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Plants (plus fungi, algae etc.) of various regions

JOrnitho: I have some different descriptions, this time they are about plants. Also, do you think that could be possible for an antilopine-like descendant of the goat or of the sheep to live in the Andean plateau? [more]Atlantic cherry (Eugenia atlantica) In South America, the genus Eugenia survived the Holocene and a new species appeared, the Atlantic cherry. This species is native to the forests of the Atlantic coast of South America. Being a common component of the Atlantic forests, they provide food to many species. is a large shrub or small tree with a conical form, growing slowly to 8 m high. When bruised, crushed or cut, the leaves and branches have a spicy resinous fragrance, which can cause respiratory discomfort in susceptible individuals. The leaves are without stipules, ovate, glossy and held in opposite pairs. New leaves are bronze in color, maturing to a deep glossy green, up to 4 cm long. During dry season the leaves turn red. Flowers have four pale pink petals and are borne on slender long stalks, with a conspicuous central cluster of white stamens ending in yellow anthers. Flowers develop into rounded fruits 3 cm long, starting out as green, then ranging through orange, scarlet and finally dark red as they ripen. Its seeds are dispersed mostly by fruit eating birds and bats. Montane jamelan (Neosygyzium montano) During the Holocene, the man introduced many species, animal and vegetal. The tree Sygyzium cumini was one of these introduced species. In the Neocene, this species give rise to the genus Neosygyzium with the type species being the montane jamelan. The word jamelan (jamelão) is a common name used to its ancestor in Brazil. The montane jamelan is native to the montane forests of the Atlantic Coast of South America. Their fruits are consumed by many species of these areas. Montane jamelan is a large tree, typically reaching 30 m of high and can live more than 100 years. Its leaves and twigs are glabrous and the bark is dark brown and fairly smooth, with little relief or texture. The leaves are lanceolate, 2 cm to 4 cm broad, 10 cm to 20 cm long, pointed, base cuneate with hardly any petiole, lively red when growing, but glossy green on attaining full size. The flowers are in small terminal clusters, white or greenish white, the long, numerous stamens giving them a diameter of 8 cm. The flowering period of this tree is in the end of the spring. Its fruits develop during the summer and resemble large berries, being 15 cm long; the fruit of the genus Neosyzygium are drupaceous. The fruit is oblong, ovoid. Unripe fruit looks green. As it matures, its color changes to pink, then to shining crimson red and finally to black color. Other species in this genus: Lowland jamelan (Neosygyzium esculentus) This species reach the same high of the montane jamelan, however is native to the lowland forests of the Atlantic coast of South America. Its fruits are also large, being 27 cm long and magenta colored.  Aromatic guava (Psidium aromatica) In South America, the guavas (Psidium) survived the Holocene and a new species appeared, the red guava. This species is native to the tropical regions of South America. Across its occurrence areas, the fruits are used as food by many species. The aromatic guava is a large tree, being capable to reach 28 m of high. The tortuous trunk has a smooth shell that peels off thin plates. The leaves are coriaceous and glabrous, up to 10 cm in length. The flowers are axillary, solitary and white. The flowering period occurs during the start of spring. The fruits mature when the first rains of summer start to fall. The fruit consists of fleshy green colored berries which turn yellow when ripe. The surface is irregular, with 10 cm of diameter. Inside, there is a red pulp, containing dozens of small hard seeds. The four sepals of the flower are usually present at one end of the fruit. When the fruits are ripen, they exhale a strong sweet aroma which attract many animals to consume it, such as the puraheikai.  [/more] As the Author stated, plants should be in a separate topic - Biolog, the moderator

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JOrnitho: Биолог I like the idea of it being a descendant of a Solanaceae. Maybe the leaves have an aromatic substance that repel any insect, even the bees. I can see some primates rubbing it on their bodies. What do you think?

Биолог: JOrnitho Good idea! Leaves of a descendant of common tobacco (a Solanaceae member) can serve as such.

JOrnitho: Биолог пишет: Leaves of a descendant of common tobacco (a Solanaceae member) can serve as such. Yes! Maybe the substances of the leaves are so strong for insects that only birds and mammals are capable of pollinating and consuming its fruits. There could even be a species of hummingbird that have preference for this plant.


Биолог: JOrnitho the substances of the leaves are so strong for insects that only birds and mammals are capable of pollinating and consuming its fruits. Yes, good idea! Although it can resemble the chapter 93 "Green Poisoner and Its Suite" (only Russian so far, sorry). There could even be a species of hummingbird that have preference for this plant. Given it is immune to the poison. Another good idea!

