i think this is the prettiest kitchen we've ever had..the view in just fantastic with all those tropical trees...i adore tropical trees..

Everglades National Park is an American national park that protects the southern twenty percent of the original Everglades in Florida. The park is the largest tropical wilderness in the United States and the largest wilderness of any kind east of the Mississippi River. An average of one million people visit the park each year. Everglades is the third-largest national park in the contiguous United States after Death Valley and Yellowstone. UNESCO declared the Everglades & Dry Tortugas Biosphere Reserve in 1976 and listed the park as a World Heritage Site in 1979, and the Ramsar Convention included the park on its list of Wetlands of International Importance in 1987. Everglades is one of only three locations in the world to appear on all three lists.

 

Most national parks preserve unique geographic features; Everglades National Park was the first created to protect a fragile ecosystem. The Everglades are a network of wetlands and forests fed by a river flowing 0.25 miles (0.40 km) per day out of Lake Okeechobee, southwest into Florida Bay. The park is the most significant breeding ground for tropical wading birds in North America and contains the largest mangrove ecosystem in the Western Hemisphere. Thirty-six threatened or protected species inhabit the park, including the Florida panther, the American crocodile, and the West Indian manatee, along with 350 species of birds, 300 species of fresh and saltwater fish, 40 species of mammals, and 50 species of reptiles. The majority of South Florida's fresh water, which is stored in the Biscayne Aquifer, is recharged in the park.

 

Humans have lived for thousands of years in or around the Everglades. Plans arose in 1882 to drain the wetlands and develop the land for agricultural and residential use. As the 20th century progressed, water flow from Lake Okeechobee was increasingly controlled and diverted to enable explosive growth of the Miami metropolitan area. The park was established in 1934, to protect the quickly vanishing Everglades, and dedicated in 1947, as major canal-building projects were initiated across South Florida. The ecosystems in Everglades National Park have suffered significantly from human activity, and restoration of the Everglades is a politically charged issue in South Florida.

 

Everglades National Park covers 1,508,976 acres (2,357.8 sq mi; 6,106.6 km2), throughout Dade, Monroe, and Collier counties in Florida, at the southern tip of the Atlantic coastal plain. The elevation typically ranges from 0 to 8 feet (2.4 m) above sea level, but a Calusa-built shell mound on the Gulf Coast rises 20 feet (6.1 m) above sea level.

 

The terrain of South Florida is relatively and consistently flat. The limestone that underlies the Everglades is integral to the diverse ecosystems within the park. Florida was once part of the African portion of the supercontinent Gondwana. After it separated, conditions allowed a shallow marine environment to deposit calcium carbonate in sand, shells, and coral to be converted into limestone. Tiny bits of shell, sand, and bryozoans compressed over multiple layers forming structures in the limestone called ooids, which created permeable conditions that hold water.

 

The Florida peninsula appeared above sea level between 100,000 and 150,000 years ago. As sea levels rose at the end of the Wisconsin ice age, the water table appeared closer to land. Lake Okeechobee began to flood, and convection thunderstorms were created. Vast peat deposits south of Lake Okeechobee indicate that regular flooding had occurred about 5,000 years ago. Plants began to migrate, subtropical ones from the northern part of Florida, and tropicals carried as seeds by birds from islands in the Caribbean. The limestone shelf appears to be flat, but there are slight rises—called pinnacles—and depressions caused by the erosion of limestone by the acidic properties of the water. The amount of time throughout the year that water is present in a location in the Everglades determines the type of soil, of which there only two in the Everglades: peat, created by many years of decomposing plant matter, and marl, the result of dried periphyton, or chunks of algae and microorganisms that create a grayish mud. Portions of the Everglades that remain flooded for more than nine months out of the year are usually covered by peat. Areas that are flooded for six months or less are covered by marl. Plant communities are determined by the type of soil and the amount of water present.

 

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Royal Palm at Everglades National Park has a tropical monsoon climate (Am). Summers are long, hot, and very wet and winters are warm and dry.

 

While they are common in the northern portion of Florida, no underground springs feed water into the Everglades system. An underground reservoir called the Floridan aquifer lies about 1,000 feet (300 m) below the surface of South Florida. The Everglades has an immense capacity for water storage, owing to the permeable limestone beneath the exposed land. Most of the water arrives in the form of rainfall, and a significant amount is stored in the limestone. Water evaporating from the Everglades becomes rain over metropolitan areas, providing the fresh water supply for the region. Water also flows into the park after falling as rain to the north onto the watersheds of the Kissimmee River and other sources of Lake Okeechobee, to appear in the Everglades days later. Water overflows Lake Okeechobee into a river 40 to 70 miles (64 to 113 km) wide, which moves almost imperceptibly.

 

At the turn of the 20th century, common concepts of what should be protected in national parks invariably included formidable geologic features like mountains, geysers, or canyons. As Florida's population began to grow significantly and urban areas near the Everglades were developed, proponents of the park's establishment faced difficulty in persuading the federal government and the people of Florida that the subtle and constantly shifting ecosystems in the Everglades were just as worthy of protection. When the park was established in 1947, it became the first area within the U.S. to protect flora and fauna native to a region as opposed to geologic scenery. The National Park Service recognizes nine distinct interdependent ecosystems within the park that constantly shift in size owing to the amount of water present and other environmental factors.

 

Freshwater sloughs are perhaps the most common ecosystem associated with Everglades National Park. These drainage channels are characterized by low-lying areas covered in fresh water, flowing at an almost imperceptible 100 feet (30 m) per day. Shark River Slough and Taylor Slough are significant features of the park. Sawgrass growing to a height of 6 feet (1.8 m) or more, and broad-leafed marsh plants, are so prominent in this region that they gave the Everglades its nickname "River of Grass", cemented in the public imagination in the title for Marjory Stoneman Douglas's book (1947), which culminated years of her advocacy for considering the Everglades ecosystem as more than a "swamp". Excellent feeding locations for birds, sloughs in the Everglades attract a great variety of waders such as herons, egrets, roseate spoonbills (Platalea ajaja), ibises and brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), as well as limpkins (Aramus guarauna) and snail kites that eat apple snails, which in turn feed on the sawgrass. The sloughs' availability of fish, amphibians, and young birds attract a variety of freshwater turtles, alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), water moccasin (Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti), and eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus).

 

Freshwater marl prairies are similar to sloughs but lack the slow movement of surface water; instead, water seeps through a calcitic mud called marl. Algae and other microscopic organisms form periphyton, which attaches to limestone. When it dries it turns into a gray mud. Sawgrass and other water plants grow shorter in freshwater marl than they do in peat, the other type of soil in the Everglades which is found where water remains present longer throughout the year. Marl prairies are usually under water from three to seven months of the year, whereas sloughs may remain submerged for longer than nine months and sometimes remain under water from one year to the next. Sawgrass may dominate sloughs, creating a monoculture. Other grasses, such as muhly grass (Muhlenbergia sericea) and broad-leafed water plants can be found in marl prairies. Animals living in the freshwater sloughs also inhabit marl prairies. Marl prairies may go dry in some parts of the year; alligators play a vital role in maintaining life in remote parts of the Everglades by burrowing in the mud during the dry season, creating pools of water where fish and amphibians survive from one year to the next. Alligator holes also attract other animals who congregate to feed on smaller prey. When the region floods again during the wet season, the fish and amphibians which were sustained in the alligator holes then repopulate freshwater marl prairies.

 

Hammocks are often the only dry land within the park. They rise several inches above the grass-covered river and are dominated by diverse plant life consisting of subtropical and tropical trees, such as large southern live oaks (Quercus virginiana). Trees often form canopies under which animals thrive amongst scrub bushes of wild coffee (Psychotria), white indigoberry (Randia aculeata), poisonwood (Metopium toxiferum) and saw palmetto (Serenoa repens). The park features thousands of these tree islands amid sloughs—which often form the shape of a teardrop when seen from above (see park map) because of the slowly moving water around them—but they can also be found in pineland and mangroves. Trees in the Everglades, including wild tamarind (Lysiloma latisiliquum) and gumbo-limbo (Bursera simaruba), rarely grow higher than 50 feet (15 m) because of wind, fire, and climate.

 

The plant growth around the hammock base is nearly impenetrable; beneath the canopy hammocks is an ideal habitat for animals. Reptiles (such as various species of snake and anole) and amphibians (such as the American green tree frog, Hyla cinerea), live in the hardwood hammocks. Birds such as barred owls (Strix varia), woodpeckers, northern cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis), and southern bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus leucocephalus) nest in hammock trees. Mammal species living in hardwood hammocks include Florida black bears (Ursus americanus floridanus), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), minks (Neogale vison), marsh rabbits (Sylvilagus palustris), gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and the rare, critically endangered Florida panther (Puma concolor couguar).

 

Miami-Dade County was once covered in 186,000 acres (290.6 sq mi; 752.7 km2) of pine rockland forests, but most of it was harvested by the lumber industry. Pineland ecosystems (or pine rocklands) are characterized by shallow, dry sandy loam over a limestone substrate covered almost exclusively by slash pines (Pinus elliottii var. densa). Trees in this ecosystem grow in solution holes, where the soft limestone has worn away and filled with soil, allowing plants to take hold. Pinelands require regular maintenance by fire to ensure their existence. South Florida slash pines are uniquely adapted to promote fire by dropping a large amount of dried pine needles and shedding dry bark. Pine cones require heat from fires to open, allowing seeds to disperse and take hold. The trunks and roots of slash pines are resistant to fire. Prescribed burns in these areas take place every three to seven years; without regular fires, hardwood trees begin to grow in this region, and pinelands become recategorized as mixed swamp forests. Most plants in the area bloom about 16 weeks after a fire. Nearly all pinelands have an understory of palm shrubs and a diverse ground covering of wild herbs.

 

Pine rocklands are considered one of the most threatened habitats in Florida; less than 4,000 acres (6.3 sq mi; 16.2 km2) of pineland exist outside the park. Within the park, 20,000 acres (31.3 sq mi; 80.9 km2) of pineland are protected. A variety of animal species meet their needs for food, shelter, nesting, and rooking in pine rocklands. Woodpeckers, eastern meadowlarks (Sturnella magna), loggerhead shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus), grackles, and northern mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos) are commonly found in pinelands. Black bears and Florida panthers also live in this habitat.

 

Cypress trees are conifers that are adapted to live in standing fresh water. They grow in compact structures called cypress domes and in long strands over limestone. Water levels may fluctuate dramatically around cypress domes and strands, so cypresses develop "knees" that protrude from the water at high levels to provide oxygen for the root systems. Dwarf cypress trees grow in drier areas with poorer soil. Epiphytes, such as bromeliads, Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides), orchids and ferns grow on the branches and trunks of cypress trees. Everglades National Park features twenty-five species of orchids. Tall cypress trees provide excellent nesting areas for birds including wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), ibis, herons, egrets, anhingas (Anhinga anhinga), and belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon). Mammals in cypress regions include white-tailed deer, squirrels, raccoons, opossums, skunks, swamp rabbits, river otters (Lontra canadensis), and bobcats, as well as small rodents.

