Rowan Tree

 

The rowans or mountain-ashes are shrubs or small trees in genus Sorbus of family Rosaceae and  native throughout the cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the highest species diversity in the mountains of western China and the Himalaya.

 

On 25 April 2007 , B & H Croatian Post Mostar has issued stamp feature Rowan tree in a souvenir sheet . This issue depict rowan tree on stamp and the rowan’s fruit as part of  background picture.

 

 

Rowans are mostly small deciduous trees 10–20 m tall, though a few are shrubs. The leaves are arranged alternately, and are pinnate, with 11-35 leaflets.The flowers are borne in dense corymbs; each flower is creamy white, and 5–10 mm across with five petals.

The fruit is a small pome 4–8 mm diameter, bright orange or red in most species, but pink, yellow or white in some Asian species. The fruit are soft and juicy, which makes them a very good food for birds, particularly waxwings and thrushes, which then distribute the rowan seeds in their droppings.

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Wildlife of Luxembourg - 2002

On September 14, 2002 , the second stamp set , dedicated to animals living in Luxembourg fields and forests, was issued by Luxembourg Post. The stamps depict the following species, painted by Belgian wildlife artist André Buzin such as : Red Fox, Pheasant, Hedgehog, and Deer.

 

The red fox (Fuuss)

The red fox (Fuuss) has a long history of association with humans, having been extensively hunted as a pest and furbearer for centuries, as well as being prominently represented in human folklore and mythology. Because of its widespread distribution and large population, the red fox is one of the most important furbearing animals harvested for the fur trade .

The red fox measures up to 100 cm in length (not including its tail of 40 cm), and can weigh up to 7 or 8 kg. This animal is easily recognizable by its ears and black paws, as well as the white tip of its tail. Its coat is generally brown-red, sometimes sprinkled with white patches.

The heightened senses of this carnivore allows it to live near human residences without attracting attention. Farm land with undergrowth and open fields provides it with hiding places while providing home to numerous rodents, the fox’s primary food.
Foxes, who live on average for twelve years, mate in the middle of winter. The red  fox gives birth to two to eight babies in an underground lair where the two parents care for their young for almost five weeks. When autumn arrives, the young leave their birthplace.

The hedgehog (Kéisecker)

The hedgehog is a small mammal whose back is covered with long, hard, and sharp quills and whose stomach is covered with soft fur.

It measures on average 25 cm in length and its colour varies from light brown to black. When it feels threatened, the hedgehog immediately rolls into a ball and its long quills spread out in every direction, providing an effective defensive position for the animal.

Hedgehogs are found in the daytime in hedges and woods; during the night they leave to go hunting. In summer, the hedgehog gives birth to one or two litters of four to eight babies.

Hedgehogs eat insects, worms, frogs, mice, and eggs.. European hedgehogs hibernate, but they may wake up and leave their nest to go hunting.

The pheasant (Fasan)

The pheasant (Fasan) is an admired game bird that lives mostly in grain fields, and flies rarely and feeds on insects, grains and plants. The most common species is the hunting pheasant, recognizable by the white ring around the neck of the male.

Pheasants are characterized by the great difference in appearance between the males and females: in contrast to the colorful plumage of the male, the female’s is generally drab and her tail is much shorter.

The deer (Hirsch)

The deer is a mammal that lives in Europe and Asia. It measures approximately 1.2 m in height at the withers, and has a brown-red coat and a short tail. The antlers of the male can have up to ten horns and they are shed each year; the females do not have antlers.

The males live alone or in groups, whereas the females and fawns move around in organized groups. Deer live in a variety of biomes ranging from tundra to the tropical rainforest. While often associated with forests, many deer are ecotone species that live in transitional areas between forests and thickets (for cover) and prairie and savanna (open space).

During mating season, the male associates with a group of females and fights off rival males. The female gives birth to a single fawn who remains with the mother until the age of two or three years.

Winterberries- Denmark

 

Denmark Post regularly issue the stamp series with topic of flora fauna. On November 7, 2008, they issued stamps feature flora series , fruit of Winterberries European Holly, White Christmas Rose, Snowberry, and Yew Tree. The stamps series composed of 4 postage stamp with different face value.

 

European Holly/Ilex aquifolium

European holly or  Ilex aquifolium, also called  holly,  is a species of holly native to western and southern Europe, northwest Africa and southwest Asia. Holly is a very ancient species.The habitat of Holly today is in addition to humid Mediterranean areas, the Atlantic temperate zones of Europe and North Africa mountain.