JOrnitho: Биолог пишет: Although it can resemble the chapter 93 "Green Poisoner and Its Suite" Then it's a perfect case of convergent evolution. I think that this plant could inhabit the Amazon and the Atlantic forest. The birds that use these leaves to repel the bees from their nest would also only lives in these areas.

Биолог: JOrnitho OK, the idea is good, but the chapter I mentioned is about a large poisonous tree and the animals that live in its crown or on/inside the branches or trunk.

JOrnitho: Биолог пишет: OK, the idea is good, but the chapter I mentioned is about a large poisonous tree and the animals that live in its crown or on/inside the branches or trunk. Ah, right. In this case this plant would be more repelent than poisonous, and only to insects. Perhaps it evolved this way as a defense against ants of the forests.

Биолог: JOrnitho OK, sure!

Биолог: JOrnitho Also, do you think that could be possible for an antilopine-like descendant of the goat or of the sheep to live in the Andean plateau? Why not? I think it's possible. Your plants are OK, added to the catalogue.

Автор: Биолог пишет: Your plants are OK, added to the catalogue. I think it is better to establish a new thread for plants in "Foreign section" of the forum, at least because the current thread is about animals. IMHO, plants and fungi are not less interesting compared to animals, the also have special roles in ecosystems.

Биолог: Автор OK, done. But now I have to change links of JOrnitho's plants in the catalogue.

JOrnitho: Биолог Can you help me make the description for this plant? I'm struggling writing with the part about the poison and how it can work.

Биолог: JOrnitho Yes, but which part exactly do you need? I mean, life cycle, poison properties or something else? And what is the species? You can post a preliminary description here, so that I understand your idea.

JOrnitho: Биолог пишет: You can post a preliminary description here, so that I understand your idea. Ok! I'll do that. It'll be a descendant of the common tabaco.

JOrnitho: Биолог I made this preliminary description. Can you help with the description of the substance that is found on it? How it is repellent to insects, but not to mammals and birds. Repellent tobacco (Nicotiana abhorrens) The Genus Nicotiana of the family Solanaceae survived the Holocene, and in the Neocene a new species appeared, the violet trumpet tree. This species is native of tropical and subtropical America, only inhabiting humid areas with temperatures of 20–30 °C. This way, this plant isn’t found in the savannas and deserts. The repellent tobacco is an annual plant that grows 1 to 3 metres high and is sticky hairy on all parts. The stems are thick and not very branched. The leaves can be over 55 centimetres long with the blades elliptical, pointed towards the front and, at the base are sessile, encompassing the stem. The scented inflorescences are multi-branched panicles. The flower stalks are 15 millimetres long. The calyx is 17 millimetres and is covered with uneven 8 mm narrow pointed calyx lobes shorter than the calyx tube. The crown is plate-shaped, the coronet is bright red, with the corolla tube being pink. The corolla tube has a total length of 10 cm and is 3 mm wide in the lower part and widens to 7 mm in the upper part. The coronet is pentagonal. The stamens are designed unevenly and start below the center of the corolla tube. The fruit is a 2 cm long capsule that is narrowly elliptical to egg-shaped. It can stand out over the chalice. The seeds are spherical and are up to 0.5 mm long. The leaves contain a repellent substance (hence the species' name) nicotoxin, which is a derivative of nicotine. Nicotoxin is harmless to mammals and birds, but strongly protective against insects. The substance causes the plant to emit a distinctive pungent odor percepted by insects and repulsive for them. So the vertebrate animals started using the leaves to protect their burrows and other dwellings from the local descendants of Africanized bees: the bees cannot withstand the odor which covers as much as several meters around a dwelling entrance. Some species of primates also use rub these leaves on their bodies, using its odor as a natural repelent. While these substances don't repel vertebrates, the leaves of the repellent tobacco are sour and not appreciated by all herbivores. Even the monkeys that have their fur covered by it will leave a bad taste in predators' mouth.

Биолог: JOrnitho Good one! The remaining part can be like this: The leaves contain a repellent substance (hence the species' name) nicotoxin, which is a derivative of nicotine. Nicotoxin is harmless to mammals and birds, but strongly protective against insects. The substance causes the plant to emit a distinctive pungent odor percepted by insects and repulsive for them. So the vertebrate animals started using the leaves to protect their burrows and other dwellings from the local descendants of Africanized bees: the bees cannot withstand the odor which covers as much as several meters around a dwelling entrance. How is it?

JOrnitho: Биолог пишет: How is it? It's really good! Do you mind if I add this: "While not being toxic for vertebrates, these leaves have a sour taste that is tolerated only by some few herbivores"?

Биолог: JOrnitho Yes, why not! You will be the final author of the species, not me.

JOrnitho: Биолог I added the part of the toxin in the description.

Биолог: JOrnitho Good, and I've already added the link to it to the catalogue.



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