp11uSAItLIZd3X4tIEMtC88gZhmbHpx46xc4twE3PuVHpK-9YH2LuT2FoKCEU_INgxy0JnY7f7c0xbpNxp6qYlcA0rwktiWlAU/s1600-h/IMG_7782.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3b9h5sqDVYP81rR5vpccHIlf-ukuY_gcSbNrCmLMZqFp11uSAItLIZd3X4tIEMtC88gZhmbHpx46xc4twE3PuVHpK-9YH2LuT2FoKCEU_INgxy0JnY7f7c0xbpNxp6qYlcA0rwktiWlAU/s320/IMG_7782.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277435127712465602" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">The Smoky Mountains</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-10157892672575514882008-09-02T16:18:00.012+00:002009-03-30T15:50:41.992+00:00Knersvlakte and Quivertree Forest<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><span style=" ;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Knersvlakte and Quivertree Forest</span></span></u></b></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;color:black;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> </span> </span></span><span style=" color: rgb(255, 128, 0); font-family:Arial;">!High Succulent Alert!</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 128, 0); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Knersvlakte means the ‘gnashing plain’, and it is an extensive dry region, consisting of gently rolling hills covered with white quartz pebbles. This region is located just north west of the Bokkeveld Mountains near Nieuwouldville, and the vegetation is succulent karoo and dominated by small leaf succulents.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Many plants (especialy Aizoaceae) are growing only here due to the white quartz gravel, which reflects the sunlight, and is less hot during the extremely arid summers. The dwarf and compact plants, also have an ideal form to absorb thermal heat for the short cool winter growing season when rain occurs.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> </span></span></p></span></span></div><div><img style="text-decoration: underline;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt70D2XtkgCZyrlFofHEPI7cKd83KHaEGshbmA4IHEUl2vrE85M030WUVOwwy1iZLFCGvUCULE4iKwh7ZTNVHF2bNVot8zaowZ7hKlOIPFz9-35WPtno7hZHiB9Uzvu6Nye-087lvS2Eqx/s320/IMG_5193.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241462805449641730" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvHNmerq7qVgnmaJ7KEE-IsDIA07GGOU9Jo-dDG-3uoFNhH5SY4nuvnkufyIm72b1woIDLRYqUIUfBPz0IazxyH8-0bLo2DFsBSHvxl4K4y38PqeRuC3zzhAhy2R0YsRHvsaHJgCyHV8c/s1600-h/IMG_5195.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvHNmerq7qVgnmaJ7KEE-IsDIA07GGOU9Jo-dDG-3uoFNhH5SY4nuvnkufyIm72b1woIDLRYqUIUfBPz0IazxyH8-0bLo2DFsBSHvxl4K4y38PqeRuC3zzhAhy2R0YsRHvsaHJgCyHV8c/s320/IMG_5195.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241462806844633842" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Oophytum sp., nanum ?</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6ufr0Ayin6lHyv343oNAQWPSCdGZjnDMuMh4d0q8w06vF-7vlubnkUU9V7h_iMpG31gnQ7Hs9x4hZ_ou8sVAb0lubD_xYlY8smnj51dzwABCQCW3IK-UIXcMijKYS63v_UHp1zcgG5na/s320/IMG_5152.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241462246417323634" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Oophytum </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">flowering</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIZR2gZYbpExUCWNfNgnqEx_Jt8ATuQDJYXYRt8BBWCdRhLBjnjAQPyZRjCvXbwQ8qJEPaAf6IZkXNaO7KziDQyZT5L1u1836fXYcYcZYOY1p9DinhAuQXgvfH3Kkm5nWu2UUDJOFIjgC/s1600-h/IMG_5131.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIZR2gZYbpExUCWNfNgnqEx_Jt8ATuQDJYXYRt8BBWCdRhLBjnjAQPyZRjCvXbwQ8qJEPaAf6IZkXNaO7KziDQyZT5L1u1836fXYcYcZYOY1p9DinhAuQXgvfH3Kkm5nWu2UUDJOFIjgC/s320/IMG_5131.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241462239351074706" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Argyroderma delaetii</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: normal; font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Mesems</span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> are hygrochastical, meaning their fruiting capsules only open with moisture. The velocity of raindrops on the wet capsule roofs disperses the seed by water pressure, almost like a water pistol. When the capsule dries out the lids close, protecting the seed. The seed are thus only released during the rainy season.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9GX8FLixI9TOJA_tH40mwlbOdTFckcTwcTcs2LR5TfJfM_mj6ZT3DFpWlx3Vjc7aaLNC7E8tGpCkSnx_1GuxEksdpC82qlAiP07FoZto8C3jkHrz61oX-0MMW5YiXJ38pTJz2K2W8ceT/s1600-h/IMG_5142.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9GX8FLixI9TOJA_tH40mwlbOdTFckcTwcTcs2LR5TfJfM_mj6ZT3DFpWlx3Vjc7aaLNC7E8tGpCkSnx_1GuxEksdpC82qlAiP07FoZto8C3jkHrz61oX-0MMW5YiXJ38pTJz2K2W8ceT/s320/IMG_5142.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241462244066916962" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">??</span></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">The 48,500hectare area is extremely diverse, with 1,324 recorded species, 266 of them endemic, and 133 (!) globally threatened. I know, these are just numbers, and I am absolutely repetitive in my use of the word diverse – but we are talking about ultimate true hotspots here! And land-use pressures are increasing; mining, overgrazing, and illegal collecting have reduced the area of undisturbed flora greatly.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMrjjoHbdHEurCXJFM8OJrAlOALTEBd2SOl5NCufWm3q5OWguFUHP07kguVm9g0k7fBydO-mXAbJFQY_5iBi8YyX4Bs9nv2ZDeaONTz11yz2N2OzYnbiZXuANbURTnTSAPpv4LBttSkl3/s1600-h/IMG_5157.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMrjjoHbdHEurCXJFM8OJrAlOALTEBd2SOl5NCufWm3q5OWguFUHP07kguVm9g0k7fBydO-mXAbJFQY_5iBi8YyX4Bs9nv2ZDeaONTz11yz2N2OzYnbiZXuANbURTnTSAPpv4LBttSkl3/s320/IMG_5157.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241462245498552530" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Dactylopsis digitata</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Nevertheless - I had a magic afternoon crawling around close to the ground, and felt like the kid in the toy store...the setting sun was a willing cooperator providing the stage lights for these beauties!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family:Arial;font-size:48px;">***</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">The Knarsvlekte is also the southern most distribution of the quiver tree, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Aloe dichotoma</span></i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">. On a different day, after work at the Hantam Garden, I drove north to find the quiver tree forest. They are very slow growing and had just finished flowering. The San tribes (Bushman) used the tree stems as quivers, hence the name. The place is unreal and the Aloes something else - I have never seen anything even closely like this!</span></span></p></span></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFwYtnR7iyC-_QceIUGXej62MK-37S6xsZ2hwDPHhNAPgAoF-zVZrNibBaoBKnZsjd2pWu7i_74msRgr9_7GfUfV1yMsWoXOVsLzp_EAOv0TCSYJC92otOZu8z78-zF7skoXH0RPZaqtA/s1600-h/IMG_4816.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFwYtnR7iyC-_QceIUGXej62MK-37S6xsZ2hwDPHhNAPgAoF-zVZrNibBaoBKnZsjd2pWu7i_74msRgr9_7GfUfV1yMsWoXOVsLzp_EAOv0TCSYJC92otOZu8z78-zF7skoXH0RPZaqtA/s320/IMG_4816.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241459549592503906" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">You might find the pictures borderline kitsch – but that’s life sometimes…</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUSaeI3F_lsjV3G-ORsy7bxl4jVO9oZDBcsgkHHOBQI2IlEi9xC0n1kHonENwH19U_2cy4fkCoO_IApzHNj_oeIw7AmCEW2e7Edvn-Joh8Hiw2i8V-4FyCQNxYlGfbIR6e1WPkuJ7Evjc4/s1600-h/IMG_4837.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUSaeI3F_lsjV3G-ORsy7bxl4jVO9oZDBcsgkHHOBQI2IlEi9xC0n1kHonENwH19U_2cy4fkCoO_IApzHNj_oeIw7AmCEW2e7Edvn-Joh8Hiw2i8V-4FyCQNxYlGfbIR6e1WPkuJ7Evjc4/s320/IMG_4837.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241459553441053538" /></a><br /></div></div></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-42914356252136702272008-08-30T20:12:00.019+00:002009-03-30T15:51:11.246+00:00Hantam National Botanical Garden<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:48px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Hantam National Botanical Garden</span></span></span></span></p><p></p><p></p></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">This is part of Sanbi (South African Biodiversity Institute), but a very different place indeed. The 6,200 hectares of land on the Bokkefeld Plateau, about 350km north of Cape Town, make it the largest Botanic Garden in the world, and it is specifically known for its incredible diversity of bulbous plants, which are about 40% of the flora found on the renosterfeld fynbos and succulent karoo. Some 1350 species have been recorded here, of which 80 are restricted or endemic, and often threatened with extinction. The village of Nieuwouldville (took me forever to spell and pronounce this one) has the truly geeky title of ‘Bulb Capital of the World’.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrsIi1vo1fpZm7FzbfSMEV2BJ5iGnGVenePBtsqcqQn0q-3zBIsIzacc30KqQPmV75ManBnJfCQWZLnnA7PiYrpBID4wOEeTVmJ_7GVDoG-EL86y05ho99Zgwq78qZI6Go1RtZHf4eHp3/s320/MacGregor+farm+house.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240426810251558690" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Main building/offices</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcxgqZ6U3BSSvaHCOnKrUR7cx6TxLwxWMTB4GkSikj2-U0sjU7kHmIWUZ58yx4PUkiMrnjjlZDN_-88z6uaC4otjHk-RsrOrOJefsUzjExfBsWPbDi5DgdvgwLzSOVJLCPsXhPWIFcvRr/s320/kamel+koppie.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240426802244250626" /></span></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Camel koppie <br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">The history of the place as a garden is very recent, as it used to be a sheep farm owned by the MacGregor family, going back to 1883. Sanbi acquired all land belonging to the farm in 2007, and actual management as a garden only started in March of this year.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYDimL7XLxTiOGZ5ydNabXjVCAo9AYDAlAEtu3JzBnjC998_rZ1D1ayYNxy_CIZlCGt9rPa1nnlTqiN47C3P6BgtuhGnF2q76YWp0hLqvoLhLR8-Npz7W2NL_UzCsklVzvmcwRJKglzaHb/s320/Morara+tripetala.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240427748803204578" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Moraea tripetala</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">The retired last owner, Neill MacGregor is a man with great love for the natural environment and the foresight of practicing mostly sustainable farming, initiated by his father before him.</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">He developed an intricate system of grazing that he considered most beneficial for sheep and the plant diversity naturally found on this piece of land, and also eventually stopped growing grain all together. This meant that part of the land had never been plowed, and the rest only grazed for the last 25 or so years. If you consider how bulbs grow, these are very crucial aspects, as they are no annuals happily coming up from seed landing and sprouting on disturbed ground, but are perennials that need to stay in the soil undisturbed often for many years until flowering. Beside of most of the koppies (=fields) being used in this fairly gentle manner, one koppie next to the gate was always considered especially rich in bulb diversity and left undisturbed. This is now called ‘Neill’s Reserve’, to honor the man with the foresight of conservation during times when the ‘civilized world’ considered all things manmade and chemical superior to nature, which was (and by many still is) considered in much need for improvement by us humans.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwf2ZVL4lPeC60vXLgF1uiv74KoLybnaeDd2PuJ1FOqBZQEv8x0KIXVSSap20dRp8P8ZMlJlqLZNqX9EFT1L4Jp-49DX3YxWw306GaOWnEZS3bCi3_CoEJet61_NU_ILoZ3gafJ6ImzVwF/s320/colorful+composites.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240423850214731426" /></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">sometimes the colors just distract you from the flowers!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgruC7nhsb_dyhhnUVOQ0_Ggy024eXTtVOeTPrPmh4T1iJ5UNHindu-iKWvnIUlRgR7Gclgat370eNEZe6zI2EJ4Svigfz-_zmeBITKnNWbFVpWmMp6yU3jySmAVcESoc9aJS0ilKXzMQJV/s320/Lachenalia+alba%3F.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240426803570705570" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Lachenalia sp.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">The MacGregor family over the years accommodated many illustrious visitors such as Sir Ghillean, Director of Kew, who declared the farm a ‘botanical treasure of international importance’. In 1991 and ’94 Sir David Attenborough filmed part of ‘The Private Life of Plants’ here, definitely a classic in the plant geek world!</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Eventually more Scientists and Botanists got involved in exiting projects on the farm, culminating in the three-year Conservation Farming Project, executed under the Sanbi umbrella. (The aims of the Conservation Farming Project were to assess the ecological and economic costs and benefits of various agricultural practices, including both conventional and conservation farming methods, and to promote land use practices that conserve biodiversity and provide sustainable livelihoods for farmers and rural communities.)</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWH3fliJiGwOsI7j9kLClHe09le7EX_nMAH6fZN56yQYHmd9VufBxj0d1pUOOBH4Z75DcL7_vo31kCD8bebFRgeY9O-23U07Ish5SvBLFCvZ7jaufxa5dr1cWuOeQQYfPX6wwT6SXHaE_/s320/Roellia+sabulosa.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240427754438950562" /></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" text-decoration: underline; font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Roellia sabulosa</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic; font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Eugene Marinus, the current curator, was involved in this project from the beginning, and being out with him on the grounds revealed his intimate knowledge of the place, it’s wildlife and the plants. I do admire people like him who invest this much caring into the land, and compromise on many aspects of their private life and monetary wealth to do so.</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family:Arial;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6baQ1UhTRoT3NaodEtudD9To5VF7_licfa8dnF3DzUhf5sghc52QDPAg_ZynrON_xKFrPnsBUWLBineFUwuDfXhQEPPtjmhQ_x5aE0sAlpqPlPPdKVJ8dtldEitenukK2ZoFGQo_pgOkJ/s320/Gorteria+diffusa+.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240424813912922258" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Goertia diffusa, </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">mimicking visiting beetles</span></span></span></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">The flowering season here is short and completely depending on the winter rain, usually coming between June and August, with very little or virtually no precipitation for the rest of the year. In very dry years many of the flowers are reduced in size or might not show at all, staying dormant with their energy stored in the bulbs - tough life! This year there were good rains in July, but it has hardly rained ever since, and the place is very dry indeed. You walk over the koppies and the soil makes this dry crumbling sound under your boots. Everybody was hoping for some more rain while I was there, and there was a thunderstorm one morning, but we are not talking about any significant amounts here, it barely lowered the dust for a day. You see on the pictures lots of green and color – but imagine, by December this place is baked, with nothing covering the bare ground anymore!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHSZ_187hhPGvOZ44WndjMd4RlnWMrX2ScgwT9SFt5gX_J5t53nh97KvG2ji3sL70HzvisEJVe0KaSqmEwNQWK4zoF9y3wT8gWRNQ10SzbZaUH9YQz40ovKwyHb6D-ifHOSAHQxJisMfsA/s320/Hesperantha+cucullata.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240424812977163218" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Hesperantha cucullata</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Bulbinella nutans</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Eugene explained that the bulbs are layered to a depth of 4 feet, and a bulb count in a cubic meter of soil can yield 15,000 (!!!) bulbs. This incredible dense underground bulb-world results in a super diverse but still very sparse vegetation even in full growing season, and one can imagine this biome being extremely sensitive to any tempering, such as fertilizing, applying herbicides and pesticides, sowing of introduced (Australian) grasses and feed plants, sheep grazing, or even plowing.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">The management approach for the time being is monitoring and recording. Many people (including Neill) consider controlled grazing an important component in keeping a maximum number and diversity, but Eugene and a few others think this might not necessarily be so. It will be interesting to see how this will play out over the years - the new more radical hands-off conservation against years of established farming practice. The fences are kept intact just so if the sheep have to be brought back…</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQa8Wri22a4TAZA_rFtLjwMplKHXW4oq90wdEtWWLUsl3ptDvsiWJ7WLJKnlpnJA9g9p-z5_GkKM-RQXMEM6qpn6hUH0i1sp16KVxp7XO6b70ZciPF2p5dC5I37suOAPEtI77RvxqcVGP/s320/Colchicum+coloratum.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240423848144275442" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Colchicum coloratum, </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">called 'Men in a Boat'</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">At any rate he has only a staff of 4 men (remember the 6,200 h) and Colleen, who is doing the accounting and covering all sorts of other aspects of setting up a new Botanic Garden in within the huge and bureaucratic Sanbi organization.</span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uGHE6jQs7nywSFkGPIL2g_k9E6-9-UZq__s-eNdTw4EToOQn6_6Y8MZoNCDkrnN73_Xqh7mWVPZbY2Bv0OZ4dywwu-9h7sq1bYMvBiS6_W-kzeVcrDUXjYGtPGM_tP4tqndi8x483U_n/s320/Eugene+and+Colleen.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240424808257007922" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Eugene and Colleen</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">One other remarkable thing here is the important presence of small mammals, birds, reptiles and insects as pollinators, seed dispersers and rejuvenators of the plants. There are currently several people studying bees, the hairy fly with a proboscis longer then their body (I call it the elephant fly, and btw, it is not described yet, one of many species here!), and an array of beetles.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb9bx9yEhZ0tVuDpLeAyDCt0LDLi2K3osEsJszl8pZ9tu1OvRTW5uByFcDfH13_CEXlIMV4NkgdCMhScVASNubDEkjdiHih5UvJEQfn14oJjIKbeS5CwtC-BGCWEMqPDfbBiB-c9x6QHSi/s320/Hesperantha+vaginata+w:beetles.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240424819458552338" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Hesperantha vaginata </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">being violated by too much beetles</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioFgpuXNQva4OqYS2D2BG9h-ylsIq3CA7r2SMUZ5zA3ekBVTbXjckfys46wvr9dkiZmlv7UKzGlaOoJi9tZYEvpIDAECtF7_8xOObu3WTfNz_DfGw_0_374oUhCvLuHk6ThXhPm1uxEe-R/s320/IMG_4466.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240428391256920770" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Lapeirousia oreogena</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">, pollinated by the hairy fly, the only insect that can reach all the way down the flower tube to the nectar!</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qKdB5vDJ4LPoxxdUPG8XM6kvQ0FKSBIgte96PIUlDQOnm7kHwwPDopAf7AoLA00-vW2n_OoD3c5LE_frDc0j7Vu0Ob9Vsw3s_L0WLzkV-tCQUci46xFQ65a0MQh7Q2rquBxTKIFNFW9_/s320/Ants+w:+diskflowers.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240423846895104770" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Ant parade carrying disc flowers of Asteraceae</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19f9lIMzDKda4urrnZrAbBYhpdDt-MvYTiEjs9O9GCzR4g3hCHRylrkYQ-Km0rO1rvoQbl8HaE35AcCC6lqZpnoGNciTUMEOHiZ6BriMu2QUzOBEGeY2Cj3CaPSijeBeO5UXS2J494Rmo/s320/Arctotheca+calendula+w:+thick+legged+beetle.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240422730929435314" /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Look at those hind legs!</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixVIoXb6RyhzhlikLKtLM1WeNl541u3IbBVwz-ARu2f0EQJSh9NAMUWOjYedjJHklqwDtrKrpQTn1sXNsbxiHiI38O7Nn1Hx5G2iUGKUzLt8WWVbQX9Gt-LqmCJ39fHYs2x3wKKx4vU9Wl/s320/Bulbinella+nutans+size+matteres.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240422717118420066" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">size matters...</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Some of the 150 bird species are as spectacular as the Blue Cranes, and there is one lonely European Stork, which never made it on the journey north last March with his buddies. This guy looks truly forlorn all by himself, and one evening I discovered him in the middle of a large flock of African Sacred Ibis around a small pond, his colors being so very similar and only having much taller red legs, he was trying hard to blend in pretending to be a Ibis too.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_o67qv3iCC7HaZUMm5k93zhL7bIAmC3P3cM5wGz20sLD3cN0TCiX2r44cJeNZVkJiYMSFP2myONcYPkWaBUO3SLdvG5YDzQj-WTbDV70NS5xcmiMplxcsElrj1GbtIh7l5QKLFkfRajSc/s320/Stork+w:+Ibis.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240427757101863234" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Another important animal here being studied is the porcupine, which plays a vital role in the rejuvenation of the bulbs. They dig deep pits to find the mature bulbs for eating, and in the process leave a large amount of little bulbs and cormlets behind, a perfect set up for accumulating extra rainwater where these can grow to maturity.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUd5bIQRoUoxHkUZciLlEIg-RLBFNRqlIn-kDXq7Fv47ACKSi1WZH8qaNCxHbvFqFdlVtE0_Wp3sibiwxuEhCZMAuQRoessyrJHsdNlKpD1vny7mtQio7BROi7l81g3wFh7_Sjmw3Lgge/s320/Bulbinella+doleritica.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240422720134434930" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Bulbinella doleritica</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">, endemic to Nieuwouldville</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">My week here in Nieuwoudville came down to a crash course in SA bulbs, learning about winter/summer rainfall, how to change a farm into a National BG, and of course the local culture (my excursion Friday evening to the town’s only bar will be filed under experiences…). I did work helping labeling the books in the starting library, helped mounting and hanging educational posters, advised tourists where to find the bathrooms and visiting botanists where to find their plants, and I made some design sketches for a future picnic area and demonstration beds.