Notices for Users of the Albums

1. New Albums and some changes

 

The latest Albums on genera of South African plants added to the Operation Wildflower Site are the ones on Cyrtanthus, Dicoma and Strumaria. This means that photos and stories of plants belonging to these genera already on the Site, together with some new ones, have been moved from the more general Albums called Bulbs and Herbs respectively into their own new Albums under Genera. 

 

There is a genus Album in every case where enough material has been accumulated to warrant a stand-alone grouping of photos and stories. There are now more than 220 such genera Albums. The biggest ones (most photos) belong to the genera Crassula, Euphorbia, Pelargonium, Aloe and Erica. Keep watching, more will be added. If there is no genus Album yet on the plant you are looking for, check under Types, the grouping that the Site was started off with, accessible via the pictured items shown on the right. The Search Box may yield more, for plants and related material are also shown in Albums on Habitat, Regions and Parks and Gardens.

 

In order to access items on a plant of interest, enter its botanical name in the Search Box. Entering other words or names will access what is contained in the Albums database. The latest Regions Album is the one on Nature's Valley and the latest Parks and Gardens Album is on Tietiesbaai also known as the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve.

 

2. Want to talk about a plant or an Album item?

 

There is a new way of communicating with the Editor of this Site regarding any of the Album Items.
Comments, questions, corrections, information and suggestions can be put to the Editor by using the following email address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

Please ensure that the Album Item concerned is clearly identified. Type its exact title as well as the Album Name in the Subject Line of your email. Please also state your name.

 

Similarly, communication regarding the functioning or technical aspects of the Site can be directed to the Webmaster at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

3. Reduced Mobile Site for Cell Phone Users

 

Operation Wildflower now also offers a reduced Mobile Site for cell phone use that only presents the Albums contents. This is aimed at overcoming display difficulties on some of the mobile devices in use for quick reference. The reduction found in the Mobile Site doesn't affect the full set of photos and stories of Operation Wildflower, only in diminishing the Site's secondary details that may make it hard to access the items on a small screen.

 

It is best to use the normal or full Operation Wildflower Site on computers, iPads and devices with bigger screens, as well as those that present unimpaired display of full details and access to all material on offer.

 

Should viewing difficulties be experienced on your device, click here to access the Mobile Site.

 

4. Subject Index

 

A Subject Index of a selection of topics touched on in Album Item text has been started, other than plant species. Access it via Information.

 

The Album Item Title should be clicked upon to open the Item dealing with the Topic.

 

Check in the Search Box for yet more subjects not added to the Subject Index list yet.

 

Identification of Grasses

The various structures provide the features used in identification of grasses. The flower, called the inflorescence, is the easy place to start. However, some species are so similar that you may need to look more closely at other parts of the plant. The diagram below illustrates the basics.

The stem of a grass is seldom branched. It is mostly hollow and straight, interrupted at intervals by swollen joints called NODES. The stems are called CULMS.

Some grasses have stems which grow along the surface of the ground, and result in new shoots. These horizontal stems are called STOLONS. If the horizontal stems are below the ground, they are called RHIZOMES.

Leaves start at NODES. The part of the leaf closest to the node encloses and protects the shoot in a LEAF SHEATH. The further portion of the leaf opens out and is the LEAF BLADE. The LEAF BLADE is usually long and narrow, and tapers to a point.

Where the SHEATH and the BLADE meet, there is a small tissue flap called the LIGULE. This flap is sometimes nothing more than a fringe of hairs. It may also happen that the LIGULE has little projections on either side called AURICLES.

The flower head of grass is called INFLORESCENCE. There are no petals, and the flower is protected by scales called a FLORET.

All the florets are protected by a second set of scales called GLUMES. GLUMES may have bristle-like extensions called AWNS.

The entire structure – Florets, glumes, and awns – is called a SPIKELET.

The arrangement of the SPIKELETS into the INFLORESCENCE is often the first key in grass identification.

Visitor Numbers

1.png3.png6.png0.png0.png8.png8.png4.png
Today1708
Yesterday2551
This week8090
This month67512