 

 

Native in the countries of the Mediterranean, it is now a protected species in some parts of Europe due to wild predation as Christmas decoration.

It is an evergreen tree growing to 10–25 m tall and 40–80 cm, rarely 1 m or more, trunk diameter.Its woody stem, has gray bark. It has smooth bark throughout its life.Its shiny leaves with spiny edge, are evergreen, dark green on the upper surface and lighter on the underside, elliptical, leathery and about 5 to 9 cm long.The flowers are dioecious, white, four-lobed, and pollinated by bees. The fruit is a red drupe 6–10 mm diameter,The fruits, red and fleshy, are typical of winter because this is precisely the ripening season. The fruits reach the crimson color typically in October and remain so during the cold months, which makes them a vital food source for forest animals. They are poisonous for human consumption.

It has great ecological value because it is a rugged pioneer species that preserves and enriches the soil facilitating colonization by others. It is of great value to birds and other fauna, including invertebrates that feed on their fruits and disperse their seeds. It is an ecological indicator of a well-preserved area, slightly degraded or recovering. Where a population of hollies thrives, it is indicative of an area with little human intrusion. They are usually found in isolated communities and remote areas.

 

White Christmas Rose/Helleborus niger

Helleborus niger, commonly called Christmas rose or black hellebore, is an evergreen perennial flowering plant in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. It is poisonous. The plant is a traditional cottage garden favourite, because it flowers in the depths of winter.

Although the flowers resemble wild roses (and despite its common name), Christmas rose does not belong to the rose family (Rosaceae). Helleborus niger is  an  evergreen   plant with dark, leathery, pedate   leaves carried on stems  to   23–30 cm tall. The large, flat flowers, borne on short stems from midwinter to early spring, are white, or occasionally pink.

Helleborus niger has proved easier to cross with other hellebore species. Helleborus niger contains protoanemonin, or ranunculin,which has an acrid taste and can cause burning of the eyes, mouth and throat, oral ulceration, gastroenteritis and hematemesis.

 

Yew Trees/Taxus baccata

Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia.

It is the tree originally known as yew, be now known as the English yew, or European yew. It is a small- to medium-sized evergreen tree, growing 10–20 metres(tall, with a trunk up to 2 metres.

The bark is thin, scaly brown, coming off in small flakes aligned with the stem. The leaves are lanceolate, flat, dark green, 1–4 centimetres  long and 2–3 millimetres broad, arranged spirally on the stem.The seeds themselves are extremely poisonous and bitter, but are opened and eaten by some bird species including Hawfinches and Great Tits.

It is relatively slow growing, and can be very long-lived, with the maximum recorded trunk diameter of 4 metres probably only being reached in about 2,000 years.Today European Yew is widely used in landscaping and ornamental horticulture. . Well over 200 cultivars of T. baccata have been named

Most parts of the tree are toxic, except the bright red aril surrounding the seed, enabling ingestion and dispersal by birds. The major toxin is the alkaloid taxane. The foliage remains toxic even when wilted or dried.

The precursors of chemotherapy drug Paclitaxel can be derived from the leaves of European Yew.In the Central Himalayas, the plant is used as a treatment for breast and ovarian cancer.

Snowberries/Symphoricarpos rivularis

Snowberry or Symphoricarpos, is a small genus of about 15 species of deciduous shrubs in the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae. All species are natives of North and Central America, except one native to western China.

The Symphoricarpos leaves are 1.5–5 cm long, rounded, entire or with one or two lobes at the base.

The flowers are small, greenish-white to pink, in small clusters of 5–15 together in most species, solitary or in pairs.

The fruit are conspicuous, 1–2 cm in diameter, soft, varying from white  to red  and in one species (S. sinensis), blackish purple. When the white berries are broken open, the fruit inside looks like fine, sparkling granular snow.

Symphoricarpos rivularis is deciduous shrub that will form a thicket if not cut back regularly. Leaves are borne from upright, arching shoots and are oval and dark green. Racemes of bell-shaped, pink flowers bloom in summer followed by white fruit. The fruit taste is very bitter.

This is a nice underused plant. If you live in an area of snow it is an effective large scale groundcover. Its root system is vigorous and deep enough to hold most banks. It is streamside in many locales and would be an excellent restoration plant. Thrashers and towees will eat the berries when they get hungry enough to eat them.The fruits are very bitt.

Wildflowers of Zimbabwe–2nd series

Zimbabwe Post has issued the second series of wild flower on October 22, 2002. The issued stamps  feature Dissotis princeps,Leonotis Nepetifolia,Hibiscus Vitifolius,Boophane Disticha and Pyconostachys urticifolia.

