Ground Beetle, Carabus granulatus.

Body length; 16-23mm.

Habitat; Typically a species of wetland margins, found in wet fields, river margins, lake shores and permanently damp and shaded woodland. Across much of its range it also occurs in upland and mountain regions, among peat and blanket bogs etc.

Widespread in much of Britain, including all the islands except Orkney and Shetland, but never really common. It occurs throughout Europe, north to mid-Scandinavian latitudes and east to the Pacific and Japan. Following introductions from 1890, it is now also widespread across the United States and Canadian border regions.

A narrow and elongate species, the upper part of this beetle is shiny, usually entirely dark metallic bronze, but greenish or bluish specimens do occur. Legs are long and robust, middle and hind legs slender, fore-legs are broader. All tibiae have two strong apical spurs, fore-tibiae without an internal antennal-cleaning notch. The legs are usualy dark, although pale-legged forms occur on the continent. The two wing cases, (elytra ), are subparallel with "chain link" longitudinal grooves. The head is long and narrow with robust projecting mandibles, prominent and convex eyes and long palps and antennae.

Active from March/April through to Autumn, this is one of the few species of ground beetle that hasn't completely lost its ability to fly. In the UK the species has reduced wings and is flightless, but in central Europe fully winged specimens have been observed to fly. However, in general this nocturnal beetle remains on the ground where they prey on insects and worms but predominantley snails. During the day they hide under tree trunks or stones. They overwinter under bark, among litter or under logs etc, although they may also become active during mild Winter spells.

Mating begins in April and egg laying a little later. The females lay about forty eggs, individual eggs laid in burrows a few cm deep which are then filled with soil. The eggs will hatch within a week or two and the nocturnal and predatory larvae develop through the Summer. Passing through three instars the larvae will be fully grown within 40 to 60 days. Pupation occurs in the ground from late Summer and the new-generation of adults appear in the Autumn. Overwintered adults may reproduce in the following Spring but some, perhaps a majority, do not and will overwinter a second time before doing so.

It is thought they may be adapted to feed primarily on dextral snails, those that coil to the right and which comprise more than 80% of European specimens. As most of the beetles have the left mandible overlaying the right this may be an adaptation to hunting dextral snails, sinistral snails, those that coil to the left, being largely immune to attack.

Unlike some other snail eating beetles, Carabus granulatus doesn't attack snails with digestive enzymes but simply reaches into the shell with its mandibles, butchers it extensively and pulls it from the shell.

Ommatius sp. maybe Ommatius coeraebus

Family: Asilidae

Order: Diptera

This Robber Fly appears to be eating another, slightly smaller, Robber Fly of the same species i.e. cannibalism.

Apparently cannibalism is common amongst Robber Flies. Indeed, some species have ben given the colloquial name of cannibal flies. Males are particularly at risk as they attempt to mate with larger females.

In this photo, the proboscis has been inserted through the cuticle of the victim's thorax. A neurotoxin subdues the victim and digestive enzymes then liquify the tissues of the victim. The liquified contents of the victims body are then sucked out through the proboscis.

DSC03593

Genus: Stylidium

Subgenus: Stylidium subg. Tolypangium

Section: Stylidium sect. Lineares

Species: S. graminifolium

The Stylidium has a distinctive reproductive structure in which the stamen and style are fused to form a floral column, commonly called a "trigger" in this genus. Both the anthers and the stigma are at the tip of the column. As the anthers develop first they are pushed aside by the developing stigma. The column typically resides beneath the plane of the flower. Pollination is achieved through the use of the sensitive "trigger", at the floral column. When a pollinating insect lands on a Stylidium flower and touches the column, the change in pressure causes a physiological change in the column, swinging the column quickly from below toward the insect. It will deposit pollens onto it or pick up pollens depending on the stage of development of the flower. This delayed development of the stigma prevents self-pollination and ensures that cross- pollination will occur between individuals of a population.

Stylidium are considered to be protocarnivorous or carnivorous because the glandular trichomes that cover the scape and flower can trap, kill, and digest small insects with protease enzymes produced by the plant.

Stylidium graminifolium is an Australian native plant.

Noted predator of the assassin bug family. It comes equipped with a cog wheel on its back as a defense mechanism for when they are in mortal combat with their prey. Notice the impressive hypodermic beak tucked under the head. Through this they inject toxins and digestive enzymes and then reverse flow to ingest their prey.

This moth is a member of the Zygaenidae family. It is found in Syria, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, Israel and Lebanon. It is a day-flying moth. Its bright colors are a warning for its predators that the moths are distasteful - it contain hydrogen cyanide (HCN). If it is eaten, then the high acidity of the predators stomach activates enzymes that produces the hydrogen cyanide gas causing the predator to vomit and to think twice before it makes a similar decision in the future :)

Thanks to all who viewed, commented on and or faved my photo. It is greatly appreciated. Raed :)

My Fork-leaved sundew is growing with an unexpected vigour and the multi branched leaves that give it it's name are now opeing up on every stem.

Any insects in the kitchen are advised to steer clear of these beautiful drops of 'dew', they are gluey mucilage which grabs hold of any small insect attracted by the sugars within. More mucilage tipped tendrils close around the prey and enzymes in the fluid break down the insects soft tissue, which is absorbed into the plant.

Nature red in tooth and tendril...

This moth is a member of the Zygaenidae family. It is found in Syria, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, Israel and Lebanon. It is a day-flying moth. Its bright colors are a warning for its predators that the moths are distasteful - it contain hydrogen cyanide (HCN). If it is eaten, then the high acidity of the predators stomach activates enzymes that produces the hydrogen cyanide gas causing the predator to vomit and to think twice before it makes a similar decision in the future :)

Thanks to all who viewed, commented on and or faved my photo. It is greatly appreciated. Raed :)

I think that Nightjars are the only birds that sit lengthways on branches to enhance their stick-like camouflage. I spotted this one roosting by day, quite high in a tree, but the geography of the site prevented me from getting closer and I didn't want to risk disturbing him. I left him sat there, but have been back twice since and have not managed to find him. Usually they keep their eyes tightly shut to enhance the camouflage but I think I was sufficiently distant for this one to risk keeping his eyes open. They sit motionless during the day, near-impossible to find but after sunset they become active, making some wonderful calls and bouncing around the sky with great acrobatic agility. They eat insects which they catch on the wing by flying round with their enormous mouths open, like a Swift (Apus apus). They return from Africa in mid May and disappear in September after one or two broods of chicks. They are also scarce and extremely patchily distributed in Britain, but with their greatest populations on the dry heathlands of southern England. I found him in a wood on the edge of the Peak District.

The scientific name Caprimulgus translates as goat-milker from the ancient belief (dating back before Aristotle) that Nightjars fed from goat udders, which caused them to stop producing milk, and eventually to go blind. This seems to be based on the simple observation that they have large mouths that might be capable of clamping on a goat's udder, but the large mouth is really to catch insects with. Because milk is a mammalian product, birds have never evolved the enzyme lactase that enables them to digest milk. It was fat that the Blue Tits used to steal off the top of the milk, and they stopped feeding from milk bottles once our tastes changed to low-fat semi-skimmed milk.

a dewy and immobilized giant robber fly. when not sleeping she will inject her victims with neurotoxic and digestive enzymes. she will then suck out their innards through her proboscis.

An innocent looking and quite beautiful carnivorous plant – Sundew.

Seen along the Shorepine Bog Trail in the Pacific Rim National Park.

Per www.carnivorous--plants.com/sundew-plant.html :

“Glandular tentacles with sticky secretions covering their laminae, characterize the sundews.

The trapping mechanism uses the stalked glands secreting the sweet mucilage that serves the triple function of attracting the insect, ensnaring them and providing the enzymes to aid the digestion process. The sessile glands help to absorb the broken down nutrients.”

Fortunately they are tiny plants that should pose no risk to humans!

The #MacroMondays #Decay theme

Emerging Glistening Ink Cap fruiting bodies reveal that the log they are growing on is being consumed from the inside.

Fungi, especially when seen on wood, is associated with decay, but it's much more complicated than that. One whole group of fungi, the mycorrhizal types, do not contribute to decay at all. They grow in the ground, linking to and even penetrating plant roots to provide them with nutrients and minerals while accepting in return sugars the plant concerned created through photosynthesis. In so doing they enable the tree or plant to create oxygen which we find pretty desirable within our biosphere. Indeed, as 90% of trees and plants rely on this symbiotic relationship, no fungi would pretty quickly mean no us.

But this week we are talking decay, so I've photographed a saprobic fungus. Saprobic fungi consume dead or dying wood and are among the very few organisms capable of breaking down lignin and cellulose which are the main components of wood.

Here we may think we are seeing three fungi. Wrong! We see three fruiting bodies almost certainly from the same organism which grows throughout the year, out of sight, in this case within the log from which these mushrooms are erupting. The unseen part is called mycelium, which is made from bundles of very thin threads called hyphae (hi-fee). They are analogous to plant roots, except they are much better at taking nutrients from their environment. The fruiting bodies are used to disperse spores which, like plant seeds, will create the next generation.

Plants needed fungi to colonise the land in the first place. Fungi teamed up with bacteria and algae to form lichens which broke down rock to create the first soil. As the earliest plants had no roots to embed themselves into and exploit this new habitat, they relied upon mycorrhizal fungi to join with them, lending their mycelia to provide plants with water and nutrients in exchange for sugars. Plant roots took a further 40 million years to evolve.

The log from which these mushrooms erupt is destined to become nutrient rich soil due to the actions of a variety of fungi which use their hyphae to penetrate and explore their host, while deploying enzymes and acids to eat it. The nutrients released will nurture new plants and trees which themselves will be nourished by mycorrhizal fungi and consumed by saprobic fungi in an everlasting (we hope) cycle of life-building and decay which allows us to live.

Finally, I hereby declare Fungi Season 2025 open. HMM all.

And this is how this plant extracts the nitrogen

necessary to complete the photosynthesis.In this case it was a Stomorhina lunata that was caught in his gummy "tentacles".The fly was still alive at the moment of the shots (some movements in his proboscid and abdomen) but would die soon . In this moment the digestive glands begin to break down the barrier by producing enzymes that digest later assimilable substances. Finally only the external and empty skeleton content of the insect remains.

Late afternoon natural light field stack . 25 pictures taken with a 7DmkII + reversed Hexanon 40mm + extension tubes at f5.6 ; iso 200 and silver reflector from downside.

Other pictures of the plant in top comments

Después de tantas cenas y comidas copiosas típicas de estas fechas lo mejor que podemos hacer es recurrir a frutas que nos ayudan a la digestión. El kiwi al, igual que la piña, contiene bromelina. Una enzima que ayuda a la digestión de las proteínas, presentes en la carne.

Després de tants sopars i menjars copiosos típics d'aquestes dates el millor que podem fer és recórrer a fruites que ens ajuden a la digestió. El kiwi al, igual que la pinya, conté bromelina. Un enzim que ajuda a la digestió de les proteïnes, presents en la carn.

After so many dinners and copious meals typical of these dates, the best we can do is turn to fruits that help us with digestion. Kiwi, like pineapple, contains bromelain. An enzyme that aids in the digestion of proteins, present in meat.

#nikonD850 #nikon50mm18 #nikonistas #kiwi #naturalezamuerta #bodegón #bromelina #stilllifephotography #productphotography #godox #neewer #vanguardworldes @nikoneurope @natgeoespana @godoxlighting @neewer @vanguardworldes

1917AD, 7th Septemeber, Sydney, South Wales, Australia. John Cornforth is born, later to become Sir in recognition for his work on the stereochemistry of enzyme-catalysed reactions.

During World War II he was at Oxford where his work significantly influenced the development of penicillin. At the time penicillin was very unstable in its crude form and researchers were building on Howard Florey's work on the drug. Along with other chemists, he measured the yield of penicillin in arbitrary units to understand the conditions that favoured penicillin production and activity.

He was knighted in 1977.

Read more on our blog.

Um texto, em português, da Wikipédia:

Hibiscus

Hibiscus L. é um gênero botânico, com cerca de 300 espécies, inserido na família das Malvaceae, com flores e folhas exuberantes. Devido à nova taxonomia pela filogenética (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group), muitas espécies que pertenciam a esse gênero estão migrando para outros gêneros. Por exemplo: Hibiscus esculentus L., a planta do quiabo, agora é Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench. O cultivo dos exemplares do gênero, tanto ornamental como econômico, está disseminado nas regiões subtropicais e tropicais, cuidando para não sofrerem com geadas e temperaturas baixas constantes.

Etimologia:

Hibiscus significa Ísis (deusa egípcia), em grego.

Sinonímia:

Bombycidendron Zoll. & Moritzi

Bombycodendron Hassk.