 

Mangrove trees cover the coastlines of South Florida, sometimes growing inland depending on the amount of salt water present within the Everglades ecosystems. During drier years when less fresh water flows to the coast, mangroves will appear among fresh water plants. When rain is abundant, sawgrass and other fresh water plants may be found closer to the coast. Three species of mangrove trees—red (Rhizophora mangle), black (Avicennia germinans), and white (Laguncularia racemosa)—can be found in the Everglades. With a high tolerance of salt water, winds, extreme tides, high temperatures, and muddy soils, mangrove trees are uniquely adapted to extreme conditions. They act as nurseries for many marine and bird species. They are also Florida's first defense against the destructive forces of hurricanes, absorbing flood waters and preventing coastal erosion. The mangrove system in Everglades National Park is the largest continuous system of mangroves in the world.

 

Within the Florida mangrove systems live 220 species of fish, and a variety of crabs, crayfish, shrimp, mollusks, and other invertebrates, which serve as the main source of food for many birds. Dozens of bird species use mangroves as nurseries and food stores, including pelicans, grebes, tricolored herons (Egretta tricolor), gulls, terns, hawks and kites, and arboreal birds like mangrove cuckoos (Coccyzus minor), yellow warblers (Dendroica petechia), and white-crowned pigeons (Patagioenas leucocephala). The mangroves also support 24 species of amphibians and reptiles, and 18 species of mammals, including the endangered green turtle (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), and West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus).

 

Coastal lowlands, or wet prairies, are salt water marshes that absorb marine water when it gets high or fresh water when rains are heavy. Floods occur during hurricane and tropical storm surges when ocean water can rise several feet over the land. Heavy wet seasons also cause floods when rain from the north flows into the Everglades. Few trees can survive in the conditions of this region, but plants—succulents like saltwort and glasswort—tolerate salt, brackish water, and desert conditions. Animal life in this zone is dependent upon the amount of water present, but commonly found animals include Cape Sable seaside sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis), Everglades snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis), wood stork (Mycteria americana), eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon couperi), and small mammals such as rats, mice, and rabbits.

 

The largest body of water within the park is Florida Bay, which extends from the mangrove swamps of the mainland's southern tip to the Florida Keys. Over 800 square miles (2,100 km2) of marine ecosystem lies in this range. Coral, sponges, and seagrasses serve as shelter and food for crustaceans and mollusks, which in turn are the primary food source for larger marine animals. Sharks, stingrays, and barracudas also live in this ecosystem. Pelicans, shorebirds, terns, and black skimmers (Rynchops niger) are among the birds frequenting park shorelines. The bay also has its own resident population of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus).

 

The bay's many basins are broken up by sandbanks that serve as plentiful recreational fishing grounds for snook (Centropomus undecimalis), redfish (Sciaenops ocellatus), spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus), tarpon (Megaflops atlanticus), bonefish (Albula vulpes), and permit (Trichinous falcatus),[48] as well as snapper (Lutjanus campechanus), bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), and bass. Wading birds such as roseate spoonbills (Platalea ajaja), reddish egrets (Egretta rufescens), and great white herons (Ardea herodias occidentalis) have unique subpopulations that are largely restricted to Florida Bay. Other bird species include bald eagles, cormorants, and ospreys. Mammals along the shoreline include raccoons, opossums, bobcats, and fox squirrels.

 

Humans likely first inhabited the South Florida region 10,000 to 20,000 years ago. Two tribes of Native Americans developed on the peninsula's southern tip: the Tequesta lived on the eastern side and the Calusa, greater in numbers, on the western side. The Everglades served as a natural boundary between them. The Tequesta lived in a single large community near the mouth of the Miami River, while the Calusa lived in 30 villages. Both groups traveled through the Everglades but rarely lived within them, remaining mostly along the coast.

 

The diets of both groups consisted mostly of shellfish and fish, small mammals, game, and wild plants. Having access only to soft limestone, most of the tools fashioned by Native Americans in the region were made of shell, bone, wood, and animal teeth; shark teeth were used as cutting blades, and sharpened reeds became arrows and spears. Shell mounds still exist today within the park, giving archaeologists and anthropologists evidence of the raw materials available to the indigenous people for tool construction. Spanish explorers estimated the number of Tequesta at first contact to be around 800, and Calusa at 2,000; the National Park Service reports there were probably about 20,000 natives living in or near the Everglades when the Spanish established contact in the late 16th century. The Calusa lived in social strata and were able to create canals, earthworks, and shellworks. The Calusa were also able to resist Spanish attempts at conquest.

 

The Spanish had contact with these societies and established missions further north, near Lake Okeechobee. In the 18th century, invading Creeks incorporated the dwindling numbers of the Tequesta into their own. Neither the Tequesta nor Calusa tribe existed by 1800. Disease, warfare, and capture for slavery were the reasons for the eradication of both groups. The only evidence of their existence within the park boundaries is a series of shell mounds that were built by the Calusa.

 

In the early 19th century, Creeks, escaped African slaves, and other Indians from northern Florida displaced by the Creek War, formed the area's Seminole nation. After the end of the Seminole Wars in 1842, the Seminoles faced relocation to Indian territory near Oklahoma. A few hundred Seminole hunters and scouts settled within what is today Big Cypress National Preserve, to escape the forced emigration to the west. From 1859 to about 1930, the Seminoles and Miccosukee, a similar but linguistically unique tribe, lived in relative isolation, making their living by trading. In 1928, surveying and construction began on the Tamiami Trail, along the northern border of Everglades National Park. The road bisected the Everglades, introducing a steady, if small, traffic of white settlers into the Everglades.

 

Some members of the Miccosukee and Seminole tribes continue to live within park boundaries. Management of the park includes approval of new policies and procedures by tribal representatives "in such a manner that they do not conflict with the park purpose".

 

Following the end of the Seminole Wars, Americans began settling at isolated points along the coast in what is now the park, from the Ten Thousand Islands to Cape Sable. Communities developed on the two largest pieces of dry ground in the area, on Chokoloskee Island and at Flamingo on Cape Sable, both of which established post offices in the early 1890s. Chokoloskee Island is a shell mound, a midden built roughly 20 feet (6 m) high over thousands of years of occupation by the Calusa. The settlements in Chokoloskee and Flamingo served as trading centers for small populations of farmers, fishermen, and charcoal burners settled in the Ten Thousand Islands. Both settlements and the more isolated homesteads could only be reached by boat until well into the 20th century. Everglades City, on the mainland near Chokoloskee, enjoyed a brief period of prosperity when, beginning in 1920, it served as the headquarters for the construction of the Tamiami Trail. A dirt road from Florida City reached Flamingo in 1922, while a causeway finally connected Chokoloskee to the mainland's Everglades City in 1956.

 

After the park was established, private property in the Flamingo area was claimed by eminent domain, and the site was incorporated into the park as a visitor center.

 

Several attempts were made to drain and develop the Everglades in the 1880s. The first canals built in the Everglades did little harm to the ecosystem, as they were unable to drain much of it. Napoleon Bonaparte Broward based the majority of his 1904 campaign for governor on how drainage would create "The Empire of the Everglades". Broward ordered the drainage that took place between 1905 and 1910, and it was successful enough that land developers sold tracts for $30 per acre, settling the town of Davie, and developing regions in Lee and Dade counties. The canals also cleared water that made way for agricultural fields growing sugarcane.

 

In the 1920s, a population boom in South Florida created the Florida land boom, which was described by author Michael Grunwald as "insanity". Land was sold before any homes or structures were built on it and in some cases before any plans for construction were in place. New landowners, eager to make good on their investments, hastily constructed homes and small towns on recently drained land. Mangrove trees on the coasts were taken down for better views and replaced with shallow-rooted palm trees. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began construction on larger canals to control the rising waters in the Everglades. Nevertheless, Lake Okeechobee continued to rise and fall, the region was covered with rain, and city planners continued to battle the water. The 1926 Miami Hurricane caused Lake Okeechobee levees to fail; hundreds of people south of the lake drowned. Two years later, the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane claimed 2,500 lives when Lake Okeechobee once again surged over its levees. Politicians who declared the Everglades uninhabitable were silenced when a four-story wall, the Herbert Hoover Dike, was built around Lake Okeechobee. This wall effectively cut off the water source from the Everglades.

 

Following the wall's construction, South Florida endured a drought severe enough to cause serious wildfires in 1939. The influx of humans had a detrimental effect on the plants and animals of the region when melaleuca trees (Melaleuca quinquenervia) were introduced to help with drainage, along with Australian pines brought in by developers as windbreaks. The region's timber was devastated for lumber supplies. Alligators, birds, frogs, and fish were hunted on a large scale. Entire rookeries of wading birds were shot to collect their plumes, which were used in women's hats in the early 20th century. The largest impact people had on the region was the diversion of water away from the Everglades. Canals were deepened and widened, and water levels fell dramatically, causing chaos in food webs. Salt water replaced fresh water in the canals, and by 1997 scientists noticed that salt water was seeping into the Biscayne Aquifer, South Florida's water source.

 

In the 1940s, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, a freelance writer and former reporter for The Miami Herald, began to research the Everglades for an assignment about the Miami River. She studied the land and water for five years and published The Everglades: River of Grass in 1947, describing the area in great detail, including a chapter on its disappearance. She wrote: "What had been a river of grass and sweet water that had given meaning and life and uniqueness to this enormous geography through centuries in which man had no place here was made, in one chaotic gesture of greed and ignorance and folly, a river of fire." The book has sold 500,000 copies since its publication, and Douglas's continued dedication to ecology conservation earned her the nicknames "Grand Dame of the Everglades", "Grandmother of the Everglades" and "the anti-Christ" for her singular focus at the expense of some political interests. She founded and served as president for an organization called Friends of the Everglades, initially intended to protest the construction of a proposed Big Cypress jetport in 1968. Successful in that confrontation, the organization has grown to over 4,000 members, committed to the preservation of the Everglades. She wrote and spoke about the importance of the Everglades until her death at age 108 in 1998.

 

Floridians hoping to preserve at least part of the Everglades began to express their concern over diminishing resources in the early 20th century. Royal Palm State Park was created in 1916 and protected Paradise Key; it included several trails and a visitor center several miles from Homestead. Miami-based naturalists first proposed that the area become a national park in 1923. Five years later, the Florida state legislature established the Tropical Everglades National Park Commission to study the formation of a protected area. The commission was led by Ernest F. Coe, a land developer turned conservationist, who was eventually nicknamed Father of Everglades National Park. Coe's original plan for the park included more than 2,000,000 acres (3,125.0 sq mi; 8,093.7 km2) including Key Largo and Big Cypress, and his unwillingness to compromise almost prevented the park's creation. Various other interests, including land developers and sport hunters, demanded that the size of the park be decreased.

 

The commission was also tasked with proposing a method to raise the money to purchase the land. The search coincided with the arrival of the Great Depression in the United States, and money for land purchase was scarce. The U.S. House of Representatives authorized the creation of the new national park on May 30, 1934, but the Act (HR 2837), which permanently reserved lands donated by public or private donation as wilderness, passed only with a rider that ensured no money would be allotted to the project for at least five years. Coe's passion and U.S. Senator Spessard Holland's politicking helped to fully establish the park, after Holland was able to negotiate 1,300,000 acres (2,031.2 sq mi; 5,260.9 km2) of the park, leaving out Big Cypress, Key Largo, the Turner River area, and a 22,000-acre (34.4 sq mi; 89.0 km2) tract of land called "The Hole in the Donut" that was too highly valued for agriculture. Miami Herald editor John Pennekamp was instrumental in pushing the Florida Legislature to raise $2 million to purchase the private land inside the park boundaries. It was dedicated by President Harry Truman on December 6, 1947, one month after Marjory Stoneman Douglas's book The Everglades: River of Grass was released. The same year, several tropical storms struck South Florida, prompting the construction of 1,400 miles (2,300 km) of canals, sending water unwanted by farmers and residents to the ocean.