Dissotis Princeps

Dissotis princeps occurs in marshy places, along streambanks and at the fringe of forests in KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Limpopo, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi.

Dissotis princeps is an outstanding garden plant with magnificent flowers and decorative foliage. It is easy to grow, and is ideal for the water or vlei (marsh) garden, or for that difficult, permanently damp spot.

Dissotis princeps is a soft, herbaceous shrub, 1.5 to 3 m tall. Young stems are angular and the whole plant is covered in short, bristly hairs. The leaves are large, 30-145 x 10-55 mm, egg-shaped to lance-shaped, and velvety, dark green above and paler to whitish underneath with 5 conspicuous veins from the base. Old leaves turn red.

This species is used in traditional medicine, probably in the same way as Dissotis canescens which is also eaten in times of famine, and the leaves, stems and roots are used to make a brew to prevent the development of certain unpleasant symptoms caused by drinking beer made from the new season's mealies, and the leaves are used to treat dysentery and diarrhoea.

Leonotis Nepetifolia

Leonotis nepetifolia, also known as Klip Dagga or Lion's Ear, is a species of plant in the Leonotis genus and the Lamiaceae (mint) family. Leonotis nepetifolia is native to tropical Africa and southern India.

It can also be found growing abundantly in some parts of Mexico (at least in the states of Puebla and Guerrero). It grows to a height of 3 metres and has whorls of striking lipped flowers, that are most commonly orange, but can vary to red, white, and purple. It has very soft serrated leaves that can grow up to 4 inches wide.

Leonotis nepetifolia is known in Trinidad as shandilay and the leaves are brewed as a tea for fever, coughs, womb prolapse and malaria .

 

Hibiscus Vitifolius

A shrub with alternate leaves. The 2- to 5-lobed leaves resemble grape-vine foliage. Its flowers are large and pale yellow. The fruit is a depressed globular capsule beaked in the centre.

Hibiscus Vitifolius or Grape Leaved Mallow is a herb, almost a shrub, up to 2.5 m tall, usually densely velvet-hairy all over. Leaves 2.5-6 cm long, 2-5 cm broad, subcordate-rounded at base, acute at apex, serrate to crenate, not lobed or shallowly 3 to 7-lobed, broadly ovate to orbicular, densely pubescent on both surfaces; stalk 1-5 cm long. They do look like grape leaves, hence the species name vitifolia.

Flowers occur singly in leaf axils. Flower stalk is 1.5-3 cm long, in fruit up to 5 cm. Sepals fused below the middle, 1.5-2 cm long. Flowers are 4-6 cm across, pale yellow to yellow with a large, purple centre. Petals are 3-5 cm long, 2-3 cm broad, outside with simple and 2 rayed hairs towards the top, glabrescent, obovate.

Boophane Disticha

Boophone disticha is widely distributed in all provinces of South Africa and tropical Africa. The genus comprises of five or six species and is distributed throughout southern Africa to tropical Africa. Boophone disticha is the most widespread and occurs mainly in summer rainfall region.

 

This is an attractive, deciduous bulbous plant with a thick covering of dry scales above the ground. The large, round heads are sometimes on such short stems that they appear to grow directly from the bulb, almost at ground level. The colour of flowers varies from shades of pink to red and are sweetly scented (July to Oct.).

The pedicels (flower stalks) elongate after flowering to form a large seedhead. This breaks off at the top of the scape (stalk) and tumbles across the veld dispersing the seed.

The greyish green leaves are erect, arranged in a conspicuous fan and are usually produced after flowering. This spring-flowering species will flower even if it does not receive any water in winter. The bulb is very poisonous.

Boophone disticha has many medicinal uses, for example the Bushman once used the poison for their arrows, and traditional healers use it to treat pain and wounds. Parts of the plant are used by certain African tribes and also by some Europeans to cure various ailments. The outer covering of the bulb is applied to boils and abscesses. Fresh leaves are used to stop bleeding of wounds. The plants are known to be poisonous to cattle and sheep. The name sore-eye flower refers to the fact that if a person is exposed to the open flowers in a confined space; it may lead to sore eyes and even to a headache.

Pyconostachys urticifolia

Pycnostachys urticifolia is a herbaceous perennial, 1–2.5 m high. The leaves are densely covered with hairs; broad and almost triangular, margins of leaf with rounded teeth, becoming smaller near the top. The stem is branched especially towards the tip.