Brockmania W. Fitzg.

Fioria Mattei

Espécies:

Hibiscus acetosella

Hibiscus x archeri (híbrido)

Hibiscus arnottianus

Hibiscus bifurcatus

Hibiscus brackenridgei

Hibiscus calyphyllus

Hibiscus cameronii

Hibiscus cannabinus

Hibiscus chitra

Hibiscus cisplatinus

Hibiscus clayi

Hibiscus coccineus

Hibiscus denisonii

Hibiscus diversifolius

Hibiscus elatus

Hibiscus furcellatus

Hibiscus fuscus

Hibiscus grandiflorus

Hibiscus hastatus

Hibiscus heterophyllus

Hibiscus indicus

Hibiscus kokio

Hibiscus lasiocarpos

Hibiscus lavaterioides

Hibiscus lobatus

Hibiscus ludwigii

Hibiscus macrophyllus

Hibiscus mastersianus

Hibiscus militaris

Hibiscus moscheutos

Hibiscus mutabilis (malva-rosa)

Hibiscus paramutabilis

Hibiscus pedunculatus

Hibiscus pernambucensis (guanxuma-do-mangue)

Hibiscus platanifolius

Hibiscus radiatus

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (hibisco)

Hibiscus sabdariffa (vinagreira)

Hibiscus schizopetalus (hibisco-crespo)

Hibiscus scottii

Hibiscus sinosyriacus

Hibiscus splendens

Hibiscus syriacus (hibisco-da-síria)

Hibiscus tiliaceus (algodoeiro-da-praia)

Hibiscus trionum (flor-de-todas-as-horas)

Hibiscus waimeae

Hibiscus dioscorides

Hibiscus diriffan

Hibiscus escobariae

Hibiscus noli-tangere

Hibiscus quattenensis

Hibiscus socotranus

Hibiscus stenanthus

Portugal:

Em Portugal este género está representado por 2 espécies, presentes em Portugal Continental, a primeira nativa, a segunda introduzida:1

Hibiscus palustris L.

Hibiscus trionum L.

Classificação do gênero:

Sistema Classificação Referência

Linné Classe Monadelphia, ordem Polyandria Species plantarum (1753)

Papuodendron C. T. White

Pariti Adans.

Talipariti Fryxell

Wilhelminia Hochr.

A text, in english, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

Hibiscus

For other uses, see Hibiscus (disambiguation).

Hibiscus

Hibiscus flower TZ.jpg

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae

Division: Angiosperms

Class: Eudicots

Order: Malvales

Family: Malvaceae

Subfamily: Malvoideae

Tribe: Hibisceae

Genus: Hibiscus

L.

Species

232 species

Synonyms

Bombycidendron Zoll. & Moritzi

Bombycodendron Hassk.

Brockmania W.Fitzg.

Pariti Adans.

Wilhelminia Hochr.

Hibiscus (/hɨˈbɪskəs/ or /haɪˈbɪskəs/) is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. Member species are often noted for their showy flowers and are commonly known simply as hibiscus, or less widely known as rose mallow. The genus includes both annual and perennial herbaceous plants, as well as woody shrubs and small trees. The generic name is derived from the Greek word ἱβίσκος (hibískos), which was the name Pedanius Dioscorides (ca. 40–90) gave to Althaea officinalis.

Description:

The leaves are alternate, ovate to lanceolate, often with a toothed or lobed margin. The flowers are large, conspicuous, trumpet-shaped, with five or more petals, color from white to pink, red, orange, purple or yellow, and from 4–18 cm broad. Flower color in certain species, such as H. mutabilis and H. tiliaceus, changes with age.[5] The fruit is a dry five-lobed capsule, containing several seeds in each lobe, which are released when the capsule dehisces (splits open) at maturity. It is of red and white colours. It is an example of complete flowers.

Uses:

Symbolism and culture

Hibiscus species represent nations: Hibiscus syriacus is the national flower of South Korea, and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is the national flower of Malaysia. The hibiscus is the national flower of Haiti. The red hibiscus is the flower of the Hindu goddess Kali, and appears frequently in depictions of her in the art of Bengal, India, often with the goddess and the flower merging in form. The hibiscus is used as an offering to goddess Kali and Lord Ganesha in Hindu worship.

In the Philippines, the gumamela (local name for hibiscus) is used by children as part of a bubble-making pastime. The flowers and leaves are crushed until the sticky juices come out. Hollow papaya stalks are then dipped into this and used as straws for blowing bubbles.

The hibiscus flower is traditionally worn by Tahitian and Hawaiian girls. If the flower is worn behind the left ear, the woman is married or in a relationship. If the flower is worn on the right, she is single or openly available for a relationship. The hibiscus is Hawaii's state flower.

Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie named her first novel Purple Hibiscus after the delicate flower.

The bark of the hibiscus contains strong bast fibres that can be obtained by letting the stripped bark set in the sea to let the organic material rot away.

Landscaping

Many species are grown for their showy flowers or used as landscape shrubs, and are used to attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.

Paper

One species of Hibiscus, known as kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus), is extensively used in paper-making.

Beverage

Main article: Hibiscus tea

The tea made of hibiscus flowers is known by many names in many countries around the world and is served both hot and cold. The beverage is well known for its color, tanginess and flavor.

It is known as bissap in West Africa, agua de jamaica in Mexico and Honduras (the flower being flor de jamaica) and gudhal (गुड़हल) in India. Some refer to it as roselle, a common name for the hibiscus flower. In Jamaica, Trinidad and many other islands in the Caribbean, the drink is known as sorrel (Hibiscus sabdariffa; not to be confused with Rumex acetosa, a species sharing the common name sorrel). In Ghana, the drink is known as soobolo in one of the local languages.

Roselle is typically boiled in an enamel-coated large stock pot as most West Indians believe the metal from aluminum, steel or copper pots will destroy the natural minerals and vitamins.[citation needed]

In Cambodia, a cold beverage can be prepared by first steeping the petals in hot water until the colors are leached from the petals, then adding lime juice (which turns the beverage from dark brown/red to a bright red), sweeteners (sugar/honey) and finally cold water/ice cubes.

In Egypt,[citation needed] Sudan and the Arab world, hibiscus tea is known as karkadé (كركديه), and is served as both a hot and a cold drink.

Food

Dried hibiscus is edible, and it is often a delicacy in Mexico. It can also be candied and used as a garnish.

The roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is used as a vegetable. The species Hibiscus suratensis Linn synonymous to Hibiscus aculeatus G. Don is noted in Visayas Philippines being a souring ingredient for almost all local vegetables and menus. Known as Labog in the Visayan area, (or Labuag/Sapinit in Tagalog), the species is a very good ingredient in cooking native chicken soup. Certain species of hibiscus are also beginning to be used more widely as a natural source of food coloring (E163),[citation needed] and replacement of Red #3 / E127.

Hibiscus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidopteran species, including Chionodes hibiscella, Hypercompe hambletoni, the nutmeg moth, and the turnip moth.

Health benefits

The tea is popular as a natural diuretic; it contains vitamin C and minerals, and is used traditionally as a mild medicine.

A 2008 USDA study shows consuming hibiscus tea lowers blood pressure in a group of prehypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults. Three cups of tea daily resulted in an average drop of 8.1 mmHg in their systolic blood pressure, compared to a 1.3 mmHg drop in the volunteers who drank the placebo beverage. Study participants with higher blood pressure readings (129 or above) had a greater response to hibiscus tea: their systolic blood pressure went down by 13.2 mmHg. These data support the idea that drinking hibiscus tea in an amount readily incorporated into the diet may play a role in controlling blood pressure, although more research is required.

Studies have demonstrated the anti-hypertensive effects of H. sabdariffa in both humans and animals. It has been proposed that the antihypertensive effects of H. sabdariffa is due to its angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibiting activity. In a randomized, controlled clinical trial involving 39 patients with mild to moderate hypertension, Captopril was compared to an extract of H. sabdariffa for antihypertensive effects. Subjects taking an extract of H.sabdariffa, consumed daily before breakfast for four weeks, found reduction in blood pressure similar to Captopril. Another randomized, placebo clinical trial involving 54 study participants with moderate hypertension demonstrated a reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. However upon discontinuation of treatment, both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were subsequently elevated.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis has a number of medical uses in Chinese herbology. Lokapure s.g.et al. their research indicates some potential in cosmetic skin care; for example, an extract from the flowers of Hibiscus rosa- sinensis has been shown to function as an anti-solar agent by absorbing ultraviolet radiation.

In the Indian traditional system of medicine, Ayurveda, hibiscus, especially white hibiscus and red hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), is considered to have medicinal properties. The roots are used to make various concoctions believed to cure ailments such as cough, hair loss or hair greying. As a hair treatment, the flowers are boiled in oil along with other spices to make a medicated hair oil. The leaves and flowers are ground into a fine paste with a little water, and the resulting lathery paste is used as a shampoo plus conditioner.

Hibiscus tea also contains bioflavonoids, which are believed to help prevent an increase in LDL cholesterol, which can increase the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

A previous animal study demonstrated the effects of H.sabdariffa extract on atherosclerosis in rabbits. Notably, a reduction in triglyceride, cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein was observed in rabbits consuming a high cholesterol diet (HCD) in addition to H.sabdariffa extract compared to rabbits only fed HCD, suggesting a beneficial effect.[16] Furthermore, the H. sabdariffa seed is abundant in phytosterol and tocopherol, plant forms of cholesterol that have antioxidant and LDL cholesterol lowering effects.

Precautions and Contraindications:

Pregnancy and Lactation

While the mechanism is not well understood, previous animal studies have demonstrated both an inhibitory effect of H. sabdariffa on muscle tone and the anti-fertility effects of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, respectively. The extract of H. sabdariffa has been shown to stimulate contraction of the rat bladder and uterus; the H.rosa-sinensis extract has exhibited contraceptive effects in the form of estrogen activity in rats. These findings have not been observed in humans. The Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is also thought to have emmenagogue effects which can stimulate menstruation and, in some women, cause an abortion. Due to the documented adverse effects in animal studies and the reported pharmacological properties, the H. sabdariffa and H.rosa-sinensis are not recommended for use during pregnancy. Additionally, they are not recommended while breastfeeding due to the lack of reliable information on its safety and use.

Contraindications

No contraindications have been identified.

Adverse Effects

Drug Interactions

It is postulated that H. sabdariffa interacts with diclofenac, chloroquine and acetaminophen by altering the pharmacokinetics. In healthy human volunteers, the H. sabdariffa extract was found to reduce the excretion of diclofenac upon co-administration. Additionally, co-administration of Karkade (H. sabdariffa), a common Sudanese beverage, was found to reduce chloroquine bioavailability. However, no statistically significant changes were observed in the pharmacokinetics of acetaminophen when administered with the Zobo (H.sabdariffa) drink. Further studies are needed to demonstrate clinical significance.

Species:

In temperate zones, probably the most commonly grown ornamental species is Hibiscus syriacus, the common garden hibiscus, also known in some areas as the "Rose of Althea" or "Rose of Sharon" (but not to be confused with the unrelated Hypericum calycinum, also called "Rose of Sharon"). In tropical and subtropical areas, the Chinese hibiscus (H. rosa-sinensis), with its many showy hybrids, is the most popular hibiscus.