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jkF9gs_f0LyXvmM-KaP2MrR1k8AichlRn8Ln61Q15QT_RHHaNLRHjKZK5JzNwCDoBzas54eHz5fZS3wHfTRwVn-UzXszKiIdgFE7Kj5x7qz8aVtPuMPOVOiPRKrXYn3Q8x5CSmxe2SqY/s320/Ehrharta+calycina+Poaceae.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240423854805870402" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Ehrharta calycina</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">, a beautiful SA Poaceae</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">And I met this botanist that, when I introduced myself as Dodo, exclaimed that he was studying my ghost for the last three years! It turned out that he is doing extensive fieldwork in Mauritius, studying the effect of missing seed dispersers e.g. Raphus cucullatus (Dodo bird) in the dynamics of present-day native forests in Mauritius, using the critically endangered tree </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Syzygium mamillatum</span></span></i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> (Myrtaceae) as model organism, focusing on seed germination, and the establishment and survival of seedlings of </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">S. mamillatum</span></span></i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> – pretty cool isn’t it?</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVBbkuj7C8B5yh0EYSuB6LaTEAYAmLVOQZ3niCwhKKIlPzrKkwyRVDrVtp14Il9xszLLv56mTj8dg5FOw5ZRH4GZvFEGjxcGw9Kr1uOdXYOBWvPYw6PeQ9awgRE0i0OkfEm9-21fkwBXg/s1600-h/Babiana+framesii.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVBbkuj7C8B5yh0EYSuB6LaTEAYAmLVOQZ3niCwhKKIlPzrKkwyRVDrVtp14Il9xszLLv56mTj8dg5FOw5ZRH4GZvFEGjxcGw9Kr1uOdXYOBWvPYw6PeQ9awgRE0i0OkfEm9-21fkwBXg/s320/Babiana+framesii.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240422728556114674" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Babiana framesii</span></span></span></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-45482178736403083482008-08-28T18:37:00.006+00:002009-03-30T15:51:26.411+00:00Mesembs<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Mesembs</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TwEAnwo9b3hAAUc4AJVEio7dDxaiBzfsoji44AniEaBYOUBFWzIQ05L_fAidwbQDSvKIA465KN5sG2-4GDhu2Mqv_EWaYOHzL2uCEZsCRKkEXSxGZo8_CEPOmfRspA73rnFsQQi7jsvU/s1600-h/Oscularia+sp..JPG"></a></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">I went on a ‘mesemb’ field trip with Matt Buys, a botanist, and his student Kush, who is also my roommate at the Fynbos Cottage. We were looking for </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Oscularia sp., </span></i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Mesembryanthemaceae, a genus that Kush is writing her masters on, and that had not been revised in a long time. Several described species originally were collected with type specimen from locations all up and down Piketberg and Cederberg Mountain, and we found the shrubby plants all along the road growing in between the rocks, and hanging down steep cliffs. From the 15 or so locations we checked, supposingly come three different species, but Matt is very suspicious about this, and that’s what they are trying to figure out. Only very few were flowering yet, and as the relatively small, almond scented flowers are the most important criteria, this was much a preliminary survey.</span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TwEAnwo9b3hAAUc4AJVEio7dDxaiBzfsoji44AniEaBYOUBFWzIQ05L_fAidwbQDSvKIA465KN5sG2-4GDhu2Mqv_EWaYOHzL2uCEZsCRKkEXSxGZo8_CEPOmfRspA73rnFsQQi7jsvU/s1600-h/Oscularia+sp..JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></a></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TwEAnwo9b3hAAUc4AJVEio7dDxaiBzfsoji44AniEaBYOUBFWzIQ05L_fAidwbQDSvKIA465KN5sG2-4GDhu2Mqv_EWaYOHzL2uCEZsCRKkEXSxGZo8_CEPOmfRspA73rnFsQQi7jsvU/s320/Oscularia+sp..JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239668956134228322" /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Oscularia sp</span>., note the red stems and keeled leaves</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7slTv3aVFFp96OP7caGuFVsydQ4k63nPDuMtLDYSP9ns3b-dx8mpWaM3jDvJh6OZu8OH3T5KC9MSiFkQYJRh_ss3Jbcjtj0kTlnkFTM3MOFpNatv1XWRN2JfAuk9MzCrmv5TKrLGFVtt/s1600-h/Oscularia+flower.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7slTv3aVFFp96OP7caGuFVsydQ4k63nPDuMtLDYSP9ns3b-dx8mpWaM3jDvJh6OZu8OH3T5KC9MSiFkQYJRh_ss3Jbcjtj0kTlnkFTM3MOFpNatv1XWRN2JfAuk9MzCrmv5TKrLGFVtt/s320/Oscularia+flower.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239668964199055362" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Flowers are pink to whitish with the stamens grouped together in the middle </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfOUANhs5wgdCm3TmRNxwWTKhbsdyhiCLlzFkaBYNk-C3bFqoZldsZY-ChyU3yR45jkLb9xt_ohs8r0Oj8yJy_Vo-UFyfakW7qMu6PIn_ET85uWfnh7x2aCD0I7tNXoXCMN_b71q5aV8J/s320/Nigeria.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239668975739090066" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Cedarberg Mountains near Algeria</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">I enjoyed the outing a lot, sitting on the copilot seat I had the perfect opportunity to soak in the landscape without having to drive myself. The famous wildflower colors started to show in the most northern locations, and on our frequent stops I did perfect short mini escursions, taking in the flora.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHgW2ZA_Y0jHudYodSqn681YRev3lq3hEi9kPjnvCZXbr9vExG-_SFJ8v_em3uB4pckyj3t3WoyMLYXF04yYvTrSGMKv9LeTOZoPXE0T-8o3TPjNOZyI_qujzYM2cLbRjZy0eK1ORJkn7/s1600-h/Me.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHgW2ZA_Y0jHudYodSqn681YRev3lq3hEi9kPjnvCZXbr9vExG-_SFJ8v_em3uB4pckyj3t3WoyMLYXF04yYvTrSGMKv9LeTOZoPXE0T-8o3TPjNOZyI_qujzYM2cLbRjZy0eK1ORJkn7/s320/Me.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239668972105552530" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWc5Dn40_QVCLFpdjePdU8vckWmIIWpO53XKbmRqD0mCDJnIlsX_jqd5eOqSCvDbGwnfPovh1yFn_UTQz9QHLTMHaZX65xdfwb_yS-wjYMcWlxLsL3Nq6hFYcBnpcWtywwQG5zqGVkbVN1/s320/Diplosoma+retroversum.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239667786261308146" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Diplosoma retroversum</span>, Mesembryanthemaceae, super rare!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvA46iFmurs2BUWRn37SAc_H9PSMKZKNYBy5dPVvs3mYGL-ifQ56BCd2vpjhlRbHY3_Q6eRMQIoqGLQxQyH0XO0IPcbDfMLl4tkjcGLjOg5wd44NOwmUeEjqbDtg465Rh8ckiOap-7HxL3/s320/crassula+muscosa.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239667797664438498" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Crassula muscosa</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVbOtlNO21X7kuf4wruJfDZYxoey1MhiM9o8RWjCbrD4o-l1d9T8CbhSzawNdHBuyAvJMxQLq5-cBI7Op8cEWSEZR55A3oMFjcjC4-E4z4NInOmW9ODUK1dteLevZTCUrtLGTH0j2c9fJ/s320/Arctopus+echinatus.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239667804060884482" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Arctopus echinatus</span>, Apiaceae</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">We had a lovely picnic lunch on the banks of the Olifant River, and returned via the coast, ending back at Kirstenbosch by 7pm.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZE6tytxWxBPIYseIDrrSodECbBH5PIxgCobyq1pI5cAFk9k3Un589QLgus1XY1yrzO3NzpCEJUyfAS22CjdmZ9d0KVZhEiJoTLRsNmC23cJfjak04sjbiegCc-rz1Ii1H9YyfJPOb4gO/s1600-h/matt+kush.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZE6tytxWxBPIYseIDrrSodECbBH5PIxgCobyq1pI5cAFk9k3Un589QLgus1XY1yrzO3NzpCEJUyfAS22CjdmZ9d0KVZhEiJoTLRsNmC23cJfjak04sjbiegCc-rz1Ii1H9YyfJPOb4gO/s320/matt+kush.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239667779419591490" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">M</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">att and Kush</span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">A perfectly great day with good company and lots of new information, but there was a sad ending to it. On our last stop I slipped in the mud, and landed hard on the rocky ground with my binoculars in my hand. Never mind that I got bruised, but I sevearly damaged my beloved tool. I now either see everything double, or have to use it as a monocular, which is not the same at all. I am trying not to be too pessimistic about the situation, and hope very much I can find a specialist in NY who would be able to fix the two monoculars I have now into a pair of binoculars again!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-27205141042644934612008-08-11T19:11:00.004+00:002009-03-30T15:51:52.307+00:00Playing Elephant<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Playing Elephant</span></u></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Today was a fun day working in the Conservatory in the Eastern Cape section. I really enjoyed just that fact of being exposed to this plant group, as I will not have a chance to go to the actual region.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">I don’t think I have mentioned that the Conservatory is divided into regional and geographic sections, recreating vastly different environments found in the cape. This part of the conservatory is actually without a solid roof as it is a less arid biome and does not have to be protected from the local rains, much in contrast to the Karoo regions, which could not be recreated without shelter from rain for most of the year.</span></span></p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzUgNs8zSFXsSSXcbcg3S_iggEhLXMjTgpwkUccUr7gWdOjCzqj4F-uRKlNWeUScDqe1g-KXN6zzywI30smKUx0cFEyV3RIjvKcrSOSNzc6OCineNKgTPbzKPRT9sOFTaV-7mB-4zx2mV/s1600-h/IMG_3584.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzUgNs8zSFXsSSXcbcg3S_iggEhLXMjTgpwkUccUr7gWdOjCzqj4F-uRKlNWeUScDqe1g-KXN6zzywI30smKUx0cFEyV3RIjvKcrSOSNzc6OCineNKgTPbzKPRT9sOFTaV-7mB-4zx2mV/s320/IMG_3584.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233341521717901058" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family:Arial;">Before</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Ernst explained the eastern cape to me in terms of climate, but also as a (former) natural habitat for large animals, specifically elephants. These would break through thick vegetation, trampling and eating, and such do a natural, rather radical pruning. The plants of this environment are superbly adapted to these occurrences, easily resprouting from chopped off branches (e.g. Aloes), regrowing from fallen off plant sections (e.g. Euphorbias), or being able and even depending on distribution of singular leaves from which a whole plant readily reemerges (e.g. Crassulas, Senecios). In fact without these events the whole balance of this biome flips over, and a vastly different flora starts taking over.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">So today Georgina and I started a radical pruning of this section, playing Elephants.</span></span></p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCIWIKh2JRG8jI7kVJ1se0pHlE-pN_42YxsX2CpcHLVVEJLIdjk2wf_z6x7BvR6Sba3tuU0FNuGLfF6JmMFrEtKWV5JJ6gDlv8ERkyPrPjWZMumrVo6BIJfciolQU69Nmd1opWhy99Dop/s1600-h/IMG_3587.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCIWIKh2JRG8jI7kVJ1se0pHlE-pN_42YxsX2CpcHLVVEJLIdjk2wf_z6x7BvR6Sba3tuU0FNuGLfF6JmMFrEtKWV5JJ6gDlv8ERkyPrPjWZMumrVo6BIJfciolQU69Nmd1opWhy99Dop/s320/IMG_3587.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233341523356199602" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Left is the pruned part, the heap in the middle is part of the removed material, and Georgina examining the work from above</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">I just wish I would have the proverbial thick skin of these animals because most of the plants are either thorny, spiny or sharp edged, and many also contain various milky and clear saps that can be super irritating if in contact with your skin, or even worse eyes or mouth…gloves are a must and one has to really think before scratching your nose and washing hands BEFORE eating or using the bathroom. We worked our way through about half of the section, tomorrow we will enter a part deep between the tall Tree Euphorbias where nobody went for a year or so – FUN!</span></span><br /></span></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-54448122250400021292008-08-02T18:40:00.005+00:002009-03-30T15:53:24.810+00:00From the Cycad Project to Succulent Heaven and Molecular Mania<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><b><u>From the cycad project to succulent heaven and molecular mania<o:p></o:p></u></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Just to prevent people from getting the impression that all I do is driving through the rolling hills as I have not told much about my work lately, I will do so now.</span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I finished my three weeks with the cycads, during which I participated in some very educational pollen testing. This was a very interesting project, the procedure of which I described in detail in the previous entry, and probably bored the heck out of most of you. If you do know me you understand, me getting so exited about these little things under the microscope, and to see all the different species and pollen dating back to 2000. My biggest frustration was that we could not eliminate the fungal growth in the samples, and I had a déjà vu going back to when I lived in New Orleans. I take on rats and roaches and even snakes any time over mold. Seems the ultimate lost battle to fight! In terms of our testing, I could think of quite a few ways to improve sterility in the test setups, but I also have to admit that it was fun to see all the different mycelium, hyphae and fruiting bodies growing (Horror!! – will I end up becoming C.DeW.?).</span></p></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF7_JE9Rvm2uXH84PhzlOoEfGPcEEWlXw2Ym3ccC6Dyk9m0Zm-fw3ggN9dK9JlqdEL7cMCndrifbQFPFY2oLcrg80vRZWFB6v2l-Iz10z5gCT_COzo5Ft9vEnYhOhobI-KROO9Sln83KWe/s320/IMG_1708.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230016715523814434" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Male cone scale with open pollen sacs and white pollen</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I also enjoyed the hands-on work with the cycads, and have developed a friendly understanding with <i>Encephalartos.</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> The ‘friendly’ is really important as these guys have some MEAN spines. I learned about cycads horticultural needs, how to pollinate, propagate by seed, and their special soil-mixes. I witnessed the symbiotic relationship with a specific beetle, and helped fighting the current infestation of another bug, killing off those ancient plants. But working with this plant group you are in for a long time – I mean, I am considering raising a cycad from seed now, but we are talking decades here!</span></span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZH-62VslQDU1ogucT5Y7keomv4LefK5hhcXhJaLZhVXqE9y64ui7vmqkQ9arLvuPPKQEqj0N2zZmM0HrvHxHec0NmEgTyRpOuqhr9fREpqYVzhrK4b4AOcZ0BEzifYk9MgoiPiFrqM0N/s1600-h/IMG_1662.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZH-62VslQDU1ogucT5Y7keomv4LefK5hhcXhJaLZhVXqE9y64ui7vmqkQ9arLvuPPKQEqj0N2zZmM0HrvHxHec0NmEgTyRpOuqhr9fREpqYVzhrK4b4AOcZ0BEzifYk9MgoiPiFrqM0N/s320/IMG_1662.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230016708807929074" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;">Encephalartos detail</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I am still working on a little piece on <i>Encephalartos woodii, </i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">which I hope to post soon.</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo9HIobGEPPwK25NmXaMqN3ftmZJkxibgvSNnx0V43ysgn63RS0qUOMw9a-Yz6HORDIM3Tp86P_Z0uGgO7CinrdFhV7NOCRICC1vTYep9U_UoZ4RKmXJU_vA2GuDqfNoGjVcV3kiI3BCuf/s1600-h/IMG_1664.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo9HIobGEPPwK25NmXaMqN3ftmZJkxibgvSNnx0V43ysgn63RS0qUOMw9a-Yz6HORDIM3Tp86P_Z0uGgO7CinrdFhV7NOCRICC1vTYep9U_UoZ4RKmXJU_vA2GuDqfNoGjVcV3kiI3BCuf/s320/IMG_1664.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230016712232866210" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Encepalartus seed with emerging shoot</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Then I ascended to succulent heaven! And I did not even have to die first!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I started working with Ernst van Jaarsveld who has been employed by the South African National Bio-diversity Institute (SANBI) since 1974 and is currently the curator of the Kirstenbosch Conservatory. Ernst wrote quite a few books on succulents and dessert plants, amongst these ‘Waterwise Gardening’, ‘Cotyledon & Tylecodon’, ‘Succulents of South Africa’, ‘Gasterias of South Africa’ and ‘Vygies- Gems of the Veld’. He is working on cliff dwelling plants right now, and writing about his findings. And he is a very friendly and super gracious person, very positive and helpful with me, eagerly sharing his knowledge even when asked ignorant questions.</span></p></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYa-lF3ufsmq8SRPQd-OqO-q_tXTtgz8j7_EhHO66uMf1-IMPWYMNJrXCr580zOmtk5_z-mMfY8JiFcggPrYzXrLqssPqvqLq_4lzcNEZXln8WA7z7KlgM4JQGIjJB1Ys55uDyOrBph_P/s320/IMG_1760.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230015193953317858" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">Just to be around this very well working conservatory, build in the spirit of design following function, which I also find visually very pleasing, is a privilege. And the working collection in the covered, but on the sides open houses…your eyes would fall out if you could see the diversity of crassulas, mesums, gasterias, aloes, euphorbs, welwitchias…it is a GOOD thing I can’t bring anything back, because I would have to rent a whole container and fill it with those beauties. Instead I took about 500 pictures, 495 more then I would ever be able to upload onto this site</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJWaKTvN-vHuWU_ml0TJUxD_4WAnHFvP_9iaXuByf8lMkB_CWg2NgIwNxh3oqhJNLDMRKhrDpJoVHKEdu9WTXufmSOLPWO_paW9nVBtCHcxChIk-yFYCQyE7gNxmZHLnHwZ4O_QHTbV6b/s1600-h/IMG_1735.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJWaKTvN-vHuWU_ml0TJUxD_4WAnHFvP_9iaXuByf8lMkB_CWg2NgIwNxh3oqhJNLDMRKhrDpJoVHKEdu9WTXufmSOLPWO_paW9nVBtCHcxChIk-yFYCQyE7gNxmZHLnHwZ4O_QHTbV6b/s320/IMG_1735.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230016720624041010" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Conophytum sp.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSaspDms3lcxRujqM9oMZdBd5Bsi0cM5RmBiMbF0MpiGUaffzCQ_j4t-4FdS7KWVvT84RXRtiGLXhQzrI3JYB-gnzfz4WYLReXHZxQ2wrabqYcG2PDPjXlHabyQ5IuvSbPYAzLOw-pODQ-/s1600-h/IMG_1744.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSaspDms3lcxRujqM9oMZdBd5Bsi0cM5RmBiMbF0MpiGUaffzCQ_j4t-4FdS7KWVvT84RXRtiGLXhQzrI3JYB-gnzfz4WYLReXHZxQ2wrabqYcG2PDPjXlHabyQ5IuvSbPYAzLOw-pODQ-/s320/IMG_1744.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230015189058971874" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic; font-size:13px;">Conophytum sp.</span><br /></div></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBfYiVIT-LwIR4A7mQtYVTDjZJnZQksEJBf-M_F125_i15tKyOvbLqiZGA_9ma11I5V4Zr-AdjUtX7sD9hJ3BUdwoFhDKDNZZ48ObZgbZqsr4brkShtfGjT55mYw4WaGKJwlPasEqH_yn/s1600-h/IMG_1955.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBfYiVIT-LwIR4A7mQtYVTDjZJnZQksEJBf-M_F125_i15tKyOvbLqiZGA_9ma11I5V4Zr-AdjUtX7sD9hJ3BUdwoFhDKDNZZ48ObZgbZqsr4brkShtfGjT55mYw4WaGKJwlPasEqH_yn/s320/IMG_1955.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230015196300638466" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic; font-size:13px;">Crassula montana <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; ">subsp. quadrangularis</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALlnJcJ6WCApMLuapg91VJRnwiidt_3kNnNe8IgersyrDnwbwA2Fp1LPBHIgj8wKO9ITTFPNxuZ84gnoL67UxZhq3AR8bLKsL41icxQm153PO_Hx8kxSTxMqubCTHsTPrZAH24nnqzV-a/s1600-h/IMG_1962.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALlnJcJ6WCApMLuapg91VJRnwiidt_3kNnNe8IgersyrDnwbwA2Fp1LPBHIgj8wKO9ITTFPNxuZ84gnoL67UxZhq3AR8bLKsL41icxQm153PO_Hx8kxSTxMqubCTHsTPrZAH24nnqzV-a/s320/IMG_1962.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230015194314967650" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic; font-family:arial;">Cotyledon sp. </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic;font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-v5S4AITOSs_8jFV7DFp9Lpj-tHm0EEyVqOTBvfNvePIn_6r6gfYwfg8npPHAjpGNYdcNhHf1Gop32uJimi-xZ2e0QeT-f5JgQF6yjXkWmSzeCF7prb-FQRfoOWUF_1Jpx3dtvhcRrvP/s320/IMG_2136.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230014217624612498" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Welwitchia mirabilis</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> female con</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">e</span></span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: normal;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: normal;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">With Ernst I learned more about habitats and need of those plants, constantly worked on the collection repotting, did cuttings for a new form of <i>Aloe arborescense</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> he named ‘Mzimnyati’ and wants to introduce at the next Botanical Society plant sale. I also started some more cuttings of a climber with different leaf markings he found recently, and pollinated <i>Albuca batteniana</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">, Hyacinthaceae, a fairly unknown bulb he thinks has great potential as a container plant.</span></span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dEJhPG_-dGyxdhf7gEwB6EpPojOqLEyXUnzkKJReexqgvgt3Ksmp9WK0HnIuxjTUqPVnkA8ked4aJsSFnEmsMYh7NksG8h-My7Iyk9oCevYUVlI1e1b4YUHGG7lmtGHVLaApJRhQ8N7g/s1600-h/IMG_2065.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dEJhPG_-dGyxdhf7gEwB6EpPojOqLEyXUnzkKJReexqgvgt3Ksmp9WK0HnIuxjTUqPVnkA8ked4aJsSFnEmsMYh7NksG8h-My7Iyk9oCevYUVlI1e1b4YUHGG7lmtGHVLaApJRhQ8N7g/s320/IMG_2065.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230015200362947458" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic; font-size:13px;">Albuca batteniana <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">pollination</span></span></span></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I don’t think this is just a momentary fancy, I can get really enthusiastic about succulents, and I am going to work again with Ernst and maybe in some other places with them (I am trying to hook up a week of work in the Nieuwoudtville and Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden, both belonging to SANBI like Kirstenbosch).