 

The Central and Southern Florida Flood Control Project (C&SF) was authorized by Congress to construct more than one thousand miles of canals and flood control structures across South Florida. The C&SF, run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, established an agricultural area directly south of Lake Okeechobee, and three water conservation areas, all bordered by canals that diverted excess water either to urban areas or into the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico or Florida Bay. South of these manmade regions was Everglades National Park, which had been effectively cut off from its water supply. By the 1960s, the park was visibly suffering. The C&SF was directed to provide enough water to sustain the park; it did not follow through. A proposed airport that would have dire environmental effects on Everglades National Park became the center of a battle that helped to initiate the environmental movement into local and national politics. The airport proposal was eventually abandoned, and in 1972 a bill was introduced to curb development in South Florida and ensure the national park would receive the amount of water it needed. Efforts turned to repairing the damage wrought by decades of mismanagement: the Army Corps of Engineers changed its focus in 1990 from constructing dams and canals to constructing "purely environmental projects".

 

Regions originally included in Ernest Coe's vision for a national park were slowly added over the years to the park or incorporated into other protected areas: Biscayne National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park on Key Largo, Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary were all protected after the park's opening in 1947. Everglades National Park was designated an International Biosphere Reserve on October 26, 1976. On November 10, 1978, 1,296,500 acres (2,025.8 sq mi; 5,246.7 km2), about 86% of the park, was declared a wilderness area. It was renamed the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness in 1997. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on October 24, 1979, and as a Wetland of International Importance on June 4, 1987. It was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger from 1993 until 2007 and then again in 2010. The park was added again due to the continued degradation of the set causing significant indications of eutrophication (for example algal blooms) negatively impacting the marine life causing the US government to request UNESCO and IUCN for assistance in development.

 

President George H. W. Bush signed the Everglades National Park Protection and Expansion Act on December 13, 1989, that added 109,506 acres (171.1 sq mi; 443.2 km2) to the eastern side of the park, closed the park to airboats, directed the Department of the Army to restore water to improve the ecosystems within Everglades National Park, and "Direct(ed) the Secretary of the Interior to manage the Park in order to maintain the natural abundance, diversity, and ecological integrity of native plants and animals, as well as the behavior of native animals, as part of their ecosystem." Bush remarked in his statement when signing the act, "Through this legislation that river of grass may now be restored to its natural flow of water".

 

In 2000, Congress approved the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), a federal effort to restore the Everglades with the objectives of "restoration, preservation and protection of the south Florida ecosystem while providing for other water-related needs of the region", and claiming to be the largest environmental restoration in history. It was a controversial plan; detractors worried that it "relies on uncertain technologies, overlooks water quality, subsidizes damaging growth and delays its environmental benefits".[90] Supporters of the plan included the National Audubon Society, who were accused by Friends of the Everglades and the Biodiversity Legal Foundation of prioritizing agricultural and business interests.

 

The namesake of Anhinga Trail dries its feathers

CERP projects are designed to capture 1.7 billion US gallons (6,400,000 m3) of fresh water every day, store it in underground reservoirs, and release the water to areas within 16 counties in South Florida. Approximately 35,600 acres (55.6 sq mi; 144.1 km2) of man-made wetlands are to be constructed to confine contaminated water before it is released to the Everglades, and 240 miles (390 km) of canals that divert water away from the Everglades are to be destroyed. During the first five years of implementation, CERP was responsible for the purchase of 207,000 acres (323.4 sq mi; 837.7 km2) of land at a cost of $1 billion. The plan aims to spend $10.5 billion over 30 years, combining 50 different projects and giving them 5-year timelines.

 

Everglades National Park was directly hit by Hurricanes Katrina, Wilma, and Rita in 2005. Such storms are a natural part of the park's ecosystem; 1960's Hurricane Donna left nothing in the mangroves but "standing dead snags" several miles wide, but 30 years later the area had completely recovered. Predictably, what suffered the most in the park from the 2005 hurricanes were man-made structures. In 2009 the visitor center and lodge at Flamingo were irreparably damaged by 125 mph (201 km/h) winds and an 8 ft (2.4 m) storm surge; the lodge had been functioning for 50 years when it was torn down; nothing is slated to replace it.

 

Everglades National Park reported in 2005 a budget of over $28 million. Of that, $14.8 million was granted from the National Park Service and $13.5 million from various sources including CERP, donations, and other grants. The entry fee for private vehicles in 2021 is $30. Of the nearly one million visitors to Everglades National Park in 2006, more than 38,000 were overnight campers, paying $16 a night or $10 a night for backcountry permits. Visitors spent $2.6 million within the park and $48 million in local economies. More than 900 jobs were sustained or created within or by the park, and the park added value of $35 million to local economies.

 

Everglades National Park has had 19 superintendents since it was dedicated in 1947. The park's first superintendent, Daniel Beard (1947-1958), was also its longest-serving. After Superintendent Beard, Warren F. Hamilton served between 1958 and 1963, followed by Stanley C. Joseph (1963-1966), Roger W. Allin (1966-1968), John C. Raftery (1968-1970), Joseph Brown (1970-1971), Jack E. Stark (1971-1976), John M. Good (1976-1980), John M. Morehead (1980-1986), Marueen E. Finnerty (Acting Superintendent, 1986), Michael V. Finley (1986-1989), Robert L. Arnberger (Acting Superintendent, 1989), Robert S. Chandler (1989-1992), Dick Ring (1992-2000), Marueen E. Finnerty (2000-2003), Dan Kimball (2004-2014), Shawn Benge (Acting Superintendent, 2014), Bob Krumenaker (Acting Superintendent, 2014-2015), and finally Pedro Ramos, who was appointed in 2015 and continues to serve.

 

The park was placed into Administrative Region I in 1937, when the regions were first established. Region I was retitled the Southeast Region in 1962, which was restructured into the Southeast Area in 1995. The reorganized unified Interior regions put it in the new Region 2.

 

The busiest season for visitors is from December to March, when temperatures are lowest and mosquitoes are least active. The park features five visitor centers: on the Tamiami Trail (part of U.S. Route 41) directly west of Miami is the Shark Valley Visitor Center. A fifteen-mile (24 km) round trip path leads from this center to a two-story observation tower. Tram tours are available during the busy season. Closest to Homestead on State Road 9336 is the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center, where a 38-mile (61 km) road begins, winding through pine rockland, cypress, freshwater marl prairie, coastal prairie, and mangrove ecosystems. Various hiking trails are accessible from the road, which runs to the Flamingo Visitor Center and marina, open and staffed during the busier time of the year. The Gulf Coast Visitor Center is closest to Everglades City on State Road 29 along the west coast. The Gulf Coast Visitor Center gives canoers access to the Wilderness Waterway, a 99-mile (160 km) canoe trail that extends to the Flamingo Visitor Center. The former Royal Palm State Park was the site of the first Everglades National Park visitor center and later became the Royal Palm Visitor Center within the park. The western coast of the park and the Ten Thousand Islands and the various key islands in Florida Bay are accessible only by boat.

 

Several walking trails in the park vary in hiking difficulty on Pine Island, where visitors can cross hardwood hammocks, pinelands, and freshwater sloughs. Starting at the Royal Palm Visitor Center, the Anhinga Trail is a half-mile self-guided tour through a sawgrass marsh where visitors can see alligators, marsh and wading birds, turtles, and bromeliads. Its proximity to Homestead and its accessibility make it one of the most visited sites in the park. The nearby Gumbo Limbo Trail is also self-guided, at half-mile long. It loops through a canopy of hardwood hammocks that include gumbo limbo (Bursera simaruba), royal palms (Roystonea), strangler figs (Ficus aurea), and a variety of epiphytes.

 

Twenty-eight miles (45 km) of trails start near the Long Pine Key campgrounds and wind through Long Pine Key, well-suited for offroad cycling through the pine rocklands in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness Area. Two boardwalks allow visitors to walk through a cypress forest at Pa-Hay-O-Kee, which also features a two-story overlook, and another at Mahogany Hammock (referring to Swietenia mahagoni) that takes hikers through a dense forest in the middle of a freshwater marl prairie. Closer to Flamingo, more rugged trails take visitors through mangrove swamps, along Florida Bay. Christian Point Trail, Snake Bight Trail, Rowdy Bend Trail and Coastal Prairie Trail allow viewing of shorebirds and wading birds among the mangroves. Portions of the trails may be impassable depending on the time of year, because of mosquitoes and water levels. Ranger-led tours take place in the busier season only.

 

Camping is available year-round in Everglades National Park. Camping with some services is available at Long Pine Key, close to the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center, where 108 sites are accessible by car. Near Flamingo, 234 campsites with some services are also available. Recreational vehicle camping is available at these sites, but not with all necessary services. Back-country permits are required for campsites along the Wilderness Waterway, Gulf Coast sites, and sites in the various keys. Several back-country sites are chickees; others are beach and ground sites.

 

Low-powered motorboats are allowed in the park; the majority of salt water areas are no-wake zones to protect manatees and other marine animals from harm. Jet skis, airboats, and other motorized personal watercraft are prohibited. Many trails allow kayaks and canoes. A state license is required for fishing. Fresh water licenses are not sold in the park, but a salt water license may be available. Swimming is not recommended within the park boundaries; water moccasins, snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina), alligators, and crocodiles thrive in fresh water. Sharks, barracuda, and sharp dangerous coral are plentiful in salt water. Visibility is low in both salt water and fresh water areas.

 

Everglades National Park is an important part of the Great Florida Birding Trail. It has great biodiversity and many species of birds for bird watching and bird photography also.

 

Portions of Everglades National Park are ideal for dark sky observations in South Florida. The best viewing locations are in the remote southern and western areas of the Everglades, such as Flamingo and the Ten Thousand Islands. The Milky Way appears brightest when looking south, toward the least light-polluted areas.

 

Less than 50 percent of the Everglades which existed prior to drainage attempts remains intact today. Populations of wading birds dwindled 90 percent from their original numbers between the 1940s and 2000s. The diversion of water to South Florida's still-growing metropolitan areas is the Everglades National Park's number one threat. In the 1950s and 1960s, 1,400 miles (2,300 km) of canals and levees, 150 gates and spillways, and 16 pumping stations were constructed to direct water toward cities and away from the Everglades. Low levels of water leave fish vulnerable to reptiles and birds, and as sawgrass dries it can burn or die off, which in turn kills apple snails and other animals that wading birds feed upon. Populations of birds fluctuate; in 2009, the South Florida Water Management District claimed wading birds across South Florida increased by 335 percent. Following three years of increasing numbers, The Miami Herald reported in 2009 that populations of wading birds within the park decreased by 29 percent.

 

Cities along the west coast of Florida rely on desalinization for fresh water; the quantity demanded is too great for the land to provide. Nitrates in the underground water system and high levels of mercury also impact the quality of fresh water the park receives. In 1998, a Florida panther was found dead in Shark Water Slough, with levels of mercury high enough to kill a human. Increased occurrences of algal blooms and red tide in Biscayne Bay and Florida Bay have been traced to the amounts of controlled water released from Lake Okeechobee. The brochure given to visitors at Everglades National Park includes a statement that reads, "Freshwater flowing into the park is engineered. With the help of pumps, floodgates, and retention ponds along the park's boundary, the Everglades is presently on life support, alive but diminished."