The flowers, which are arranged in spikes at the tips of the branches, range from mauve to dark blue. As the flowers drop, the spikes develop sharp reddish spines at the base, which remain on the bush for many months. It flowers very late in autumn, from about April until June. It is seen at its best in warm places, such as Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal, for it is often cut back by frost just as it commences flowering in cold places such as Johannesburg.

Pycnostachys urticifolia is an evergreen, aromatic, perennial shrub, with beautiful dark blue flowers, which bloom very late in autumn. The species is a good choice for an informal garden.

Gloriosa Superba

Gloriosa superba is the national flower of Zimbabwe which has  protected  this plant. Gloriosa superba is  a scandent plant, climbing by leaf-tip tendrils and can reach 3 meters in height. The perianth segments are striking in color, yellow proximally and at margins and dark red in the median portion. Propagation generally occurs from seeds, although mature plants can be divided and grown from tubers. The hard seeds can remain dormant for 6-9 months.

Gloriosa is a genus of five or six species in the plant family Colchicaceae, from tropical Africa and Asia.   Their native range is Africa, Southeastern Asia and parts of Malaysia, but they are now widely cultivated. All parts of the plant contain colchicine and related alkaloids and are therefore dangerously toxic if ingested, especially the tubers; contact with the stems and leaves can cause skin irritation. Various preparations of the plant are used in traditional medicines for a variety of complaints in both Africa and India.

Resources : PlantZAfrica.com and Wikipedia.org

Flora Fauna of Uruguay - 2010

The Uruguay Post issued the stamp of spring  series, features flora fauna on September 30, 2010.The species depicted are Pata de Vaca, Hornero, Pirincho, and Mburucuya which are found in Uruguay.

Bauhinia forficata, commonly known as Pata de Vaca, is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to Brazil and Peru..Pata de vaca is a small tree that grows 5-9 m tall. Its leaves are 7-10 cm long and shaped like a cow’s hoof, which is distinctive to the Bauhinia genus.

It produces large, drooping white flowers and a brown seed pod resembling that of mimosa. It can be found in the rainforests and tropical parts of Peru and Brazil, as well as in tropical zones of Asia, eastern Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina.

It is a highly regarded treatment for diabetes, even being called “vegetable insulin.” As such, it is used in South America to help balance blood sugar levels and to alleviate other symptoms of diabetes (such as polyuria, kidney disorders, and other urinary problems).

Pata de vaca leaves and tea bags are common items on pharmacy shelves in South America; traditionally, a leaf tea (standard infusion) is drunk after each meal to help balance sugar levels..

Furnarius rufus or The Rufous Hornero is a large ovenbird with a square tail and a straight bill. The plumage is overall reddish brown with a dull brown crown and a whitish throat. Both sexes look alike, and juvenile birds are slightly paler below. 

Rufous Horneros feed on insects and other arthropods obtained by foraging on the ground while walking.They sometimes also feed on human waste, such as bread crumbs.

Also known as the Red Ovenbird, it is a common species of second-growth scrub, pastures and agricultural land, and the species is often seen near areas of human inhabitation. Its range includes south eastern and southern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and northern and central Argentina.

Guira guira or  The Guira Cuckoo  is a social, non-parasitic cuckoo found widely in open and semi-open habitats of eastern and southern Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and north-eastern Argentina. It is monotypic within the genus Guira,.

It has whitish-buff underparts and rump, dark brownish upperparts, a broadly white-tipped dark tail that is relatively long, an orange-rufous crest, bare yellow ocular-skin (commonly fades in captivity), and a relatively heavy, orange-yellow bill. It is generally rather shaggy-looking and has a total length of approximately 34 cm .

Guira guira is arboreal, but can frequently be seen on the ground, usually in flocks of 6 to 18 individuals. It is sometimes seen with other birds such as the Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) whose behaviour is similar.

Guira guira is a bird of open habitats and therefore has expanded its range on human-altered wooded areas, being found even in suburban parks and gardens. It feeds on large arthropods, frogs, eggs, small birds (especially nestlings) and small mammals such as mice.

Passiflora caerulea,  or the Common Passion Flower, is a vine native to South America (Argentina, Paraguay, where it is widely known as the Mburucuyá , Uruguay and Brazil). It is popular with gardeners because of its intricate, scented flowers that have an almost plastic-looking appearance.In tropical climates, it will flower all year round.

A woody vine capable of growing to 15–20 m high where supporting trees are available. The leaves are alternate, palmately five-lobed like a spread hand (sometimes three or seven lobes), 10–18 cm long and wide. The base of each leaf has a flagellate-twining tendril 5–10 cm long, which twines around supporting vegetation to hold the plant up.