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">And then, for the last week I have been emerged in DNA. I have been working with Lucas Chauke, a molecular scientist, and we went out into the field with Mark from the Nature Conservancy, to collect leaf samples of <i>Leucadenron levisanus, </i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">a very threatened member of the protea family. It only occurs around Cape Town, and the extreme pace and scale of development brought it close to extinction.</span></p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQW3asP9zHUX2DGLX3qWkcLX-AMz_1QfSUFRZsd0id7F2kDFZhyx5EMk2gCNJzt2PIYqE-u6gaw_ckh9OsRbw-f_IkX6tlHfZbyUKTLNE-HgsTldMeF8NLXuXXKT9rEpgWpkiaKDqf4WL/s1600-h/IMG_2695.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQW3asP9zHUX2DGLX3qWkcLX-AMz_1QfSUFRZsd0id7F2kDFZhyx5EMk2gCNJzt2PIYqE-u6gaw_ckh9OsRbw-f_IkX6tlHfZbyUKTLNE-HgsTldMeF8NLXuXXKT9rEpgWpkiaKDqf4WL/s320/IMG_2695.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230014219662450114" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Leucadendron levisanus</span> male inflorescence </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5IWHPq8984W32l-jbE91kfn7nQs9BIMt2JBpyTX8DIac7tYcmKBA_2uNFDAea1ILV6geg9U0CFtiOXDNZMwF79Fukh-CzC7kzYz94H3sZS7ZEB0R-B7sbqP9qZf6Q6LKdnz9nRpXnBFMu/s1600-h/IMG_2696.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5IWHPq8984W32l-jbE91kfn7nQs9BIMt2JBpyTX8DIac7tYcmKBA_2uNFDAea1ILV6geg9U0CFtiOXDNZMwF79Fukh-CzC7kzYz94H3sZS7ZEB0R-B7sbqP9qZf6Q6LKdnz9nRpXnBFMu/s320/IMG_2696.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230014219520123826" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Leucadendron levisanus</span> female inflorescence</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">There are several projects going on, trying to propagate the plant ex sitiu and replant into the last pockets, one being a project by WWF to secure the genetic integrity of the sub-populations of <i>L. levisanus</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> (i.e. the conservation of genetic diversity within the species). That’s what I am working on at the moment, extracting DNA, purifying it, and amplifying specific genes. At the same time I am also doing lab work on <i>Moraea aristata,</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> of which I have only handled its DNA, and don’t even know how it looks like – this is not unusual at all for those molecular scientists, but way too abstract for me. I enjoy this work, but mostly because it tells me even more about the actual thing out there.</span></span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4q6UZuOWUeM7NN-7iNiZeflI7pvA56kw4ImA1LGX0HDRd5y0KoPJ8pP6SIqJBmaAf1BdWx0qMQtNUrykCPq6pwUMZPGTmATl1PLh2FCYN09UG2qo2Fqohg8rSu9Cu-P9jb_Otgs97LIz7/s1600-h/IMG_2751.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4q6UZuOWUeM7NN-7iNiZeflI7pvA56kw4ImA1LGX0HDRd5y0KoPJ8pP6SIqJBmaAf1BdWx0qMQtNUrykCPq6pwUMZPGTmATl1PLh2FCYN09UG2qo2Fqohg8rSu9Cu-P9jb_Otgs97LIz7/s320/IMG_2751.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230014227213335330" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">Mark was the one that invited me to come for a Friday evening out, - not drinks as you might assume, - but finding the equally threatened Leopard Toad, and taking toenail clippings for DNA analysis. This turned out to be quite fun, as we were all over the compound of the old Observatory here in the city, and checked out the buildings with the defunked telescopes, and other remote parts of the place, all the while looking for the toads with flashlights.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEm7LlcIULvgggkt7xirbw31BDM_sTqAvSMpFEeyuTVbcX2PKzKjtUzC4Se_g0F5ND8vltGm0oz-Dh8iZyHDG3nwqdnuVz9mO_a7HVugE5E_NFETNuOiBTeLODDcSmUpv4QPPVMPRQxEFG/s1600-h/IMG_2809.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEm7LlcIULvgggkt7xirbw31BDM_sTqAvSMpFEeyuTVbcX2PKzKjtUzC4Se_g0F5ND8vltGm0oz-Dh8iZyHDG3nwqdnuVz9mO_a7HVugE5E_NFETNuOiBTeLODDcSmUpv4QPPVMPRQxEFG/s320/IMG_2809.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230014230888426242" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Leopard Toad</span><br /></div></span></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-42305678743387254812008-08-02T16:06:00.012+00:002009-03-30T15:55:36.188+00:00Yellowwoods, Elephant Poop and Exhibitionist Whales<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Yellowwoods, Elephant Poop and exhibitionist Whales</span></span></u></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Another super exiting weekend trip brought me to the small costal town of Sedgefield near George, about 500 km east of Cape Town. I headed out during the early afternoon, to visit with Ann and Al McGregor, Ann being another of Betty’s fabulous friends. Reg, Ann’s brother hitched a ride along, and I drove the same N2 I had done a few weeks earlier the other way. The traffic is a joke, and the road is gently rolling through cultivated fields of wheat, with the ocean some 30 km to the right, and an endless chain of bare blue-tinted looking mountains not far to the left. (I learned today that the tree line descends from several thousand to a few hundred meters the further you go from the Equator towards the poles).</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The last leg of the drive was in darkness, and finally we arrived just in time for dinner at the lovely ‘Center Court’, a simple but well laid-out summerhouse, hidden behind dense thickets of vegetation. Ann had prepared a typical cape dish, "Potjiekos", a (lamb) stew that she cooked in a cast-iron pot over open fire, which needs to be prepared slowly to get the delicious result we enjoyed.</span></span></span></p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT68xhvSvW6WjVb_ar4nu1VE-8Pi_XV2mod59uNVJKYQJExRAQz1itIvGnAwanvMI6a1gnrRhqH0dBSvFKbhQ5XawvPEXrukYqZ-xh4_GSfLd7O9jYrVYBAXoXtqwPth0huLQanYZdnHDM/s1600-h/IMG_2383.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT68xhvSvW6WjVb_ar4nu1VE-8Pi_XV2mod59uNVJKYQJExRAQz1itIvGnAwanvMI6a1gnrRhqH0dBSvFKbhQ5XawvPEXrukYqZ-xh4_GSfLd7O9jYrVYBAXoXtqwPth0huLQanYZdnHDM/s320/IMG_2383.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229961516198293298" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Next morning we got up early to meet above Knysna with members of the Mountain Club of South Africa South Cape Section. Fred van Berkel led the 16km walk, partially crossing through dense indigenous forest. This is part of the largest surviving remnant of a 200 km long, but narrow swathe of the Knysna and Tsitikamma Forest, stretching along the southern coastal shelf and the adjacent mountain slopes. We proceeded from the small settlement of Gouna for about 10km in a north-easterly direction, botanizing and birding all along. The tallest trees here are the Yellowwoods, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Podocarpus falcatus, </span></span></i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">reaching impressive sizes of about 60 m here inside the forest. Also found throughout is the Ironwood, which is easily recognized by the very dark black patches of resin staining the trunk wherever the tree is injured.</span></span></span><span style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Diospyros dichrophylla, </span></span></i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Ebenaceae carried it’s soft densely haired fruits, and Old Man’s Beard, a </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Usnea</span></span></i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">, a lichen species, draped over most of the taller branches. But now I am actually only showing off that I do remember 3 1/2 of the 500 hundred different species found here, and this is considered a low diversity compared with the surrounding Fynbos!</span></span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJRmvalSKQpdqh1jlxlp3844TvDFQdYjVzS4ctR9Ptnf9UFFPVZysgq1R3slLfieSrWSLVFCG1btn5Va2rXR0VxYsmGc_xQV_UkKNFcmIrcM2OQJ8PwfeLnL33Ui6H10Ys-vZeyY63VT6/s320/IMG_2466.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229961525251147202" /></span></span></span></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Diospyros dichrophylla<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; ">We passed an idyllic spot on a river, where the rocks form natural swimming basins (Gumpen auf Bayerisch), but we all declined a swim as the temperatures in this dense forest did not amount to much despite of cloudless skies.</span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; font-family:Arial;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: normal; font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Then the highlight of the day:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">I was walking with Fred who was telling me about the forest and the animals living in it, including the very elusive Knysna Elephant. And near where the Outeniqua Trail crossed our path, looking down on the path, there it was: ELEPHANT DUNG! The africanometer went all the way to the highest reading looking at quite a few of these shit heaps. Not too fresh, and quite agreeable in smell, this is as close as one could hope to get to the elephants, as not many people have ever seen them at all! (a little side note from someone who currently works at a DNA lab; elephant poop contains very usable DNA, and by analyzing it they have learned more about the number and family relations, then by trying to spot and observe them)</span></span></span></p></span></div></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlZF27HK4IbxtSvyLfesD-W_LqPaqhwnQDv0RJOjtL93mxqZwsrCKAFd7tLtwl_SUfWe37yyg1nBcBF9L8LXTPwmNENNdICpFtB6XQq2rVeFfp1E84XoPI1YLbZozWTgWIc5umDN_TBir/s320/IMG_2395.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229961522264980850" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">These elephants, they estimate the number of individuals being around 8, are the last of the southern most ‘free’-living animals. Survivors of large herds, hunted down to virtual extinction, they are now confined to stay inside this dense forest, surrounded by more and more development. I was told that as late as the 80’, a particular thorough German head of forestry, actively pursued </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">all</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> larger animals in these woods, due to the alleged damage they do to the trees!</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; "><span><span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">This is a informative and a little odd link to learn more about the elephants, it reminded me strangely of the grizzly man in the Werner Herzog film/docu.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; "><span><span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><a href="http://www.garethpatterson.com/Elephants/elephants.htm">http://www.garethpatterson.com/Elephants/elephants.htm</a></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; "><span><span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">After leaving the indigenous forest behind the flora changed in an instant and we reappeared in newly planted pine plantation, at the high point of the walk, 555 meters above sea level. The steep decent down to the Knysna River was swift, and we heard the baboons and a Knysna Turaco bird in the distant doing their funny calls. It is very strange to picture these exotic animals in this very northern pine monoculture, and I realized that the indigenous forest that is left is truly not much more then an island.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Down at the river Stewart and Jenny were waiting with an open Jeep to take us back, but before another guy from the group led us upstream to some superb bushman paintings on the sandstone cliffs of the Knysna River.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7J-9Wa5jP0sJj9zE5goPL3nnUzQhZrwV-g8PLwzzq7Ip73FM6Y34BVXC95fv27iE5dCi1CTtSZWcfRhKM_1kVVupuKJNZ6pjdyvgMDRmUenc9wdQxLsYGiJRBXv-bLWVfXETa1zBi1D_-/s1600-h/IMG_2424.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7J-9Wa5jP0sJj9zE5goPL3nnUzQhZrwV-g8PLwzzq7Ip73FM6Y34BVXC95fv27iE5dCi1CTtSZWcfRhKM_1kVVupuKJNZ6pjdyvgMDRmUenc9wdQxLsYGiJRBXv-bLWVfXETa1zBi1D_-/s320/IMG_2424.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229961525728185874" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">The ride back in the 4x4 was great, as I did not have to share the small back of the truck with the other 13 hikers, but had the privilege of sitting next to Jenny </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">in the front seat. I got a whole other set of views of the forest canopy enriched by the woman’s intimate knowledge of the trees and other plants, and we spotted the very endemic </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Faurea macnaughtonii</span></span></i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">, a protea found only right here.</span></span></span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">After the group disbanded Ann, Reg and I drove back through more woods on unpaved roads, where we actually did see a large group of baboons crossing the road in front of us. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSzY99lClNooLo4-c0-H0C95rcDd1zPVW6d9DeXO2UkKjp4DOH33AKGaDkZfGXuc2Fr1RjHq7t4QBpLf_S15u8xr8RdVBVetzG969Jbsisd6nYABi_unsa2Hfo6XRD7CK3gIqYkl_Robl/s320/IMG_1833.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229961530111482674" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">We made it just in time for the sunset at the Heads, the very narrow entry through enormous sandstone cliffs into the Knysna lagoon.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8irbqdg7kwu6AYMW0I3woCtwXO3u4JsmzaX_m9QP4UClRAqX_aqlcJXokOQHbdjogWXm3q9ahCAq65gztRgIEGpjyiIkKim7K3y8WZaocd56QlWRlT7zAk2RuGyLFoSaFDyEyesNdZca/s1600-h/IMG_2439.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8irbqdg7kwu6AYMW0I3woCtwXO3u4JsmzaX_m9QP4UClRAqX_aqlcJXokOQHbdjogWXm3q9ahCAq65gztRgIEGpjyiIkKim7K3y8WZaocd56QlWRlT7zAk2RuGyLFoSaFDyEyesNdZca/s320/IMG_2439.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229960151379763746" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">The spot is a quite magical place, but the lagoon is rather spoiled by recent overdevelopment. It looks like New Jersey suburbs plugged into the idyllic scenery of the Cape – utterly ugly. After a brief walk through the equally soulless newly developed harbor complex (again, think South Street Seaport or any shopping mall), we found a nice and funky bar on the piers where we enjoyed a yummy draft and I sampled some very tasty oysters; two farmed in the lake, and two wild ones from the coast right there. I don’t need to tell you which ones were sweet and intense with flavor... Back at the house my first braai (BBQ) with a sampling of the local meat (ostrich and lamb) made an appropriate finish to the day.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">The next day was overcast, and after a slow start and extensive breakfast we left for the old settlement of Belvidere at Knysna. Al was driving us in his rather well aged VW van (also called combi), and sitting in its passenger seat triggered some fond and not so funny VW winter driving memories…)</span></span></span></p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXc3AoQ8Pr2Ed49KRCjjh_6Z19GOCX-5uZL_mgtg3sjFIfOdebyhSxc8AJr2DgTr4QVrg8SImoFMxL4cQ3C3Q7LN8pr_oLf39ghpqo7uJhJ9f7ojgyZ0nEXYiPt7WIL-QeFh-FB5aWIfcZ/s1600-h/IMG_2447.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXc3AoQ8Pr2Ed49KRCjjh_6Z19GOCX-5uZL_mgtg3sjFIfOdebyhSxc8AJr2DgTr4QVrg8SImoFMxL4cQ3C3Q7LN8pr_oLf39ghpqo7uJhJ9f7ojgyZ0nEXYiPt7WIL-QeFh-FB5aWIfcZ/s320/IMG_2447.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229960155924142946" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">The tiny, but very beautifully proportioned Anglican Church there was a pleasant stop, and we admired the stonework and botanical glass windows. But the rest of the place again was way to generic and overdeveloped for my taste.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Crossing over the hill to the seaside we reached the village of Brenton on the Sea. Now I will repeat myself: retirement and summer homes as far as one can see, and the mostly recent architecture as inspired as in Staten Island.The great thing is you can just turn your back to all of this and look out over the sea, and all is forgiven. As soon as I put my attention to the water, there I saw a huge splash in the middle of the bay – a Southern Right Whale breaching! Well - I actually have to admit that I could even live in one of those hideous things and not care, as long as I had this view, with the blue-green Indian ocean rolling up to this pristine beach.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Al, Reg and I walked the entire beach to Buffelsbaai, where Ann picked us up with the combi. And the whole time (more then two hours) several of the whales were visible just beyond the surf, playing, rolling, splashing and exhibiting one behavior unique to Southern Right Whales, known as sailing</span></span><a name="OLE_LINK2" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">.</span></span></span></a></span><span><span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> They lift their tails straight out of the water for long periods and seem to use their elevated flukes to catch the wind. It appears to be a form of play and </span></span></span></span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">one individual seemed to be especially fond of it to the point where I got concerned about it getting a bad headache, being upside down for so long!</span></span></span></p></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtn67x6baGgHJQUOHFA4cvmyNHKRTVkAS7FKjWV6khn9Er29l6wOg70TGeY_qZcXIVLFQRLmwdElTfklRKujTPFeLsNITPdxhTuh-Fmb4c5UtJ2I3JBeLjPF5fSd8cv0HYH-NGvPSSyVHE/s320/IMG_2522.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229960165891256210" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Southern Right Whales can be up to 18m long, with a body that is stocky and fat, weighting 40-80 tons. They have a circumpolar distribution and inhabit sub Antarctic water between about 30° and 55° south, and enjoy a tentative comeback since the strict whale hunting bans.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcU0eGvwMzcW5APZLe2_ihk9VQFmT_2HFpCc8GQCYbMH1pzJVJWEprxUlFnyyiNnUy7fUqvaOdgmYbeS6DLdf1CILPgeHPlnb-UDzCvdZedJWbDsSGDmqktaE-2oDz4t27xu2PmlW3D1PU/s1600-h/IMG_2505.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcU0eGvwMzcW5APZLe2_ihk9VQFmT_2HFpCc8GQCYbMH1pzJVJWEprxUlFnyyiNnUy7fUqvaOdgmYbeS6DLdf1CILPgeHPlnb-UDzCvdZedJWbDsSGDmqktaE-2oDz4t27xu2PmlW3D1PU/s320/IMG_2505.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229960160505438242" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">African Oystercatcher</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">A stop a the bird watching shelter at Rondevlei (=round lake) Nature Reserve presented a fantastic 40 minute sunset show, featuring a androgynous Pied Kingfisher, a busy Black-winged Stilt, the Tree-banded Clover as well as Common Moorhens, Yellow-billed ducks, and a large amount of extras in the roles of Cape Shovelers, Red-knobbed Coots and Little Grebes.<br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje55XwjwU0Ld8kIn9IZHv0_wuSgiPCgtXK90r0WzE5biLmMg__K_pSKnlZIBWpxKTLm66fRx36TInVjB_jrd9GamclQOf3rnGpm8FESjcVofm-1I-qpdxVsL-o514K95Ge0AMK_s_xGpfU/s320/IMG_2540.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229954357185157282" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYHDZPz50YHlsjQxFUTjhiPXdKRXYFockMIBPYzWRyO_fnRS-yCJheciT1elGA1e4HV-GQUK6OrEo37AvGfdxmn0QILdZUvWzGz5rI6eOcKLgtzaJicFckJweJ05XfsyqbVTKhah7c7XH/s1600-h/IMG_2547.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYHDZPz50YHlsjQxFUTjhiPXdKRXYFockMIBPYzWRyO_fnRS-yCJheciT1elGA1e4HV-GQUK6OrEo37AvGfdxmn0QILdZUvWzGz5rI6eOcKLgtzaJicFckJweJ05XfsyqbVTKhah7c7XH/s320/IMG_2547.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229954367737172210" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">After the curtain went down we all praised with appreciation the beautiful stage setting, artistic lighting and natural acting.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">With just enough light to walk up the hill, Ann and I managed to do some more botanizing in the Fynbos until we could not tell a pink erica from a yellow protea.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Next morning we went for a refreshing beach walk in Sedgefield, and after breakfast headed out, first over back roads along the vleis (=lakes) past Wilderness towards George. On the way we had some more exquisite, on the fly bird watching (ok, I know I am loosing a few of my readers by now). One spot with the Great Kingfisher, the Pied Kingfisher and the incredibly colorful Malachite Kingfisher right next to each other, then a Hammerkop on a phone line, and as crowning highlight a cluster of Louries, a.k.a. Knysna Turacos. These birds were chasing each other along a river, giving bright green and red flashes in flight, almost like swimming with breaststrokes through the air.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">In George we met with Margaret at the </span></span><span style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Garden Route Botanical Garden, where she had worked before, and we got an interesting tour. The garden is relatively new and almost exclusively depending on volunteers who fight an uphill battle against careless visitors, dog owners, bicyclists and deer, having minimal funding and changing design and mission ideas. But it is still a garden and I believe all gardens are beautiful and important in their own rights.</span></span></span></span></p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhunPegRjHjG5wav855__0ifSHVQckg5Wx9cAmtxj-7IcrM0v3GVNph8R8LvI2HIKztt4STPVbWo61nFEaFHRpjNWxuJq6lVWP2xxuFEwrqvQjH9_QgpdEj85uO7G8j7kK6-L7vgBBQaY/s1600-h/IMG_2600.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhunPegRjHjG5wav855__0ifSHVQckg5Wx9cAmtxj-7IcrM0v3GVNph8R8LvI2HIKztt4STPVbWo61nFEaFHRpjNWxuJq6lVWP2xxuFEwrqvQjH9_QgpdEj85uO7G8j7kK6-L7vgBBQaY/s320/IMG_2600.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229954367323902482" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Wachendorfia thyrsiflora</span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">, note the three stamens, two down and one to the right, and the stigma to the left. Other individuals have a mirrored arrangement!</span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: normal;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3hoo6fUoH40adAQr0rtXrmEFEcSQiU_-CvL2sbBBQ4PREnkw4y47R4V02zP8IMIB-EqQdCc3KxgnI4xA398BK_uS4wLapoz_uiaopWDGFinl5SQTqkTxat6x_l10fC-jv73Wes89OQAd/s1600-h/IMG_2627.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3hoo6fUoH40adAQr0rtXrmEFEcSQiU_-CvL2sbBBQ4PREnkw4y47R4V02zP8IMIB-EqQdCc3KxgnI4xA398BK_uS4wLapoz_uiaopWDGFinl5SQTqkTxat6x_l10fC-jv73Wes89OQAd/s320/IMG_2627.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229954372392225122" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Gasteria sp</span>., it's name derives from the stomach shaped flower</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DHqPf1rWwV5hb439cgiWBXhBKRo9ofjabpE3h35DvV1Ta6CCiJjpdpm52Vh8uPmkRSQv-iK5W1YNIktkpvUqfviUOFbVpyHMCyTvGlESAs20t5PPp0as36k2D-Ne0U89PPtYlp6QiDTH/s1600-h/IMG_2630.