 

A series of levees on the park's eastern border marks the line between urban and protected areas, but development into these areas threatens the park system. Florida still attracts nearly a thousand new residents every day,[119] and building residential, commercial and industrial zones near Everglades National Park stresses the water balance and ecosystems within the park. On the park's western border, Fort Myers, Naples, and Cape Coral are expanding, but no system of levees exists to mark that border. National Geographic rated both Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve the lowest-scoring parks in North America, at 32 out of 100. Their scoring system rated 55 parks by their sustainable tourism, destination quality, and park management. The experts who compiled the results justified the score by stating: "Encroachment by housing and retail development has thrown the precious ecosystem into a tailspin, and if humankind doesn't back off, there will be nothing left of one of this country's most amazing treasures".

 

Thirty-six federally protected animals live in the park, some of which face grave threats to their survival.

 

In the United States, the American crocodile's only habitat is within South Florida. They were once overhunted for their hides. They are protected today from hunting but are still threatened by habitat destruction and injury from vehicle collisions when crossing roads to reach waterways. About 2,000 crocodiles live in Florida, and there are roughly 100 nests in the Everglades and Biscayne National Parks. Crocodiles populations in South Florida have increased as has the number of alligators. Crocodiles were reclassified from "endangered" to "threatened" in the United States in 2007.

 

The Florida panther is one of the most endangered mammals on earth. About 230 live in the wild, primarily in the Everglades and the Big Cypress Swamp. The biggest threats to the panther include habitat destruction from human development, vehicle collisions, inbreeding due to their limited gene pool, parasites, diseases, and mercury poisoning.

 

Four Everglade species of sea turtle including the Atlantic green sea turtle, the Atlantic hawksbill, the Atlantic loggerhead (Caretta caretta), and the Atlantic ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) are endangered. Also, the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is threatened. Numbers are difficult to determine, since males and juveniles do not return to their birthplace; females lay eggs in the same location every year. Habitat loss, illegal poaching, and destructive fishing practices are the biggest threats to these animals.

 

The range of the Cape Sable seaside sparrow is restricted to Everglades National Park and the Big Cypress Swamp. In 1981 6,656 Cape Sable seaside sparrows were reported in park boundaries, but surveys over 10 years documented a decline to an estimated 2,624 birds by 2002. Attempts to return natural levels of water to the park have been controversial; Cape Sable seaside sparrows nest about a foot off the ground, and rising water levels may harm future populations, as well as threaten the locally endangered snail kite. The Everglades snail kite eats apple snails almost exclusively, and the Everglades is the only location in the United States where this bird of prey exists. There is some evidence that the population may be increasing, but the loss of habitat and food sources keep the estimated number of these birds at several hundred.

 

The West Indian manatee has been upgraded from endangered to threatened. Collisions with boats and habitat loss are still its biggest threats.

 

Fire naturally occurs after lightning storms but takes its heaviest toll when water levels are low. Hardwood hammock and cypress trees are susceptible to heavy damage from fire, and some may take decades to grow back. Peat built up over centuries in the marsh can cause fires to burn deep scars in the soil. In 2007, Fred Sklar of the South Florida Water Management District said: "An extreme drought can be viewed (as) almost as catastrophic as a volcano. It can reshape the entire landscape. It can take 1,000 years to produce two inches of peat, and you can lose those couple of inches in a week."

 

Rising sea levels caused by global warming are another threat to the future of the park. Since 1932, ocean levels at Key West have steadily risen over 0.7 feet (0.2 m), which could have disastrous consequences for land so close to the ocean. It is estimated that within 500 years freshwater habitats in the Everglades National Park will be obliterated by salt water, leaving only the northernmost portion of the Everglades. Cost estimates for raising or replacing the Tamiami Trail and Alligator Alley with bridges are in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

 

Through Trump Administration, The Florida Department of Transportation, and Everglades National Park, there are plans to execute and complete the Next Steps project to help fix these various water issues, along with other parts of the park. This completion plan was announced in September 2020, will begin November 2020, and should be done by the end of 2024.

 

The introduction of non-native species into South Florida is a considerable problem for the park. Many of the biological controls such as weather, disease, and consumers who naturally limit plants in their native environments do not exist in the Everglades, causing many to grow larger and multiply far beyond their average numbers in their native habitats. Approximately 26 percent of all fish, reptiles, birds, and mammal species in South Florida are exotic—more than in any other part of the U.S.—and the region hosts one of the highest numbers of exotic plant species in the world.

 

Species that adapt the most aggressively to conditions in the Everglades, by spreading quickly or competing with native species that sometimes are threatened or endangered, are called "invasive". Thousands of exotic plant species have been observed in South Florida, usually introduced as ornamental landscaping, but park staff must eradicate such invasive plants as melaleuca tree (Melaleuca quinquenervia), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Old World climbing fern (Lygodium microphyllum). Similarly, animals often do not find the predators or natural barriers to reproduction in the Everglades as they do where they originate, thus they often reproduce more quickly and efficiently. Lobate lac scale insects (Paratachardina pseudolobata) kill shrubs and other plants in hardwood hammocks. Bromeliad beetles (Metamasius callizona) destroy bromeliads and the ecosystems they host.

 

Walking catfish (Clarias batrachus) can deplete aquaculture stocks and they carry enteric septicemia. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) listed eight "Reptiles of Concern", including the Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus), focusing on them for their large sizes and aggressive natures, allowing licensed hunters to kill any listed animals in protected areas and sell their meat and hides. Burmese pythons, two subspecies of African rock pythons (Python sebae; northern and southern), and yellow anacondas (Eunectes notaeus) were banned from import into the U.S. in 2012. United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced the inclusion of these reptiles at Everglades National Park. Exotic species control falls under the management of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which has been compiling and disseminating information about invasive species since 1994. Control of invasive species costs $500 million per year, but 1,700,000 acres (2,656.2 sq mi; 6,879.7 km2) of land in South Florida remains infested.

African Tulip Tree, Spathodea campanulata is a tropical tree that even blooms here in the Mediterranean Climate of Santa Barbara, CA.

 

21Sept07 BushPhoto

Available for download in high resolution in: www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-common-potoo-perch...

Santos., Brazil.

A detail of a tropical tree.

Amazing tropical tree bark, the eyes are where the leaves have grown, died and fallen off.

Litchi chinensis (and a seed) that our former neighbors, the Martinez family, brought us from their Florida garden, along with mangoes and June plums!

 

_________________

Lychee – 2019JUN06:

 

The small, round fruit (thin, rough skin covering sweet white scented flesh around a large central stone [seed]) is delicious: Lychee is a tropical tree native to the Guangdong and Fujian provinces of China, where cultivation is documented from 1059 AD; our former neighbor grows these trees in his garden in Florida and brought some to North Carolina to give us!

Young female friends taking selfie pictures at resort island

Santos, Brazil.

কদম (বৈজ্ঞানিক নাম: Anthocephalus indicus) যা নীপ নামেও পরিচিত। এ ছাড়া বৃত্তপুষ্প, মেঘাগমপ্রিয়, কর্ণপূরক, ভৃঙ্গবল্লভ, মঞ্জুকেশিনী, পুলকি, সর্ষপ, প্রাবৃষ্য, ললনাপ্রিয়, সুরভি, সিন্ধুপুষ্পও কদমের নাম

 

বর্ণনা

 

দীর্ঘাকৃতি, বহুশাখাবিশিষ্ট বিশাল বৃক্ষ বিশেষ এবং এর ফুল। রূপসী তরুর মধ্যে অন্যতম হচ্ছে কদম। কদমের কাণ্ড সরল, উন্নত, ধূসর থেকে প্রায় কালো এবং বহু ফাটলে রুক্ষ, কর্কশ। শাখা অজস্র এবং ভূমির সমান্তরালে প্রসারিত। পাতা হয় বড় বড়, ডিম্বাকৃতি, উজ্জ্বল-সবুজ, তেল-চকচকে এবং বিন্যাসে বিপ্রতীপ। উপপত্রিকা অত্যন্ত স্বল্পস্থায়ী বিধায় পরিণত পাতা অনুপপত্রিক। বোঁটা খুবই ছোট। নিবিড় পত্রবিন্যাসের জন্য কদম ছায়াঘন। শীতে কদমের পাতা ঝরে এবং বসন্তে কচি পাতা গজায়। সাধারণত পরিণত পাতা অপেক্ষা কচি অনেকটা বড়। কদমের কচি পাতার রঙ হালকা সবুজ। কদমের একটি পূর্ণ মঞ্জরিকে সাধারণত একটি ফুল বলেই মনে হয়। তাতে বলের মতো গোল, মাংসল পুষ্পাধারে অজস্র সরু সরু ফুলের বিকীর্ণ বিন্যাস। পূর্ণ প্রস্ফুটিত মঞ্জরির রঙ সাদা-হলুদে মেশানো হলেও হলুদ-সাদার আধিক্যে প্রচ্ছন্ন। প্রতিটি ফুল খুবই ছোট, বৃতি সাদা, দল হলুদ, পরাগচক্র সাদা এবং বহির্মুখীন, গর্ভদণ্ড দীর্ঘ। ফল মাংসল, টক এবং বাদুড় ও কাঠবিড়ালির প্রিয় খাদ্য। ওরাই বীজ ছড়ানোর বাহন

 

ব্যবহার্য অংশ

 

গাছের বৃদ্ধি অত্যন্ত দ্রুত বলে জ্বালানিকাঠের জন্য রোপণ উত্তম। কাঠ খুবই নরম তাই দারুমুল্য নিকৃষ্ট হলেও সাদা, নরম কাঠ বাক্স-পেটরা ও অন্যান্য কাজে ব্যবহার্য। ছাল জ্বরের ঔষধ হিসেবেও উপকারী।[৩] কদম পাতার রস কৃমি দূর করে তবে বেশি খেলে বমি হতে পারে।

  

Description

 

A fully mature kadam tree can reach up to 45 m (148 ft) in height. It is a large tree with a broad crown and straight cylindrical bole. It is quick growing, with broad spreading branches and grows rapidly in the first 6–8 years. The trunk has a diameter of 100–160 cm, but typically less than that. Leaves are 13–32 cm (5.1–12.6 in) long. Flowering usually begins when the tree is 4–5 years old. Kadam flowers are sweetly fragrant, red to orange in colour, occurring in dense, globular heads of approximately 5.5 cm (2.2 in) diameter. The fruit of N. cadamba occur in small, fleshy capsules packed closely together to form a fleshy yellow-orange infructescence containing approximately 8000 seeds. On maturing, the fruit splits apart, releasing the seeds, which are then dispersed by wind or rain.

 

Stamens 5, inserted on the corolla tube, filaments short, anthers basifixed. Ovary inferior, bi-locular, sometimes 4-locular in the upper part, style exserted and a spindle-shaped stigma.

Fruitlets numerous with their upper parts containing 4 hollow or solid structures. Seed trigonal or irregularly shaped.

The sapwood is white with a light yellow tinge becoming creamy yellow on exposure and is not clearly differentiated from the heartwood.