Several hundred species are known, including:

Hibiscis acapulcensis

Hibiscus acetosella Welw. ex Hiern.—False Roselle

Hibiscus acicularis

Hibiscus aculeatus—Comfortroot

Hibiscus altissimus

Hibiscus andongensis

Hibiscus angolensis

Hibiscus aponeurus[26]

Hibiscus archeri—Archer's Hibiscus

Hibiscus aridicola

Hibiscus arnottianus A.Gray—Kokiʻo ʻula (Hawaii)

Hibiscus asper—Bush Roselle

Hibiscus austroyunnanensis

Hibiscus barbosae

Hibiscus benguellensis

Hibiscus berberidifolius

Hibiscus bernieri

Hibiscus bifurcatus—Fork-bracted Rosemallow

Hibiscus biseptus—Arizona Rosemallow

Hibiscus bojerianus

Hibiscus boryanus—Foulsapate Marron

Hibiscus brackenridgei A.Gray—Hawaiian hibiscus Maʻo hau hele

Hibiscus burtt-davyi

Hibiscus caerulescens

Hibiscus caesius—Dark-eyed Hibiscus (South Africa)

Hibiscus calyphyllus—Lemonyellow Rosemallow (Tropical Africa)

Hibiscus cameronii—Cameron's Hibiscus, Pink Hibiscus

Hibiscus cannabinus L.—Kenaf

Hibiscus castroi

Hibiscus cisplatinus—Rosa Del Rio

Hibiscus citrinus-

Hibiscus clayi O.Deg. & I.Deg.—Hawaiian red hibiscus (Hawaii)

Hibiscus clypeatus—Congo Mahoe

Hibiscus coccineus (Medik.) Walter—Scarlet Rosemallow

Hibiscus colimensis

Hibiscus columnaris—Mahot Rempart

Hibiscus comoensis

Hibiscus congestiflorus

Hibiscus costatus

Hibiscus coulteri—Desert Rosemallow

Hibiscus cuanzensis

Hibiscus dasycalyx—Neches River Rosemallow

Hibiscus denudatus Benth.—Pale Face (Southwestern United States, Northwestern Mexico)

Hibiscus dimidiatus

Hibiscus dioscorides A.G.Mill. (es/pt) (Yemen)

Hibiscus diplocrater

Hibiscus diriffan A.G.Mill. (Yemen)

Hibiscus diversifolius—Swamp Hibiscus

Hibiscus dongolensis

Hibiscus donianus

Hibiscus elatus—Mahoe

Hibiscus elegans

Hibiscus engleri—Wild Hibiscus

Hibiscus escobariae

Hibiscus excellii

Hibiscus ferrugineus

Hibiscus ficalhoanus

Hibiscus flavoroseus

Hibiscus fragilis DC.—Mandrinette (Mascarene Islands)

Hibiscus fragrans

Hibiscus fritzscheae

Hibiscus furcellatus Desr.—Lindenleaf rosemallow (Caribbean, Florida, Central America, South America, Hawaii)

Hibiscus fugosioides

Hibiscus furcellatus—Salad Hibiscus

Hibiscus fuscus

Hibiscus genevii Bojer (Mauritius)

Hibiscus gilletii

Hibiscus gossweileri

Hibiscus grandidieri

Hibiscus grandiflorus Michx.—Swamp rosemallow (Southeastern United States)

Hibiscus grandistipulatus

Hibiscus grewiifolius

Hibiscus hamabo

Hibiscus hastatus

Hibiscus heterophyllus—Native rosella

Hibiscus hirtus—Lesser Mallow

Hibiscus hispidissimus

Hibiscus huellensis

Hibiscus hybridus

Hibiscus indicus

Hibiscus insularis Endl.—Phillip Island hibiscus (Phillip Island)

Hibiscus integrifolius

Hibiscus jaliscensis

Hibiscus kochii

Hibiscus kokio—Red Rosemallow

Hibiscus labordei

Hibiscus laevis All. (=H. militaris)—Halberd-leaved rosemallow (central and eastern North America)

Hibiscus lasiocarpos—Woolly Rosemallow

Hibiscus lasiococcus

Hibiscus lavaterioides

Hibiscus laxiflorus

Hibiscus leptocladus ([Northwest Australia])

Hibiscus leviseminus

Hibiscus lilacinus—Lilac Hibiscus

Hibiscus liliiflorus—Rodrigues Tree Hibiscus

Hibiscus longifolius

Hibiscus longisepalus

Hibiscus ludwigii

Hibiscus lunariifolius

Hibiscus macrogonus

Hibiscus macrophyllus—Largeleaf Rosemallow

Hibiscus macropodus

Hibiscus makinoi—Okinawan Hibiscus

Hibiscus malacophyllus Balf.f. (Yemen)

Hibiscus malacospermus

Hibiscus martianus—Heartleaf Rosemallow

Hibiscus moscheutos Welw. ex Hiern.—Crimsoneyed Rosemallow (Central and Eastern North America)

Hibiscus mutabilis L.—Cotton Rosemallow, Confederate Rose (East Asia)

Hibiscus paramutabilis

Hibiscus pedunculatus

Hibiscus pernambucensis—Seaside Mahoe

Hibiscus phoeniceus—Brazilian Rosemallow

Hibiscus platanifolius

Hibiscus quattenensis

Hibiscus poeppigii—Poeppig's Rosemallow

Hibiscus radiatus—Monarch Rosemallow

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.—Chinese hibiscus (East Asia)

Hibiscus sabdariffa L.—Roselle, Omutete, or Sorrel

Hibiscus schizopetalus—Fringed Rosemallow

Hibiscus scottii

Hibiscus socotranus

Hibiscus sinosyriacus

Hibiscus splendens

Hibiscus stenanthus Balf.f. (Yemen)

Hibiscus striatus—Striped Rosemallow

Hibiscus syriacus L. (Type species)—Rose of Sharon (Asia)

Hibiscus tiliaceus L.—Sea hibiscus (Australia, Southeast Asia, Oceania)

Hibiscus trilobus—Threelobe Rosemallow

Hibiscus trionum L.—Flower-of-an-Hour

Hibiscus vitifolius—Tropical Rose Mallow

Hibiscus waimeae A.Heller—Kokiʻo keʻokeʻo (Hawaii)

Most people think of Nightjar as a bird of lowland heaths but this one was high in the Pennines at well over 1000 feet above sea level in Yorkshire. The second half of May is my usual time for Nightjars but ill-health meant I wasn't fit enough this year. So last night I went out to see if I could find and photograph any of my local Nightjars. I was quite pleased with this shot which showed the Pennine backdrop, and you can even see his feet if you zoom in. Though not quite good enough to see the unique comb structure on the middle claw that they use for preening and parasite removal.

The scientific name Caprimulgus translates as goat-milker from the ancient belief (dating back before Aristotle) that Nightjars fed from goat udders, which caused them to stop producing milk, and eventually to go blind. This seems to be based on the simple observation that they have large mouths that might be capable of clamping on a goat's udder, but the large mouth is really to catch insects with. Because milk is a mammalian product, birds have never evolved the enzyme lactase that enables them to digest milk. It was fat that the Blue Tits used to steal off the top of the milk, and they stopped feeding from milk bottles once our tastes changed to low-fat semi-skimmed milk.

This photograph was taken well after sunset (which is when they become active) without flash at quite high ISO (6400), so a bit grainy but I think worth posting. It was taken with a Nikon D500 at 1/800 second with a 300mm lens at f4 hand held if anyone's interested.

A carnivorous butterwort from Central America. The plant derives its common name from the greasy feel of the leaves which results from the presence of innumerable microscopic hairs. These trap small insects such as gnats before the plant releases digestive enzymes to break down and absorb its prey.

Um texto, em português, da Wikipédia:

Hibiscus

Hibiscus L. é um gênero botânico, com cerca de 300 espécies, inserido na família das Malvaceae, com flores e folhas exuberantes. Devido à nova taxonomia pela filogenética (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group), muitas espécies que pertenciam a esse gênero estão migrando para outros gêneros. Por exemplo: Hibiscus esculentus L., a planta do quiabo, agora é Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench. O cultivo dos exemplares do gênero, tanto ornamental como econômico, está disseminado nas regiões subtropicais e tropicais, cuidando para não sofrerem com geadas e temperaturas baixas constantes.

Etimologia:

Hibiscus significa Ísis (deusa egípcia), em grego.

Sinonímia:

Bombycidendron Zoll. & Moritzi

Bombycodendron Hassk.

Brockmania W. Fitzg.

Fioria Mattei

Espécies:

Hibiscus acetosella

Hibiscus x archeri (híbrido)

Hibiscus arnottianus

Hibiscus bifurcatus

Hibiscus brackenridgei

Hibiscus calyphyllus

Hibiscus cameronii

Hibiscus cannabinus

Hibiscus chitra

Hibiscus cisplatinus

Hibiscus clayi

Hibiscus coccineus

Hibiscus denisonii

Hibiscus diversifolius

Hibiscus elatus

Hibiscus furcellatus

Hibiscus fuscus

Hibiscus grandiflorus

Hibiscus hastatus

Hibiscus heterophyllus

Hibiscus indicus

Hibiscus kokio

Hibiscus lasiocarpos

Hibiscus lavaterioides

Hibiscus lobatus

Hibiscus ludwigii

Hibiscus macrophyllus

Hibiscus mastersianus

Hibiscus militaris

Hibiscus moscheutos

Hibiscus mutabilis (malva-rosa)

Hibiscus paramutabilis

Hibiscus pedunculatus

Hibiscus pernambucensis (guanxuma-do-mangue)

Hibiscus platanifolius

Hibiscus radiatus

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (hibisco)

Hibiscus sabdariffa (vinagreira)

Hibiscus schizopetalus (hibisco-crespo)

Hibiscus scottii

Hibiscus sinosyriacus

Hibiscus splendens

Hibiscus syriacus (hibisco-da-síria)

Hibiscus tiliaceus (algodoeiro-da-praia)

Hibiscus trionum (flor-de-todas-as-horas)

Hibiscus waimeae

Hibiscus dioscorides

Hibiscus diriffan

Hibiscus escobariae

Hibiscus noli-tangere

Hibiscus quattenensis

Hibiscus socotranus

Hibiscus stenanthus

Portugal:

Em Portugal este género está representado por 2 espécies, presentes em Portugal Continental, a primeira nativa, a segunda introduzida:1

Hibiscus palustris L.

Hibiscus trionum L.

Classificação do gênero:

Sistema Classificação Referência

Linné Classe Monadelphia, ordem Polyandria Species plantarum (1753)

Papuodendron C. T. White

Pariti Adans.

Talipariti Fryxell

Wilhelminia Hochr.

A text, in english, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

Hibiscus

For other uses, see Hibiscus (disambiguation).

Hibiscus

Hibiscus flower TZ.jpg

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae

Division: Angiosperms

Class: Eudicots

Order: Malvales

Family: Malvaceae

Subfamily: Malvoideae

Tribe: Hibisceae

Genus: Hibiscus

L.

Species

232 species

Synonyms

Bombycidendron Zoll. & Moritzi

Bombycodendron Hassk.

Brockmania W.Fitzg.

Pariti Adans.

Wilhelminia Hochr.

Hibiscus (/hɨˈbɪskəs/ or /haɪˈbɪskəs/) is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. Member species are often noted for their showy flowers and are commonly known simply as hibiscus, or less widely known as rose mallow. The genus includes both annual and perennial herbaceous plants, as well as woody shrubs and small trees. The generic name is derived from the Greek word ἱβίσκος (hibískos), which was the name Pedanius Dioscorides (ca. 40–90) gave to Althaea officinalis.

Description:

The leaves are alternate, ovate to lanceolate, often with a toothed or lobed margin. The flowers are large, conspicuous, trumpet-shaped, with five or more petals, color from white to pink, red, orange, purple or yellow, and from 4–18 cm broad. Flower color in certain species, such as H. mutabilis and H. tiliaceus, changes with age.[5] The fruit is a dry five-lobed capsule, containing several seeds in each lobe, which are released when the capsule dehisces (splits open) at maturity. It is of red and white colours. It is an example of complete flowers.

Uses:

Symbolism and culture

Hibiscus species represent nations: Hibiscus syriacus is the national flower of South Korea, and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is the national flower of Malaysia. The hibiscus is the national flower of Haiti. The red hibiscus is the flower of the Hindu goddess Kali, and appears frequently in depictions of her in the art of Bengal, India, often with the goddess and the flower merging in form. The hibiscus is used as an offering to goddess Kali and Lord Ganesha in Hindu worship.

In the Philippines, the gumamela (local name for hibiscus) is used by children as part of a bubble-making pastime. The flowers and leaves are crushed until the sticky juices come out. Hollow papaya stalks are then dipped into this and used as straws for blowing bubbles.

The hibiscus flower is traditionally worn by Tahitian and Hawaiian girls. If the flower is worn behind the left ear, the woman is married or in a relationship. If the flower is worn on the right, she is single or openly available for a relationship. The hibiscus is Hawaii's state flower.

Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie named her first novel Purple Hibiscus after the delicate flower.

The bark of the hibiscus contains strong bast fibres that can be obtained by letting the stripped bark set in the sea to let the organic material rot away.

Landscaping

Many species are grown for their showy flowers or used as landscape shrubs, and are used to attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.

Paper

One species of Hibiscus, known as kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus), is extensively used in paper-making.

Beverage

Main article: Hibiscus tea

The tea made of hibiscus flowers is known by many names in many countries around the world and is served both hot and cold. The beverage is well known for its color, tanginess and flavor.

It is known as bissap in West Africa, agua de jamaica in Mexico and Honduras (the flower being flor de jamaica) and gudhal (गुड़हल) in India. Some refer to it as roselle, a common name for the hibiscus flower. In Jamaica, Trinidad and many other islands in the Caribbean, the drink is known as sorrel (Hibiscus sabdariffa; not to be confused with Rumex acetosa, a species sharing the common name sorrel). In Ghana, the drink is known as soobolo in one of the local languages.