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DHqPf1rWwV5hb439cgiWBXhBKRo9ofjabpE3h35DvV1Ta6CCiJjpdpm52Vh8uPmkRSQv-iK5W1YNIktkpvUqfviUOFbVpyHMCyTvGlESAs20t5PPp0as36k2D-Ne0U89PPtYlp6QiDTH/s320/IMG_2630.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229954378598994210" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Carpobrotus edulis</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">, Sour Fig, the fruit makes a tasty jam, had it for breakfast...</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">After saying goodbye to Ann, Reg and I headed back to </span></span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Cape Town. The first part of the drive went from George straight north via the Outeniqua pass to Oudtshoorn. Then a sharp left turn, leading through the western part of the Little Karoo. The quietness of this harsh landscape is fascinating to me, and I would really love to camp out here for a night! </span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbG4o07DpClzJi_hwGHCKob0jD1udOwmsNlTEQ820gGm1bVkZUC7rPqO0zNT6DaQqmk_Np-ZNQ8xnHjmsSFqOgz6tftmq8tRyInFhIMM_NAs_RvOC-E58irGj9l0kbMALo2XxDYXHxBkUo/s1600-h/IMG_2657.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbG4o07DpClzJi_hwGHCKob0jD1udOwmsNlTEQ820gGm1bVkZUC7rPqO0zNT6DaQqmk_Np-ZNQ8xnHjmsSFqOgz6tftmq8tRyInFhIMM_NAs_RvOC-E58irGj9l0kbMALo2XxDYXHxBkUo/s320/IMG_2657.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229953566821242514" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">At a driving speed plants seem to barely have leaves and only a few species sparsely spread, but stepping out of the car at random spots reveals again a mind-boggling diversity with wonderful small blooms and colors.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpwkxtB7i65Wjsq7u38MaKp63uzH3HU5QIWno8rrJopZrV6xeRHNeAdw_7DRbohCyjmpxFCdUwRKbg5uZlCa-FR7cacqbj3j1UejUrKByBO0mpnBPAO0-3eEkDsAeT_7TBynf1sXjre11/s320/IMG_2679.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229953578819904370" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">And on some of the rocky slopes clusters of </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Aloe ferrox</span></span></i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> in full bloom, the red candelabra shaped inflorescence in the afternoon light like lit candles!</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6l9HxvwNgSbMX2IXGZxy8NZByr4nZ-P-Ibsbh-IZQGRvGGp2ma7PI30rlz4k2B68MBZZWgZUtHr9wVcXJyjCNBzCTMh7x-JSRGaFX9HHAc34YjcZ6Bbaueg2uC3GD2KNfAvUiCtgWMYxP/s1600-h/IMG_2668.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6l9HxvwNgSbMX2IXGZxy8NZByr4nZ-P-Ibsbh-IZQGRvGGp2ma7PI30rlz4k2B68MBZZWgZUtHr9wVcXJyjCNBzCTMh7x-JSRGaFX9HHAc34YjcZ6Bbaueg2uC3GD2KNfAvUiCtgWMYxP/s320/IMG_2668.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229953573314969634" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Aloe ferrox</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Along the roadside lined up the striking </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Nymania capensis,</span></span></i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> Meliaceae for a while, seemingly taking advantage of the disturgbed site, and the additional run-off water from the road.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JrP69ELbCi8TiAUGvY9APsG0BkbT4COYS15Czelme3dz_CojJBU67-aDPRxOPmpXc78XB5wJDSb27OhUupuriOrIZvjWAn-Ogr3v1zX-a2_V_QJhyphenhyphenWQgwI9FGLK0obZEn8WdVJ0t7N8i/s1600-h/IMG_2673.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JrP69ELbCi8TiAUGvY9APsG0BkbT4COYS15Czelme3dz_CojJBU67-aDPRxOPmpXc78XB5wJDSb27OhUupuriOrIZvjWAn-Ogr3v1zX-a2_V_QJhyphenhyphenWQgwI9FGLK0obZEn8WdVJ0t7N8i/s320/IMG_2673.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229953575560219170" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic; font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Nymania capensis</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Besides these and a few ostrich farms, there is not much happening, three small towns,Calitzdorp, Lady Smith and</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> Barrydale </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">along the way, then another super scenic pass , the Tradouws, led south through the</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">mountains back onto the N2. It had just gotten dark by then, and the rest of the drive really stretched along until I finally arrived back ‘home’ at Kirstenbosch by 10 pm.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAQMPGPRxokAaUgAL3aHST2jp472qVy0iE5AWMF6786ibaWSpndshPrAcx2lD0vR9QXJ4CmA89jtsFpWZuw6D_YSVWjdwz3vGr8HCugQ2fjr8el6e7TIil-qE7J56o6GScf0D5ISr6sUX/s1600-h/IMG_2683.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAQMPGPRxokAaUgAL3aHST2jp472qVy0iE5AWMF6786ibaWSpndshPrAcx2lD0vR9QXJ4CmA89jtsFpWZuw6D_YSVWjdwz3vGr8HCugQ2fjr8el6e7TIil-qE7J56o6GScf0D5ISr6sUX/s320/IMG_2683.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229953586943334658" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Already have tons of ideas for next weekend!<br /></span></span></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-45636804616012106162008-07-19T20:49:00.008+00:002009-03-30T15:56:12.887+00:00Testing Encephalartos Pollen<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Testing </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Encephalartos </span></span></i></b></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">sp. Pollen Viability</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">with Hang Drop Technique</span></span></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I. Test setup, five samples per person at one time</span></span></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Materials:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><ul type="disc" style="margin-top: 0in; "><li class="MsoNormal"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Prepare spread sheet with information of specific species, year collected and specific plant number</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Remove Pollen from freezer, where it has been stored at -15</span></span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">°</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Celsius.</span></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Prepare Petri dishes, one nesting pair for each separate pollen package, washed with soap, rinsed and completely dry.</span></span></span></li></ul><ul type="disc" style="margin-top: 0in; "><li class="MsoNormal"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ethanol to wipe inside of Petri dishes, then close immediately.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Prepare testing media, a germination solution of 65% sucrose and 15% boric acid in distilled water and store in fridge until used.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Glass pipette for pipetting solution drops into Petri dish</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Distilled water, provide enough to seal Petri dishes and to soak paper towel in incubation tray</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Set up ethanol in a small glass column for cleaning brushes between different pollen samples</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">3 small brushes # 2</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Colored permanent marker for labeling Petri dishes</span></span></span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Method:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Prepare a large tray, line it with paper towels and wet slightly with distilled water. Label the smaller of the nesting Petri dishes, abbreviating the species name, the year collected and the plant number (if applicable).</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Start lamina flow cabinet, and place tray and all materials inside. From now on all work is done inside the cabinet to avoid contamination, which encourages growth of fungi and other problems, resulting in defective tests. Use latex gloves when working, and proceed methodical and as clean as possible. Lay out 5 nesting Petri dishes inside the tray in the right order and open them. Fill larger dish with small amount of distilled water, just enough to create a airtight seal when the small dish is placed inverted inside.</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">With pipette carefully place three drops of germination liquid in each one of the labeled smaller dishes, such setting up three tests per sample. Do not touch the tip of pipette with anything, as it goes back into the solution and could contaminate it. Do not make the three drops too large as they might ‘roll’ to the edge when turned over and placed in the larger one.</span></span></span></span></p></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9d1ASnCykwktjOxILy2wFF_duTlddSfxIg_2-WlXSM2VsqL60U5EFD5TJMiusCYgpN5bEpfqrCLdFo1MqXNar7uPxfnL73pR2F1dKWpcyfsd7LEuqr8_RtawmljBS_UvupaK21ibj6Rj/s1600-h/IMG_1256.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9d1ASnCykwktjOxILy2wFF_duTlddSfxIg_2-WlXSM2VsqL60U5EFD5TJMiusCYgpN5bEpfqrCLdFo1MqXNar7uPxfnL73pR2F1dKWpcyfsd7LEuqr8_RtawmljBS_UvupaK21ibj6Rj/s320/IMG_1256.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224832575820475298" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Fig. 1</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Placing of pollen on to drops of germination solution<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Open pollen package carefully and with brush remove small amount of pollen. Carefully tap brush one over each drop, making sure to have placed some pollen, but also avoid too much as this will result in a density of pollen in the solution that is very hard to count later on.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Then carefully turn Petri dish with the three drops upside down, and place inside larger dish with the distilled water. This is to seal the drops with the pollen from the outside so they won’t dry out during incubation.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">When all Petri dishes are set up, cover with a second tray, remove very carefully from lamina flow cabinet, and place it into an incubator set at 28</span></span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">°</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Celsius for 48 hours.</span></span></span></p></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAWABQsdy0DwS8hDv6-Q0gLbyP5ym9D1WheuHDCk7_Zmnc3gZwNRd0hytw3tH1AyouWrZlPzlLN_YTPka9WG1kD73rpuSA8NH5lBuWUD9gzF6AMiE-A895c4TI3fVQRgxro7DoT_nevsi/s1600-h/IMG_1278.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAWABQsdy0DwS8hDv6-Q0gLbyP5ym9D1WheuHDCk7_Zmnc3gZwNRd0hytw3tH1AyouWrZlPzlLN_YTPka9WG1kD73rpuSA8NH5lBuWUD9gzF6AMiE-A895c4TI3fVQRgxro7DoT_nevsi/s320/IMG_1278.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224832574496383426" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Fig 2. Working inside lamina flow cabinet<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">II. Counting of Developed Pollen under Microscope</span></span></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Materials:</span></span></span></p><ul type="disc" style="margin-top: 0in; "><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Incubated pollen in Petri dishes</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Pipette for transferring pollen in solution</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Slides and slide covers</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Microscopes, set at a 40x magnification</span></span></span></li></ul></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRLQYdCEs1ozZZO8DpLC2h7rHpb37W24tKpHx-axqf1zO4qp8V88tbGfRpwgquOx84C0vs4WqE-vR3sFKvwy7aoVHjMy9P_cCJo59cNMjBqDLDL4NNsx25RWAd4qFgUfFWL3kCFwZkZD3/s320/IMG_1367.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224832574909518114" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Fig 3. Counting germinated pollen with 40x magnification<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Method:</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Carefully remove tray with Petri dishes from incubator. Open Petri dish with hang-drops, and turn over carefully. With clean pipette remove small amount of liquid from center of solution drop, make sure to pick up some of the wetted pollen, but nothing outside the drop. Pipette on to the center of slide and add cover slide over it.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Place prepared slide under microscope, a 40x magnification seems ideal.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Visual grid sample counting method is used as following.</span></span></span><span style=" ;font-family:'Square721 BT';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Start in one corner and move over sample in a systematic order, e.g. down and over, up and over, down and over, and so forth. Randomly choose 10 spots with at least 10 but ideally no more then 50 pollen grains.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Count all pollen that clearly developed from the perfectly round shape and clear center of undeveloped pollen, to an uneven shape showing a pollen tube protruding out from a darkened center. Then count all undeveloped pollen, and note all numbers on spreadsheet.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></p></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XRDb_B7IfryljSDx7EtuhWdHms_X_JlDDexU4-U8RUoQyav96kgPB_Fn7AJhEbmwVdaYTOkPvcr10naw_nmbqniLORMwXnS9L_iEbPux4L-wgaJ31SFdvND81ZDd68HrR3wc5vc0BaK-/s1600-h/IMG_1408.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XRDb_B7IfryljSDx7EtuhWdHms_X_JlDDexU4-U8RUoQyav96kgPB_Fn7AJhEbmwVdaYTOkPvcr10naw_nmbqniLORMwXnS9L_iEbPux4L-wgaJ31SFdvND81ZDd68HrR3wc5vc0BaK-/s320/IMG_1408.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224832578905172674" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Fig. 4. fully germinated pollen with long tube protruding. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-2CzujwO-Jn79atAlmbWHqm24CD8YAcfgAWVDkBsUnCS4CVdlOG05LAkaM1jEqiQu8SsUynbg18H8TkCirjhURrlyjm15f_Q32sfv1NKn1HJZAOWvAz9Eil-oOIt7cP6LuL9QzuqaEmG/s320/IMG_1818.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224832577822324594" /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Fig.5. pollen with darkened center and tube development starting, as well as completely circular undeveloped pollen with clear center</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left; "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Proceed with new slide and pipette to the next drop until all three tests in Petri dish are counted out, then continue with next Petri dish containing new pollen sample. Enter all results for the three replicate samples for each species sample into spreadsheet, combine and calculate an average percentage of developed pollen for each species.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Developed by Phakamani Xaba and De Wet Boesenberg </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Technicians: Karen Wall, Enrique January, Dodo Loechle</span></span></span></p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-54855448918570429932008-07-15T10:53:00.015+00:002009-03-30T15:56:57.863+00:00Wine Country and other Botanical Adventures<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: bold; font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">Wine Country and other Botanical Adventures</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2iZUnYNiTFhiwULjJwOwBRkJ2EE5jg-DLE6Sz-LR1KYKcbhnO1PvaMDMGu5sPoNu0e5IRTQCmTNpwRaYRxk1MXBa8PFOwNDegSACsA6opCtan-5OXFDKDxQfLpJ-I6z11R4M01_YyfNY/s1600-h/IMG_1522.JPG"></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">This weekend I spend in Winelands, in and around Stellenbosch as guest of fabulous <i>Wim Tijmens</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">, Emeritus Praefectus Horti, Hortus Botanicus and Landscape Architect, and old friend of even more fabulous <i>Betty Scholz</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">, Director Emeritus of Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. (I put their name in italics because I believe they are truly their very own species, and quite possibly in danger of extinction. Betty is of course endemic to this Cape region and now a beloved transplant to Brooklyn.)</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2iZUnYNiTFhiwULjJwOwBRkJ2EE5jg-DLE6Sz-LR1KYKcbhnO1PvaMDMGu5sPoNu0e5IRTQCmTNpwRaYRxk1MXBa8PFOwNDegSACsA6opCtan-5OXFDKDxQfLpJ-I6z11R4M01_YyfNY/s1600-h/IMG_1522.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"></a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2iZUnYNiTFhiwULjJwOwBRkJ2EE5jg-DLE6Sz-LR1KYKcbhnO1PvaMDMGu5sPoNu0e5IRTQCmTNpwRaYRxk1MXBa8PFOwNDegSACsA6opCtan-5OXFDKDxQfLpJ-I6z11R4M01_YyfNY/s1600-h/IMG_1522.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></a></span><img style="text-decoration: underline;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2iZUnYNiTFhiwULjJwOwBRkJ2EE5jg-DLE6Sz-LR1KYKcbhnO1PvaMDMGu5sPoNu0e5IRTQCmTNpwRaYRxk1MXBa8PFOwNDegSACsA6opCtan-5OXFDKDxQfLpJ-I6z11R4M01_YyfNY/s320/IMG_1522.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223263561223656290" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">After getting an hour late to Wim’s house because I did loose his phone number again and having only fragments of his address with me, I finally met this charming, lean, energetic and charismatic Dutch man. He immediately took me in his car to our first destination, Rustenberg, an immense and sprawled out estate, that grows famed wines and raises award winning jersey cows.</span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bUc3W2kqAd9X-lgUPOLZA4IYZ7wR3R_3kI6BzPMCZNs6entH71J-XtYZuOj4fmpw7WE-But45xf8JWKYqAnHtnBRcl7w7SXXDElFtXGFnp8kJB5DkaSSdbE2uZInWU7yvrY3obi31pt4/s1600-h/IMG_1532.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bUc3W2kqAd9X-lgUPOLZA4IYZ7wR3R_3kI6BzPMCZNs6entH71J-XtYZuOj4fmpw7WE-But45xf8JWKYqAnHtnBRcl7w7SXXDElFtXGFnp8kJB5DkaSSdbE2uZInWU7yvrY3obi31pt4/s320/IMG_1532.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223263563640819794" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I had no idea this place is sooo beautiful! Driving through the gate Wim told me about his 13 years of living on the estate, caring for the wild part and the woodlands, and also having his hands in the gardens. As we entered the immaculate renovated and kept buildings where the wine tastings are held, people greeted him, and the current owner Simon Barlow came to meet us briefly. Wim is fond of telling everybody that he knew him as a puppy… We got to try some of their top wines, and they were delicious. <o:p>Then we walked through the newly developed garden by Rozanne Barlow that stretches gracefully towards the river on the right, with grand views towards the mountains and False Bay. There was snow on top of these rocky mountains in the not so far distance, something that very rarely happens, and which made for some very special pictures, but also was the source for the very low temperatures! But the skies stayed without a single cloud, and the air was so clean and crisp, it seems completely devoid of pollution. Yes, the quality of the light here is very different, sharp and very bright, but also three-dimensional.</o:p></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzTkZuPcyD9lDlLnW-EXBlzn_m7ZCwawDLjShpKa11pkfJWwP23hBuZLjSbVIlXRqus9YCMKofH0f91uQmUAdsVbSI2ybYRGRtNlL6ruQ6MMrYKFEVNajcSteUAJQKzU0Bfg_ozOdv2nC/s1600-h/IMG_1552.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzTkZuPcyD9lDlLnW-EXBlzn_m7ZCwawDLjShpKa11pkfJWwP23hBuZLjSbVIlXRqus9YCMKofH0f91uQmUAdsVbSI2ybYRGRtNlL6ruQ6MMrYKFEVNajcSteUAJQKzU0Bfg_ozOdv2nC/s320/IMG_1552.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223263566009177842" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">There was a gigantic labyrinth, and a reflecting pool with huge koi in all colors. They did have a rather sturdy black net covering the entire square, which is I would think a very good idea as those African Fish Eagles I saw before are perfectly capable of carrying away quite sizable pray!<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGKPXcSX50Xc7YNygxeCoNETfBu62cuHgOVoWPZRcGoP3xTzs8KSTJWiJlM-gVkkrNwUxhtE82deJGxhZbh-naJP6VRfGCvMr-way7QTlfJ1EyCj9NdAb2ZfGLwofISxeE65brS3C2kCj7/s1600-h/IMG_1556.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGKPXcSX50Xc7YNygxeCoNETfBu62cuHgOVoWPZRcGoP3xTzs8KSTJWiJlM-gVkkrNwUxhtE82deJGxhZbh-naJP6VRfGCvMr-way7QTlfJ1EyCj9NdAb2ZfGLwofISxeE65brS3C2kCj7/s320/IMG_1556.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223262738514818514" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">We just strolled around, and other then Kirstenbosch where there is almost only Southern African plants, here you saw all the familiar cultivated Europeans, Americans, and Asians. Roses, hellebores, salvias, lavenders, ginkgo and boxwood, e.t.c, but the real freaky thing is that right between these grows a palm tree and snowdrops are in bloom next to the wild dagga, <i>Leonotis leonurus </i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">and scabiosa, mid summer annuals in our parts of the world. This is wrong – and very irritating!<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><br /></div></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxm8MI7FumVtS77vdnLvNxVXiM83ZwJLU2vQld7n_5_Dnd8x0xYMRQIYHMjivpShyphenhyphenzo-iSF5x4xUfUTw62mBKYQ0jw0YpNH4WTU3KWriaO3020zesvofjDG4ubLgZ54vuxxM4EPpeUvEE/s320/IMG_1544.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223262106678257842" /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6yrx-YiQWYy8eAB4nWNKujqZgSQxmRIfv1YhCSJOUPuZuL1ScxQmGKoBuTNhETK_A67DHnfwm1OzNSCgb4ItB4ZB4oU7ikY79bWEXySXNWXlWrITwXckDr7MLBsqMdtRV7vuvktTAmai/s320/IMG_1566.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223262112851060834" /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydZvaBuX9omucpoxhfSvv1SqdRA8Jwo7LpkWVuZN0sGVKcQ-V2Cy83eFhBRgceay4ioJxdZ9rfBE_BMC_mo2_PQ96eKHJDzYZG2Dky2IKFliEB12NCj8WGErU_4kgmfMYtEngIGAcrJIh/s320/IMG_1553.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223262746928334034" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">From there we drove on over the small Helshoogte Pass towards Franschhoek with more enchanting panoramic views of these rolling valleys, and snow covered peeks.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">We stopped briefly at George’s, who is the horticulturist in charge of the small botanical garden belonging to Stellenbosch University, which is Wim’s work. Wim invited him to join us at Boschendal, another picture perfect wine estate, where we had a lovely lunch with some more wine, sitting outside in the courtyard under the old oak trees. The sun was out, but the air had very much bite to it, and looking at the snow in the distance did not really help that much! George had accompanied Wim on one of his guided botanical trips to China, and knew Betty from various occasions; a nice man with the very mellow disposition of a longtime gardener.