Project 365

Monday • January 4, 2010

 

Sea Shell, Sea Shell,

Sing me a song, O Please!

A song of ships, and sailor men,

And parrots, and tropical trees,

Of islands lost in the Spanish Main

Which no man ever may find again,

Of fishes and corals under the waves,

And seahorses stabled in great green caves.

Sea Shell, Sea Shell,

Sing of the things you know so well.

 

~Amy Lowell

 

You can see where my mind wanders in the dead of winter! I picked up this lovely sea shell ornament at the After Christmas Sale at Macy's for $2. What a bargain! I photographed it on a bed of faux snow in front of the Christmas tree before I took it down. I won't be packing this ornament away. It will sit on my desk to remind me of the warm days to come.

 

*Texture #32 by Borealnz

*Soulful Inspire Comfort Action by Soulful Textures and Actions

*Title from "Song of a Shell" by Violet L. Cuslidge

The Curry plant is a tropical to sub-tropical tree in the family Rutaceae, which is native to India. The leaves known as Curry leaves or Sweet Neem leaves are highly aromatic and are used as seasoning in South Indian and Sri Lankan cooking. The flowers are small white, and fragrant. The fruits are edible, but their seeds are poisonous.

Explore : Jun 15, 2009 #245

This photo is also incorporated in the official Flickr photostream of the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, NC.

This rainforest is primarily comprised of the Bangalow Palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana).

 

The location is the mid north coast of New South Wales, south west of Port Macquarie.

 

Palm forest in New South Wales forms where drainage is impeded, and there's often surface water in the wet season. Unlike the Cabbage Tree Palm, the Bangalow Palm avoids the more saline sites. Soil types are not critical for this form of forest, they range from basaltic alluvium to sand. The equable climate and moist situation provides an excellent habitat for rainforest creatures, such as frogs and terrestrial molluscs.

 

Fallen fronds of the palm often collect rainwater, where the frond was attached to the tree. This casual water can be several centimetres deep and last for days after rain. The fallen fronds make an excellent hiding place for native slugs and snails on the forest floor. Some arboreal species of native molluscs live in the palms themselves.

 

Other trees occurring in this forest include the Yellow Carabeen (Sloanea woollsii), Soft Corkwood (Ackama paniculosa), Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina), Bollygum (Litsea reticulata), White Beech (Gmelina leichhardtii), Maidens Blush (Sloanea australis) and plenty of other sub tropical trees.

 

Noteworthy here is a small grove of white barked eucalyptus trees, one measured in excess of 70 metres tall. Known as "the big fella", Eucalyptus grandis.

 

It was my pleasure to take "Black Diamond" to this site. This place is not easily found. The previous State Forest signage has been removed, to reduce the number of tourists visiting here.

 

On that occasion, the driver's father was in the car. This nonagenarian spoke of his childhood in the mid north coast. He spoke with great clarity and interest. There was talk of the long distances from home to school, and then to town. With plenty of walking or with horses.

 

The three of us looked at eucalyptus trees out the window, and debated whether they were Eucalyptus saligna or grandis. Both occur here in great numbers, but they can be tricky to identify when driving.

 

When parking the car, there was a pool of water, beside the road. Plenty of bees landed near the pool. I asked the nonagenarian what the bees were doing. He said "having a drink of water". I do tend to ask a lot of stupid questions!

 

Tree identification in this forest was straight forward. There weren't too many species here that challenged Black Diamond and me. Although, one laurel looked like something out of place. At the time it resembled Cryptocarya bidwillii, though the habitat and latitude were wrong. The human mind is fallible, unreliable and easily fooled.

 

There was a gap of over twenty years before returning here with my fiance a short while before this. Finding this hidden grove was going to be challenging.

 

Time was running out, we were delayed after spending excessive time visiting vineyards in the morning. An hour later than expected we drove on the dirt roads on the west of the Pacific Highway. I was concerned it was too late in the day. But determination to find "the big fella" over ruled other considerations.

 

Arriving near sunset, in a tall darkening forest. Fortunately we stopped at the right spot, and rushed up the palm forest to find the big trees. Returning to Western Boundary road and the car in near darkness. Then a pleasant night together in a motel at Port Macquarie.

 

link to the Big Fella: flic.kr/p/EgYoFJ

link to a nearby eucalyptus: flic.kr/p/x4Xe9R

link to the sunset view of the road near "Big Fella" with my fiance: photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOub4LqsYIqx_z9ibX1CxbfGld4u...

How to eat a mangosteen

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBZ9rviGTpg

 

The purple mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), colloquially known simply as mangosteen, is a tropical evergreen tree believed to have originated in the Sunda Islands and the Moluccas of Indonesia. Nevertheless, it also grows in tropical South American countries such as Colombia, where the tree has been introduced. The tree grows from 7 to 25 m (20–80 ft) tall. The fruit of the mangosteen is sweet and tangy, juicy, and somewhat fibrous, with an inedible, deep reddish-purple colored rind (exocarp) when ripe.In each fruit, the fragrant edible white flesh that surrounds each seed is botanically endocarp, i.e., the inner layer of the ovary.

 

The purple mangosteen belongs to the same genus as the other, less widely known, mangosteens, such as the button mangosteen (G. prainiana) or the charichuelo (G. madruno).

 

A tropical tree, the mangosteen must be grown in consistently warm conditions, as exposure to temperatures below 0°C (32°F) for prolonged periods will generally kill a mature plant. They are known to recover from brief cold spells rather well, often with damage only to young growth. Experienced horticulturists have grown this species outdoors, and brought them to fruit in extreme South Florida.

 

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL

www.susanfordcollins.com

Fruit of the tropical tree, American native Carica papaya,

in Australia we call it "pawpaw".

(Some naughty green pea got there as well)

Not to be confused with "pawpaw" Asimina triloba

From the Swallowtail Garden Seeds collection of botanical photographs and illustrations. We hope you will enjoy these images as much as we do.

SN/NC: Ceiba Pentandra, Malvaceae Family

 

Ceiba pentandra is a tropical tree of the order Malvales and the family Malvaceae (previously separated in the family Bombacaceae), native to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, northern South America, and (as the variety C. pentandra var. guineensis) to tropical west Africa. A somewhat smaller variety is found throughout southern Asia and the East Indies. Kapok is the most used common name for the tree and may also refer to the cotton-like fluff obtained from its seed pods. The tree is cultivated for the seed fibre, particularly in south-east Asia, and is also known as the Java cotton, Java kapok, silk-cotton, Samauma, or ceiba.

 

Ceiba pentandra is een tropische boom van de orde Malvales en de familie Malvaceae (voorheen gescheiden in de familie Bombacaceae), afkomstig uit Mexico, Midden-Amerika en het Caribisch gebied, noordelijk Zuid-Amerika, en (zoals de variëteit C. pentandra var. Guineensis) tot tropisch West-Afrika. Een iets kleinere variëteit wordt gevonden in heel Zuid-Azië en Oost-Indië. Kapok is de meest gebruikte algemene naam voor de boom en kan ook verwijzen naar de katoenachtige pluis die wordt verkregen uit de zaaddozen. De boom wordt gekweekt voor de zaadvezel, vooral in Zuidoost-Azië, en staat ook bekend als het Java-katoen, Java-kapok, zijde-katoen, Samauma of ceiba.

 

Ceiba pentandra est un arbre tropical de l'ordre des Malvales et de la famille des Malvaceae (précédemment séparées dans la famille des Bombacaceae), originaire du Mexique, d'Amérique centrale et des Caraïbes, du nord de l'Amérique du Sud, et (comme la variété C. pentandra var. guineensis) de Afrique occidentale tropicale. Une variété un peu plus petite se trouve dans toute l'Asie du Sud et les Indes orientales. Kapok est le nom commun le plus utilisé pour l'arbre et peut également faire référence aux peluches ressemblant à du coton obtenues à partir de ses gousses. L'arbre est cultivé pour la fibre des graines, en particulier en Asie du Sud-Est, et est également connu sous le nom de coton de Java, kapok de Java, coton de soie, Samauma ou ceiba.

 

La Ceiba pentandra è un albero tropicale dell'ordine Malvales e la famiglia Malvaceae (precedentemente separata nella famiglia Bombacaceae), originaria del Messico, America Centrale e Caraibi, Nord America del Sud e (come la varietà C. pentandra var. Guineensis) a Africa occidentale tropicale. Una varietà un po 'più piccola si trova in tutta l'Asia meridionale e nelle Indie orientali. Kapok è il nome comune più usato per l'albero e può anche riferirsi alla lanugine simile al cotone ottenuta dai suoi baccelli. L'albero è coltivato per la fibra di semi, in particolare nel sud-est asiatico, ed è noto anche come cotone Java, Java kapok, cotone di seta, Samauma o ceiba.

 

Ceiba pentandra é uma árvore tropical da ordem Malvales e da família Malvaceae (anteriormente separada na família Bombacaceae), nativa do México, América Central e Caribe, norte da América do Sul e (como a variedade C. pentandra var. Guineensis) a África ocidental tropical. Uma variedade um pouco menor é encontrada no sul da Ásia e nas Índias Orientais. Kapok é o nome comum mais usado para a árvore e também pode se referir ao cotão de algodão obtido de suas vagens. A árvore é cultivada para a fibra de sementes, principalmente no sudeste da Ásia, e também é conhecida como algodão Java, kapok Java, algodão de seda, Samauma ou ceiba. Mas nós a conhecemos simplesmente como paineira, no Brasil.

 

La ceiba, lupuna, bonga o bongo, pochote o kapok, de nombre binomial Ceiba pentandra Gaertn., es un árbol de la zona intertropical del orden Malvales y de la familia Malvaceae y originario de la región de Mesoamérica. Una variedad algo más pequeña se encuentra en todo el sur de Asia y las Indias Orientales. Kapok es el nombre común más utilizado para el árbol y también puede referirse a la pelusa similar al algodón obtenida de sus vainas de semillas. El árbol se cultiva para la fibra de semillas, particularmente en el sudeste asiático, y también se le conoce como algodón Java, kapok Java, algodón de seda, Samauma o ceiba.

 

Ceiba pentandra ist ein tropischer Baum der Ordnung Malvales und der Familie Malvaceae (früher in der Familie Bombacaceae getrennt), der in Mexiko, Mittelamerika und der Karibik sowie im nördlichen Südamerika beheimatet ist und (wie die Sorte C. pentandra var. guineensis) an tropisches Westafrika. Eine etwas kleinere Sorte kommt in ganz Südasien und Ostindien vor. Kapok ist der am häufigsten verwendete gebräuchliche Name für den Baum und kann sich auch auf den baumwollähnlichen Flaum beziehen, der aus seinen Samenkapseln gewonnen wird. Der Baum wird vor allem in Südostasien für die Samenfaser angebaut und ist auch als Java-Baumwolle, Java-Kapok, Seidenbaumwolle, Samauma oder Ceiba bekannt.