Roselle is typically boiled in an enamel-coated large stock pot as most West Indians believe the metal from aluminum, steel or copper pots will destroy the natural minerals and vitamins.[citation needed]

In Cambodia, a cold beverage can be prepared by first steeping the petals in hot water until the colors are leached from the petals, then adding lime juice (which turns the beverage from dark brown/red to a bright red), sweeteners (sugar/honey) and finally cold water/ice cubes.

In Egypt,[citation needed] Sudan and the Arab world, hibiscus tea is known as karkadé (كركديه), and is served as both a hot and a cold drink.

Food

Dried hibiscus is edible, and it is often a delicacy in Mexico. It can also be candied and used as a garnish.

The roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is used as a vegetable. The species Hibiscus suratensis Linn synonymous to Hibiscus aculeatus G. Don is noted in Visayas Philippines being a souring ingredient for almost all local vegetables and menus. Known as Labog in the Visayan area, (or Labuag/Sapinit in Tagalog), the species is a very good ingredient in cooking native chicken soup. Certain species of hibiscus are also beginning to be used more widely as a natural source of food coloring (E163),[citation needed] and replacement of Red #3 / E127.

Hibiscus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidopteran species, including Chionodes hibiscella, Hypercompe hambletoni, the nutmeg moth, and the turnip moth.

Health benefits

The tea is popular as a natural diuretic; it contains vitamin C and minerals, and is used traditionally as a mild medicine.

A 2008 USDA study shows consuming hibiscus tea lowers blood pressure in a group of prehypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults. Three cups of tea daily resulted in an average drop of 8.1 mmHg in their systolic blood pressure, compared to a 1.3 mmHg drop in the volunteers who drank the placebo beverage. Study participants with higher blood pressure readings (129 or above) had a greater response to hibiscus tea: their systolic blood pressure went down by 13.2 mmHg. These data support the idea that drinking hibiscus tea in an amount readily incorporated into the diet may play a role in controlling blood pressure, although more research is required.

Studies have demonstrated the anti-hypertensive effects of H. sabdariffa in both humans and animals. It has been proposed that the antihypertensive effects of H. sabdariffa is due to its angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibiting activity. In a randomized, controlled clinical trial involving 39 patients with mild to moderate hypertension, Captopril was compared to an extract of H. sabdariffa for antihypertensive effects. Subjects taking an extract of H.sabdariffa, consumed daily before breakfast for four weeks, found reduction in blood pressure similar to Captopril. Another randomized, placebo clinical trial involving 54 study participants with moderate hypertension demonstrated a reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. However upon discontinuation of treatment, both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were subsequently elevated.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis has a number of medical uses in Chinese herbology. Lokapure s.g.et al. their research indicates some potential in cosmetic skin care; for example, an extract from the flowers of Hibiscus rosa- sinensis has been shown to function as an anti-solar agent by absorbing ultraviolet radiation.

In the Indian traditional system of medicine, Ayurveda, hibiscus, especially white hibiscus and red hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), is considered to have medicinal properties. The roots are used to make various concoctions believed to cure ailments such as cough, hair loss or hair greying. As a hair treatment, the flowers are boiled in oil along with other spices to make a medicated hair oil. The leaves and flowers are ground into a fine paste with a little water, and the resulting lathery paste is used as a shampoo plus conditioner.

Hibiscus tea also contains bioflavonoids, which are believed to help prevent an increase in LDL cholesterol, which can increase the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

A previous animal study demonstrated the effects of H.sabdariffa extract on atherosclerosis in rabbits. Notably, a reduction in triglyceride, cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein was observed in rabbits consuming a high cholesterol diet (HCD) in addition to H.sabdariffa extract compared to rabbits only fed HCD, suggesting a beneficial effect.[16] Furthermore, the H. sabdariffa seed is abundant in phytosterol and tocopherol, plant forms of cholesterol that have antioxidant and LDL cholesterol lowering effects.

Precautions and Contraindications:

Pregnancy and Lactation

While the mechanism is not well understood, previous animal studies have demonstrated both an inhibitory effect of H. sabdariffa on muscle tone and the anti-fertility effects of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, respectively. The extract of H. sabdariffa has been shown to stimulate contraction of the rat bladder and uterus; the H.rosa-sinensis extract has exhibited contraceptive effects in the form of estrogen activity in rats. These findings have not been observed in humans. The Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is also thought to have emmenagogue effects which can stimulate menstruation and, in some women, cause an abortion. Due to the documented adverse effects in animal studies and the reported pharmacological properties, the H. sabdariffa and H.rosa-sinensis are not recommended for use during pregnancy. Additionally, they are not recommended while breastfeeding due to the lack of reliable information on its safety and use.

Contraindications

No contraindications have been identified.

Adverse Effects

Drug Interactions

It is postulated that H. sabdariffa interacts with diclofenac, chloroquine and acetaminophen by altering the pharmacokinetics. In healthy human volunteers, the H. sabdariffa extract was found to reduce the excretion of diclofenac upon co-administration. Additionally, co-administration of Karkade (H. sabdariffa), a common Sudanese beverage, was found to reduce chloroquine bioavailability. However, no statistically significant changes were observed in the pharmacokinetics of acetaminophen when administered with the Zobo (H.sabdariffa) drink. Further studies are needed to demonstrate clinical significance.

Species:

In temperate zones, probably the most commonly grown ornamental species is Hibiscus syriacus, the common garden hibiscus, also known in some areas as the "Rose of Althea" or "Rose of Sharon" (but not to be confused with the unrelated Hypericum calycinum, also called "Rose of Sharon"). In tropical and subtropical areas, the Chinese hibiscus (H. rosa-sinensis), with its many showy hybrids, is the most popular hibiscus.

Several hundred species are known, including:

Hibiscis acapulcensis

Hibiscus acetosella Welw. ex Hiern.—False Roselle

Hibiscus acicularis

Hibiscus aculeatus—Comfortroot

Hibiscus altissimus

Hibiscus andongensis

Hibiscus angolensis

Hibiscus aponeurus[26]

Hibiscus archeri—Archer's Hibiscus

Hibiscus aridicola

Hibiscus arnottianus A.Gray—Kokiʻo ʻula (Hawaii)

Hibiscus asper—Bush Roselle

Hibiscus austroyunnanensis

Hibiscus barbosae

Hibiscus benguellensis

Hibiscus berberidifolius

Hibiscus bernieri

Hibiscus bifurcatus—Fork-bracted Rosemallow

Hibiscus biseptus—Arizona Rosemallow

Hibiscus bojerianus

Hibiscus boryanus—Foulsapate Marron

Hibiscus brackenridgei A.Gray—Hawaiian hibiscus Maʻo hau hele

Hibiscus burtt-davyi

Hibiscus caerulescens

Hibiscus caesius—Dark-eyed Hibiscus (South Africa)

Hibiscus calyphyllus—Lemonyellow Rosemallow (Tropical Africa)

Hibiscus cameronii—Cameron's Hibiscus, Pink Hibiscus

Hibiscus cannabinus L.—Kenaf

Hibiscus castroi

Hibiscus cisplatinus—Rosa Del Rio

Hibiscus citrinus-

Hibiscus clayi O.Deg. & I.Deg.—Hawaiian red hibiscus (Hawaii)

Hibiscus clypeatus—Congo Mahoe

Hibiscus coccineus (Medik.) Walter—Scarlet Rosemallow

Hibiscus colimensis

Hibiscus columnaris—Mahot Rempart

Hibiscus comoensis

Hibiscus congestiflorus

Hibiscus costatus

Hibiscus coulteri—Desert Rosemallow

Hibiscus cuanzensis

Hibiscus dasycalyx—Neches River Rosemallow

Hibiscus denudatus Benth.—Pale Face (Southwestern United States, Northwestern Mexico)

Hibiscus dimidiatus

Hibiscus dioscorides A.G.Mill. (es/pt) (Yemen)

Hibiscus diplocrater

Hibiscus diriffan A.G.Mill. (Yemen)

Hibiscus diversifolius—Swamp Hibiscus

Hibiscus dongolensis

Hibiscus donianus

Hibiscus elatus—Mahoe

Hibiscus elegans

Hibiscus engleri—Wild Hibiscus

Hibiscus escobariae

Hibiscus excellii

Hibiscus ferrugineus

Hibiscus ficalhoanus

Hibiscus flavoroseus

Hibiscus fragilis DC.—Mandrinette (Mascarene Islands)

Hibiscus fragrans

Hibiscus fritzscheae

Hibiscus furcellatus Desr.—Lindenleaf rosemallow (Caribbean, Florida, Central America, South America, Hawaii)

Hibiscus fugosioides

Hibiscus furcellatus—Salad Hibiscus

Hibiscus fuscus

Hibiscus genevii Bojer (Mauritius)

Hibiscus gilletii

Hibiscus gossweileri

Hibiscus grandidieri

Hibiscus grandiflorus Michx.—Swamp rosemallow (Southeastern United States)

Hibiscus grandistipulatus

Hibiscus grewiifolius

Hibiscus hamabo

Hibiscus hastatus

Hibiscus heterophyllus—Native rosella

Hibiscus hirtus—Lesser Mallow

Hibiscus hispidissimus

Hibiscus huellensis

Hibiscus hybridus

Hibiscus indicus

Hibiscus insularis Endl.—Phillip Island hibiscus (Phillip Island)

Hibiscus integrifolius

Hibiscus jaliscensis

Hibiscus kochii

Hibiscus kokio—Red Rosemallow

Hibiscus labordei

Hibiscus laevis All. (=H. militaris)—Halberd-leaved rosemallow (central and eastern North America)

Hibiscus lasiocarpos—Woolly Rosemallow

Hibiscus lasiococcus

Hibiscus lavaterioides

Hibiscus laxiflorus

Hibiscus leptocladus ([Northwest Australia])

Hibiscus leviseminus

Hibiscus lilacinus—Lilac Hibiscus

Hibiscus liliiflorus—Rodrigues Tree Hibiscus

Hibiscus longifolius

Hibiscus longisepalus

Hibiscus ludwigii

Hibiscus lunariifolius

Hibiscus macrogonus

Hibiscus macrophyllus—Largeleaf Rosemallow

Hibiscus macropodus

Hibiscus makinoi—Okinawan Hibiscus

Hibiscus malacophyllus Balf.f. (Yemen)

Hibiscus malacospermus

Hibiscus martianus—Heartleaf Rosemallow

Hibiscus moscheutos Welw. ex Hiern.—Crimsoneyed Rosemallow (Central and Eastern North America)

Hibiscus mutabilis L.—Cotton Rosemallow, Confederate Rose (East Asia)

Hibiscus paramutabilis

Hibiscus pedunculatus

Hibiscus pernambucensis—Seaside Mahoe

Hibiscus phoeniceus—Brazilian Rosemallow

Hibiscus platanifolius

Hibiscus quattenensis

Hibiscus poeppigii—Poeppig's Rosemallow

Hibiscus radiatus—Monarch Rosemallow

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.—Chinese hibiscus (East Asia)

Hibiscus sabdariffa L.—Roselle, Omutete, or Sorrel

Hibiscus schizopetalus—Fringed Rosemallow

Hibiscus scottii

Hibiscus socotranus

Hibiscus sinosyriacus

Hibiscus splendens

Hibiscus stenanthus Balf.f. (Yemen)

Hibiscus striatus—Striped Rosemallow

Hibiscus syriacus L. (Type species)—Rose of Sharon (Asia)

Hibiscus tiliaceus L.—Sea hibiscus (Australia, Southeast Asia, Oceania)

Hibiscus trilobus—Threelobe Rosemallow

Hibiscus trionum L.—Flower-of-an-Hour

Hibiscus vitifolius—Tropical Rose Mallow

Hibiscus waimeae A.Heller—Kokiʻo keʻokeʻo (Hawaii)

Kodak Gold 200 ISO Film

Shedd Aquarium, Dec. 2011

Um texto, em português, da Wikipédia:

Hibiscus

Hibiscus L. é um gênero botânico, com cerca de 300 espécies, inserido na família das Malvaceae, com flores e folhas exuberantes. Devido à nova taxonomia pela filogenética (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group), muitas espécies que pertenciam a esse gênero estão migrando para outros gêneros. Por exemplo: Hibiscus esculentus L., a planta do quiabo, agora é Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench. O cultivo dos exemplares do gênero, tanto ornamental como econômico, está disseminado nas regiões subtropicais e tropicais, cuidando para não sofrerem com geadas e temperaturas baixas constantes.

Etimologia:

Hibiscus significa Ísis (deusa egípcia), em grego.

Sinonímia:

Bombycidendron Zoll. & Moritzi

Bombycodendron Hassk.

Brockmania W. Fitzg.

