Entries by agrimm

Spices: Saffron

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Saffron Valuable Floral Parts In autumn, when many plants are already retreating, the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus) opens its delicate violet flowers. Unassuming at first glance — yet they contain one of the most valuable products in the plant world. The flower follows the classic structure of the iris family: six petals, and hidden beneath […]

Spices: Vanilla

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Vanilla An Orchid Among the Spices Most people would associate orchids with tropical forests rather than spice racks. Yet vanilla belongs exactly to this plant family, more specifically to the genus Vanilla. Like all orchids, it produces a capsule containing countless tiny seeds after successful pollination. In vanilla, however, this capsule develops into a remarkably […]

Spices: Capers

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Capers Pickled flower buds   Those small green spheres—whose tangy aroma delights some and repels others—are the unripe flower buds of the caper bush, Capparis spinosa. They are harvested by hand, then left to wilt slightly before being preserved in brine and vinegar. During this process, mustard oil glycosides and capric acid develop, giving capers their […]

Flowers: Variety of Inflorescences

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Flower diversity The colourful flowers of the different plant species always fascinate us. Some species, such as Anemone nemorosa, form inconspicuous single flowers. Others, on the other hand, catch our eye especially because of the multitude of flowers which form an inflorescence.   Single flowers The general structure of a flower can be described as follows: […]

Spices: Cloves

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Cloves Aromatic buds Cloves are the dried flower buds of the tree Syzygium aromaticum, which is native to the Moluccas, an Indonesian archipelago. Taxonomically, it belongs to the myrtle family and is therefore related to the common myrtle (Myrtus communis) and eucalyptus species, among others. The evergreen tree is about 10 meters tall and forms […]

New study presents method to extract phenology information from images

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We are excited to share our latest research with you! Using Flora Incognita plant observations, we have developed a new and efficient method that could advance future phenological research and monitoring. Why study phenology? Plant phenology—the timing of recurring life events such as budburst, flowering, fruiting, and leaf senescence—is central to many ecological processes. It […]

Invasive plants in the EU Part 6: Annual herbaceous plants

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Union list of invasive species There are around 12,000 alien species in the EU. A small number of them require special attention as they can endanger the populations of native species. The EU regulation on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species is intended to prevent these species from […]