The flower is complex, about 10 cm in diameter, with the five sepals and petals similar in appearance, whitish in colour, surmounted by a corona of blue or violet filaments, then five greenish-yellow stamens and three purple stigmas.

 The fruit is an oval orange-yellow berry 6 cm long by 4 cm in diameter, containing numerous seeds; it is eaten, and the seeds spread by mammals and birds. (Photo taken from Wikipedia)

Tropical Fruit of New Caledonia

The Post of New Caledonia  has issued the fruit stamp series depicted Citrus nobilis, Mangifera indica, Carica papaya in year 2008. he issue stamp consist of three postage stamp with different nominal value.

Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar (Burma) and the Yunnan province of China.Citrus fruit has been cultivated in an ever-widening area since ancient times.

Citrus juice also has medical uses; lemon juice is used to relieve the pain of bee stings. Oranges were historically used for their high content of vitamin C, which prevents scurvy. Scurvy is caused by vitamin C deficiency, and can be prevented by having 10 milligrams of vitamin C a day. An early sign of scurvy is fatigue.

Citrus nobilis as peculiar member of the citrus family seems to be a distinct species. It is a large shrub or small tree with dense foliage and small lanceolate leaves. The fruit is small, bright yellow, with quite thin skin that peels off freely and easily. It is known to the trade as "kid-glove orange." It is grown and shipped in a small way for the fancy markets on the Atlantic coast, in south Florida and the West Indies. 
 

 

Mangifera indica is a species of mango in the Anacardiaceae family. It is found in the wild in India and cultivated varieties have been introduced to other warm regions of the world. It is the largest fruit-tree in the world, capable of a height of 100 feet and an average circumference of 12 -14 feet.

The ripe fruit varies in size and color. Cultivars are variously yellow, orange, red or green, and carry a single flat, oblong pit that can be fibrous or hairy on the surface, and which does not separate easily from the pulp.

The mango is generally sweet, although the taste and texture of the flesh varies across cultivars, some having a soft, pulpy texture similar to an overripe plum, while the flesh of others is firmer, like a cantaloupe or avocado, or may have a fibrous texture. Ripe, unpeeled fruit gives off a distinctive resinous, sweet smell.

Mango peel and sap contain urushiol, the chemical in poison ivy and poison sumac that can cause urushiol-induced contact dermatitis in susceptible people.

The papaya  or pawpaw is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya, the sole species in the genus Carica of the plant family Caricaceae. It is native to the tropics of the Americas, and was first cultivated in Mexico several centuries before the emergence of the Mesoamerican classical civilizations.

 

The papaya is a large tree-like plant, with a single stem growing from 5 to 10 metres tall, with spirally arranged leaves confined to the top of the trunk. The lower trunk is conspicuously scarred where leaves and fruit were borne. The leaves are large, 50–70 centimetres  diameter, deeply palmately lobed with 7 lobes. The tree is usually unbranched, unless lopped. The flowers are similar in shape to the flowers of the Plumeria, but are much smaller and wax-like.

The papaya is also sometimes called mugua, a name used in traditional Chinese medicine for Chaenomeles speciosa (flowering quince) or Pseudocydonia sinensis (Chinese quince).

Papaya fruit is a rich source of nutrients such as provitamin A carotenoids, vitamin C, B vitamins, dietary minerals and dietary fiber. Papaya skin, pulp and seeds also contain a variety of phytochemicals, including polyphenols.The unripe green fruit can be eaten cooked, usually in curries, salads, and stews.

Rose on Thailand’s Stamp - 2010

The Communications Authority of Thailand issued  stamp  features  rose flower on February 5, 2010. The issue stamp only one postage stamp which depicts a red rose . A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles.

The flowers of most species have five petals, with the exception of Rosa sericea, which usually has only four. Each petal is divided into two distinct lobes and is usually white or pink, though in a few species yellow or red.Roses are insect-pollinated in nature.

While the sharp objects along a rose stem are commonly called "thorns", they are technically prickles — outgrowths of the epidermis (the outer layer of tissue of the stem).Rose prickles are typically sickle-shaped hooks, which aid the rose in hanging onto other vegetation when growing over it.

Species, cultivars and hybrids are all widely grown for their beauty and fragrance. Rose plants range in size from compact, miniature roses, to climbers that can reach 7 meters in height. Different species hybridize easily, and this has been used in the development of the wide range of garden roses.