 

Ceiba pentandraは、メキシコ、中央アメリカ、カリブ海、南アメリカ北部に自生し、（品種C. pentandra var。guineensisとして）アオイ目とアオイ科（以前はパンヤ科で分離されていた）の熱帯樹木です。熱帯西アフリカ。南アジアと東インド諸島では、やや小さい品種が見られます。カポックは木の最もよく使われる一般名であり、その種子のさやから得られる綿のような綿毛を指すこともあります。この木は、特に東南アジアで種子繊維用に栽培されており、ジャワ綿、ジャワカポック、シルク綿、サマウマ、セイバとしても知られています。

 

To Ceiba pentandra είναι ένα τροπικό δέντρο της τάξης των Malvales και της οικογένειας Malvaceae (προηγουμένως χωριζόταν στην οικογένεια Bombacaceae), εγγενές στο Μεξικό, την Κεντρική Αμερική και την Καραϊβική, τη Βόρεια Νότια Αμερική και (όπως η ποικιλία C. pentandra var. guineensis) τροπική δυτική Αφρική. Μια κάπως μικρότερη ποικιλία βρίσκεται σε όλη τη νότια Ασία και τις Ανατολικές Ινδίες. Το Kapok είναι το πιο χρησιμοποιούμενο κοινό όνομα για το δέντρο και μπορεί επίσης να αναφέρεται στο χνούδι που μοιάζει με βαμβάκι που λαμβάνεται από τους λοβούς των σπόρων του. Το δέντρο καλλιεργείται για τις ίνες των σπόρων, ιδιαίτερα στη νοτιοανατολική Ασία, και είναι επίσης γνωστό ως βαμβάκι Java, Java kapok, μετάξι-βαμβάκι, Samauma ή ceiba.

 

pentandra هي شجرة استوائية من رتبة Malvales وعائلة Malvaceae (كانت منفصلة سابقًا في عائلة Bombacaceae) ، موطنها المكسيك وأمريكا الوسطى ومنطقة البحر الكاريبي وشمال أمريكا الجنوبية ، و (مثل الصنف C. pentandra var. guineensis) غرب أفريقيا الاستوائية. تم العثور على تنوع أصغر إلى حد ما في جميع أنحاء جنوب آسيا وجزر الهند الشرقية. Kapok هو الاسم الشائع الأكثر استخدامًا للشجرة وقد يشير أيضًا إلى الزغب الشبيه بالقطن الذي يتم الحصول عليه من حبات البذور. تُزرع الشجرة من أجل ألياف البذور ، خاصة في جنوب شرق آسيا ، وتُعرف أيضًا باسم قطن جافا ، أو جافا كابوك ، أو قطن الحرير ، أو ساماوما ، أو سيبا.

adult iguana resting against the trunk of a tropical tree with sunlight filtering through leaves

Diagram for the fairy was published in the Mini Neo magazine #9.

 

Cup Origami Tessellation designed and folded by Oscar Paredes.

 

Origami Tree (on the left) designed by Anton Kuchkin and Sergei Suvorov folded by me.

 

Tropical Tree (on the right) originally designed by Bernie Peyton folded by me.

 

Special thanks to Artur Biernacki for offering me this wonderful model(Fairy)! I love it so much.

St Johns Garden, Manchester.

Cynometra lenticellata is a flowering tropical tree in the family Fabaceae. It is native to tropical semi-deciduous rainforest and gallery forests in northern Queensland, some of the Torres Strait Islands, and New Guinea. Common names include: silk handkerchief tree, cascading bean, and native handkerchief tree.

 

Cynometra lenticellata can grow up to 22 m (72 ft) tall but, more commonly, only reaches 10–12 m (33–39 ft). It has compound leaves with 2-4 pairs of leaflets. New leaves are folded inside dull red bracts and then released in a spectacular cascade of white foliage. The fruity-scented flowers which appear in north Queensland in September to October have 3 to 5 white-cream petals, and may be pollinated by marsupials or bats. They produce a brown pod 25–70 mm long by 18-50mm containing one brown seed in November to March. It is a favoured garden tree.

The so-called corduroy tamarind, a native of the tropical rainforests of north Queensland.

Telephoto shot of one of my two specimens, taken with Canon EOS 600D.

Well… Roadtrip 2012 has finally come to a close.

 

I arrived back in Mesa, Arizona last week after a LONG drive back. The drive through western Texas never ends. It's been a long summer. Long and hot and EXTREMELY humid! I had forgotten what humidity felt like. Now I remember. It sucks! Every time anyone would ask me where I was going for this summer's roadtrip, I would say "Florida." They would shake their head and say, "Florida? Really? In the summer?" It wasn't by choice. The company I shoot for just decided to start selling in Florida. They really needed new photos from there, so that's where I went.

 

It was a summer of ups and downs. Some really good. Some really bad. Not much in-between.

 

On the good side. I was really getting sick of the desert. It was nice to see some green. Since I was a little kid, I have always absolutely loved tropical trees. I love palm trees. Especially coconut palms, and those big banyon trees with all the roots hanging down. South Florida was a tropical tree paradise. The down side of that… Trying to get nice photos of those tropical scenes was like pulling teeth. South Florida is SO built up. Every nice looking palm tree or baryon was always surrounded by parked cars, street signs, power lines and always seemed to have a garbage can underneath it.

 

The weather… The weather was interesting. We had rain. LOTS of RAIN! Many areas of Florida, especially down in the southern part had record breaking rainfall this summer with over 80 inches falling in the several months I was there. Now… This isn't entirely a bad thing. I've spent two winters in Florida in past years. In the winter, you can expect months and months of solid blue skies and temps in the 70's. Pleasant for a vacation, BORING for photography. There were several weeks where the rain just wouldn't end. It just rained and rained for days, with nothing but solid gray skies. BUT. When the rain would stop, the skies were BEAUTIFUL! Dramatic storm clouds, and everything was so green. Most days, there would be a nasty thunderstorm at 3:00. Then it would clear up and give you a fantastic sunset. In spite of the heat, summer is actually a great time for photography in Florida.

 

The humidity was like nothing I have ever experienced before. New Jersey summers are nothing compared to this. The temperature rarely got above the mid 90's. With 98% humidity, it felt like about 187º all the time. I didn't know it was possible to sweat that much. I would take a shower. Put on clean clothes. Then, walk out to my truck, 20 feet away. By the time I got in my truck, I would think, "I need to change my shirt. This is disgusting!" My air conditioning never went off for four months. That meant, I had to spend all of my time in RV parks, with electric hookups so I could run my AC. I hate that. I'd much rather find a nice quiet spot to park out in the woods. I have my solar panels, two generators, which will run everything BUT the AC units. It's also got 120 gallon fresh water tank for showers. Some RV'ers think it's trashy to live without the amenities of a fancy RV park. I love it. Getting out in the wilderness is why I got this thing in the first place. I love being self sufficient and seeing just how much stuff I can run off of solar before I have to fire up a generator. I really missed being able to do any wilderness camping this summer.

 

So… It's been a summer of up's and downs. A change of scenery was nice, but getting exciting photography in Florida is EXTREMELY difficult. I love the ocean. The beaches are pretty, but cluttered with tons of signs, walkways, garbage cans and other clutter to destroy photos. It was great seeing my family and meeting up with some friends in Florida and getting out of the desert for a while, but a challenging summer for photography.

 

On the downside… This summer I lost my stepfather, and had to fly back to New Jersey to spend some time with my Mom. A couple months later, I lost my dog, Bridget. Then, a couple months after that, I watched my former home, the Jersey Shore get completely wiped out by one of the worst hurricanes ever! I lived and worked along the Jersey shore for most of my life. It is really sad to see and I wish everybody back at home the best of luck recovering from this.

 

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So… 6 1/2 months on the road has come to an end. It's been a long and interesting journey. Glad to be back to stay put for a while. I will still be posting lots of photos on flickr, but for the next few months, I will be serving leftovers. Time to catch up on a ton of computer work. I have thousands of photos to pick through. I've even still got a bunch from 2011 and 2010 that I haven't gotten to.

 

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This was tonight's sunset, taken up near Lost Dutchman.

Somewhere near by Krabi, Thailand

How to eat a mangosteen

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBZ9rviGTpg

 

The purple mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), colloquially known simply as mangosteen, is a tropical evergreen tree believed to have originated in the Sunda Islands and the Moluccas of Indonesia. Nevertheless, it also grows in tropical South American countries such as Colombia, where the tree has been introduced. The tree grows from 7 to 25 m (20–80 ft) tall. The fruit of the mangosteen is sweet and tangy, juicy, and somewhat fibrous, with an inedible, deep reddish-purple colored rind (exocarp) when ripe.In each fruit, the fragrant edible flesh that surrounds each seed is botanically endocarp, i.e., the inner layer of the ovary.

 

The purple mangosteen belongs to the same genus as the other, less widely known, mangosteens, such as the button mangosteen (G. prainiana) or the charichuelo (G. madruno).

 

A tropical tree, the mangosteen must be grown in consistently warm conditions, as exposure to temperatures below 0°C (32°F) for prolonged periods will generally kill a mature plant. They are known to recover from brief cold spells rather well, often with damage only to young growth. Experienced horticulturists have grown this species outdoors, and brought them to fruit in extreme South Florida.

 

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL

www.susanfordcollins.com

read more @ Rudraksha Tree (Elaeocarpus grandiflorus)

  

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Ceiba pentandra is a tropical tree

The tree grows to 60–70 m (200–230 ft) tall and has a very substantial trunk up to 3 m (10 ft) in diameter with buttresses.

One of many HUGE Kapok trees are growing here.

Brownsberg nature park, Suriname

Same tree 2 different shots.

SN/NC: Ceiba Pentandra, Malvaceae Family

 

Ceiba pentandra is a tropical tree of the order Malvales and the family Malvaceae (previously separated in the family Bombacaceae), native to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, northern South America, and (as the variety C. pentandra var. guineensis) to tropical west Africa. A somewhat smaller variety is found throughout southern Asia and the East Indies. Kapok is the most used common name for the tree and may also refer to the cotton-like fluff obtained from its seed pods. The tree is cultivated for the seed fibre, particularly in south-east Asia, and is also known as the Java cotton, Java kapok, silk-cotton, Samauma, or ceiba.

 

Ceiba pentandra is een tropische boom van de orde Malvales en de familie Malvaceae (voorheen gescheiden in de familie Bombacaceae), afkomstig uit Mexico, Midden-Amerika en het Caribisch gebied, noordelijk Zuid-Amerika, en (zoals de variëteit C. pentandra var. Guineensis) tot tropisch West-Afrika. Een iets kleinere variëteit wordt gevonden in heel Zuid-Azië en Oost-Indië. Kapok is de meest gebruikte algemene naam voor de boom en kan ook verwijzen naar de katoenachtige pluis die wordt verkregen uit de zaaddozen. De boom wordt gekweekt voor de zaadvezel, vooral in Zuidoost-Azië, en staat ook bekend als het Java-katoen, Java-kapok, zijde-katoen, Samauma of ceiba.

 

Ceiba pentandra est un arbre tropical de l'ordre des Malvales et de la famille des Malvaceae (précédemment séparées dans la famille des Bombacaceae), originaire du Mexique, d'Amérique centrale et des Caraïbes, du nord de l'Amérique du Sud, et (comme la variété C. pentandra var. guineensis) de Afrique occidentale tropicale. Une variété un peu plus petite se trouve dans toute l'Asie du Sud et les Indes orientales. Kapok est le nom commun le plus utilisé pour l'arbre et peut également faire référence aux peluches ressemblant à du coton obtenues à partir de ses gousses. L'arbre est cultivé pour la fibre des graines, en particulier en Asie du Sud-Est, et est également connu sous le nom de coton de Java, kapok de Java, coton de soie, Samauma ou ceiba.

