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Sunday, June 5, 2011

Does BindWeed Always Twine in the same Directions?

It is curious fact that all bindweed platns twine around their supporting plant in the same direction - antilockwise - which ever way they start off. The Greater Bindweed, or Hedge Convolvulus, is a hedge plant found abundantly throughout England and Scotland. Despite the beuaty of its flowers, bindweed is regarded as pest by both the farmer and the gardener. Its roots are long and form a dense mass that exhausts the soil. Its twining stems extend in masses over all other all other nearby platns, consequently strangling them.
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Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Is there really a four-leaved clover?


A particular feature of the clovers is their three-lobed (or trifoliate) leaves. The lcky 'four-leaved clover' can be found, but i is an abnormal rarity. Clovers are members of thepea family. There are around 250 kinds of true clovers, including the red, white, strawberry and crimson species, and they are most common near the clover has been used for centuries as a rotation crop. Today, it is used extensively as an animal food and soil-improving crop throughout Europe and northern and central North America.
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Why is holly associated with Christmas?

        Holly has been used traditionally in houses and churches at Christmastime for decorative purposes. It was originally called the holy tree. The word holly may have come from this name. Holly is the common name for a group of shrubs and small trees. The two best-known hollies, the American holly and the English holly, are evergreens. These two hollies have glossy green leaves and red berries and are used to make attractive Christmas wreaths. Holly wood is very hard and has a close grain It used for making musical instruments, furniture and in interior decoration. The inner bark yields the sticky material called birdlime. The leaves of a South American species are used to make a tea-like drink called mate.


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What is the other name for the Iris?

Fleur-de-lis is a name somtimes used for the iris. It is French for flower of the lily. Fleur-de-lis is also the name of design that represents the white iris. It appeared as an emblem on the sceptre of Egyptian rulers in 1500 BCE, and was carved on the brow of the Sphinx. It also became the emblem of the kings of France in the 12th century.

The name 'iris' comes from the Greek word for rainbow. The unusual shape of the iris makes it unusual shape of the iris makes it easy to recognize. An iris has three sets of three petal-like parts. The lower set, called the falls, flares out and hangs down. The upper parts, known as standards, curve up into a dome. Three curved style branches cover the stamens in the middle.





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Sunday, April 17, 2011

Can Plants Feel?

Although plants do not have feelings in the same way that we do, they can certainly respond to different stimuli. They are able to grow towards a light source, even is turned upside down. SOme plants have very sensitive leaves, which will fold up if touched. Others have leaves that open and close according to the time of day. The Venus Flytrap has sensitive leaf tips. When an insects lands in the tiny hairs in the leaf, the pairs of leaves snap shut, trapping the insect inside. Plants are even able to perspire. Although you cant's see this happening, if you were to place a plant inside a plastic bag and fasten it, after a while you would see drop of water form on the inside of the bag. The moisture you can see comes from the leaves of plants.


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