</span></p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75mWkpOKbPJkkqk3EdGHTbwjH0DDA2aRFhBOwxnAwj8go2k-cxDI_G2Q_aTuDQnEVtikztOUjt48YU4lm5w948sj_egEPgXKpdSkKvJ6oDYdwHCJ2CYOwT_s6YBSij48z9cvZOgUKNAKB/s1600-h/IMG_1585.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75mWkpOKbPJkkqk3EdGHTbwjH0DDA2aRFhBOwxnAwj8go2k-cxDI_G2Q_aTuDQnEVtikztOUjt48YU4lm5w948sj_egEPgXKpdSkKvJ6oDYdwHCJ2CYOwT_s6YBSij48z9cvZOgUKNAKB/s320/IMG_1585.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223205153364919410" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Wim and George</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">The story with the oaks here is very interesting! The colonists, after quickly chopping down most of the local Yellowwood (<i>Pododcarpus latifolius</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">) and Stinkwood trees (<i>Ocotea bullata</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">), and even burning Protea bushes for firewood, found themselves in desperate need of more trees. They appreciated these indigenous trees for their very durable and fine-grained wood, prized for furniture making and used extensively for floor and ceiling boards, but found them to be growing very slowly. So they thought of the most desirable tree they knew from back home, and shipped a large number of oak seedlings in little wooden caskets across the oceans. These oaks grew fantastically well and fast, but right there was also the problem. With the winters here being so mild, the oaks have a very short dormant period, barely loosing their leaves before pushing out new ones, which results in fast growth and very weak and lousy wood not suitable for building nor furniture making. And the infamously strong cape storms do easy damage to these, often decapitating and severely injuring the trunks, resulting in hallow and rotting specimen. On top of all this the oaks produced a large amount of seeds that readily germinated in this mild climate, resulting in a wide distribution of a basically useless tree. Kirstenbosch used to have a lot, planted by the previous farmers and even the first director, and the sale of acorns as pig food was a quite important source of income for the garden at the time. There are still quite a few left, and some are rather healthy and large specimen, but they are not being replaced once the wind and age take t<o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">hem out. So that’s the story of oaks in South Africa. <o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"></span></span></o:p></span></span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">After lunch we drove around Stellenbosch a little, and I realized the size of the University this otherwise small place has. The campus is very beautiful, and there are more than 23,000 students enrolled at the moment! </span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial-BoldMT;"><b> </b></span><span style=" ;font-family:ArialMT;">This university traditionally was very Afrikaans (meaning white only), but this is changing slowly with a colored (permissible language here) dean, and an increasing mixed student body. Of course being allowed to study does not mean at all being able to do so, many young and gifted people from the townships obviously have too much pressure to make money and contribute to the household, instead of accumulating student loan depths.</span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> And we did not see very many students as they have their winter vacation until the end of the month.</span></span></o:p></span></span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Back at the house it was time for a nap, and I browsed in the many interesting plant books that were lying around (I came across a fascinating book on SA parasitic plants). A small dinner, some wine and the burning wood in the open fireplace helped to take off the edge of the chilly night, and the stories about people and places that Wim knows from his work and travels kept me awake past midnight. Illustrious is a word that comes to mind!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Next day Sunday Wim took me to Vergelegen (meaning ‘out of the way’). This is yet another mind-blowing estate near Somerset West, and is considered one of the most beautiful estates in the world! Build in 1701 by many slaves from all over the territory of the Dutch West India Company, it has orchards and vineyards filling a whole valley.</span><br /></p></span></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6rY_aaydyDxV2MUbVk046Yhh8z3s0LJqPSZ0PUy43NqsVIoTjWvse-rl04EvuAHES9t0xaMjDqghgtPZAe1D4b6OjB3E82d3Y8UhA0VlHT5_VXsfBd2d8d_4erj7qJkzYglyF8PhrhGa/s320/IMG_1603.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223204657290685906" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><div style="text-align: center;">The main axis allows your view to go all the way from the mountains, through the orchards, cutting the octagonal main corral (now the main garden) in half, right through the center of the symmetrical house and past the old camphor trees, into the Camellia collection and the woods with the river flowing by…Grand!<br /></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhusBqoscMWQDoc_w7fdQ5Qb1VGmdnsMKFXui0PgREJgJd9m9YsCqfSaT8TYZCiH5UqXHGC8sQMXqFENyupdPIhI1S2nZBytLZnEbmLY0cGVAqieeRgTKczlHE3BBrfJdSoTxBlEdum3rpp/s320/IMG_1598.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223204651422300402" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZO8gKP4SzF44-3mVuL76tTT-1gq556qCpCdmhnxX_HTCv0rFKdRa-_N7cgtkjvDGYyzT9YqQow0INd_yfnc2NsCbp0r21DccsAfG8W8gH6YSgsiNBp5zbHgrBILt1aYW_TeRzoxYWT1ua/s1600-h/IMG_1602.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZO8gKP4SzF44-3mVuL76tTT-1gq556qCpCdmhnxX_HTCv0rFKdRa-_N7cgtkjvDGYyzT9YqQow0INd_yfnc2NsCbp0r21DccsAfG8W8gH6YSgsiNBp5zbHgrBILt1aYW_TeRzoxYWT1ua/s320/IMG_1602.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223205169070738626" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">The 300 years old camphor trees (<i>Cinnamomum camphora)</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> in front of the main homestead are declared National Monuments, and they are truly monumental! These are not indigenous, but originally from Asia, where they are cultivated for camphor and timber production.</span><br /></div></span><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOJap_ZErbTfZ2PQEtCglEh9np0e3WzzkN2Tjl_doihgDM-HCHOmw5XiloxEhL4AlkFYcqAmfiKkkKVwXQxr1redzMk9pXDfMUUFCVgQgPhemOcDR-UMqv2b_jyk4S15d9H5rIcpgpxPJ/s320/IMG_1616.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223203722833367170" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Walking around further we admired a moderately old but very hallow oak, and an absolute magical <i>Podocarpus</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">. This tree’s age is also estimated around 300 years, and its multiple stems, and branches wind and twist and bend along the ground. And further out, a perfect circle of seedlings surrounds the old tree, forming the most magical fairy ring you can find.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">.</span><br /></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xAj3Ktd5kDRprmPM40ik3OOTPGJQfXe65MQixYzWMIS7DWUIP1CuIbS5XlpYQPQVCl212eCgJSbbd0VVWBgCWiiKf3pHse5Z_LxSkb3tCBDpkaZUBymYUvm5ZnqkUcSPlcwdDU3jsoae/s1600-h/IMG_1608.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xAj3Ktd5kDRprmPM40ik3OOTPGJQfXe65MQixYzWMIS7DWUIP1CuIbS5XlpYQPQVCl212eCgJSbbd0VVWBgCWiiKf3pHse5Z_LxSkb3tCBDpkaZUBymYUvm5ZnqkUcSPlcwdDU3jsoae/s320/IMG_1608.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223203713973804866" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">The buildings in comparison are rather small and modest in dimension, and simple in layout and design but exquisite and filled with many valuable antiques the different owners acquired throughout the centuries.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><br /></div></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6fOhLgDpwx_xtMD7ULamFYMf3KPAdo32joES6h6l3mcw1dOwJLqk85kGNN8FkmBs24U0D3mXY9IVxe-oodkPz3EBza14UVo7rQMt0r_fHGQOb7j4jLrZOEuDErSnY7duLRrYcog4ZR9f/s320/IMG_1628.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223200479551570514" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><div style="text-align: center;">This is the old farm/slave bell under the camphor trees - a not so distant reality.<br /></div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyP3mEhEfFlovOj_sJrB04bhuwON8NRvwRGbHpUMLtzQD48HvB3y4GQq4ThmRDlawmiZQU5DUUEbzKtzSNAxAXVPA01s_SapyFuIxOMtOWAyQUjaCTMnZRgTuDAI0I87Hqn3VUMkUfJJuB/s1600-h/IMG_1626.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyP3mEhEfFlovOj_sJrB04bhuwON8NRvwRGbHpUMLtzQD48HvB3y4GQq4ThmRDlawmiZQU5DUUEbzKtzSNAxAXVPA01s_SapyFuIxOMtOWAyQUjaCTMnZRgTuDAI0I87Hqn3VUMkUfJJuB/s320/IMG_1626.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223203204269700194" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Now the estate belongs to a large mining company, the Anglo American plc group, which has some Oppenheimer sitting on his main board of directors, who took special interest in this place. On the guest list one will find (besides of the Oppenheimers) the Queen, Nelson Mandela, the Clintons, and me.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Again Wim knew almost everybody, and introduced me to the chief horticulturist who happened to lunch with the camellia hybridizer who had donated his collection a couple of years earlier to Vergelegen. With them was an American woman microbiologist who I had an interesting exchange about chromosome counting.</span></p></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qplXiBI0N59PwNK_Ctc_P8_GmykHUGC3tHzFnLUZtzHVYRDAQdNEHRQzqCJYTX9VBuXAyC51G72MtTrtD-yBvDy6LZVsx1ng2_YnfOVe9VVSPNtvz6ScjIJf9H6S-YFAYOU4lhNcNZnp/s1600-h/IMG_1642.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qplXiBI0N59PwNK_Ctc_P8_GmykHUGC3tHzFnLUZtzHVYRDAQdNEHRQzqCJYTX9VBuXAyC51G72MtTrtD-yBvDy6LZVsx1ng2_YnfOVe9VVSPNtvz6ScjIJf9H6S-YFAYOU4lhNcNZnp/s320/IMG_1642.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223200486497511282" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: normal; font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">We had a lovely and elegant lunch on the terrace (more wine of course), talking more travels and plants, and when I took off to head back towards Cape Town I felt positively elevated and inspired.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></p><i><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> <!--EndFragment--> </span></span></i></div></div></div></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-68259990345475028222008-07-10T11:48:00.019+00:002009-03-30T15:57:26.356+00:00Weekend Road Trip<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: bold; font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">Weekend Road Trip</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapomp9-QS119MduT-Fdh5b6cL5aOJI-BjZcGVdkY4lk3WsWbXrMOyvNd1oaK-EZgwrGNgW88bSx5NX-mcM4PmAlEVunyOetEAPeGds-jf7kLQ7Ak50xyM7RQK73EA5-BBQoLUKFptpLfr/s1600-h/IMG_0933.JPG"></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Friday I was supposed to drive behind Sija and Thumeka, along the N(ational)1 to Beaufort West, where we wanted to stay overnight with a friend of theirs, I wanted to visit the Great Karoo National Park, and they wanted to go on to Kimberly for the week. I was scrambling all afternoon as I was moving into a new room at Fynbos Lodge, and then it took really long until Thumeka got back from work. When we finally took off she then needed to do some more shopping for her family and son in Kimberly, after that something had to be picked up in town, and then we also did a detour via a township in Stellenbosch. As it was night by then, and heavy rainfall set in, driving on this to me unknown busy main road with oncoming traffic, became a very challenging thing.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">But when traveling, the way I like it, plans are often made to be aborted. So it is always good to have a plan B, or come up with one if necessary. Reaching Laingsburg, about 300km from Cape Town, I happily checked myself into Laingsburg Lodge, leaving those two guys driving on through the night. Drinking a beer from the mini bar, live improved despite reading in a brochure all about the town’s unfortunate claim to fame, a catastrophic flood in 1981 that took 103 lives. I nevertheless had a good night sleep even with the rain going on nonstop outside.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Next morning the rain was somehow lighter, and there were short moments of much brighter skies. After a few inquiries about road conditions I decided to trace my way back until R314, heading south towards Montagu, thus cutting through the western end of the Little Karoo. </span></span></p></span></span><img style="text-decoration: underline;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapomp9-QS119MduT-Fdh5b6cL5aOJI-BjZcGVdkY4lk3WsWbXrMOyvNd1oaK-EZgwrGNgW88bSx5NX-mcM4PmAlEVunyOetEAPeGds-jf7kLQ7Ak50xyM7RQK73EA5-BBQoLUKFptpLfr/s320/IMG_0933.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221357695141429906" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Now I was starting to have real fun! A small but decent road with hardly any traffic (I actually counted about 8 cars in 2 ½ hours), rolling through a stunning landscape, all succulents and small leaved low fynbos shrubs, and a handful of farms very thinly spread out. Lots of birds everywhere, from a Black Shouldered Kite to Blue Cranes, rivaling the diversity of the plant world.</span></span></span></span></span><br /></span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQ2Sr5A6EnzJF9Wre2yTiYnig9FKJZyTbqae_x3YDF3bz3h_r8i0_0kZCKdnotOpxW7B08kYXc-lAGzuw8Cw1Cp6cwyZb8uaMqAvuobZzWI9CdNOoYcMDjIGUYj7grzpTPBm1VNAVHu1C/s1600-h/IMG_0941.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQ2Sr5A6EnzJF9Wre2yTiYnig9FKJZyTbqae_x3YDF3bz3h_r8i0_0kZCKdnotOpxW7B08kYXc-lAGzuw8Cw1Cp6cwyZb8uaMqAvuobZzWI9CdNOoYcMDjIGUYj7grzpTPBm1VNAVHu1C/s320/IMG_0941.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221357694227999026" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">I took my time rolling along, and whenever I stopped and got out of the car, the quietness was breathtaking. This truly is a large country as soon as you get out of the densely populated metropolitan areas, and this sense of space and solitude is what I was always associating with the continent.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMV4Cw8sKei1NUIyMjJtGeFG1vtx-BAuJNwHYSapc1XcamrvdrVk0vMF7zeKXOr5MjRsdEetfnADSM4Tlq-Ryubj5wALTlQlSmxZidwOuTvcdcCrWZrGhwMWf63Hb-NNVjpldf_PaywlmU/s1600-h/IMG_0949.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMV4Cw8sKei1NUIyMjJtGeFG1vtx-BAuJNwHYSapc1XcamrvdrVk0vMF7zeKXOr5MjRsdEetfnADSM4Tlq-Ryubj5wALTlQlSmxZidwOuTvcdcCrWZrGhwMWf63Hb-NNVjpldf_PaywlmU/s320/IMG_0949.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221357699703341170" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">Getting closer to the town of Montagu the farms became a little more frequent. Mostly vineyards with citrus and other not identified, because leafless, fruit tree orchards. Just outside the town I saw a sign for a place called ‘Die Stal’, a very homey little restaurant on a farm, where I was the only guest on this rainy winter Saturday. I had an incredible spinach quiche, possibly the best in my life, and enjoyed the peaceful rain-free moment. Definitely one to come back for more food!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I really liked this town after driving around a little, seeing lots of inviting restaurants, a really hip B&B, and realizing the hiking potential in the surrounding mountains. </span><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;"><span>Ö</span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">…mental note!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Continuing on small roads along more vineyards and denser cultivated land, via Ashton and Bonnievale towards the N2. Lovely!</span></p></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFqEzjynb-8szPMxBWzlt3COZ0nTiqylr32urR7s8MHH5RtUQ6oIjUpR0JGYSFzRuF1utzsLVOg4D6n0o-G9HsndXEsrEmuqBk1NlnAqls_FjhRDTYGF1GDHJKqS-HjxCrgKxLev1Ab5q/s1600-h/IMG_0981.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFqEzjynb-8szPMxBWzlt3COZ0nTiqylr32urR7s8MHH5RtUQ6oIjUpR0JGYSFzRuF1utzsLVOg4D6n0o-G9HsndXEsrEmuqBk1NlnAqls_FjhRDTYGF1GDHJKqS-HjxCrgKxLev1Ab5q/s320/IMG_0981.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221357704171681330" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">On the N1 I turned back west and headed into the sunset. No – seriously – the afternoon was getting late, and I was making a b-line towards Kleinmond on the coast. The road lead along more inspiring landscape with the white cloud shrouded blue mountains to my right, and the occasional rainbow appearing to my left. Honestly true!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Kleinmond is the town just before Betty’s Bay, where I was planning to visit the Harold Porter National Botanic Garden the next day. But what a strange place! Mostly weekend houses, and permanent residences for retirees, living in rather unattractive houses arranged in square streets, reminding me of low income American suburbs, or German 50’s ‘Wohnsiedlungen’. And then the B&Bs I checked out – so depressing I drove right past them, including one ‘House Bavaria’ that reminded me of a neighbor’s house just north of the train rails on Muenchner Strasse, in my home town in Grafing. Horror!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Finally a found ‘Villa le Roc’, just a few meters from the rocky fynbos shore, which redeemed any human atrocities, and I took a late stroll sticking my hand</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> into those waters already warmer from being a mix of Atlantic and Indian ocean. I guess I can’t claim yet to have touched the Indian Ocean, as it officially starts only beyond Cape Agulhas.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">The lovely hostess suggested to offer the other party that had just arrived from a long hike a ride to the restaurant in the harbor, so I ended up dining with a father, his teenage son and his school friend. He is an ex opera singer, that was living/working in Germany for some years, who has a sculptor brother living in Brooklyn, we had a friendly chat, and then went back to the B&B. I don’t quite get people here yet…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I was not ready to call it a night, so I went walking to the ‘main drag’ (= 1 video store, 1 grocery, 1 bar) on the look for a bottle wine to bring back for a relaxed evening in front of the TV. Instead I ended up having a whisky-pit-stop in the local bar, and buying more Rooibos tea for the lodge.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">In the morning it was raining like crazy, and it did not want to stop. Big deal; it was Sunday, so just perfect to brew another thermos of tea and stay in bed reading, waiting for better weather. I actually had to take a little late morning nap just because…then around noon it actually started to clear up. A long walk through that coastal rocky Fynbos madness (did anybody mention the insane diversity yet?) took me back to the harbor, where all the cafes and stores were open, and had about 1 ½ visitors, and I enjoyed a fine Latte at Potter’s Garden.</span></p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3uO2ihYFkL8pIvEwOvtVHRycvUZyJ6V7CU7qKtaf4v_sn7tz_4hxrliot7WEz3a7XV1vGNNDVX41GnHvbaQoEGDtzZw9tJFYBOlP3UYU_h1zWZiphKjOyrrgF2JuJqgNIxpdv0hhQUKbB/s320/IMG_1001.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221357017570888146" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">Then I got the car and took off to Harold Porter NBG in Betty’s Bay. This garden is so much smaller then Kirstenbosch it is almost disappointing at first sight. Plus there is a lot of construction work going on, the new visitor center and restaurant looks almost finished, it was a little off putting. I took the path towards the waterfall, and that was not small by any means. All the rain had even the smallest of rivulets swollen to a stream, giving a real strong acoustic background to the very scenic location. This garden’s strength, at least at this time of the year, lies in the mountain slopes and valleys, and there are quiet easy trails throughout. I did not see a single of the infamous Baboons, but again lots of birds and</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZC10YWHabUNuRu1z2WQFDkcedcPoMQPn26Q2yjvmeLOZe8m3qE2Kd_FqCi02ymyQjysuBDk2ldpM6u-x8HocgRaL7o4e23OAVfoGjkUwuya9ZtrTLTuG-KpTEjPBWJW0ktA_OqNfoP8I/s1600-h/IMG_0997.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZC10YWHabUNuRu1z2WQFDkcedcPoMQPn26Q2yjvmeLOZe8m3qE2Kd_FqCi02ymyQjysuBDk2ldpM6u-x8HocgRaL7o4e23OAVfoGjkUwuya9ZtrTLTuG-KpTEjPBWJW0ktA_OqNfoP8I/s320/IMG_0997.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221357025011944770" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">and a few amazing rare little gems like this: <i>Crassula capensis</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">, Crassulaceae the Cape Snowdrop. It is <u>tiny</u>, just about 2-3 cm (less then one inch) overall! Love it!</span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQjYZvWaatTEe8mpSNbYaRt6roevFYwqPDTWuTfNKxKlt8Taw8T2TkqAl55yxoATc208iIBdiOQMUu3MVakHO8AMkjGNiE57ZLIyHAva6_PzFkflT3CDHdr9lWY0SetX2vY0A8dxVRQfp/s1600-h/IMG_1031.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQjYZvWaatTEe8mpSNbYaRt6roevFYwqPDTWuTfNKxKlt8Taw8T2TkqAl55yxoATc208iIBdiOQMUu3MVakHO8AMkjGNiE57ZLIyHAva6_PzFkflT3CDHdr9lWY0SetX2vY0A8dxVRQfp/s320/IMG_1031.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221356207749803042" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Then two Sundews right next to each other: <i>Drosera trinervia </i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">and<i> Drosera hilaris, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; ">The small ground hugging Little Sundew will bloom white, and the rarer upright is a pink blooming Sundew, but not quite yet – September is the month. But who cares about flowers with these…</span></i></span></p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBV44RXKWJPjEhrDAA5Ye4ojsJubVpN-D5rIFgkWxo8Z6Gi_MzqqUYkM7TOVLeD-ucNIGmJeDmbSDDXxLHITimexMxMrBnWjgQ2QpPDUzou3dWlwEEHnXpkQX_kHz3xZ56lzfWBHFU9yG5/s1600-h/IMG_1120.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBV44RXKWJPjEhrDAA5Ye4ojsJubVpN-D5rIFgkWxo8Z6Gi_MzqqUYkM7TOVLeD-ucNIGmJeDmbSDDXxLHITimexMxMrBnWjgQ2QpPDUzou3dWlwEEHnXpkQX_kHz3xZ56lzfWBHFU9yG5/s320/IMG_1120.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221355912762573154" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCea4l9ySKNyyxsrbNnNdenhAy9pGTene1vwN6naiN0c7Bns03Tclz3z_zXPU2DcyXGTnTkeyoINMYf7tzJEDcgJGatbVZ_rZlTCdmvpinhRyNBVa7BY4Aa8PrVWZT303xuX1In6Ch-Zcz/s1600-h/IMG_1122.