Fioria Mattei

Espécies:

Hibiscus acetosella

Hibiscus x archeri (híbrido)

Hibiscus arnottianus

Hibiscus bifurcatus

Hibiscus brackenridgei

Hibiscus calyphyllus

Hibiscus cameronii

Hibiscus cannabinus

Hibiscus chitra

Hibiscus cisplatinus

Hibiscus clayi

Hibiscus coccineus

Hibiscus denisonii

Hibiscus diversifolius

Hibiscus elatus

Hibiscus furcellatus

Hibiscus fuscus

Hibiscus grandiflorus

Hibiscus hastatus

Hibiscus heterophyllus

Hibiscus indicus

Hibiscus kokio

Hibiscus lasiocarpos

Hibiscus lavaterioides

Hibiscus lobatus

Hibiscus ludwigii

Hibiscus macrophyllus

Hibiscus mastersianus

Hibiscus militaris

Hibiscus moscheutos

Hibiscus mutabilis (malva-rosa)

Hibiscus paramutabilis

Hibiscus pedunculatus

Hibiscus pernambucensis (guanxuma-do-mangue)

Hibiscus platanifolius

Hibiscus radiatus

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (hibisco)

Hibiscus sabdariffa (vinagreira)

Hibiscus schizopetalus (hibisco-crespo)

Hibiscus scottii

Hibiscus sinosyriacus

Hibiscus splendens

Hibiscus syriacus (hibisco-da-síria)

Hibiscus tiliaceus (algodoeiro-da-praia)

Hibiscus trionum (flor-de-todas-as-horas)

Hibiscus waimeae

Hibiscus dioscorides

Hibiscus diriffan

Hibiscus escobariae

Hibiscus noli-tangere

Hibiscus quattenensis

Hibiscus socotranus

Hibiscus stenanthus

Portugal:

Em Portugal este género está representado por 2 espécies, presentes em Portugal Continental, a primeira nativa, a segunda introduzida:1

Hibiscus palustris L.

Hibiscus trionum L.

Classificação do gênero:

Sistema Classificação Referência

Linné Classe Monadelphia, ordem Polyandria Species plantarum (1753)

Papuodendron C. T. White

Pariti Adans.

Talipariti Fryxell

Wilhelminia Hochr.

A text, in english, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

Hibiscus

For other uses, see Hibiscus (disambiguation).

Hibiscus

Hibiscus flower TZ.jpg

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae

Division: Angiosperms

Class: Eudicots

Order: Malvales

Family: Malvaceae

Subfamily: Malvoideae

Tribe: Hibisceae

Genus: Hibiscus

L.

Species

232 species

Synonyms

Bombycidendron Zoll. & Moritzi

Bombycodendron Hassk.

Brockmania W.Fitzg.

Pariti Adans.

Wilhelminia Hochr.

Hibiscus (/hɨˈbɪskəs/ or /haɪˈbɪskəs/) is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. Member species are often noted for their showy flowers and are commonly known simply as hibiscus, or less widely known as rose mallow. The genus includes both annual and perennial herbaceous plants, as well as woody shrubs and small trees. The generic name is derived from the Greek word ἱβίσκος (hibískos), which was the name Pedanius Dioscorides (ca. 40–90) gave to Althaea officinalis.

Description:

The leaves are alternate, ovate to lanceolate, often with a toothed or lobed margin. The flowers are large, conspicuous, trumpet-shaped, with five or more petals, color from white to pink, red, orange, purple or yellow, and from 4–18 cm broad. Flower color in certain species, such as H. mutabilis and H. tiliaceus, changes with age.[5] The fruit is a dry five-lobed capsule, containing several seeds in each lobe, which are released when the capsule dehisces (splits open) at maturity. It is of red and white colours. It is an example of complete flowers.

Uses:

Symbolism and culture

Hibiscus species represent nations: Hibiscus syriacus is the national flower of South Korea, and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is the national flower of Malaysia. The hibiscus is the national flower of Haiti. The red hibiscus is the flower of the Hindu goddess Kali, and appears frequently in depictions of her in the art of Bengal, India, often with the goddess and the flower merging in form. The hibiscus is used as an offering to goddess Kali and Lord Ganesha in Hindu worship.

In the Philippines, the gumamela (local name for hibiscus) is used by children as part of a bubble-making pastime. The flowers and leaves are crushed until the sticky juices come out. Hollow papaya stalks are then dipped into this and used as straws for blowing bubbles.

The hibiscus flower is traditionally worn by Tahitian and Hawaiian girls. If the flower is worn behind the left ear, the woman is married or in a relationship. If the flower is worn on the right, she is single or openly available for a relationship. The hibiscus is Hawaii's state flower.

Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie named her first novel Purple Hibiscus after the delicate flower.

The bark of the hibiscus contains strong bast fibres that can be obtained by letting the stripped bark set in the sea to let the organic material rot away.

Landscaping

Many species are grown for their showy flowers or used as landscape shrubs, and are used to attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.

Paper

One species of Hibiscus, known as kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus), is extensively used in paper-making.

Beverage

Main article: Hibiscus tea

The tea made of hibiscus flowers is known by many names in many countries around the world and is served both hot and cold. The beverage is well known for its color, tanginess and flavor.

It is known as bissap in West Africa, agua de jamaica in Mexico and Honduras (the flower being flor de jamaica) and gudhal (गुड़हल) in India. Some refer to it as roselle, a common name for the hibiscus flower. In Jamaica, Trinidad and many other islands in the Caribbean, the drink is known as sorrel (Hibiscus sabdariffa; not to be confused with Rumex acetosa, a species sharing the common name sorrel). In Ghana, the drink is known as soobolo in one of the local languages.

Roselle is typically boiled in an enamel-coated large stock pot as most West Indians believe the metal from aluminum, steel or copper pots will destroy the natural minerals and vitamins.[citation needed]

In Cambodia, a cold beverage can be prepared by first steeping the petals in hot water until the colors are leached from the petals, then adding lime juice (which turns the beverage from dark brown/red to a bright red), sweeteners (sugar/honey) and finally cold water/ice cubes.

In Egypt,[citation needed] Sudan and the Arab world, hibiscus tea is known as karkadé (كركديه), and is served as both a hot and a cold drink.

Food

Dried hibiscus is edible, and it is often a delicacy in Mexico. It can also be candied and used as a garnish.

The roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is used as a vegetable. The species Hibiscus suratensis Linn synonymous to Hibiscus aculeatus G. Don is noted in Visayas Philippines being a souring ingredient for almost all local vegetables and menus. Known as Labog in the Visayan area, (or Labuag/Sapinit in Tagalog), the species is a very good ingredient in cooking native chicken soup. Certain species of hibiscus are also beginning to be used more widely as a natural source of food coloring (E163),[citation needed] and replacement of Red #3 / E127.

Hibiscus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidopteran species, including Chionodes hibiscella, Hypercompe hambletoni, the nutmeg moth, and the turnip moth.

Health benefits

The tea is popular as a natural diuretic; it contains vitamin C and minerals, and is used traditionally as a mild medicine.

A 2008 USDA study shows consuming hibiscus tea lowers blood pressure in a group of prehypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults. Three cups of tea daily resulted in an average drop of 8.1 mmHg in their systolic blood pressure, compared to a 1.3 mmHg drop in the volunteers who drank the placebo beverage. Study participants with higher blood pressure readings (129 or above) had a greater response to hibiscus tea: their systolic blood pressure went down by 13.2 mmHg. These data support the idea that drinking hibiscus tea in an amount readily incorporated into the diet may play a role in controlling blood pressure, although more research is required.

Studies have demonstrated the anti-hypertensive effects of H. sabdariffa in both humans and animals. It has been proposed that the antihypertensive effects of H. sabdariffa is due to its angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibiting activity. In a randomized, controlled clinical trial involving 39 patients with mild to moderate hypertension, Captopril was compared to an extract of H. sabdariffa for antihypertensive effects. Subjects taking an extract of H.sabdariffa, consumed daily before breakfast for four weeks, found reduction in blood pressure similar to Captopril. Another randomized, placebo clinical trial involving 54 study participants with moderate hypertension demonstrated a reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. However upon discontinuation of treatment, both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were subsequently elevated.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis has a number of medical uses in Chinese herbology. Lokapure s.g.et al. their research indicates some potential in cosmetic skin care; for example, an extract from the flowers of Hibiscus rosa- sinensis has been shown to function as an anti-solar agent by absorbing ultraviolet radiation.

In the Indian traditional system of medicine, Ayurveda, hibiscus, especially white hibiscus and red hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), is considered to have medicinal properties. The roots are used to make various concoctions believed to cure ailments such as cough, hair loss or hair greying. As a hair treatment, the flowers are boiled in oil along with other spices to make a medicated hair oil. The leaves and flowers are ground into a fine paste with a little water, and the resulting lathery paste is used as a shampoo plus conditioner.

Hibiscus tea also contains bioflavonoids, which are believed to help prevent an increase in LDL cholesterol, which can increase the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

A previous animal study demonstrated the effects of H.sabdariffa extract on atherosclerosis in rabbits. Notably, a reduction in triglyceride, cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein was observed in rabbits consuming a high cholesterol diet (HCD) in addition to H.sabdariffa extract compared to rabbits only fed HCD, suggesting a beneficial effect.[16] Furthermore, the H. sabdariffa seed is abundant in phytosterol and tocopherol, plant forms of cholesterol that have antioxidant and LDL cholesterol lowering effects.

Precautions and Contraindications:

Pregnancy and Lactation

While the mechanism is not well understood, previous animal studies have demonstrated both an inhibitory effect of H. sabdariffa on muscle tone and the anti-fertility effects of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, respectively. The extract of H. sabdariffa has been shown to stimulate contraction of the rat bladder and uterus; the H.rosa-sinensis extract has exhibited contraceptive effects in the form of estrogen activity in rats. These findings have not been observed in humans. The Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is also thought to have emmenagogue effects which can stimulate menstruation and, in some women, cause an abortion. Due to the documented adverse effects in animal studies and the reported pharmacological properties, the H. sabdariffa and H.rosa-sinensis are not recommended for use during pregnancy. Additionally, they are not recommended while breastfeeding due to the lack of reliable information on its safety and use.

Contraindications

No contraindications have been identified.

Adverse Effects

Drug Interactions

It is postulated that H. sabdariffa interacts with diclofenac, chloroquine and acetaminophen by altering the pharmacokinetics. In healthy human volunteers, the H. sabdariffa extract was found to reduce the excretion of diclofenac upon co-administration. Additionally, co-administration of Karkade (H. sabdariffa), a common Sudanese beverage, was found to reduce chloroquine bioavailability. However, no statistically significant changes were observed in the pharmacokinetics of acetaminophen when administered with the Zobo (H.sabdariffa) drink. Further studies are needed to demonstrate clinical significance.

Species:

In temperate zones, probably the most commonly grown ornamental species is Hibiscus syriacus, the common garden hibiscus, also known in some areas as the "Rose of Althea" or "Rose of Sharon" (but not to be confused with the unrelated Hypericum calycinum, also called "Rose of Sharon"). In tropical and subtropical areas, the Chinese hibiscus (H. rosa-sinensis), with its many showy hybrids, is the most popular hibiscus.

