artistry

Fiery flowers of the silky oak, Grevillea robusta. Silky oaks are older than dinosaurs and literally drip nectar – but watch out for the cyanide. Of all the grevillea, the silky oak is the one that catches my eye. It’s the largest and tallest of the species, reaching up to 30 meters. They’re now blooming along the east coast and in some inland places – like huge orange light bulbs dominating the skyline. Grevilleas literally drip nectar, much to the delight of native birds and bees. Aboriginal people enjoyed the sweet nectar straight from the plant or mixed with water — the original lolly water. But you have to know which species to taste as some, including the silky oak, contain hydrogen cyanide that could make you ill. Like other grevilleas the silky oak also contains tridecyl resorcinol, which causes an allergic reaction leading to contact dermatitis. The chemical is similar to the toxicodendron in poison ivy. Silky oak timber was widely used in colonial times. Then it was marketed as “lacewood”, and that name persists today among some who use it. Source: theconversation.com/silky-oaks-are-older-than-dinosaurs-a...

Crotalaria is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae (subfamily Faboideae) commonly known as rattlepods.[1] The genus includes over 700 species of herbaceous plants and shrubs. Africa is the continent with the majority of Crotalaria species (approximately 400 species), which are mainly found in damp grassland, especially in floodplains, depressions, and along edges of swamps and rivers, but also in deciduous bushland, roadsides, and fields. Some species of Crotalaria are grown as ornamentals. The common name rattlepod or rattlebox is derived from the fact that the seeds become loose in the pod as they mature, and rattle when the pod is shaken. The name derives from the Ancient Greek κρόταλον, meaning "castanet", and is the same root as the name for the rattlesnakes (Crotalus). Crotalaria species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Endoclita sericeus, Etiella zinckenella and Utetheisa ornatrix. The toxic alkaloids produced by some members of this genus are known to be incorporated by Utetheisia larvae and used to secure their defense from predators. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crotalaria

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Sacred Sights, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

Seen in Sacred Sights

This is Sacred

Seen in Sacred Sights

This is Sacred

Seen in Sacred Sights

This is Sacred

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Obiettivo & Fotocamera, and we'd love to have this added to the group!