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCea4l9ySKNyyxsrbNnNdenhAy9pGTene1vwN6naiN0c7Bns03Tclz3z_zXPU2DcyXGTnTkeyoINMYf7tzJEDcgJGatbVZ_rZlTCdmvpinhRyNBVa7BY4Aa8PrVWZT303xuX1In6Ch-Zcz/s320/IMG_1122.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221355910387699490" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAPZbGhyphenhyphenJDcd6HU24zLOjtEo3rNs4BOpZk2iauPyUeyfa8Cts__gwi9aNBP4m1LIqRJ1gtQu2T0p4VjVN0Avus3ufYvVevWuznMLlJ65b8qBP_unqfEtdbZubcyUnkkBOuzdfXk4dtStN/s1600-h/IMG_1112.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAPZbGhyphenhyphenJDcd6HU24zLOjtEo3rNs4BOpZk2iauPyUeyfa8Cts__gwi9aNBP4m1LIqRJ1gtQu2T0p4VjVN0Avus3ufYvVevWuznMLlJ65b8qBP_unqfEtdbZubcyUnkkBOuzdfXk4dtStN/s320/IMG_1112.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221355246154750754" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><div style="text-align: center;">EERRIIKKAASS!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHDmKUHzRSg-GOPMxtk2AH4q8DmSvuE20NAzFQRcK4Uv0AYfTZ9dULUTlzo4mu1ZqrfKIATEglYYQdoB8oyazpaggh2SvaiXLZr0n6mvvqlcHxmAjNo3_1J1Nzpshyphenhyphenjx1Zs_DzpWU0bBa/s1600-h/IMG_1119.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHDmKUHzRSg-GOPMxtk2AH4q8DmSvuE20NAzFQRcK4Uv0AYfTZ9dULUTlzo4mu1ZqrfKIATEglYYQdoB8oyazpaggh2SvaiXLZr0n6mvvqlcHxmAjNo3_1J1Nzpshyphenhyphenjx1Zs_DzpWU0bBa/s320/IMG_1119.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221355249089770466" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmpOYC0CGb7POb1V_LnR40YiijVItlFsqAiQlqQ-drhBCwJ7IbigbGe5qo6FFXj2vV1gpoMW29wGLXto7bp3XDGYra-0L3sN-Yd0icAp9me4vsY-mWs6517BgStxk7bqEku5idVzt2HkO/s1600-h/IMG_1090.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmpOYC0CGb7POb1V_LnR40YiijVItlFsqAiQlqQ-drhBCwJ7IbigbGe5qo6FFXj2vV1gpoMW29wGLXto7bp3XDGYra-0L3sN-Yd0icAp9me4vsY-mWs6517BgStxk7bqEku5idVzt2HkO/s320/IMG_1090.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221354820631990674" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><div style="text-align: center;">PROTEAS!<br /></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytvb5p59h04tGPmVRuQhQJ_0AE8-RwVnWLPDme9u49PigQU12tceDVPeTADUuKqlBlh9s0l3yWfSsH-8M4kQ3S6ehX9kUgNMzqQWKKL5YeWs8j0zQHXQIr6s55Yvq0jo80bXYtzOT-06r/s1600-h/IMG_1063.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytvb5p59h04tGPmVRuQhQJ_0AE8-RwVnWLPDme9u49PigQU12tceDVPeTADUuKqlBlh9s0l3yWfSsH-8M4kQ3S6ehX9kUgNMzqQWKKL5YeWs8j0zQHXQIr6s55Yvq0jo80bXYtzOT-06r/s320/IMG_1063.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221354455538576530" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Restios!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZfFJbQ3R-jwO8t70CbF1GQWSFXoK0cY9b9nrf13LFWNuzpjbKXqMwGB46EJaa8ST0o4FXBWTWaKciMHBWEgHA7ll3B2-httlEiuKHqPaD1H4SpUQ82QV6cXJ087IDeHUn7-JpPKZwGiX/s1600-h/IMG_1086.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZfFJbQ3R-jwO8t70CbF1GQWSFXoK0cY9b9nrf13LFWNuzpjbKXqMwGB46EJaa8ST0o4FXBWTWaKciMHBWEgHA7ll3B2-httlEiuKHqPaD1H4SpUQ82QV6cXJ087IDeHUn7-JpPKZwGiX/s320/IMG_1086.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221354202863905010" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnju6zW5Nx3y2GRKLbk1iuj0PcF-Ylnj3fDAyJuPQOV0lK554EPcatLhZgPiWk7Cp-NsboFevwDCi6XyEFC5OY8QSDdZLrJvgCbo4BouviEmcTQi1GHhon_62E1zLOdqFUteVbPfjI-lcW/s1600-h/IMG_1054.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnju6zW5Nx3y2GRKLbk1iuj0PcF-Ylnj3fDAyJuPQOV0lK554EPcatLhZgPiWk7Cp-NsboFevwDCi6XyEFC5OY8QSDdZLrJvgCbo4BouviEmcTQi1GHhon_62E1zLOdqFUteVbPfjI-lcW/s320/IMG_1054.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221353701784002882" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Next stop was Stony Point, a protected African Penguin breeding colony. These guys felt truly protected, and were all over the place with their offspring, making these sounds that gave them their name of Jackass Penguins…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">And in between Rock Hyraxes, also called Dassies, a hungry not so small rodent, and plenty Cormorants, the White Breasted and the Cape Cormorant.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">A real fun noisy and smelly place, and those penguins did not miss one photo-op!</span></p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSByDVdFcRXNy7UOIEJmknJit7XBsj4yw_6QKFDngu-upeJRyOxqKbZUzxCKNHy7b3krDtFUWwmk-Il_O7uehQsgGaGZwk1wppO95t8SSRzHoSeUO2xcyt4kz2-89rh1hC6sSYlU71ztmN/s1600-h/IMG_1194.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSByDVdFcRXNy7UOIEJmknJit7XBsj4yw_6QKFDngu-upeJRyOxqKbZUzxCKNHy7b3krDtFUWwmk-Il_O7uehQsgGaGZwk1wppO95t8SSRzHoSeUO2xcyt4kz2-89rh1hC6sSYlU71ztmN/s320/IMG_1194.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221353175659034770" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA83Xda3HMb8KdagQrBhU1mpIsaoEm-uAPfEuTwLj8PEnGB7up55qoU7U8EMRtc_QopRrVW2Vf6EKw1dSzEYMCyUqVx0qdgNRbnoRreZeajzPvpvxWNyIEpsx05TZoOB-ZWpKVsEaWsCiy/s1600-h/IMG_1207.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA83Xda3HMb8KdagQrBhU1mpIsaoEm-uAPfEuTwLj8PEnGB7up55qoU7U8EMRtc_QopRrVW2Vf6EKw1dSzEYMCyUqVx0qdgNRbnoRreZeajzPvpvxWNyIEpsx05TZoOB-ZWpKVsEaWsCiy/s320/IMG_1207.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221352667874192642" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5EQGkprCe9G53tXC02GwgJmOt3pJgDJe9DONEy9W41SiiS49GtzkQNTIlF9ciEOpW4ZOTFZUq3jdQ3A3XLk3i6I2an2rB_vCnNBkFeBY6G5HpOHwbBq1KmMe_FBem75apKDtgTBsIcGU/s1600-h/IMG_1213.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5EQGkprCe9G53tXC02GwgJmOt3pJgDJe9DONEy9W41SiiS49GtzkQNTIlF9ciEOpW4ZOTFZUq3jdQ3A3XLk3i6I2an2rB_vCnNBkFeBY6G5HpOHwbBq1KmMe_FBem75apKDtgTBsIcGU/s320/IMG_1213.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221352410494212242" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClSHa9vjHbr23-f4NGfy-e2aC9abW4RhHChHFqM7UXQfqSHHmcoL8u6lqZ0ILtTTuV20-qy0gnHFKdihyhFeT3tH03bUZPf2KxIb_FRghoT5ugkVHiBxazztRqShw64Kz3Tt3UJuXBLaE/s1600-h/IMG_1227.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClSHa9vjHbr23-f4NGfy-e2aC9abW4RhHChHFqM7UXQfqSHHmcoL8u6lqZ0ILtTTuV20-qy0gnHFKdihyhFeT3tH03bUZPf2KxIb_FRghoT5ugkVHiBxazztRqShw64Kz3Tt3UJuXBLaE/s320/IMG_1227.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221351621691227794" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">From there a real classic, scenic coastal road leads to Gordon’s Bay, which has a marina with quite a few little food places, another place for that mental </span><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;"><span>Ö</span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> note…</span></span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I bypassed Strand, which at least from the distance looked totally unappealing with it’s ugly hotel and apartment towers, and took N2 to where it branches into R310 and goes back to hugging the coast until Muizenberg. Large dunes that are covered with these solid plant cushions stretch along to your left, a lot of them protected areas, it looks almost artificial. Especially because to the right are the Cape Flats, home to the immense Townships of Macassar, Harare and Khayelitsha, shags and (much less) tiny one-room houses as far as the eye reaches.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I ended this great trip by treating myself to a fancy dinner at ‘Restaurant Paradiso’ in Cape Town. Soupe au poisson, and Ostrich Bobotie. Yeah! Life is good</span></p></span></div></div></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-74390215814321942142008-07-03T14:51:00.007+00:002009-03-30T15:58:02.453+00:00Cycads, Strelitzias and Clivias<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><b>Cycads, Strelitzias and Clivias</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">This morning I met up with Phakamani Xaba, who is in charge of the ‘Dell’, the central section in the garden containing the Cycad/Gymnosperm collection, the Useful Plant Garden, and the Pelargonium Collection. He also oversees the collections in the Nursery for all Cycads, Strelitzias and Clivias. I accompanied him walking the garden for a few hours, and watering the Cycad seedlings, listening to a huge amount of info I am still processing.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">For the next two weeks I will be working with him and Diky, a guy working at Kirstenbosch since 30 years (!) and taking care of the cycads since almost as long. What a source of experience I will have the chance to tap into!</span></p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDs7pR4URgrZycxcnQl2A4SEzSHif3PS61EP-RfH7PhakusMcoAXdMQ7vvk3PzUmqZVdWNjnWZbbTnJ5oKQIUmaNACnaMxoYMpz9BXz0WwZX8FsLx2brmgHDmA6okS0hhkMrZvLfaC-stD/s1600-h/IMG_0780.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDs7pR4URgrZycxcnQl2A4SEzSHif3PS61EP-RfH7PhakusMcoAXdMQ7vvk3PzUmqZVdWNjnWZbbTnJ5oKQIUmaNACnaMxoYMpz9BXz0WwZX8FsLx2brmgHDmA6okS0hhkMrZvLfaC-stD/s320/IMG_0780.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218804364184929362" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This is Diky with a female <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Encephalartos sp.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">We will be doing pollen collection, hand fertilizing, and doing general repotting and caring. A special project Phakamani is doing is aimed at establishing the cause of low seed germination rates (less than 10 percent) in <i>Encephalartos latrifrons</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> and developing methods to improve its germination rate. <i>E. latifrons </i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">is a threatened species occurring in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, and <i>E. latifrons</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> <i>ex situ</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> has been cultivated in the living plants collection since 1913. Part of my project working with Phakamani for those two weeks will be testing <i>Encephalartos sp.</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> pollen for viability.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">As for the Clivias, mainly <i>Clivia minata</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">,I have to say they don’t do much for me yet. They are a South African plant, but they seem a little like daylilies; a flashy colored drive-by-plant, that hybridizers obsess about when they breed a slightly different shade of orange into the second petal from the left…but I have to be careful, this would not be the first time I undergo plant-conversion, and there are quite a few different species.</span></p></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3V7pmmqA1_sYDDTRpLp6D18LDjJhX_uYKB4pAtDpV1nujTva3Bf6r2de_l7MjMGwS2n2bFHeFr7rh0P8ur9eN21Bnn33ek7hdBDfsrwniorC3h7QSD1fFsorDRO1gVPIaPNz6SM5A-KhD/s320/IMG_0863.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218803291843540866" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Strelitzia reginae</span> Srelitziaceae</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">In contrast, I can see much more in the <i>Strelitzia reginae </i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">breeding efforts done here by Phakamani and Diky. The Strelitzta is the signature plant of Kirstenbosch/SANBI, and the garden has successfully developed, and introduced into the market a yellow (instead of orange) selection, they named ‘Mandelas Gold’ after Nelson Mandela, who visited the Garden a few years back.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Now there are selections being done to develop a very red form, and a dwarf strain. Besides of this, there is research conducted priming the stamens with various potions (sucrose, enzyme solutions,…) to improve fertilization and seed set.</span></p></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRRcjsOtebGIqBvje8k40jtJZKB6yylDeK3gVaEiI_Mhj_m8KTLsEWa1vntH7G2tTCC8knYe3RFpn7F8bkxKrPDxZQ2YyQzQPNRpFl-aYSnnxLfW8FLqgafHWFi6CV76BGtiEYVmEKepQ/s320/IMG_0857.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218803511739313410" /><div style="text-align: center;">open Strelitzia pollen sacs with pollen, the stigma partially visible on the left</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">In the afternoon 4 of us went out with a van to Grassy Park, an old and established Township (first sign of something like a middle class) in the Cape Flats, where we went to the house of Richard and Brenda, a lovely older couple that called up Phakamani to donate a large cycad growing in their garden for the last 20 years.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsDy3VMdQj8IZD6xlmimM_Sk18kFKRSEtmOg45e2AhORZqbaFvgL8IuYYPlie4qf1cv1QTh5AqOFg8dJXuy5kzW9QsFhrUFul4YdwshuTzQrxo2pGBxZbOdZ5O_hFLpTgdf54gpXm0sij/s1600-h/IMG_0836.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsDy3VMdQj8IZD6xlmimM_Sk18kFKRSEtmOg45e2AhORZqbaFvgL8IuYYPlie4qf1cv1QTh5AqOFg8dJXuy5kzW9QsFhrUFul4YdwshuTzQrxo2pGBxZbOdZ5O_hFLpTgdf54gpXm0sij/s320/IMG_0836.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218803985035308242" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">It turned out to be a male <i>Encephalartos altensteinii </i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">bearing two large cones, shedding pollen all over. We, (mostly the guys, while my job was chatting with the owners, talking about all the international volunteers they housed over the years among other things) cut off all the leaves and the cones, and dug the thing out, removing almost all of a extensive root system! No ball & burlapping needed, these cycads take transplanting very well, and you can leave them ‘naked’ like that for over a week, before replanting, without a problem. Envision the massive underground trunk, ca. 2 feet deep, and about 1 ½ foot in diameter, and add about the same mass for the above ground trunk. When you consider this is a plant that stores large amounts of water, just imagine what the beast weighted in the end!!</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">There is a recent pest problem in the Cycad collection outside, some borer attacks the crown of some of these very old (several hundred years!) specimen. This mainly happens when there is too much moisture, which weakens the plant. Then these insects bore right in, resulting in a very fast rotting of the crown, it getting all soft, and only noticeable when the cycad drops all of its still green leaves within days, and dies. They have adopted a regiment of removing all dead tissue down to the ground or main stem, and paint the wounds with a tree sealant. They also spray the crowns and stems very regularly with some insecticide, and hope that no more of these hardly replaceable cycads will fall to prone to that pest. Eliminating the irrigation in this section, and not planting water-loving plants between the cycads, might be the most important measure taken, as this pest only takes advantage of an already weak plant.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDT-st5ZMdgQwjhDGpFvDdbN8XQRAd9DA9K9cKiopVVriUj3MjKhyphenhyphenzPHwsR9QNYyfPfe0N5axKyU_fYxJziFV-I2jfADzYafQdP6OmYNfFmfKmbttH0to_fVt56h0Vtq26liNIAFPiEgqL/s1600-h/IMG_0924.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDT-st5ZMdgQwjhDGpFvDdbN8XQRAd9DA9K9cKiopVVriUj3MjKhyphenhyphenzPHwsR9QNYyfPfe0N5axKyU_fYxJziFV-I2jfADzYafQdP6OmYNfFmfKmbttH0to_fVt56h0Vtq26liNIAFPiEgqL/s320/IMG_0924.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218802973421268498" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Leaflet arrangement in <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Encephalartos horridu</span>s - a very appropriate name!<br /></div></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-77832886301773015732008-07-02T17:27:00.010+00:002009-03-30T15:58:30.748+00:00Hike up Table Mountain<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: bold; font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">Hike up Table Mountain</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgc2egyMB7dL4L8tw77BKUzuaaX6bUNhvVqnfWu9zihmRDrr-b1z2pN-pX-eJc_1GXf_Xu_XJ50KjigufGe0ppWLTqf_pzWtcqYdpFOeYFzCqeyStPFtNv3h5HF1Fy4IOleqRGVoKMYmNI/s1600-h/IMG_0723.JPG"><br /></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgc2egyMB7dL4L8tw77BKUzuaaX6bUNhvVqnfWu9zihmRDrr-b1z2pN-pX-eJc_1GXf_Xu_XJ50KjigufGe0ppWLTqf_pzWtcqYdpFOeYFzCqeyStPFtNv3h5HF1Fy4IOleqRGVoKMYmNI/s1600-h/IMG_0723.JPG"><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgc2egyMB7dL4L8tw77BKUzuaaX6bUNhvVqnfWu9zihmRDrr-b1z2pN-pX-eJc_1GXf_Xu_XJ50KjigufGe0ppWLTqf_pzWtcqYdpFOeYFzCqeyStPFtNv3h5HF1Fy4IOleqRGVoKMYmNI/s320/IMG_0723.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218476443492767138" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;">Sunrise over Cape Town</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">On the Internet I found this group of hikers, that invited me to come along on a hike on Sunday morning. We met up on the parking lot on Kloofnec at 7.45 am, right after the turn off to the Cable Car going up Table Mountain, which I found perfectly in my new wheels, and as a matter of fact it took me only 15min from Kirstenbosch. Distances aren’t very great here, as long as you have a car, otherwise this would have easily taken me anywhere from 1 – 1 1/2 hours!</span></span><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHN8HH63f1PMruT3ThBCLVQ9CoJl12e3ocT7xRNfhLEXSUQn-uWWl7RUUgIr_EXrlQlI2qA4sg1GYhDtimwGGEhu085o5r6cSQgqYCb4YbqvE6U9HwEuBkXTBOi62EzjxGeMEJvraCmwP/s1600-h/IMG_0739.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHN8HH63f1PMruT3ThBCLVQ9CoJl12e3ocT7xRNfhLEXSUQn-uWWl7RUUgIr_EXrlQlI2qA4sg1GYhDtimwGGEhu085o5r6cSQgqYCb4YbqvE6U9HwEuBkXTBOi62EzjxGeMEJvraCmwP/s320/IMG_0739.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218475758863226946" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">A lively group of about 8 over 50 year olds was meeting there, and we carpooled from there to Camps Bay. One of them turned out to be a Rucksack Deutscher (=second generation German) from Namibia, and another guy was a true ‘Biederman’ from Mainz/Germany, a Math and IT teacher at the Cape Town German School, where he is with family for a 8-year contract. One of the women was a really bitchy maniac, and another kept mentioning a recent trip to Dubai, and her brother who is currently in Tokyo for the G-8 meeting (!!). Not really my kind of people under normal circumstances, but maybe therefore even more interesting to listen in to their stories and comments relating to this place and the people.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6-hYUoDYDl5L27KV-E79Z9qli5vQugdWmg7z3fQaemezf7cS9yIuxzkGJ4w6Gbsi3I32LNKrPkaOYgoBcORobesHsZIhCayIPmkkU_YDdmIHYa3doI_22bXrp94qjXWLcV2gACdLIOKt/s1600-h/IMG_0742.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6-hYUoDYDl5L27KV-E79Z9qli5vQugdWmg7z3fQaemezf7cS9yIuxzkGJ4w6Gbsi3I32LNKrPkaOYgoBcORobesHsZIhCayIPmkkU_YDdmIHYa3doI_22bXrp94qjXWLcV2gACdLIOKt/s320/IMG_0742.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218474189594240898" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">There are a <u>lot</u> of trails on this mountain, so I can’t tell you which one exactly we took. They started out with quite a fast pace which should have tipped me off right away, but instead of slowing into a more reasonable speed when we got to the very steep climb, they just kept running even faster! It turned out they were a bunch of exercise maniacs that wanted to be back down for a late breakfast!! Well, that was not exactly what I had in mind, especially on a gorges day like this, and in this absolute fantastic landscape with mind blowing incredible views. Plus I am in good shape, but not like <i>this</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">. It was very cold and super windy up on the plateau (I saw some ice!), but if one would have wanted to, you could have found a spot to rest and really take it all in. So I did what I could keeping up with them, and basically made lots of mental notes of things to come back to and look at again another day.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLOyL6EpIcXhvTsQ2eWyfx777HY64Zh8dcrF8UtFs457Spkov9buM0jMsH8u4syeLSv40Vz9NBDpijraLxRgjPi96Vj525nrowQBKUAQOHdRqKCIRJpMprmL637QIfsVMuig8_05dIT7m/s1600-h/IMG_0753.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLOyL6EpIcXhvTsQ2eWyfx777HY64Zh8dcrF8UtFs457Spkov9buM0jMsH8u4syeLSv40Vz9NBDpijraLxRgjPi96Vj525nrowQBKUAQOHdRqKCIRJpMprmL637QIfsVMuig8_05dIT7m/s320/IMG_0753.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218474001630658114" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">But it is fun to go out and test what I have absorbed of the flora so far – actually more then I thought! And to see all these Proteas growing on these steep rocky slopes...and everybody is talking about the colors coming soon in spring (starting August), really feeds into the expectations.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGbSMPYqCWY5bQ0JDAJ-kQvsJm66i76POF_TDJ19KIqRulUDVZg_gjhCkRwS-PwCMgJXp2CIbAVi3Za3yp_u3hQ_DdCOXq0Enu9TKWpFLZJ7X1V7u9So8jKqaoejdOUxSfJfHMSbDcxtHO/s1600-h/IMG_0736.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGbSMPYqCWY5bQ0JDAJ-kQvsJm66i76POF_TDJ19KIqRulUDVZg_gjhCkRwS-PwCMgJXp2CIbAVi3Za3yp_u3hQ_DdCOXq0Enu9TKWpFLZJ7X1V7u9So8jKqaoejdOUxSfJfHMSbDcxtHO/s320/IMG_0736.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218473319070189810" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">Rest of the day I enjoyed zapping around town, and explored some more of the coast.</span><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-60181404053357247372008-06-29T12:56:00.010+00:002009-03-30T15:59:06.415+00:00Freedom! Hurray!! I Have a Car!!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><b>Freedom! Hurray!! I have a car!!!</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">This is the new Cape experience, since yesterday I am the proud renter of a VW Golf Chico, about 20 years old, with a pretty nasty smell, but running! And despite my anxiety driving and shifting on the freaking other side, it turned out half as bad.</span></p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaj18L0-wHZPTwWTbJJ48qZLF976eXkkwgjMSL8ZCmYk3rp70T4RCO2q1avTrNl7OLSo0QSmicwGkIYwkdNt81TnuuhSYn5SOCovhBfCzWyPPH3diGMRf-mA4gHS4OI-LvSyqx70T0Kq9K/s320/IMG_0705.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217293180775358706" /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">First thing I took a little round trip: right turn at Kirstenbosch exit, cutting through Table Mountain, to Hout Bay. The sun was out between clouds, lighting up the mountains and the harbor at a low afternoon angle. I got out of my stinky car at a little fish-shag at the end of the commercial harbor where more and ‘different’ aromas engulfed me, a mixture of fish processing factory and town sewage.</span></p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KCdAanTqCQVaeGmfOuYSUKsYqV4eHN3e-54f4XfjalbN6n4TxZpSztefBHuQbG7v4Hm2c2337Hyvxag7GQJYNQWGJbhsdNIhkzn1xKMe0HGtUUQXfofRxnM1PF6ZeXQu63nGpyzzojQp/s320/IMG_0706.