Several hundred species are known, including:

Hibiscis acapulcensis

Hibiscus acetosella Welw. ex Hiern.—False Roselle

Hibiscus acicularis

Hibiscus aculeatus—Comfortroot

Hibiscus altissimus

Hibiscus andongensis

Hibiscus angolensis

Hibiscus aponeurus[26]

Hibiscus archeri—Archer's Hibiscus

Hibiscus aridicola

Hibiscus arnottianus A.Gray—Kokiʻo ʻula (Hawaii)

Hibiscus asper—Bush Roselle

Hibiscus austroyunnanensis

Hibiscus barbosae

Hibiscus benguellensis

Hibiscus berberidifolius

Hibiscus bernieri

Hibiscus bifurcatus—Fork-bracted Rosemallow

Hibiscus biseptus—Arizona Rosemallow

Hibiscus bojerianus

Hibiscus boryanus—Foulsapate Marron

Hibiscus brackenridgei A.Gray—Hawaiian hibiscus Maʻo hau hele

Hibiscus burtt-davyi

Hibiscus caerulescens

Hibiscus caesius—Dark-eyed Hibiscus (South Africa)

Hibiscus calyphyllus—Lemonyellow Rosemallow (Tropical Africa)

Hibiscus cameronii—Cameron's Hibiscus, Pink Hibiscus

Hibiscus cannabinus L.—Kenaf

Hibiscus castroi

Hibiscus cisplatinus—Rosa Del Rio

Hibiscus citrinus-

Hibiscus clayi O.Deg. & I.Deg.—Hawaiian red hibiscus (Hawaii)

Hibiscus clypeatus—Congo Mahoe

Hibiscus coccineus (Medik.) Walter—Scarlet Rosemallow

Hibiscus colimensis

Hibiscus columnaris—Mahot Rempart

Hibiscus comoensis

Hibiscus congestiflorus

Hibiscus costatus

Hibiscus coulteri—Desert Rosemallow

Hibiscus cuanzensis

Hibiscus dasycalyx—Neches River Rosemallow

Hibiscus denudatus Benth.—Pale Face (Southwestern United States, Northwestern Mexico)

Hibiscus dimidiatus

Hibiscus dioscorides A.G.Mill. (es/pt) (Yemen)

Hibiscus diplocrater

Hibiscus diriffan A.G.Mill. (Yemen)

Hibiscus diversifolius—Swamp Hibiscus

Hibiscus dongolensis

Hibiscus donianus

Hibiscus elatus—Mahoe

Hibiscus elegans

Hibiscus engleri—Wild Hibiscus

Hibiscus escobariae

Hibiscus excellii

Hibiscus ferrugineus

Hibiscus ficalhoanus

Hibiscus flavoroseus

Hibiscus fragilis DC.—Mandrinette (Mascarene Islands)

Hibiscus fragrans

Hibiscus fritzscheae

Hibiscus furcellatus Desr.—Lindenleaf rosemallow (Caribbean, Florida, Central America, South America, Hawaii)

Hibiscus fugosioides

Hibiscus furcellatus—Salad Hibiscus

Hibiscus fuscus

Hibiscus genevii Bojer (Mauritius)

Hibiscus gilletii

Hibiscus gossweileri

Hibiscus grandidieri

Hibiscus grandiflorus Michx.—Swamp rosemallow (Southeastern United States)

Hibiscus grandistipulatus

Hibiscus grewiifolius

Hibiscus hamabo

Hibiscus hastatus

Hibiscus heterophyllus—Native rosella

Hibiscus hirtus—Lesser Mallow

Hibiscus hispidissimus

Hibiscus huellensis

Hibiscus hybridus

Hibiscus indicus

Hibiscus insularis Endl.—Phillip Island hibiscus (Phillip Island)

Hibiscus integrifolius

Hibiscus jaliscensis

Hibiscus kochii

Hibiscus kokio—Red Rosemallow

Hibiscus labordei

Hibiscus laevis All. (=H. militaris)—Halberd-leaved rosemallow (central and eastern North America)

Hibiscus lasiocarpos—Woolly Rosemallow

Hibiscus lasiococcus

Hibiscus lavaterioides

Hibiscus laxiflorus

Hibiscus leptocladus ([Northwest Australia])

Hibiscus leviseminus

Hibiscus lilacinus—Lilac Hibiscus

Hibiscus liliiflorus—Rodrigues Tree Hibiscus

Hibiscus longifolius

Hibiscus longisepalus

Hibiscus ludwigii

Hibiscus lunariifolius

Hibiscus macrogonus

Hibiscus macrophyllus—Largeleaf Rosemallow

Hibiscus macropodus

Hibiscus makinoi—Okinawan Hibiscus

Hibiscus malacophyllus Balf.f. (Yemen)

Hibiscus malacospermus

Hibiscus martianus—Heartleaf Rosemallow

Hibiscus moscheutos Welw. ex Hiern.—Crimsoneyed Rosemallow (Central and Eastern North America)

Hibiscus mutabilis L.—Cotton Rosemallow, Confederate Rose (East Asia)

Hibiscus paramutabilis

Hibiscus pedunculatus

Hibiscus pernambucensis—Seaside Mahoe

Hibiscus phoeniceus—Brazilian Rosemallow

Hibiscus platanifolius

Hibiscus quattenensis

Hibiscus poeppigii—Poeppig's Rosemallow

Hibiscus radiatus—Monarch Rosemallow

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.—Chinese hibiscus (East Asia)

Hibiscus sabdariffa L.—Roselle, Omutete, or Sorrel

Hibiscus schizopetalus—Fringed Rosemallow

Hibiscus scottii

Hibiscus socotranus

Hibiscus sinosyriacus

Hibiscus splendens

Hibiscus stenanthus Balf.f. (Yemen)

Hibiscus striatus—Striped Rosemallow

Hibiscus syriacus L. (Type species)—Rose of Sharon (Asia)

Hibiscus tiliaceus L.—Sea hibiscus (Australia, Southeast Asia, Oceania)

Hibiscus trilobus—Threelobe Rosemallow

Hibiscus trionum L.—Flower-of-an-Hour

Hibiscus vitifolius—Tropical Rose Mallow

Hibiscus waimeae A.Heller—Kokiʻo keʻokeʻo (Hawaii)

"I've finished synthesizing the Doomsday enzymes," Luxottica's 'pet' scientist announces.

"Excellent..."

"Now, about that generous reward you promised..."

"Oh yes, Luxottica smiles coldly, "a most generous one indeed... I will let you die quickly while the rest of humankind dies painfully and slowly!"

Though actually Luxottica lied a little... it wasn't that quick, after all, that wouldn't have been as enjoyable!

I was reading the first ever bird book published in the English language, as you do. Its abbreviated title is the Ornithology of Francis Willughby by John Ray (1678), the Latin version was published two years earlier. Tawny owls come in a range of colours ranging from rufous to grey, but in Ray's book he describes two species of Tawny Owl; the Common Brown or Ivy-owl (Strix aluco) and the Grey Owl (Strix cinerea). Apart from the grey colouration, Ray states "it is distinguished by manifest notes, and which argue a specifical difference". So it appears that the female's "kew-ick" and the male's "hoo-hoo-oo" were thought to be calls from the two species. As a child I remember "Brown Owl" being an alternative name for Tawny Owl but I have never heard of Ivy-owl before, yet it is a brilliant name as I find them hiding in Ivy more than any other plant.

Ray says that Linnaeus' name Strix is taken from Stringere (the Latin verb to strangle) "because it strangles people while they are asleep". There also seems to have been some confusion with the Nightjar at this time because Ray writes "Aldrovandus writes that the Country-people about Bononia told him, that the Strix or Screech Owl used to suck (I should add here that the printed s looks like an f) their goats: Which ours (as far as I have heard) was never complained of for doing." It was the Nightjar (whose scientific name Caprimulgus translates as goat-milker) that was reputed to suckle goats, though its bird enzymes cannot digest milk, which is a mammal product.

And finally, John Ray who wrote the 1678 Ornithology is one of very few people to have a British plant with an English name commemorating him. Though recently, it has been demoted to a subspecies; Ray's Knotgrass (Polygonum oxyspermum subsp raii). I've posted a photo of Ray's Knotgrass below.

If you want to look at John Ray's Ornithology you can do so on the excellent Biodiversity Heritage Library here: www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/129443#page/7/mode/1up

The descriptions of his two Tawny Owls are on pages 102 and 103, and the illustrations are on Tab XIII towards the end. They also have a Flickr page with hundreds of albums of illustrations from ancient books. It's well worth a browse: www.flickr.com/photos/biodivlibrary/albums/

Insects in the Diptera family Asilidae are commonly called robber flies. The family Asilidae contains about 7,100 described species worldwide. All robber flies have stout, spiny legs, a dense moustache of bristles on the face (mystax), and 3 simple eyes (ocelli) in a characteristic depression between their two large compound eyes. The mystax helps protect the head and face when the fly encounters prey bent on defense. The antennae are short, 3-segmented, sometimes with a bristle-like structure called an arista. The short, strong proboscis is used to stab and inject victims with saliva containing neurotoxic and proteolytic enzymes which paralyze and digest the insides; the fly then sucks the liquefied meal through the proboscis.

The Wewet Shot by Noel M. Young

nikon D90 user

This yellow Northern Cardinal was found on the campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. This yellow plumage is caused by a genetic mutation called xanthochromism, which doesn't allow the enzyme from ingested food items to produce the normal red pigment to the feathers. They say this is a one-in-a-million abnormality.

Here is some interesting news. In the past I have written about my osteoarthritis in both of my thumbs. Basically I have no cartilage left and it’s been painful. Getting old, eh? I’ve seen some doctors with not many solutions. Many years ago a good friend emailed me about this problem and she told me to drink, daily, cherry juice. I didn’t. A number of months ago my thumbs were getting really bad and I figured I’d give the cherry juice a go. Finding cherry juice isn’t easy. Our local health food store, on their website, said that they had it. But it was quite expensive. I mean, how much juice can you get out of one cherry? So, to the internet. I found that pineapple juice is another choice. It contains an enzyme called bromelain which helps your body to fight pain and reduce swelling. Pineapple juice is easy to find. I’ve been drinking two glasses for almost two months now and believe it or not, it has helped. I would say the pain has diminished 60-70% depending on the day. I still have a lot of pain, but it is not what it was. I was actually able to open a jar! Now, if this is just a placebo that’s fine with me. Let my brain believe what it wants.

I thought you might like to meet some of the cats I've worked with this past week. Clockwise starting from Pebble, the black cat in the upper left corner:

1. Pebble (black cat) - Pebble was hands-down the angriest cat I've ever encountered. If you just opened the door to the boarding ROOM, not the door to her cage, she would scream and lunge, and try to attack through her cage door. Go to Youtube and search "angry cats" and then multiply it by 10 and you'll have an idea of how much Pebble liked boarding. Remember how well Mel, our landshark, did when she was moved to another cage where she didn't see other cats? www.flickr.com/photos/77654185@N07/42353947421/in/datepos... I tried moving Pebble to that same, now-vacated, cage. She became the darling, friendly, two year old kitty I'm sure she is at home.

2. Skittles (white eyes) - He is the brother of Popcorn (who was euthanized shortly after her owner took her home from boarding). Skittles is blind from thick cataracts but is a mellow, trusting, sweet cat. It amazes me how well-adjusted some blind cats can be in unfamiliar surroundings.

3. Tony Stark (gray and white) - Remember him? He was the world's cutest kitten www.flickr.com/photos/77654185@N07/30217143234/in/album-7...). Now that he's two, he has forgotten how much we did for him before he could be adopted by a wonderful family and how much fun he had when he was our kitten. We had to drug him to trim his nails.

4. Fiero (unkempt ginger and white fur) - He came to us two weeks ago as an emergency appointment. His owners described him as "a little off". He was incredibly jaundiced and his liver enzymes were off the charts. This brought back heartbreaking memories of Willie so I didn't have high hopes for Fiero. After a week of intensive, invasive care, he was stable enough to leave the hospital - at least for long enough for his owners to get used to the idea he might not live long. Instead of taking him home, they decided to go to their beach house for a week and keep him with us. Our hearts all dropped. It's hard being responsible for a cat who's on the edge. He is a very sweet cat who likes to snuggle, until he doesn't. Last week he bit a pregnant vet pretty badly.

5. Sunny (large picture, long ear tufts) - I posted a large picture of him just so you would see that some of our boarders are young, handsome and trouble free. He really has no interesting boarding story. Sometimes the adage is true - the squeaky wheels get the grease.

6. Calvin (ginger cat) - A very sweet boy and, I hope he's plugging his ears, one of the least attractive cats I've seen. His owners asked us to check him for ticks while he was boarding. I checked and didn't find any. When I got home and looked at pictures of him I'd taken that day I noticed he had a strange freckle above his left eye and the eye rims looked a little red and inflamed. I tried enlarging the photo as much as I could and saw it was a suspicious looking freckle. I emailed the picture to the vet that evening and the next day she removed a tick! Taking pictures at the end of a very long day paid off.

7. Gizmo (gray coat) - He's our oldest boarder - he's almost 22. He's sort of a typical grumpy old man - he sleeps constantly, grumbles about being woken up and wets his bed. However, he's not on any medication, he eats well and when I put him on the floor to clean his bedding he walks around pretty sprightly.

8. Kitty Clyde (ginger cat with white chin) - He is a first-time boarder and was dropped off by two young women (19ish - 24ish). They wanted to put him in his cage to make sure he was nice and comfy. Well, he screamed his head off and they cried their eyes out. It was pretty awful. Four hours after dropping him off they called to see if he had calmed down (no). They called overnight to see if he had calmed down (no). They called the next day to see if he had calmed down (no) - it's hard to keep coming up with ways to say "no" that don't freak out the owners but are essentially true. Finally he did calm down. I took a picture of him relaxed on his bedding and sent it to his owners. They were thrilled beyond belief and quit calling for updates! A happy ending for all involved.

Sorry this was so long and I hope you felt free to stop reading (or not even start) but I find animal behavior very interesting and thought some of you might too.

The chicks are so gangly as they grow into beautiful adults!

