Some harmful houseplants and local cousins

Many of our favourite house-plants are grown for beautiful variegated foliage and climbing or vining tendencies. Some of their leaves have unusual shapes. All of the following are toxic or poisonous if ingested by pets or humans and all are members of the tropical Araceae, with relatives found  in Nova Scotia.

Dumbcane or Dieffenbachia are vines native to North American tropics and southward. The name refers to the numbing effect caused by calcium oxalate crystals in the foliage.

Caladium or Elephant Ear, is also grown for beautifully marked foliage, originating from South America. All parts are poisonous to ingest and may even affect sensitive skin if handled. Other common vines are Philodendron and Pothos . Keep out of reach of pets and children.

Nova Scotian species include three rather unique species: Calla Lilies, Jack-in-the-Pulpit and Skunk-Cabbage. Calla Lilies tend to grow in wet peat; Jack-in-the-pulpit or segabun, is found along stream banks. This plant forms part of the Mi'kmaq pharmacy and is also called Indian Turnip. Skunk cabbage has very large leaves resembling those of cabbage, appear long after its most disagreeable flower pushes up through barely thawed ground.  You can read more about the Araceae in Nova Scotia at http://museum.novascotia.ca/books


Philodendron, photo by Marian Munro
Calla Lily, photo by Sean Blaney

Jack-in-the-pulpit, photo by Beth Cameron

Skunk Cabbage, photo by David Mazerolle

Carnivorous plants

We sometimes see little glass jars with the oddly-shaped Venus Fly Traps enclosed, available for sale. The ads may say Feed Me, I Eat Meat! It does not grow in Nova Scotia but other ‘meat eating” plants are found in our bogs.

Pitcher-plants and Sundews are the names of fierce herbs who devour their insect visitors. The pitchers are modified leaves bearing hairs pointing downward. Veins in crimson attract visitors, perhaps mimicking nectar guides. Any victims falling into the rain-filled vessels are doomed to digestion by this hungry plant!

The Sundews are more active. Their modified leaves wear shining glue-topped hairs. Once the insect visitor is trapped on the hairs, the leaves begin to curl around the struggling victim. Carnivory in plants evolved to fulfill the need for nitrogen and other nutrients, absent from much of their peatland homes. Newfoundland’s provincial floral emblem is the pitcher-plant.

.

Sean Blaney, photographer. Pitcher Plant, common in NS bogs.

Thread-leaved Sundew plant, by Martin Thomas. a species-at-risk

Spatulate-leaved Sundew, Sean Blaney. A common carnivorous species

Nova Scotia’s flora and how it continues to change

The Nova Scotia Plants publication was just launched in October 2014. It had been 16 years since a comprehensive flora for the province was published. During those 16 years, at least 40 plants were added to the total. Are these newcomers? The answer is no, and yes! Botanists are steadily finding new relationships between and amongst genera. Sometimes this means a lumping of species or varieties and sometimes it means a splitting of species. These plants have always been present; their relationships have changed.  Then there are the plant species who are upwardly mobile. These are the plants who are expanding their range, usually from south to north.

Sometimes they are hitchhikers, such as Garlic Mustard, which marched into the province. As it is invasive along roadsides in eastern North America, it was only a short while before it appeared in our province, possibly by tires of vehicles carrying the seeds. During the 1700-1900s most of the introduced plants arrived on our shores, literally, via ships’ ballast. The weight of soil and rocks gathered from European shores ensured that Nova Scotia, received seeds of European species, especially the fast-growing weedy ones. With the advent of rail, came species from the western prairies and the mountains, such as lupines and mustards. These are opportunists, spreading as far and wide as the trains that carried them.

The intentional introductions are plants that arrive here as crops, ornamentals or as reminders of far-flung travel. And sometimes, the plants are introduced by people, who just don’t consider the environmental impacts. During the Christmas holidays, I received a series of emails from concerned naturalists about a species of aquatic plant observed in a local pond in Halifax. Some of our most vulnerable habitats to plant invasion are streams, lakes and ponds. Aquatic species are very difficult to control. This plant, the Carolina Fanwort, Cabomba caroliniana is popularly used in aquaria. Native to the southeastern part of the US, it is now resident in Halifax County. It arrived at Frog Pond when someone emptied their unwanted aquarium plants into the pond, an unacceptable practice on several levels. Its effects on the native vegetation remains to be seen. We don’t know if it will survive the winter. It is now listed officially as invasive in ME, MA, VT and CT, although it is native and even extirpated in some of the more southerly states. What we do know is that its presence probably indicates a decline in water quality. It is difficult for non-native species to invade healthy ecosystems.