 

La Ceiba pentandra è un albero tropicale dell'ordine Malvales e la famiglia Malvaceae (precedentemente separata nella famiglia Bombacaceae), originaria del Messico, America Centrale e Caraibi, Nord America del Sud e (come la varietà C. pentandra var. Guineensis) a Africa occidentale tropicale. Una varietà un po 'più piccola si trova in tutta l'Asia meridionale e nelle Indie orientali. Kapok è il nome comune più usato per l'albero e può anche riferirsi alla lanugine simile al cotone ottenuta dai suoi baccelli. L'albero è coltivato per la fibra di semi, in particolare nel sud-est asiatico, ed è noto anche come cotone Java, Java kapok, cotone di seta, Samauma o ceiba.

 

Ceiba pentandra é uma árvore tropical da ordem Malvales e da família Malvaceae (anteriormente separada na família Bombacaceae), nativa do México, América Central e Caribe, norte da América do Sul e (como a variedade C. pentandra var. Guineensis) a África ocidental tropical. Uma variedade um pouco menor é encontrada no sul da Ásia e nas Índias Orientais. Kapok é o nome comum mais usado para a árvore e também pode se referir ao cotão de algodão obtido de suas vagens. A árvore é cultivada para a fibra de sementes, principalmente no sudeste da Ásia, e também é conhecida como algodão Java, kapok Java, algodão de seda, Samauma ou ceiba. Mas nós a conhecemos simplesmente como paineira, no Brasil.

 

La ceiba, lupuna, bonga o bongo, pochote o kapok, de nombre binomial Ceiba pentandra Gaertn., es un árbol de la zona intertropical del orden Malvales y de la familia Malvaceae y originario de la región de Mesoamérica. Una variedad algo más pequeña se encuentra en todo el sur de Asia y las Indias Orientales. Kapok es el nombre común más utilizado para el árbol y también puede referirse a la pelusa similar al algodón obtenida de sus vainas de semillas. El árbol se cultiva para la fibra de semillas, particularmente en el sudeste asiático, y también se le conoce como algodón Java, kapok Java, algodón de seda, Samauma o ceiba.

 

Ceiba pentandra ist ein tropischer Baum der Ordnung Malvales und der Familie Malvaceae (früher in der Familie Bombacaceae getrennt), der in Mexiko, Mittelamerika und der Karibik sowie im nördlichen Südamerika beheimatet ist und (wie die Sorte C. pentandra var. guineensis) an tropisches Westafrika. Eine etwas kleinere Sorte kommt in ganz Südasien und Ostindien vor. Kapok ist der am häufigsten verwendete gebräuchliche Name für den Baum und kann sich auch auf den baumwollähnlichen Flaum beziehen, der aus seinen Samenkapseln gewonnen wird. Der Baum wird vor allem in Südostasien für die Samenfaser angebaut und ist auch als Java-Baumwolle, Java-Kapok, Seidenbaumwolle, Samauma oder Ceiba bekannt.

 

Ceiba pentandraは、メキシコ、中央アメリカ、カリブ海、南アメリカ北部に自生し、（品種C. pentandra var。guineensisとして）アオイ目とアオイ科（以前はパンヤ科で分離されていた）の熱帯樹木です。熱帯西アフリカ。南アジアと東インド諸島では、やや小さい品種が見られます。カポックは木の最もよく使われる一般名であり、その種子のさやから得られる綿のような綿毛を指すこともあります。この木は、特に東南アジアで種子繊維用に栽培されており、ジャワ綿、ジャワカポック、シルク綿、サマウマ、セイバとしても知られています。

 

To Ceiba pentandra είναι ένα τροπικό δέντρο της τάξης των Malvales και της οικογένειας Malvaceae (προηγουμένως χωριζόταν στην οικογένεια Bombacaceae), εγγενές στο Μεξικό, την Κεντρική Αμερική και την Καραϊβική, τη Βόρεια Νότια Αμερική και (όπως η ποικιλία C. pentandra var. guineensis) τροπική δυτική Αφρική. Μια κάπως μικρότερη ποικιλία βρίσκεται σε όλη τη νότια Ασία και τις Ανατολικές Ινδίες. Το Kapok είναι το πιο χρησιμοποιούμενο κοινό όνομα για το δέντρο και μπορεί επίσης να αναφέρεται στο χνούδι που μοιάζει με βαμβάκι που λαμβάνεται από τους λοβούς των σπόρων του. Το δέντρο καλλιεργείται για τις ίνες των σπόρων, ιδιαίτερα στη νοτιοανατολική Ασία, και είναι επίσης γνωστό ως βαμβάκι Java, Java kapok, μετάξι-βαμβάκι, Samauma ή ceiba.

 

pentandra هي شجرة استوائية من رتبة Malvales وعائلة Malvaceae (كانت منفصلة سابقًا في عائلة Bombacaceae) ، موطنها المكسيك وأمريكا الوسطى ومنطقة البحر الكاريبي وشمال أمريكا الجنوبية ، و (مثل الصنف C. pentandra var. guineensis) غرب أفريقيا الاستوائية. تم العثور على تنوع أصغر إلى حد ما في جميع أنحاء جنوب آسيا وجزر الهند الشرقية. Kapok هو الاسم الشائع الأكثر استخدامًا للشجرة وقد يشير أيضًا إلى الزغب الشبيه بالقطن الذي يتم الحصول عليه من حبات البذور. تُزرع الشجرة من أجل ألياف البذور ، خاصة في جنوب شرق آسيا ، وتُعرف أيضًا باسم قطن جافا ، أو جافا كابوك ، أو قطن الحرير ، أو ساماوما ، أو سيبا.

This shot was taken in the neighborhood of Ponta da Praia in Santos, Brazil.

 

Marjorie McNeely Conservatory, #MyMMC

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."Mahua longifolia is an Indian tropical tree found largely in the central and north Indian plains and forests. It is commonly known as mahuwa,mahua, mahwa or Iluppai. It is a fast-growing tree that grows to approximately 20 meters in height, possesses evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage, and belongs to the family Sapotaceae."Wikipedia .

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Tropical trees in Honduras. / Arbres tropicaux au Honduras.

 

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What the title says.

The rambutan (/ræmˈbuːtən/; taxonomic name: Nephelium lappaceum) is a medium-sized tropical tree in the family Sapindaceae. The name also refers to the edible fruit produced by this tree. The rambutan is native to the Malay-Indonesian region, and other regions of tropical Southeast Asia. It is closely related to several other edible tropical fruits including the lychee, longan, and mamoncillo.

 

ETYMOLOGY

The name 'rambutan' is derived from the Malay-Indonesian languages word for rambut or "hair", a reference to the numerous hairy protuberances of the fruit, together with the noun-building suffix -an. In Vietnam, it is called chôm chôm (meaning "messy hair") due to the spines covering the fruit's skin.

 

ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION

Native to tropical Southeast Asia, rambutan is commonly grown among various countries throughout the region. It has spread from there to various parts of Asia, Africa, Oceania and Central America. The widest variety of cultivars, wild and cultivated, are found in Malaysia.

 

Around the 13th to 15th centuries, Arab traders that played a major role in Indian Ocean trade introduced rambutan into Zanzibar and Pemba of East Africa. There are limited rambutan plantings in some parts of India. In the 19th century, the Dutch introduced rambutan from their colony in Southeast Asia and Suriname in South America. Subsequently the plant spread to tropical Americas, planted in the coastal lowlands of Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Cuba. In 1912, rambutan was introduced to the Philippines from Indonesia. Further introductions were made in 1920 (from Indonesia) and 1930 (from Malaya), but until the 1950s its distribution was limited.

 

There was an attempt to introduce rambutan to the southeastern United States, with seeds imported from Java in 1906, but the species proved to be unsuccessful, except in Puerto Rico.

 

DESCRIPTION

It is an evergreen tree growing to a height of 12–20 m. The leaves are alternate, 10–30 cm long, pinnate, with three to 11 leaflets, each leaflet 5–15 cm wide and 3–10 cm broad, with an entire margin. The flowers are small, 2.5–5 mm, apetalous, discoidal, and borne in erect terminal panicles 15–30 cm wide.

 

Rambutan trees can be male (producing only staminate flowers and, hence, produce no fruit), female (producing flowers that are only functionally female), or hermaphroditic (producing flowers that are female with a small percentage of male flowers).

 

The fruit is a round to oval single-seeded berry, 3–6 cm (rarely to 8 cm) long and 3–4 cm broad, borne in a loose pendant cluster of 10–20 together. The leathery skin is reddish (rarely orange or yellow), and covered with fleshy pliable spines, hence the name, which means 'hairs'. The fruit flesh, which is actually the aril, is translucent, whitish or very pale pink, with a sweet, mildly acidic flavor very reminiscent of grapes.

 

The single seed is glossy brown, 1–1.3 cm, with a white basal scar. Soft and containing equal portions of saturated and unsaturated fats, the seeds may be cooked and eaten. The peeled fruits can be eaten raw, or cooked and eaten: first, the grape-like fleshy aril, then the nutty seed, with no waste.

 

POLLINATION

Aromatic rambutan flowers are highly attractive to many insects, especially bees. Flies (Diptera), bees (Hymenoptera), and ants (Solenopsis) are the main pollinators. Among the Diptera, Lucilia spp. are abundant, and among the Hymenoptera, honey bees (Apis dorsata and A. cerana) and the stingless bee genus Trigona are the major visitors. A. cerana colonies foraging on rambutan flowers produce large quantities of honey. Bees foraging for nectar routinely contact the stigma of male flowers and gather significant quantities of the sticky pollen from male blossoms. Little pollen has been seen on bees foraging female flowers. Although male flowers open at 6 am, foraging by A. cerana is most intense between 7 and 11 am, tapering off rather abruptly thereafter. In Thailand, A. cerana is the preferred species for small-scale pollination of rambutan. Its hair is also helpful in pollination where pollen can be hooked on and transported to female flowers.

 

PRODUCTION

Rambutan is an important fruit tree of humid tropical Southeast Asia, traditionally cultivated especially in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. It is a popular garden fruit tree and propagated commercially in small orchards. It is one of the best-known fruits of Southeast Asia and is also widely cultivated elsewhere in the tropics including Africa, the Caribbean islands, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, India, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka; it is also produced in Ecuador where it is known as achotillo and on the island of Puerto Rico.

 

Thailand is the largest producer of rambutan, with 588,000 tonnes (55.5%), followed by Indonesia with 320,000 tonnes (30.2%) and Malaysia with 126,300 tonnes (11.9%) in 2005, the three countries collectively accounting for 97% of the world's supply of rambutan. In Thailand, major cultivation center is in Surat Thani Province. In Indonesia, the production center of rambutan is located in the western parts of Indonesia, which includes Java, Sumatra and Kalimantan. In Java, the orchards and pekarangan (habitation yards) in the villages of Greater Jakarta and West Java, has been known as rambutan production centers since colonial era, with trading center in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta. Rambutan production is increasing in Australia and, in 1997, was one of the top three tropical fruits produced in Hawaii.

 

The fruit are usually sold fresh, used in making jams and jellies, or canned. Evergreen rambutan trees with their abundant coloured fruit make beautiful landscape specimens.

 

In India, rambutan is imported from Thailand as well as grown in Pathanamthitta District of the southern state of Kerala.