Flamingos are very social birds; they live in colonies whose population can number in the thousands. These large colonies serve three purposes: avoiding predators, maximizing food intake, and using scarcely suitable nesting sites more efficiently. Pair bonding is very strong, and flamingos may be monogamous. However, flamingos have been observed to mate with more than one partner.

Both the male and the female feed their chicks with a kind of crop milk, produced in glands lining the whole of the upper digestive tract. The milk contains fat, protein, and red and white blood cells.

Adult flamingos filter-feed on brine shrimp and blue-green algae as well as insect larvae, small insects, mollusks and crustaceans making them omnivores. Their bills are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they eat, and are uniquely used upside-down

The pink or reddish color of flamingos comes from carotenoids in their diet of animal and plant plankton. American flamingos are a brighter red color because of the beta carotene availability in their food while the lesser flamingos are a paler pink due to ingesting a smaller amount of this pigment. These carotenoids are broken down into pigments by liver enzymes.

It takes about 3 years for a flamingo to develop fully colored plumage.

An American Pika (Ochotona princeps) pauses for a moment in a scree field beside Cascade Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

This is the first pika I’ve ever managed to photograph at all reasonably, as most times they are frantically moving and skittering amongst the rocks, and don’t take too kindly to two-legged invasion of their space - they will dash for cover at the slightest provocation. This particular species lives in holes and crannies in the rocks at high elevation in North America and does not hibernate. To make it through the winter, it collects vegetation into ‘hay piles’ that it then eats once the fresh food sources die and the temperatures drop. We now know that the composition of these hay piles is not random, and that pika will intersperse tannin-rich plants throughout the piles, likely to help preserve their fodder and stave off molding and decomposition.

Pika are lagomorphs, related to hares and rabbits, and all lagomorphs differ from rodents in that they have twice as many incisors, and these incisors sport enamel on both sides (rodents only have iron-rich enamel on one side, which causes rodent teeth to appear orange and wear unevenly). Moreover, lagomorphs are vegetarians and obligate caecotrophes, meaning they produce two different types of faeces - normal faeces that are eliminated and hopefully forgotten about, and ’night faeces’ which require immediate attention. These latter faeces must be re-ingested and passed through the digestive system a second time. Similar to other vegetarian mammals, lagomorphs lack the enzymes necessary to digest cellulose and so miss out on most of the energetic value of the food they eat the first time it passes through the gut. To deal with this problem, on its first trip through food is fermented in the hindgut by a suite of microorganisms that convert the cellulose to sugar. After the primary elimination, this fermented mixture is then eaten again so that the animal can extract the newly released sugars that were inaccessible the first time through. A digestive kludge, to be sure...

A frontal portrait of a robber fly. The picture has been made with magnification factor 5 and f/13, using a Canon 7D and the Canon macrolens MP-E 65mm/f2.8. The larger-sized version of this picture can be seen at

www.huubdewaardmacros.com/

Insects in the Diptera family Asilidae are commonly called robber flies. The family Asilidae contains about 7,100 described species worldwide. All robber flies have stout, spiny legs, a dense moustache of bristles on the face (mystax), and 3 simple eyes (ocelli) in a characteristic depression between their two large compound eyes. The mystax helps protect the head and face when the fly encounters prey bent on defense. The antennae are short, 3-segmented, sometimes with a bristle-like structure called an arista.

The short, strong proboscis is used to stab and inject victims with saliva containing neurotoxic and proteolytic enzymes which paralyze and digest the insides; the fly then sucks the liquefied meal through the proboscis. Many species have long, tapering abdomens, sometimes with a sword-like ovipositor. Others are fat-bodied bumblebee mimics. Adult robber flies attack other flies, beetles, butterflies and moths, various bees, ants, dragon and damselflies, Ichneumon wasps, grasshoppers, and some spiders (source: Wikipedia).

I took 58 shots of this pair of Turkey Vultures in different positions. It was as though we had a conversation....He looked at me and I asked for a wing stretch and voila...the next shot ;-))

A little bit of info I wasn't aware of:

Turkey Vultures are very social birds that mate for life. They are slow breeders but live to be 40-50 years old.

Turkey Vultures truly are amazing, and they play a critical role in our environment. They are scavengers and sanitarians ― they help recycle the bodies of dead animals but also sanitize the area for us.

The corrosive enzymes in their stomachs and sophisticated immune systems are able to kill a number of deadly organisms, including salmonella and bacteria that cause anthrax, hog cholera, and botulinal toxins. At present, Turkey Vultures are the only animal in the world known to have this ability.

If we did not have Turkey Vultures, we would be overrun with disease and polluted waters.

Protected around the world.

on explore #295 Sehen sie nicht aus, wie eine chinesische Seidenmalerei? Als Teil eines Paravents? Oder wie eine wertvolle Porzellanmalerei?

Magnolien haben eine ganz eigene faszinierende Schönheit.

Die Magnolien (Magnolia) sind eine Pflanzengattung in der Familie der Magnoliengewächse (Magnoliaceae), die etwa 230 Arten enthält. Die Gattung wurde nach dem französischen Botaniker Pierre Magnol benannt. Es sind Bäume oder Sträucher, sie stammen aus Ostasien und Amerika. Einige Magnolien-Arten und Sorten sind beliebte Ziergehölze.

Die Universität Bournemouth teilte am 4. April 2007 mit, die Rote Liste der Magnoliengewächse führe 132 von insgesamt 245 Arten als gefährdet. Als Hauptursachen der Bedrohung werden die Zerstörung der natürlichen Lebensräume der Magnolien für die Landwirtschaft sowie deren übermäßige Ausbeutung angesehen.

Magnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae.

The natural range of Magnolia species is rather scattered and includes eastern North America, Central America and the West Indies and east and southeast Asia. Some species are found in South America. Today many species of Magnolia and an ever increasing number of hybrids can also be found as ornamentals in large parts of North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The genus is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol, from Montpellier. See Origin of the name Magnolia.

Magnolia is an ancient genus. Having evolved before bees appeared, the flowers developed to encourage pollination by beetles. As a result, the carpels of Magnolia flowers are tough, to avoid damage by eating and crawling beetles. Fossilised specimens of M. acuminata have been found dating to 20 million years ago, and of plants identifiably belonging to the Magnoliaceae dating back to 95 million years ago. Another primitive aspect of Magnolias is their lack of distinct sepals or petals. The term tepal has been coined to refer to the intermediate element that Magnolia has instead. Magnolias are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Giant Leopard Moth.

Magnolia grandiflora is the official state flower of both Mississippi and Louisiana.The flower's abundance in Mississippi is reflected in its state nickname, "Magnolia State". The magnolia is also the official state tree of Mississippi.

One of the oldest nicknames for Houston, Texas Is "The Magnolia City" due to the abundance of Magnolias growing along Buffalo Bayou.

In general, Magnolia is a genus which has attracted a lot of horticultural interest. Hybridisation has been immensely successful in combining the best aspects of different species to give plants which flower at an earlier age than the species themselves, as well as having more impressive flowers. One of the most popular garden magnolias is a hybrid, M. x soulangeana (Saucer magnolia; hybrid M. liliiflora x M. denudata).

The bark from M. officinalis has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is known as hou po (厚朴). In Japan, kōboku, M. obovata has been used in a similar manner. The aromatic bark contains magnolol and honokiol, two polyphenolic compounds that have demonstrated anti-anxiety and anti-angiogenic properties. Magnolia bark also has been shown to reduce allergic and asthmatic reactions.

Magnolia has attracted the interest of the dental research community because magnolia bark extract inhibits many of the bacteria responsible for caries and periodontal disease.In addition, the constituent magnolol interferes with the action of glucosyltransferase, an enzyme needed for the formation of bacterial plaque.

Bees are the only insect in the world that make food that people can eat and honey contains all of the substances needed to sustain life, including enzymes, water, minerals and vitamins and that's only some of the many reasons why we need to look after them.

Designing an inhibitor for a wayward enzyme. Molecular biophysics can be so much fun, with its wonderful mathematics, physics and quantum mechanics. My vocation allows me to have as much fun on a computer screen as I get from hiking the Sierras

We are still in the Auckland Botanic Gardens....

Abundant worldwide, most fungi are inconspicuous because of the small size of their structures, and their cryptic lifestyles in soil or on dead matter. Fungi include symbionts of plants, animals, or other fungi and also parasites. They may become noticeable when fruiting, either as mushrooms or as molds. Fungi perform an essential role in the decomposition of organic matter and have fundamental roles in nutrient cycling and exchange in the environment. They have long been used as a direct source of human food, in the form of mushrooms and truffles; as a leavening agent for bread; and in the fermentation of various food products, such as wine, beer, and soy sauce. Since the 1940s, fungi have been used for the production of antibiotics, and, more recently, various enzymes produced by fungi are used industrially and in detergents. Fungi are also used as biological pesticides to control weeds, plant diseases and insect pests. Many species produce bioactive compounds called mycotoxins, such as alkaloids and polyketides, that are toxic to animals including humans. The fruiting structures of a few species contain psychotropic compounds and are consumed recreationally or in traditional spiritual ceremonies. Fungi can break down manufactured materials and buildings, and become significant pathogens of humans and other animals. Losses of crops due to fungal diseases (e.g., rice blast disease) or food spoilage can have a large impact on human food supplies and local economies

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants which trap food by means of a pitfall trap built into them through evolutionary design. They can be found in both of the Americas as well as Africa, Asia, and Australia, and usually grow in bogs, marshlands, and areas of waterlogged, acidic soil. Pitcher plants have developed a carnivorous habit to compensate for poor soil nutrition, but they are also capable of absorbing nutrients through their simple root systems. In addition to growing in the wild, pitcher plants are cultivated in many botanical gardens as a form of natural insect control, and can serve the same purpose in the home, as well as being decorative. In botanical gardens, pitcher plants are usually grown in warm, humid indoor environments.

The term “pitcher plant” is an umbrella name for plants in two families, Sarraceiniaceae and Nepenthaceae. In both instances, the leaves of the plants curl in on themselves to form tall, distinctive, “pitchers.” The pitchers are often streaked with red to attract insects, and are lined with fine hairs and grooves so that once insects fall in, they cannot escape. Water collects in the bottom of the pitcher, drowning unwitting insect visitors, and the plant secretes digestive enzymes to extract nutrients from the insects. In some cases, pitcher plants also live in a symbiotic relationship with insects in larval form, allowing the larvae to eat trapped insects and later consuming some of them.

Tropical Pitcher Plants (Nepenthes sp.)

Nepenthes are the pitcher plants of the Old World Tropics with most of them native to the Asian rainforests. These pitcher plants differ from the American pitcher plants in that many of them are lianas, vines growing up into trees, rosettes, or epiphytes growing in the leafy debris caught in tree branches.

There are two classifications of Nepenthes based on the climate in which they grow. Lowland Nepenthes grow in areas below 3000 feet where the days are hot and nights are warm and the humidity is high. Highland Nepenthes grow higher in the mountains (above 3000 feet) where the days are warm and the nights are cool and the rainfall is high. While there are many lowland Nepenthes, the majority of Nepenthes are highland Nepenthes.

This plant has a very unique structure. The pitcher is actually the leaf modified as a trap. The part that looks like a leaf is actually the leaf petiole. The pitcher holds liquid used to drown the insect. The plant actually produces the liquid in the pitchers. This is impressive considering there is one species that will hold up to three quarters of a gallon of liquid in it's pitcher. The pitchers of nepenthes vary in size from 4-5 inches to 12 inches (Nepenthes truncate) to 24 inches (Nepenthes rajah). It has been recorded that a rat was found in the pitcher of Nepenthes rajah. The nepenthes are also unique in that they are similar to bromeliads where some animals, insects and spiders have learned to survive and live in the liquid of the nepenthes. There are mosquitoes and species of frogs that lay their eggs in the liquid of nepenthes and are not affected by the digestive enzymes.

25 frames, first studio stack, fill in flash. Proboscis extended. Thats the murder weapon: normally its hidden under all the "whiskers". After pray is caught in mid air, its stabbed with the proboscis, neurotoxin and digestive enzyme injected, and after landing a liquified pray is sucked in as a delicious bug shake!

Woodpigeons must be one of Britain's most numerous birds with 5.3 million breeding pairs. That is 400,000 more pairs than Blackbird. They build the flimsiest of nests which scarcely holds their eggs or young. I often find the remains of young woodpigeons eaten by foxes, presumably having fallen out of the flimsy nest. Most birds gather food to feed their youngsters but pigeons shed the lining of their crops and pass this to their youngsters beak to beak. It is known as pigeon milk but it isn't true milk. It is more nutritious than cow's milk though, but not for baby pigeons as they don't have the enzymes to digest cow's milk. Being a mammal product, birds never evolved a way of dealing with milk. And before you mention Blue Tits, have you noticed they don't feed from milk bottles any more? That's because they were after the fat in the cream that floated to the top of the milk. Semi-skimmed, homogeneised milk doesn't have enough fat to be worth a Blue Tit's trouble.