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217300336567074482" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">SA has given me quite strong olfactive impressions already, some like the fynbos (honey sweet mixed with spicy herbs) are really wonderful, and then the others, one does not even want to describe.</span></p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJ59_Ln24fYcQ-1ru63qptJ3U0_Rfzx5xuAALfFkVm4pN3-5de29c9q6XUeSfaao9T41_nXaOnNHPErVzH-4mJiXEAZqmIV6VmLoRWlCip9066jd2sHX-n2LOJyUZLdXDVj1XXI5wn0Dk/s1600-h/IMG_0716.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJ59_Ln24fYcQ-1ru63qptJ3U0_Rfzx5xuAALfFkVm4pN3-5de29c9q6XUeSfaao9T41_nXaOnNHPErVzH-4mJiXEAZqmIV6VmLoRWlCip9066jd2sHX-n2LOJyUZLdXDVj1XXI5wn0Dk/s320/IMG_0716.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217289489088102690" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">From there, north along the tall cliffs of the Atlantic – YES – this is what they mean by spectacular! I stopped at a little outlook, and I could have sworn I did see some whales, blowing and all, but me idiot did leave the binoculars at the cottage, so no confirmation of what I saw.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJOagSaaaSa6Wv9tSl8Jo7gmUGcIAML0p3IZ8GNpIUQXIMYHziVZ9vV8Upb3JJ7lEdaPW3dNd9LoI-StS-tl2BROKQ2LBgkSIbdrTU0sW_8dwy4aZ1zzZNl98FyPI7X-jK1ltyOh3z1FI/s1600-h/IMG_0719.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJOagSaaaSa6Wv9tSl8Jo7gmUGcIAML0p3IZ8GNpIUQXIMYHziVZ9vV8Upb3JJ7lEdaPW3dNd9LoI-StS-tl2BROKQ2LBgkSIbdrTU0sW_8dwy4aZ1zzZNl98FyPI7X-jK1ltyOh3z1FI/s320/IMG_0719.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217289207669236322" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">At Camps Bay, across from the beach, a little strip of some very chic cafes and bars offering great sunset views; I will definitely go back there for a ‘sundowner’.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">With the row of Palm trees and the way people dress and behave this could be anywhere in Florida.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Coming closer to the city again, one might as well drive along the French Riviera.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Architecture from beautiful contemporary to horrendous Mac mansions, mostly white structures glued to the steep coast, and all of it very exclusive. I have to admit I wouldn’t mind enjoying these views through the panorama windows of my living room, steched out on a large sofa with a comfy little fire in the chimney behind…</span></p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Then shopping at Victoria Warf, a nondescript (0-8-15) mall that could be found anywhere, where I bought me a new pillow so I wont dream of things living below my face, and a salad bowl, so I don’t have to make salad on little dishes in several batches. I am trying not to buy much and stick to the basics, but easier said then done with those 41/2 dishes, 2 forks and 1 knife found in the cottage kitchen. I might sound really old now, but I could not live with ‘young’ folks like that for any longer time. Their culinary sense of elegance moves between KFC and a particular pizza joint in Clairmont. Brrrrrrrr.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0vWY6YQIl6210r6L1aOIWQm2WhIXyo7uScr5xPzENYvJMlApCHMUzx40mal5XGcCrzSEYIku2azLil3DERWGkao5VOCehgwyvua6fhX_zkR_aDqn8hwLvAWFiJ8QptQofORLyopTftc6/s320/IMG_0661.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217288659192253010" /></span></p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Last week I went with Trevor Adams, who is my supervisor, to Rondebosch Commens, a large open area in this rather affluent suburb, where there is an initiative to rehabilitate the flora from grasses back to indigenous plants.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">You see a previously prepared site, where volunteers, Trevor and I planted small plants that where raised at Kirstenbosch from cuttings taken right here.</span></p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETxNsDC6gpNwYYwBPs85JxODBtNsbiLZr_I9sCvi-o8dFfSpNVQBiRmWeEJmuj0a9xQ6N_fcvP8yqbeA6vJuk-1H-h2mpMXVcMZrbLgkuAaNjNut_XDHm5A5tzsVliaYiSRgrQ9UZD8wr/s1600-h/IMG_0658.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETxNsDC6gpNwYYwBPs85JxODBtNsbiLZr_I9sCvi-o8dFfSpNVQBiRmWeEJmuj0a9xQ6N_fcvP8yqbeA6vJuk-1H-h2mpMXVcMZrbLgkuAaNjNut_XDHm5A5tzsVliaYiSRgrQ9UZD8wr/s320/IMG_0658.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217288387528153218" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Some sections were already showing a mix of beautiful wildflowers, this is a rather common <i></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><i> Oxalis purpurea, </i>Oxalidaceae</span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuofDjM6pQpey1I2P0LtvEHyo7r51hXziV-V1xbEgwlVp5ABe_ASogiC9V6AfpBC1jtSOYBEDQIvj9fToOzJi8vWEc62a9E9tux6n0LE7o4RQZmMj3XW42cOQGH-SiNPDApoHX0SVxzBCK/s1600-h/IMG_0662.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuofDjM6pQpey1I2P0LtvEHyo7r51hXziV-V1xbEgwlVp5ABe_ASogiC9V6AfpBC1jtSOYBEDQIvj9fToOzJi8vWEc62a9E9tux6n0LE7o4RQZmMj3XW42cOQGH-SiNPDApoHX0SVxzBCK/s320/IMG_0662.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217287999166465042" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">On Friday Andrew Jacobs, the brother of Clive the propagation foreman, gave me a small tour through parts of the garden I had not seen yet. A huge and very neat compost facility and the cut flower section, with mostly Proteas. They used to produce a lot for sale, but this is being faded out. There are still some, and this is the flower of the </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">King Protea, <i>Protea cynaroides.</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2x8vy3IRTvImrvj4btBD7Jk30ClBIvTIzHBdjp1-9BVKHCgA_rZi8Vcbd56fD4dm6qKCpR2kM1ce775s0cBx8IUCbWCuwCPL98XnHI9U6KJjtPPNWkFNKbqHgXNHzkrt06MEOXg2Nd6YF/s1600-h/IMG_0697.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2x8vy3IRTvImrvj4btBD7Jk30ClBIvTIzHBdjp1-9BVKHCgA_rZi8Vcbd56fD4dm6qKCpR2kM1ce775s0cBx8IUCbWCuwCPL98XnHI9U6KJjtPPNWkFNKbqHgXNHzkrt06MEOXg2Nd6YF/s320/IMG_0697.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217287616011219986" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">It is incredible what the black Africans have to say about Apartheid. Andrew spent most of his life under conditions a modern person of the 20<sup>th</sup> century can hardly realize as real. He told me that he dared to look a white person in the eyes only 14 years ago. And he related the biggest unjust of the system to the severe restriction of education, making me think he was also talking about his own life and the huge loss of potential, and the things he might have been able to accomplish if not for people who seriously think that black Africans have small brains and therefore lack capacity for learning. ! .<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">(Didn’t they say that about women too?)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">WHAT WERE THEY THINKING? What are they thinking now? Everybody acknowledges things have changed, but it does not feel like there is much justice happening yet. Everywhere I look I see the same pattern; white sitting – black standing, white driving – black walking, white supervising – black working, white eating – black serving, e.t.c.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">And then, to mirror the attitude towards women, I read yesterday in a Cape Town news paper about a survey done here, where 36% of people questioned said, a woman wearing a mini skirt being raped, was asking for it…<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div></span></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-36345999513370740482008-06-25T15:00:00.011+00:002009-03-30T15:59:30.604+00:00Cape Town City Bowl<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: bold; font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">Cape Town City Bowl</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkV2fUAH0GRE_AlRzypKXzhC-gUu5Nhm-aexu8od7sjnMYGC5q1v-CVOhnDtOTkBAwR1ZTji7oU5tQ1l_CtOStdViDyjBh8dNVzDJB-GdP2k7OVQD9xIbtxVe0S808biEr0XMSiDdKGPOO/s320/IMG_0630.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215834829386544466" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Sunday I finally went into town just to stroll around and explore.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Sounds easier said then done. First I had to get a good map of the complete city, because people seem to be utterly unable to give comprehensive directions and not only because they tell you to turn left or right at the robot (which is a traffic light…!?!)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">So - well equipped, missing only a handheld GPS – I found the miserable suburb center of Clairmont, first walking for about 40 minutes through a really rich neighborhood (think Westchester) with very tall walls around the properties, crowned without fail by several lines of electric fencing in different arrangements.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">As the train for town had just left (they only come every hour or so), I proceeded to the Main Road to find me one of those Mini Van Taxis, where you cram into tiny seats two per, and the conductor-guy never stops his screaming, announcing the route and searching for more passengers, right over the driver’s continuous honking. 40 minutes later when we got to the final stop, the Mini Van Taxi Terminal, I had almost got used to it. This is also the train station and Bus terminal and like everywhere in the world not really a place to linger and enjoy the vistas.</span></p></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl_1-xCEZARnykRg07ce6mAzaAJgIW4GbwqpQV7lijS-n8V6182fV879xa5D7MyaJlyrr_j3Iy03UgBAe-n05v5aiPE2KFODzrmaV6UU8Hi96lboEvu9ZdcBslk8XVeDMrVAURvCl7wILs/s320/IMG_0636.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215836020849130866" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I had one specific destination in mind, that was the Vespa Café, I place I had found on the internet, with a fabulous website advertising a Tapas Bar and Vespa Rental (!) on Kloof Street. But first I had to make my way through a lifeless downtown where large banks, 8-story parking buildings and dark office towers eerily reminded me of Cleveland/Ohio on a Sunday afternoon some years ago. Then I viewed a huge Queen Victoria monument, and figured I now reached older parts of town, not quite first Dutch settlement, but surely colonial.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">The choices of people they have places named after and monuments build for, is altogether politically quite incorrect (e.g. Cecil Rhodes) if you ask me, even if they throw in an occasional Mandela.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">So I strolled down Government Lane along the Company’s Gardens, a park like pedestrian road, enjoying a pretty dead place save for the occasional tourist taking a picture. Well if there was any life in this place I had not found it yet. So onto direction of Kloof, which turned out to be a short stretch of another quiet street, but with a few cafes and restaurants of the ‘younger’ kind.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I finally found my Café Vespa where I had planned for a delicious cappuccino, only to find it ‘temporarily closed – opening soon under new management’. Bummer! So I choose another place called ‘Arnolds’, where at 3pm a lively crowd of youngsters and not so young ones were busy eating of the breakfast menu, and drinking beers. I started to have a real provincial experience, being reminded of places like Wasserburg, or Nuernberg at best (I am talking about small towns of maybe a couple of hundred thousand people), and actually realizing that despite its fame Cape Town is a rather sleepy small place (the huge and sprawling Townships in the Cape Flats <u>not</u> included).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Later on I found a few hipper and more stylish cafes, which I will definitely go back to, but not particularly for the happening crowd, but rather the free WIFI they offer. Long Street seems to have the most bars and restaurants – I will investigate.</span></p></span></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEindStzK408cw8Dvsa4xk4FynGPj0cjLk7gtkBGp2S_2fIECY18ZhlH1ssryA9INdx5w8XP4fTBJRzycrTcUk7_gqXA166njWYr2vP1oiUrliKkils85SX3UGXwsSgRG0RfgGcMQIfZiynb/s1600-h/IMG_0638.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEindStzK408cw8Dvsa4xk4FynGPj0cjLk7gtkBGp2S_2fIECY18ZhlH1ssryA9INdx5w8XP4fTBJRzycrTcUk7_gqXA166njWYr2vP1oiUrliKkils85SX3UGXwsSgRG0RfgGcMQIfZiynb/s320/IMG_0638.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215836203409034482" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Around 6.30pm I set out back to the terminal to find me a Mini Van Taxi again, as I did not have enough cash on me to take a actual cab, which is rather expensive going all the way to Kirstenbosch. Then in Rondebosch (one suburbial neighborhood over from the Garden) I called to have one of the Garden’s drivers on stand-by pick me up at the BP gas station. After waiting for an hour and a half he finally came and told me that contrary to what I had understood, this only worked for weekday grocery shopping arrangements.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">So, I am biting the sour apple (or whatever it’s called) and will look for my own car on Friday. Renting or even buying, there seems to be no alternative at all if I don’t want to start rotting in this place as I am already suffering from serious cabin fewer!</span></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">On the botanical/horticultural side I am learning every day. Working in Plant Propagation is rather back breaking as they do a lot of lifting and schlepping by hand, and I have to admit I am quite softened up since my heydays of construction work, and getting rather too old to do this 8 hours a day. Luckily the weather has improved the last few days, once the sun is out the setting of the place and the different lights are beautiful.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">And I do find time to look at the plants, and start to make a little more sense of the Proteas, Ericas, Restios and the rest of the Fynbos plants.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Today I learned all about the techniques that they apply, smoking the seed, to induce better germination in those plants. Fascinating! And the different recipes for the soils, general mix and Fynbos mix, both with highly acidic PH around 5-6, with the Fynbos mix being very nutrient poor devoid of any compost.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">That whole Fynbos business actually makes me think a lot of the Pine Barrens – there are definitely parallels to be drawn between those two biomes.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Then we looked at all the different Cape Reed (Restionaceae) seeds, how to distinguish male from female plants, how and when to collect seeds, and general cultivation differences (some like it rather xeric – others grow in and beside streams).</span></p></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBH9iNj0QNdv5OEtkB2pIEMiKKaQNGVq5wogonexXgZKEA6NiIurH3wQkjNrnW1NvfH1HITdrU8m5a68c1FCZ0bR-Hp_UcSYyIpolW4OsPEDiyj7CpBgvP9atGdxNday7DO48FlrynnXE/s1600-h/IMG_0647.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBH9iNj0QNdv5OEtkB2pIEMiKKaQNGVq5wogonexXgZKEA6NiIurH3wQkjNrnW1NvfH1HITdrU8m5a68c1FCZ0bR-Hp_UcSYyIpolW4OsPEDiyj7CpBgvP9atGdxNday7DO48FlrynnXE/s320/IMG_0647.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215835780840038802" /></a><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;">This is the nursery with Table Mountain supplying a very handsome background!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPU1QKBAD4Q5JZ8Bs5MDrCq8_AgusCSkmd35n2d0qrJH9GOrSj_0jmrEFp6tKBzthAI2HSAcXScJyyL_rd1IG_L-gsa5QiSu_y89bB7wJmdTdiDslmiRcf66U4f1d2oacDOtqygVnDOsk/s320/IMG_0641.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215835492152877890" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;">…and then I come across these tiny beauties you really have to get very close to with your Lupe to enjoy fully. It was labeled as <i>Syncolostemon densiflorus, </i>Lamiaceae, but I kind of question this. It is cushion forming, and I don't know it's flower.</span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>O.K. Mystery solved - it is <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Cotula hispida </span>Asteraceae, and so far I have not found out where it is from...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-42777679191735327162008-06-21T15:25:00.004+00:002009-03-30T16:02:35.838+00:00Wildlife!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Wildlife!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Ok, I am hitting a low point here.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Last night I woke several times with something biting me all over!! And there are no mosquitoes here, so, I have some company in my bed of either fleas or even bedbugs!!!!! This is really it – I tried my best to ignore the bathroom situation, actually getting pretty good in no-touch-anything shower acrobatics, but this is intolerable! I started to pull everything out of my room into the yard, took all the linnens and clothes I was wearing, and stuffed them into the little washing machine in the kitchen, only to discover that the machine too was so dirty, there were colorful things growing inside!!!! How can people live like this? So 40 min of cleaning out junks of black and green you-don’t-want-to-know-what, I finally started my laundry. At that point I could not stop anymore, and really wanted to clean at least my room, all the time thinking that Augustine told me I would be moving in 2 weeks (this is info as of yesterday), and would I have to start all over again in another cottage?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">But there isn’t even a bucket around, so I went to the cottage that’s under renovation, stole an empty paint bucket, and started to clean that. Next I had to improvise with the cleaner, using laundry soap instead, and started to wash down the mold from the bathroom door and walls, hoping to improve the smell, so one does not have to gag taking a pee, not really getting into scrubbing the grime of the tiles…there is only so much one can do…..<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Then on to my room: Pulled out the whole wooden bed frame, and hosed it down in the yard, washed down all the walls, door and furniture, and mobbed the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I don’t know what to do with the mattress – really it should be burned - but then what will I sleep on…also the day went away from me, so now it is too late to get to a store to buy some insecticide and bomb the place.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Did I mention I also spend about 2 hours in the kitchen, sh..!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I really do not know what to do about all this. I could look for a room elsewhere, hoping for some more civilized conditions, but how would I get to Kirstenbosch everyday? I would have to look into renting or buying a car – and all this is really not in my budget, and also – I am giving this place 3 month of work for free, something does not add up well here.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">And the weather is really lousy, rain coming down hard all day, and those days are really short! Actually I just realize, this is solstice today, so I am really at the low point, and everything will improve from tomorrow on! Promised!!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Work at the plant propagation is not so bad, as the people are really friendly once they warm up to you. There is lots of laughter, most of which I do not know what about as they mostly speak Afrikans, or tribal language, but laughter is a good thing anywhichway. </span></p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHFDvZPkcvkw_5Q11VnEUJmKaFI5sol-9xzpSXOTAz4Y40UK7YoaXRNDZGxILDiFp_LS_C0yfGYNpwiUIOH4fyqXgKFEmIDPKUyDxaw0md2_MQF_bwhSO1HqSPsaDckG1GzN9bfpJBo8d/s320/IMG_0615.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214365500935283490" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I was mostly potting up restios, and doing cuttings the last two days. The restios are the real interesting thing here. In the pictures you see 3-year old, mature <i>Elegia tectorum</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">, ready for sale in about two month.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzU2GBPgMIly9sYtMbShO-RVd5kGEr7_8xqrUhi7puVwVN2lbl-XGSIOzPgq7v15tLZTYfEIXd-nL6vEbAMlPKPVjFED4pmmF5LShsYcu_mRcKwsyhfPua3PjFWoANf_mo08aIMTjfvdmn/s320/IMG_0610.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214365280704611778" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I will tell you more about these cape reeds soon, I am still learning just the basics of this really distinct family of Retionaceae.</span></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-62002171453092884302008-06-20T14:33:00.008+00:002009-03-30T16:03:04.805+00:00Atlantis Dunes Nature Reserve<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><b>Atlantis Dunes Nature Reserve</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tS8PIVRdG66XKGYjX2VS2_1r5ix8LGTFcfgyRPkxyLjtdEWvI4-QtrU9t4vtrCdnDGurLjMAQRM_go5zboVi-jIXoOmGxmIOi4vaV_PD3_rCk0K6vLtwwvafKQyYtPdXF6PgwfzMIwIE/s320/IMG_0595.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213973312660737074" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Just about 30min north of Cape Town, this is a preserve partially developed for recreational use (shooting range, off-road driving!), and groundwater is drawn there for the nearby town of Atlantis. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Seems like Atlantis did not sink after all, but driving through it one might think it maybe should have…(just kidding!)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">The vegetation of these extensive white-sanded dunes is fynbos mixed with some more seashore and pond plants, and quite a few Aliens (a.k.a invasives).</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21Sp30ajMqDNciGFxYTh_wKppBVldiWIMfqluN3Niv_99AIYl7uF2dIBWZ-zWJbvS1P0VFA42KnoZdLCfFvG5iubcsKbYqWFP0tzygCCaLqKUo-bDmk4fqmVa3Ws5WdtpoS_3YIsaZT7F/s320/IMG_0602.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213974146650296178" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Colyledon sp.