Carolina fanwort, Cabomba caroliniana, photo by M. Munro

Closer image of stem and December growth, photo by M. Munro

one leaf, photo by M. Munro

Carnations to make and enjoy!

January’s birth flower is the carnation. This popular flower for arrangements is associated with love, fascination and distinction. The flowers, particularly the red ones have also been associated with May Day and the Labour Movement, or even socialism. This connection evolved into the wearing of carnations on Mother’s Day, celebrated in the US and Canada on the second Sunday. Traditionally one would wear a white carnation if Mother had passed on or red if Mother is still alive.

The Latin name of the carnation is Dianthus caryophyllus, as given by Theophrastus and refers to Dios, divine and anthos, flower. The postcard dates from 1906 and is illustrated by Catherine Klein, an extraordinary flower painter.

 Many of us will remember the handmade Kleenex carnations that decorated many a gift and bridal party cars when we were youth. For those wishing to show others, the instructions are:

Supplies:

    Tissues – I used 3 ply for extra fluffy flowers

    Bobby pins

    Markers

    Scissors

    Floral tape

    Dollar store fake flowers if you want to make a bouquet

First, layer 2-4 tissues on top of each other.  I used 3 per flower because I had three ply. Then fold them accordion style, push a bobby pin over the center.  Next pinch of the ends.  I left about 2 inches on each side, but you can make any size you want.  Then take a marker and color the ends. (Optional).

Now starting at the top, pull each layer of the tissue apart until it is at the center.  Be careful not to tear the tissue. Work your way down the side until you reach the bottom, and then repeat on the other side.  Then fluff.

Then repeat…a bunch of times.  This is where the hours of busy time come into play!

It is also optional to pick up some stems of greenery from the dollar store. Expose the tips by cutting away the top leaves. Attach one carnation per stem with floral tape after first attaching the flower to the bobby pin, then to the naked tip.

Similar flowers can be made of coloured tissue paper. Stack 4-6 pieces of tissue cut into 8inch squares and follow instructions above.

HOHOHO Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

HoHoHo Merry Christmas All!

I have just learned that we now have a link to download the entire manuscript (121MB). Here it is again for sharing with your people.

https://ojs.library.dal.ca/NSM/pages/view/Plants

Don’t forget to bookmark the direct link to the manuscript. The download link takes you to the NS Provincial Library server. At the moment, it is not recommended for mobiles.

Thanks to all who helped make this document available to the public. Mark your calendars now for April 8 2015, 7:00PM.

BOTANICA EROTICA

Follow the links to facebook or Youtube for a look at flowering.

Slo-mo flowering

Emancipator -Greenland

COLLECTING POSTCARDS and BOTANY

COLLECTING POSTCARDS and BOTANY

Collecting postcards by topic allows the deltiologist to control the appearance of their collection. Often times, the topical collector is interested in other artifacts or paper relating to their topic.

For example those whose interest is in railroads and trains, may also collect tickets, menus and memorabilia from the railways of interest.

I collect many themes, but one of my favourite topicals is the use of flowers as theme or motif representing a celebration.

Let's consider two common ones: the rose and the daisy. The Rose has several meanings, depending on the colour presented. 

 

 

Pink signifies friendship. This card is as likely to be sent from woman to woman, friend or family, perhaps just as a reminder of friendship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

while red indicates passionate love. There is little doubt that a gentleman would have sent this card to his betrothed or hopeful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The common daisy is a reference to Innocence. Often the daisy is accompanied by a beautiful child.

 

 

 

Do you feel or sense these intangibles when you view the attached images?

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Meaning of Flowers is associated with Victorian times, when communication was less by words and more symbolic, using gestures to indicate emotion. Several postcard illustrators became famous for their botanical illustration Kate Greenaway actually illustrated The Language of Flowers. 

 

 

Catherine Klein became synonymous with her renderings of fruit and flowers, using them as portrait subjects rather than bearers of messages. Her roses are shown left on a signed card.