Taken at my house at Chennai.

Christopher Columbus called it ‘the fruit of the angels’. Having papaya in your breakfast provides the required daily levels of ACE vitamins, giving you antioxidant protection. The hearty dose of folic acid keeps your arteries in good shape. The fibre-rich papaya helps keep your cholesterol levels down. Enzymes like papain and chemopapain in papaya are believed to have anti-inflammatory effects.

More information: www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=47

EXPLORE # 298 dated Aug 4th 2012.

Don't you just love the way they printed the letter s in the 17th Century? I remember the punchline of an episode of the Vicar of Dibley being based on Alice reading a passage from an ancient bible, which included the word "succour".

This inset title was photographed from John Ray's Ornithology of Francis Willughby, which was published in English in 1678. There is another passage relating to confusion between Tawny Owls and Nightjars where Ray writes "Aldrovandus writes that the Country-people about Bononia told him, that the Strix or Screech Owl used to suck their goats: Which ours (as far as I have heard) was never complained of for doing." (I should add here that again the printed s looks like an f).

It seems odd that Ray did not include the name Nightjar as it had been known since at least 1630, but wasn't effectively standardised until 1843 by William Yarrell. But Ray was the first person to use (in print) both Fern-Owl and Churn-Owl. The name Goatsucker is much older, dating to at least 1611, but the name Caprimulgi was used earlier than this in dictionaries (eg Cooper's Thesaurus 1565 for "birdes like gulles that in the night sucke goats"). The belief that Nightjars sucked goats dates back before the time of Aristotle (384-322 BC) and Nightjar's scientific name Caprimulgus translates as goat-milker. But it wasn't just milk-theft that concerned people as it was believed that when Nightjars fed from goat udders, it caused them to stop producing milk, and eventually to go blind. The whole idea of goat-sucking seems to be based on the simple observation that Nightjars have large mouths that might be capable of clamping onto a goat's udder, but the large mouth is really to catch insects with. Because milk is a mammalian product, birds have never evolved the enzyme lactase that enables them to digest milk. It was fat that the Blue Tits used to steal off the top of the milk rather than the milk itself, and they stopped feeding from milk bottles once our tastes changed to low-fat semi-skimmed milk.

This Nightjar photograph, by the way, was taken in Yorkshire a week or so back on 29 May. But I had to reduce the resolution to match it with the extract from John Ray's Ornithology. It was just a dark shadow to my eyes but the camera has captured more plumage detail than I actually saw.

LG-V20

OOC Jpeg

27mm equiv. (wide)

_____

"The whole universe is in a glass of wine" by Richard Feynman ✍️

A poet once said, "The whole universe is in a glass of wine." We will probably never know in what sense he meant that, for poets do not write to be understood. But it is true that if we look at a glass of wine closely enough we see the entire universe.

There are the things of physics: the twisting liquid which evaporates depending on the wind and weather, the reflections in the glass, and our imagination adds the atoms. The glass is a distillation of the Earth's rocks, and in its composition we see the secrets of the universe's age, and the evolution of stars. What strange arrays of chemicals are in the wine? How did they come to be? There are the ferments, the enzymes, the substrates, and the products. There in wine is found the great generalization: all life is fermentation. Nobody can discover the chemistry of wine without discovering, as did Louis Pasteur, the cause of much disease. How vivid is the claret, pressing its existence into the consciousness that watches it!

If our small minds, for some convenience, divide this glass of wine, this universe, into parts — physics, biology, geology, astronomy, psychology, and so on — remember that nature does not know it! So let us put it all back together, not forgetting ultimately what it is for. Let it give us one more final pleasure: drink it and forget it all!

-- as mentioned in "The Value Of Science (1955)"

The spider species Araneus diadematus is commonly called the European garden spider, cross orbweaver, diadem spider, orangie, cross spider, and crowned orb weaver. It is sometimes called the pumpkin spider, although this name is also used for a different species, Araneus marmoreus. It is an orb-weaver spider found in Europe, where it is native, and North America, where it was introduced.

Range

A. diadematus has a holarctic distribution throughout Europe and across North America, from southern Canada to Mexico, and from British Columbia to Newfoundland.

Size and markings

Individual spiders' colourings can range from extremely light yellow to very dark grey, but all A. diadematus spiders have mottled white markings across the dorsal abdomen, with four or more segments forming a cross. The markings are formed in cells filled with guanine, which is a byproduct of protein metabolism.

Adult females range in length from 6.5 to 20 mm (0.26 to 0.79 in), while males range from 5.5 to 13 mm (0.22 to 0.51 in). Occasionally, the female will eat the male directly after mating.

Specialization

The legs of orb-weaver spiders are specialized for spinning orb webs. The webs are built by the larger females, which hang head down in the center of the web or remain hidden in nearby foliage, with one claw hooked to a signal line connected to the main orb, waiting for a disturbance to signal the arrival of prey. Prey is then quickly wrapped in silk and bitten, and the prey may hang on the web to be stored for later consumption. The initial bite serves to paralyze the prey and minimize the danger of the spider herself being stung or bitten, and the enzymes thus injected serve to begin liquefaction of the prey's internal structures.

Alongside the use of the web to capture other prey, the spiders are also cannibals and prey on each other, but this only happens just before, during, or just after sexual activity. They attack based on their size, sexual experience, and hunger levels.

A. diadematus is a reclusive creature and only bites humans if cornered or otherwise provoked. It responds to a disturbance by vibrating rapidly in its web until it becomes a blur, a reaction that is assumed to confuse potential predators

Cloaca (« cloaque ») est une installation de l'artiste Wim Delvoye (2000), qui représente un tube digestif humain géant et fonctionnel.

Elle a été présentée pour la première fois en 2000, au Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst Antwerpen (M HKA) à Anvers. Depuis, Cloaca fait le tour du monde : Zurich (2001), Vienne (2001), Düsseldorf (2002), New York (2002), Lyon (2003), Toronto (2004), Prato (2004) etc.

La première version de la Cloaca — il en existe dix — est une machine de 12 mètres de long, 2,8 mètres de large et 2 mètres de haut. Elle est composée de six cloches en verre, contenant différents sucs pancréatiques, bactéries et enzymes, acides, etc., le tout dans un milieu très humide. Les cloches sont reliées entre elles par une série de tubes, tuyaux et pompes. Contrôlée par ordinateurs, l'installation est maintenue à la température du corps humain (37,2 °C) et fait circuler les aliments, ingérés 2 fois par jour, pendant 27 heures, pour y produire finalement des excréments.

Cloaca ("cloaca") is an installation by the artist Wim Delvoye (2000), which represents a giant and functional human digestive tract.

It was presented for the first time in 2000 at Antwerp's Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst Antwerpen (M HKA). Since then Cloaca has traveled around the world: Zurich (2001), Vienna (2001), Düsseldorf (2002), New York (2002), Lyon (2003), Toronto (2004), Prato (2004)

The first version of the Cloaca - there are ten - is a machine 12 meters long, 2.8 meters wide and 2 meters high. It is composed of six glass bells, containing various pancreatic juices, bacteria and enzymes, acids, etc., all in a very humid environment. The bells are connected by a series of tubes, pipes and pumps. Controlled by computers, the plant is maintained at human body temperature (37.2 ° C) and circulates the food, ingested twice a day, for 27 hours, to finally produce excrement.

Taken yesterday on a walk around the farm.

Robber flies, also called assassin flies, attack their prey in midair and are known to kill wasps, bees, grasshoppers and dragonflies. The fly grabs its prey with its legs, injects nerve toxins and digestive enzymes, and sucks out the prey's insides.

Passiflora caerulea is edible, it is rather insipid when eaten raw. A tea can be made of the flower or leaves; however, tetraphyllin B and epi-tetraphyllin B, cyanogenic glycosides which liberate hydrogen cyanide when activated by enzymes, have been found in the leaves. It is possible to boil away most of the cyanide.

Woolhope Herefordshire.

Thanks for visiting, comments and favorites and Have a great weekend, my friends! Greetings...Series with 06 images released to favorite...BEST ON BLACK -

Originally from Brazil, pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merrill), also known as Hawaiian, is a tropical plant, monocot, herbaceous and perennial bromeliad family, with the stem (stem) short and thick, around which grow narrow leaves, long and strong, almost always lined with thorns and arranged in rosettes. The adult plant, commercial varieties, have from 1 to 1.20 m high and 1 to 1.5 m in diameter. On the stem is part of the stalk that supports the flower and then fruit. Each plant produces one fruit flavor and intense aroma. The fruit is used for both fresh consumption and the industrialization in different forms: pieces in syrup, juice, crystallized pieces, jams, liquor, wine and brandy. As a byproduct of industrial processes can also be obtained: alcohol, citric acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid, bromelain and animal feed. Bromelain is a substance of high medicinal value, it is widely used as a digestive enzyme and anti-inflammatory. In cooking, pineapple juice is used for tenderizing meat. Moreover, the fruits of pineapple are good sources of calcium, vitamins A, B and C.

Originário do Brasil, o abacaxizeiro (Ananas comosus L. Merril), também conhecido como Havaiano, é uma planta de clima tropical, monocotiledônea, herbácea e perene da família Bromeliácea, com caule (talo) curto e grosso, ao redor do qual crescem folhas estreitas, compridas e resistentes, quase sempre margeadas por espinhos e dispostas em rosetas. A planta adulta, das variedades comerciais, tem de 1 a 1,20m de altura e 1 a 1,5m de diâmetro. No caule insere-se o pedúnculo que sustenta a inflorescência e depois o fruto. Cada planta produz um único fruto saboroso e de aroma intenso. O fruto é utilizado tanto para o consumo in natura quanto na industrialização, em diferentes formas: pedaços em calda, suco, pedaços cristalizados, geléias, licor, vinho, vinagre e aguardente. Como subproduto desse processo industrial pode-se obter ainda: álcool, ácidos cítrico, málico e ascórbico; rações para animais e a bromelina. A bromelina é uma substância de alto valor medicinal, trata-se de uma enzima muito utilizada como digestivo e anti-inflamatório. Na culinária, o suco de abacaxi é utilizado para o amaciamento de carnes. Além disso, os frutos do abacaxi são ótimas fontes de cálcio, vitaminas A, B e C.

Most Robber flies are bristly and have a 'moustache' of bristles on their face to protect them when attacking prey. They have a short, strong proboscis, used to stab and inject victims with saliva containing neurotoxic and proteolytic enzymes which paralyze and digest the insides; the fly then sucks the liquefied meal through the proboscis.

Coprinellus micaceus is an edible species, and cooking inactivates the enzymes that cause autodigestion or deliquescence—a process that can begin as soon as one hour after collection. It is considered ideal for omelettes, and as a flavor for sauces, although it is "a very delicate species easily spoiled by overcooking". The flavor is so delicate that it is easy to overpower and hide with almost anything. The fungus also appeals to fruit flies of the genus Drosophila, who frequently use the fruit bodies as hosts for larvae production.

A study of the mineral contents of various edible mushrooms found that C. micaceus contained the highest concentration of potassium in the 34 species tested, close to half a gram of potassium per kilogram of mushroom. Because the species can bioaccumulate detrimental heavy metals like lead and cadmium, it has been advised to restrict consumption of specimens collected from roadsides or other collection sites that may be exposed to or contain pollutants

The A and B antigens are sugars that are carried on the surface of red blood cells. It is the combination of these antigens—with blood cells having one, all, or none of these antigens—that give rise to the four principal blood types: A, B, AB, and O. This is what determines which blood you can accept and who you can give blood to. So whilst type O can be given to anyone as the blood cells have neither antigen, all other types can cause life-threatening immune reactions if given to the wrong patient.

The idea of converting blood types has existed since the 1980s, when a team in New York was able to demonstrate that an enzyme extracted from green coffee beans was able to remove B antigens from red blood cells. Clinical trials showed that the blood could be safely transfused to people of a different blood group. However, the enzyme reaction was simply far too inefficient, requiring too large a volume at too high a temperature to convert all the blood cells to make the process practical.

However, scientists from the University of British Columbia have created an enzyme that could potentially solve this problem. It works in exactly the same way, by snipping off the problem antigens, and effectively turning A and B blood into type O. As Steve Withers, one of the researchers explains, “The concept is not new but until now we needed so much of the enzyme to make it work that it was impractical. Now I'm confident that we can take this a whole lot further.”