</span> Crassulaceae dried up inflroresence</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">There was quite a lot of the <i>Metalina muricata</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> that I described before, and lots more that I cannot identify yet. The weather was overcast, and eventually it started to rain again (I start to sympathize with the people in Seattle without ever having been there…)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">An hour of bird watching at two adjacent ponds yielded an impressive variety, which I will list starting with:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">African Fish Eagle (a pair), beautiful! dark brown, black and white</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">African Spoonbill, almost being undetected between two</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Great White Egrets<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Egyptian Geese, with colorful plumage in earth colors<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Black-winged Stilts, black and white on elegant tall red legs<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Cape Shoveler<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Yellow-billed Duck<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Red-billed Teal<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Dabchick (=Little Grebe), all swimming out on the pond<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Red Knobbed Coots, a large flock of ~ 65, this bird I know from Bavaria!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Common Moorhen<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Blacksmith Lapwing, another black & white, in large numbers all over<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">White-breasted Cormorants, quite a bit larger then<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Reed Cormorants<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Grey Heron<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Black-headed Heron, again in a stunning black/white combination<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Cattle Egrets<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Hadeda Ibis, one lonely one.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Well, and this was just what we i.d. on the fly, not even bothering with the smaller birds, and various things flying over (gulls e.t.c).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Tomorrow I am off buying a bird guide to SA! What am I thinking - as a bird lover in this amazing place…!</span></p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYfe2-mdDN5y6M-_ADVEMYic6PtuuHL-gRSkDwjDJaDltMf4whrQpVneHaSYSvzZ9xD3E_lvO6CkN3VxJCmZPAa5i5bm7PNiFotZmHFiuB4VIrXEPmZcOTe832zsmm5wvUqZQTJxIQYVEc/s320/IMG_0603.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213975697313710002" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">There is Thumeka, in the green sweater, with her volunteers on our bird-count.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I got some really encouraging feedback from you guys about my blog – <b>thanks</b></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">! and I have to say I need it, considering what I do here could be considered hard-core blogging. Me, with my laptop, huddling outside the closed main offices, under the eves, in the cold rain, not able to see the keys properly in the dark…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I know - you still don’t feel sorry for me, and I guess you guys are right!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I was also asked why Botany Geek and not Horticulture Geek…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Well, I think of Horticulture as something more practical, less geeky. And my favorite tool lately has been my Lupe and not my secateurs, a.k.a. pruners. (people do speak English here, but use words rather differently or different words altogether)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">By the way, my new favorite travel-gadget: my neoprene computer casing!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I keep discovering new unbelievable practical uses for it when it is without the laptop: it makes a excellent insulating seating pad for hard rocks and wet wooden benches, and I used it filled with a few T-shirts as a pillow for several nights until a got a proper one at the store (which is not a place where you pay for things…this is storage space!).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">And last night I stuck a glass bottle filled with hot water in it, such creating an almost perfect hot-water-bottle! Where will this lead me? Will I be cooking chicken in the microwave in it next week? Could it hold my ashes after I leave this beautiful world? Should I patent this...?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Something I read yesterday thet really spoke to me:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">‘Ndiwelimilambo enamagama’, ‘I have crossed famous rivers’, a saying in the language of the Thembe people of the Transkei.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">It means that one has traveled a great distance, that one has had wide experience and gained some wisdom from it. ( from ‘Nelson Mandela, the Illustrate Long Walk to Freedom’)</span></p></span>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-8270500365108519642008-06-18T15:36:00.004+00:002009-03-30T16:03:31.781+00:00First Actual Day of Work<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">First actual day of work:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">These are the results from my morning meeting with Trevor, who is the Propagation Supervisor together with Augustine, the Estate manager (the estate is the extent of he property minus the cultivated gardens):</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">For starters I will be working in PP (plant propagation) for the first two weeks, which I am told is standard with international students. But then I was asked what my special interests are, so now I am supposed to do a project on cycads in July, and work on succulents in August. The succulents are a very obvious choice being where I am, and after seeing the Conservatory with all the different <span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 102); ">Karoo </span>(dessert) biomes, I am even more intrigued.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">But Cycads are not something I was so hot about before. They are not necessary cute huggy-lovely things, and the way I have seen them grow so far was exclusively in pots, mostly covered by scale – not an impressive sight. But look at those pictures</span></p></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWFwOVKqXJ9offcSyN7TGzaI0M7wmXucp7qNJuCyFjTbLrTCmMD63_cb7L9rXN2GdYen3uNtIc1RO4RBzWlCuEgbnViOXvJ-TJQtcScjmPJR02zM5hw-dLEhwKa5GlyngROWWzyf8PsUc/s320/IMG_0552.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213248224686351618" /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjfrJw77GIKChn3ycRhvbC0pmWeck9T_9W0qKtEKo4jB5sSuUd9Nje-fnuXdgROw5BzIuJa6xOsRpGenBUMSZ3FF7FPHPkl859Wg7gF8qPleTuHVrVr7zSiVfrfxiqapa7xUh2Dfo3CzK/s320/IMG_0548.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213248995857485378" />again, please be patient with the picture quality - still experimenting with my new camera....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj814U8y6rY082v97gi56J5V2lmWcMjPKsjkqklqyPPiMD7x1nfy0nFN9f5hUfPoJTgz83X3i7Ztr6f7_2vgOTB0YfedZfZP0KGVON7pj6gTfQPQk7BDVp4wDvTQqruOYy60RShlsqF6ht_/s1600-h/IMG_0553.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj814U8y6rY082v97gi56J5V2lmWcMjPKsjkqklqyPPiMD7x1nfy0nFN9f5hUfPoJTgz83X3i7Ztr6f7_2vgOTB0YfedZfZP0KGVON7pj6gTfQPQk7BDVp4wDvTQqruOYy60RShlsqF6ht_/s320/IMG_0553.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213248365365156930" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">The cycad garden here, particulary the <i>Encephalartos </i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">species, blow me away! These are impressive plants the size of trees, not indigenous to the cape, but found further east in SA, and they look really great outside in these large groups. Cycads, are for sure interesting as being so distinct from all other plants we know. For starters they belong into the much smaller group of the non-flowering Gymnosperms plants, but they are not easily associated with what most people know as Conifers. Being very old relicts of plant evolution, and often seen as on their way to extinction, I am starting to be very intrigued, not at least because of Susan Pell’s (BBG) enthusiasm for them.<span> </span>So here I am supposed to do a cycad project!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">I also indicated my interest in working in the Herbarium and DNA lab, where there is currently work done on the Phylogeny of the Protaceae family, but they are not that closely linked to Horticulture, and I have to see if they want me there…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Actual work I was doing today was pruning about 400 small plants of <i>Polygala fruticosa</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> – Polygalaceae to encourage branching. This is a purple flowering shrub, exuding a milky sap when pruned. Look up this link if you are interested further, his will lead you to the rather comprehensive Flora of South Africa Website.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> <o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><a href="http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantnop/polygalfrutss.htm">http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantnop/polygalfrutss.htm</a></span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">In the afternoon I worked on <i>Metalasia muricata</i></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span> </span>- Asteraceae (<span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 102); ">or whatever this is now</span>) a rather lovely plant, having the typical tiny ‘fynbos’ leaves with these very attractive white undersides. It looks like a silver-leaved rosemary, with terminal clusters varying in color from common white to pink or purple and is currently blooming all over the garden. Check it out!<span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><a href="http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantklm/metalmuri.htm">http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantklm/metalmuri.htm</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span> <span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span><span> </span>I was repotting those from 2kg bags to 4kg bags, yes you read right, everything is grown in bags (seems to be an economic thing to do), and the sizes go by kilogram (can anybody explain that to me? – the people I asked could not make sense of this to me!)</span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;">Tonight I went with Siya and Thumeka, the two conservationalists, to Harare Township (the biggest around here?) to her sisters house – not for the fainthearted!</span></p></span>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485034872255052187.post-67871332955917669732008-06-14T15:02:00.009+00:002008-06-15T15:53:14.898+00:00What a Transition into my Trip!<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0T8lAjJon555k4JgUKDvqUZfFf2riMxVGSzc-a9yW5bUGAvHThKEBu1-R0eYd_Xi33RT2yAaaLBJhj1HEreYWIc2uh1erkMrC8tHWYeWgSNkJ3MvBsRTbUOxsh-4jxzGGkGkcw0CW7Dh/s320/IMG_0526.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212134605050284818" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4PsmXWCVaPOSJiZ2ptJfkjHSkOn6ASObOUs-TKn7QklmRfAQd-IATjWfoi7cwgvAaUAsADMK9sBzNvr4Uwgm8ewfpP92v-97_ShSjNUTnMrf3srXTftmTW67q4akoyDgDQxJOVoBc-LDA/s1600-h/IMG_0546.JPG"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4PsmXWCVaPOSJiZ2ptJfkjHSkOn6ASObOUs-TKn7QklmRfAQd-IATjWfoi7cwgvAaUAsADMK9sBzNvr4Uwgm8ewfpP92v-97_ShSjNUTnMrf3srXTftmTW67q4akoyDgDQxJOVoBc-LDA/s320/IMG_0546.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212134617064190082" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Geneva;font-size:12px;"><pre style="text-align: left;font: normal normal normal 1em/normal 'Courier New', 'Lucida Sans Typewriter', monospace; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></pre><pre style="text-align: left;font: normal normal normal 1em/normal 'Courier New', 'Lucida Sans Typewriter', monospace; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></pre><pre style="font: normal normal normal 1em/normal 'Courier New', 'Lucida Sans Typewriter', monospace; "><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYSgz9UF7RI6cVVKomejZILTaOhMYvA7zbXebLt8O7gTVShxmWgsIQikVBdcvP06lL6Lhl7B8q14yxGafxiZ5wKohsOLbu63xv5JCTkNlpUFoIEC8LEg9dcijMQaWa_4OTPAIbAz5lquM/s320/IMG_0571.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212134620673995954" /><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUSbRmj0gehiUldTbG8W9s9VDCIBArAGmC2tj3SP_VW4niwvrsejnQDSmvcmMtYzarXtKErY7c6SLmqLdnEns9-0AsfdVoVbe5Sm-JcrfzGp6MYKiTolJTygfHYPWquTAXOzPpA5uRAVrV/s320/porthole.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212124537689529170" /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Dear friends,</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">this is my first try at this blogery, so please bare with me - </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">I know there are a few kinks I need to work on!!!</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">These last days before leaving have been wild to say the least.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Thanks to Carolina and her wonderful old lady (a.k.a. Mary Whalen)</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">I rocked gently through my last nights before getting the approval </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">to become American citizen. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">And just to balance my karma I left the very next day for my </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">3-month stint in Kirstenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">I arrived late Thursday night after an endless flight, and there</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">were three lovely people</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">to pick me up after all!!! </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Except that my luggage did not make it all the way and </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">and</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">got stuck in Jo-berg, because nobody told me that I should have taken it there </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">through customs, and checked it back in(??).</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">But all ended well when I got it today around noon, and I finally took a shower </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">(first since Wednesday morning), ate, and now also found me some wireless to do </span></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">my mail. This place is quite beautiful, and the people rather lovely. The lack-of-communication</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">issue is now explained</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">by one of the women in charge being on maternity leave, </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">and the other, Felicity, having a very sick husband, who sadly died last night! </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">My quarters are very basic, and the bathroom I share with two others (!MEN!)I won't</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">describe to you for lack of unrated words, but I am supposed to be moving this weekend, </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">and share with two women then - it can only get better!! Monday is a holyday, so I will start to </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">work seriously on Tuesday, when they will also make up some work-program for me. </span></span></span></div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7qgUOtCkPz-C7WIntGorOqVpyHmsq36yjhIoMTpZLOuUc2O2Sxvix2Yx9ZetcLx-hkg0Dkk1bTihbDpos62meQrcIhNhpPrmgL7q_aBZuHYbnq0Gnh4aC7ubdw5jC7j4Kqa0reWHaAYa/s320/IMG_0591.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212134629435746658" /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">There is a lab here where they do work on Proteas, trying to figure out the phylogeny of the family,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> I will see if i can stick my head into there for a minute! </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Now I have to go food shopping, so I can cook me a decent non-airplane dinner, and </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">tomorrow I will start exploring town and mountains....</span></span></span></div></div></span></pre><pre style="font: normal normal normal 1em/normal 'Courier New', 'Lucida Sans Typewriter', monospace; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); white-space: normal; font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">6-15-08</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Yesterday was really nice weather, and after morning tea I went for a long walk up Table Mountain and around the Garden. The landscaped part of it blends right into the larger part, which is restored Fynbos and Afromontane Forest.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Afromontane Forest is found in only 0.5% of all southern Africa, and occurs here in Kirstenbosch on the upper south-facing slopes and in the steep ravines going up Table Mountain, due to the high rainfall. The famed diversity started to hit me slowly with the variety of endemic trees: </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Podocarpus latifolius </span></span></i></span><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">(Real Yellowwood)</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">, Olinia ventosa-Oliniaceae </span></span></i></span><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">(Hard Pear)</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">, Rapaneae melanophloeos </span></span></i></span><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">(Cape Beach),</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></i></span><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">just to start naming a few….</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">It was very quiet up on those paths, I met only a handful of people, and the views toward the city felt very distant. Coming back down one gets into the Fynbos (meaning small bush), which is characterized by small leaved and flowered plants, like Restios, Ericas, Proteas and Geophytes. Here the diversity and strangeness really becomes quite overwhelming, and with all the colourful and really exotic birds on top I barely moved more then a yard a minute.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">As I mentioned the landscaped part starts very gradually and is also very extensive. It is divided up into a good dozen different areas, like a Fragrance Garden, Useful Plants Garden, Protea Garden, Sculpture Garden, e.t.c.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">separated by extensive lawns on which groups of young girls, couples and families where sitting on blankets with food, drink and even radios. In between flocks of Helmeted Guinea fowl ran around. There is also lots of water everywhere, small streams and little ponds interweaving through the beds, lawns and paths, and the Cycad area finally knocked me out completely, and I went back to the cottage for a late lunch.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">On Friday I had figured out the Internet situation, there was a student room in the building of the garden office with a few computers, but this was accessible only during office hours – bummer. But they do have wireless there too, and I can sit outside on a bench with fabulous views, looking down towards the city with the mountain to my left. Not a bad solution as long as it does not rain, which is the case today….so my alternative is only the fancy Silvertree restaurant, which I will try later, see if they let me sit there with a cup of coffee for a while….</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">About South Africa:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Driving around (from the Airport, and to the Shopping Center) one could easily think of this place as wealthy and completely developed. The roads are perfect and clean (better then Brooklyn!), with landscaped embankments, the houses new or well maintained, and the cars like in Europe. But then all of the sudden, neatly fenced in, like dropped from another planet, Townships, the SA version of shantytowns! And not a bit better then the worse of them. Tin huts with no electricity, no water, and I doubt a chance in hell for those who grow up there.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">It is hard to believe that only 14 (!) years ago this was a legally totally segregated place, with the native blacks literally locked up in the Townships, with less then third-rate possibilities in life. I wonder how much has changed…</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Last night we had some lively discussions in our cottage. Siya, a future conservation scientist working here, his wife and two of their friends from their home village and I were watching soccer, and quickly the talk went to politics and SA. Siya and …(shame on me – I forgot her name!!) I guess are representing ‘the new generation’, coming from non privileged homes, having received a advanced education, and going on to graduate studies. They are old enough (25) to still know the old system, but are also a new generation that’s does not bent their heads anymore towards the whites, which they say is still very much ingrained in a majority of people.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">I realize I have a lot of reading and listening to do in order to step up my understanding of this place and its people, and I started last night with an autobiography by Nelson Mandela.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">3.30pm</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Ok. No wireless at the restaurant!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">I will drink my latte and enjoy that they have a fire in he chimney going, and then I am off to the other café – my last hope, or I will have to huddle outside the garden office under the eaves…better warm up now!</span></span></span></p></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></span></div></span></pre><pre style="font: normal normal normal 1em/normal 'Courier New', 'Lucida Sans Typewriter', monospace; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></span></span></pre><pre style="font: normal normal normal 1em/normal 'Courier New', 'Lucida Sans Typewriter', monospace; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></span></span></pre><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBMqVIg8T9iEuD0iX8ACs6TwkubT48w3wU2XHJL_jLU6BIsOMQIuwbLa_aX4omvbwjLlhGXFK7VgtYTCg6CTEfknaxUQf-UMoqNOBn9z7Dlmdh6AC7OrI3nh5pyArDdlz6p9RJA7LC5s00/s320/IMG_0465.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212125177435005810" /></span>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17793719147317253196noreply@blogger.com1