 

Rambutans are not a climacteric fruit — that is, they ripen only on the tree and appear not to produce a ripening agent such as the plant hormone, ethylene, after being harvested.

 

CULTIVATION

Rambutan is adapted to warm tropical climates, around 22–30 °C, and is sensitive to temperatures below 10 °C. It is grown commercially within 12–15° of the equator. The tree grows well at elevations up to 500 m above sea level, and does best in deep soil, clay loam or sandy loam rich in organic matter, and thrive on hilly terrain as they require good drainage. Rambutan is propagated by grafting, air-layering, and budding; the latter is most common as trees grown from seed often produce sour fruit. Budded trees may fruit after two to three years with optimum production occurring after eight to 10 years. Trees grown from seed bear after five to six years.

 

The aril is attached to the seed in some commercial cultivars, but "freestone" cultivars are available and in high demand. Usually, a single light brown seed is found, which is high in certain fats and oils (primarily oleic acid and arachidic acid) valuable to industry, and used in cooking and the manufacture of soap. Rambutan roots, bark, and leaves have various uses in traditional medicine and in the production of dyes.

 

In some areas, rambutan trees can bear fruit twice annually, once in late fall and early winter, with a shorter season in late spring and early summer. Other areas, such as Costa Rica, have a single fruit season, with the start of the rainy season in April stimulating flowering, and the fruit is usually ripe in August and September. The fragile fruit must ripen on the tree, then they are harvested over a four- to seven-week period. The fresh fruit are easily bruised and have a limited shelf life. An average tree may produce 5,000–6,000 or more fruit (60–70 kg per tree). Yields begin at 1.2 tonnes per hectare in young orchards and may reach 20 tonnes per hectare on mature trees. In Hawaii, 24 of 38 cultivated hectares were harvested producing 120 tonnes of fruit in 1997. Yields could be increased by improved orchard management, including pollination, and by planting high-yielding compact cultivars.

 

Most commercial cultivars are hermaphroditic; cultivars that produce only functionally female flowers require the presence of male trees. Male trees are seldom found, as vegetative selection has favored hermaphroditic clones that produce a high proportion of functionally female flowers and a much lower number of flowers that produce pollen. Over 3,000 greenish-white flowers occur in male panicles, each with five to seven anthers and a nonfunctional ovary. Male flowers have yellow nectaries and five to seven stamens. About 500 greenish-yellow flowers occur in each hermaphroditic panicle. Each flower has six anthers, usually a bilobed stigma, and one ovule in each of its two sections (locules). The flowers are receptive for about one day, but may persist if pollinators are excluded.

 

In Thailand, rambutan trees were first planted in Surat Thani in 1926 by the Chinese Malay K. Vong in Ban Na San. An annual rambutan fair is held during August harvest time.

 

In Malaysia, rambutan flowers from March to July and again between June and November, usually in response to rain following a dry period. Flowering periods differ for other localities. Most, but not all, flowers open early in the day. Up to 100 flowers in each female panicle may be open each day during peak bloom. Initial fruit set may approach 25%, but a high abortion level contributes to a much lower level of production at harvest (1 to 3%). The fruit matures 15–18 weeks after flowering.

 

Rambutan cultivation in Sri Lanka mainly consists of small home gardens. Malwana, a village located in the Kelani River Valley, is popular for its rambutan orchards. Their production comes to market in May, June, and July, when it is very common to observe seasonal traders along the streets of Colombo. Sri Lanka also has some off-season rambutan production in January and February in areas such as Bibile, Medagama, and Monaragala.

 

Both male and female flowers are faintly sweet-scented and have functional nectaries at the ovary base. Female flowers produce two to three times more nectar than male flowers. Nectar sugar concentration ranges between 18% and 47% and is similar between the flower types. Rambutan is an important nectar source for bees in Malaysia.

 

Cross-pollination is a necessity because the anther is absent in most functionally female flowers. Although apomixis may occur in some cultivars, rambutan, like lychee, is dependent upon insects for pollination. In Malaysia, where only about 1% of the female flowers set fruit, no fruit is set on bagged flowers while hand pollination resulted in 13% fruit set. Pollinators may maintain a fidelity to either male or hermaphroditic flowers (trees), thus limiting pollination and fruit set under natural conditions where crossing between male and female flowers is required.

 

CULTIVARS

Well over 200 cultivars were developed from selected clones available throughout tropical Asia. Most of the cultivars are also selected for compact growth, reaching a height of only 3–5 m for easier harvesting.

 

In Indonesia, 22 rambutan cultivars were identified with good quality, with five as leading commercial cultivars: 'Binjai', 'Lebak Bulus', 'Rapiah', 'Cimacan' and 'Sinyonya', with other popular cultivars including 'Simacan', 'Silengkeng', 'Sikonto' and 'Aceh kuning'. In Malaya, commercial varieties include 'Chooi Ang', 'Peng Thing Bee', 'Ya Tow', 'Azimat', and 'Ayer Mas'.

 

In Nicaragua, a joint World Relief–European Union team distributed seedlings to organizations such as Ascociación Pueblos en Acción Comunitaria in 2001 to more than 100 farmers. Some of these farmers saw the first production of rambutan from their trees in 2005–2006 with development directed at the local market.

 

In the Philippines, two cultivars of rambutan are distinguished by their seed. The common rambutan seed and fruit are difficult to separate, while the 'Maharlika Rambutan' fruit separates cleanly from its seed. The fruit taste and size of these two cultivars are identical, but the 'Maharlika Rambutan' is more popular with a higher price.

 

NUTRIENTS AND PHYTOCHEMICALS

Rambutan fruit contains diverse nutrients but in modest amounts, with only manganese having moderate content at 16% of the Daily Value per 100 g consumed (right table; note data are for canned fruit in syrup, not as raw which may have different nutrient contents).

 

As an unpigmented fruit flesh, rambutan does not contain significant polyphenol content, but its colorful rind displays diverse phenolic acids, such as syringic, coumaric, gallic, caffeic and ellagic acids having antioxidant activity in vitro. Rambutan seeds contain equal proportions of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, where arachidic (34%) and oleic (42%) acids, respectively, are highest in fat content.

 

The pleasant fragrance of rambutan fruit derives from numerous volatile organic compounds, including beta-damascenone, vanillin, phenylacetic acid and cinnamic acid.

 

WIKIPEDIA

This large deciduous tropical tree, 75' tall and indigenous to the Amazon rainforest, is listed as a rare tree and flower in India. The leaves, up to 6" long, are simple with serrate margin; it flowers in racemes which is cauliflorus; the yellow, reddish and pink flowers are stunning fragrant. These are 3" to 5" waxy aromatic smelling, pink and dark-red flowers growing directly on the bark of the trunk. Cannon ball flowers are considered of special significance in Buddhist culture in Sri Lanka. In Tamil Nadu, it is called Nagalingam flower. The sivalingam shape is visible at the center of the flower and snake shaped pollen is the specialty of this flower and it has very good fragrance. This rare flower can be used for Shiva Pooja -Flowers of India

 

 

The most common tropical tree ant, and a source of food by many people in Indonesia. These two are exchanging liquid. This was in Cape Tribulation, Australia.

This view was shot at Gonzaga beach in Santos, São Paulo State, south east Brazil.

The Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines occupies 152 acres on a prominent plateau, visible at a distance from the east, south and west. It contains the largest number of graves of our military dead of World War II, a total of 17,201, most of whom lost their lives in operations in New Guinea and the Philippines. The headstones are aligned in 11 plots forming a generally circular pattern, set among masses of a wide variety of tropical trees and shrubbery.

 

Syzygium samarangense is a plant species in the family Myrtaceae, native to an area that includes the Greater Sunda Islands, Malay Peninsula and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, but introduced in prehistoric times to a wider area and now widely cultivated in the tropics.

 

Common names in English include Java apple, Semarang rose-apple and wax jambu.

 

Cultivation and uses:

Syzygium samarangense is a tropical tree growing to 12 m tall, with evergreen leaves 10–25 cm long and 5–10 cm broad. The flowers are white, 2.5 cm diameter, with four petals and numerous stamens. The fruit is a bell-shaped, edible berry, with colors ranging from white, pale green, or green to red, purple, or crimson, to deep purple or even black, 4–6 cm long in wild plants. The flowers and resulting fruit are not limited to the axils of the leaves, and can appear on nearly any point on the surface of the trunk and branches. When mature, the tree is considered a heavy bearer, yielding a crop of up to 700 fruits.

 

Syzygium samarangense with a cross section of the fruit

When ripe, the fruit will puff outwards, with a slight concavity in the middle of the underside of the "bell". Healthy wax apples have a light sheen to them. Despite its name, a ripe wax apple only resembles an apple on the outside in color. It does not taste like an apple, and it has neither the fragrance nor the density of an apple. Its flavor is similar to a snow pear, and the liquid-to-flesh ratio of the wax apple is comparable to a watermelon. Unlike either apple or watermelon, the wax apple's flesh has a very loose weave. The very middle holds a seed situated in a sort of cotton-candy-like mesh. This mesh is edible, but flavorless. The color of its juice depends on the cultivar; it may be purple to entirely colorless.

 

A number of cultivars with larger fruit have been selected. In general, the paler or darker the color, the sweeter it is.[clarification needed] In Southeast Asia, the black ones are nicknamed "Black Pearl" or "Black Diamond", while the very pale greenish-white ones, called "Pearl", are among the highest priced ones in fruit markets. The fruit is often served uncut, but with the core removed, to preserve the unique bell-shaped presentation. In Malay peninsula it is also used as bonsai plant as it grows well in pots and has thick trunk.

 

In the cuisine of Indian Ocean islands, the fruit is frequently used in salads, as well as in lightly sautéed dishes.

 

In India, water apples are found in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh near the dry land areas of Rajanagaram mandal (mainly around G.Donthamuru village surroundings). In Telugu, these are called kammari kayalu (కమ్మరి కాయలు). It is also found throughout Kerala where it is called as Champakka or Chambakka. It is mainly eaten as a fruit and also used to make pickles (Chambakka Achar).

 

In Taiwan, it is known as 蓮霧 (Lián wù).

 

In the Philippines, its local name is macopa. Because of their similarity in appearance, Filipinos always confuse macopa with tambis (Syzygium aqueum), although the latter is more commonly cultivated.

 

Medicinal uses:

The flowers are astringent and used in Taiwan to treat fever and halt diarrhea. Investigators have found their principal constituent to be tannin. They also contain desmethoxymatteucinol, 5-O-methyl-4'-desmethoxymatteucinol, oleanic acid and B-sitosterol. They show weak antibiotic action against Staphylococcus aureus, Mycobacterium smegmatis, and Candida albicans.

 

Canon ball tree flower-couropita guianensis

 

This large deciduous tropical tree, 75' tall and indigenous to the Amazon rainforest, is listed as a rare tree and flower in India. The leaves, up to 6" long, are simple with serrate margin; it flowers in racemes which is cauliflorus; the yellow, reddish and pink flowers are stunning fragrant. These are 3" to 5" waxy aromatic smelling, pink and dark-red flowers growing directly on the bark of the trunk. Cannon ball flowers are considered of special significance in Buddhist culture in Sri Lanka. In Tamil Nadu, it is called Nagalingam flower. The sivalingam shape is visible at the center of the flower and snake shaped pollen is the specialty of this flower and it has very good fragrance. This rare flower can be used for Shiva Pooja -Flowers of India

 

Seychelles