ThursdayTreeLove – Page 14

22/02/201823/09/2021

Central Witness (ThursdayTreeLove)

Many a times have I seen this tree growing on the median of the NH4 from Pune towards Satara. It seems to be a very old tree considering its size despite the heavy traffic on both sides of the road. I am really happy that whoever built this road chose to retain the tree during road construction – or could it be that it grew after the road was ready?

Whatever the case may be, considering its strategic location, the plant must have seen thousands and thousands of folks pass by, possibly travelling on a holiday, for work, some happy, some not so happy… If it could communicate with us, it would have some wonderful stories to share.

This one seems to be a Ficus species. The almost perfect dome shaped canopy must offer cooling shade but its not a place were one can stop to rest!!

I have spotted many such trees at other spots on this highway and other highways as well— a central witness to the progress of the region…

This post is part of Parul‘s #ThursdayTreeLove34. Do head over to see some amazing trees from around the world!

08/02/201823/09/2021

Root Skirt (ThursdayTreeLove)

This tree seems to be wearing a skirt!! That is what the magnificent stilt roots of this mangrove tree reminded me of!!

What do you think?

This is a mangrove species that I saw in the Sunderbans. They are adapted to grow in saline and brackish water and have special roots for support and to breathe.

I am joining Parul’s #ThursdayTreeLove33. Head over to see some wonderful trees from around the world.

25/01/201823/09/2021

Flawed Beauty? (#ThursdayTreeLove)

This is a view I see very often on my walks on the hills (called Tekdi in Marathi). Recently, I found it difficult to decide if the tree looked more beautiful than the orange glow of the rising winter sun! The twisted trunk and branches ending in arrows pointing skywards won!

But first a little about this plant. It is the Gliricidia sepium (locally called Undirmari) of the Fabaceae family.

It has been extensively planted on our hills some years ago under a plan to rapidly reforest barren slopes. This non-native took easily to the rocky soil and flourished. It blooms in January each year and the leafless tree looks glorious with pink blossoms. Besides the visual element, its leaves provide oxygen and some folks use its branches as fire wood. I am told that its leaves and bark are useful to keep away rats.

Gliricidia drops its leaves every winter and once the flowering period ends, the bare branches will spring forth with hundreds of new leaves. They swathe the hills in wonderful shades of green during the monsoon – making it seem like a dense forest!

Here are the flowers up close!

Pink white flowers in racemes

So why have I titled the post as Flawed Beauty?

That is because this exotic plant does not support other native fauna – birds do not nest on this tree and no birds/insects/ animals enjoy its nectar. Nothing grows below these trees so native herbs, shrubs, grasses are slowly disappearing. There have been calls to remove these trees and this particular plantation has drawn criticism from environment activists as well.

Here are some more images..

Trees planted in systematic rows on Pune hills

Lenticels on the bark. The branches grow vertically up and easily help identify the tree

A Gliricidia seen against the morning sky

So would you say this beauty is flawed?

I am participating in Parul’s #ThursdayTreeLove32. Do head over to see some amazing trees from around the world.

11/01/201823/09/2021

A Tree In A Temple (#ThursdayTreeLove)

The Ram Mandir in Pune’s Tulshibag is a heritage site and it was constructed during the peak of the Peshwa rule. It was completed in 1761. The temple has stood the test of time and despite huge changes in its surroundings.

Beautiful as the temple is, it was the Muchkunda tree growing in the courtyard that caught my eye.. It has a magnificently gnarled trunk (is that possible) and its roots seemed to have surfaced and uprooted some of the surrounding tiles. I have no idea if the Muchkunda is as old as the temple but it has certainly seen many a monsoons…

Muchkunda or Pterospermum acerifolium belongs to the Sterculiaceae family and is also called Kanak Champa in some parts of India. It can be easily recognised by its typical peltate leaves and flowers that are intensely fragrant and look like a peeled banana!

Notice the leaf shape and the flowers. This image of a Muchkunda located elsewhere

Restoration works at the site have included creating a base of stones around the tree but I am not sure I really like that grey structure. Here are some more images

The newly restored temple and the Muchkunda Tree

Looking up!

Research has revealed that the Pterospermum acerifolium has some mythological importance as well. You can read about it here and here.

If you ever get a chance to visit the Tulshibag in Pune, do not forget to admire the magnificent Muchkunda.

I am participating in Parul’s #ThursdayTreeLove31. It is a photo feature posted on the second and fourth Thursday of every month. Head over there to see some amazing trees from around the world!

28/12/201723/09/2021

Mother Tree (#ThursdayTreeLove)

This tree caught my eye for two reasons, the interesting growth on its branch and a profusion of greenery at the base of its trunk.

As I went closer, it was clear that this was a very old Peepal (see the reddish heart shaped young leaves with typical pointy tips). The tree itself seemed to be a mother for the several species growing on or under or around it providing shade, support and nutrition. It doesn’t seem to discriminate between them. I am quite sure several animals must have made a residence there as well.

I wonder how old must the Peepal be?

Here is a another view of the branches.. The brown growth is a fern called Drynaria quercifolia or Oak Leaf Fern or Pocket Fern.

This is at the Ananthapura Lake Temple near Kasaragod in Kerala. This temple is known for its resident crocodile in the lake but we did not see it…

I am participating in Parul’s #ThursdayTreeLove30 . Do head over for some amazing trees from around the world!

14/12/201723/09/2021

Ghostly (ThursdayTreeLove)

This tree was the first thing that caught my eye when I visited South Carolina. I was intrigued by the filament like structures growing on its branches and general ghostly appearance. The season was spring so I was expecting tender shoots or even flowers but this white ‘mane’ totally stumped me. As usual, I had a short list of common trees I was likely to see but this did not fit any description….

My sister in law informed me that these hanging filaments were Spanish Moss. Google helped with more information. Tillandsia usneoides is its botanical name belonging to the Bromeliaceae family and is found commonly growing on oak trees. Since my post is about trees, I shall not go into details about Tillandsia but you can look it up here.

Aha.. that took care of the mystery! What I was seeing was an Oak and what I thought as its leaves was actually another epiphytic plant growing on it.

Here is a close up where the Oak leaves are visible.

To this day, the Spanish Moss-festooned oak remains one of the most dramatic trees I have seen.

I am participating in Parul’s #ThursdayTreeLove29. Do head over to see some fantastic trees from around the world.

23/11/201723/09/2021

Feeling Dwarfed (#ThursdayTreeLove)

Ever so often we feel dwarfed when next to some tall structures (monuments, mountains etc) or figuratively when we hear profound thoughts or deeds. Yet another occassion is when faced with monumental trees. Today I want to describe one such.

We had seen this one at a temple in Manali and I felt really small standing under it. The view as I looked up is in the image below and I could not see the tree top from where I stood. The branches created a dense mesh of sorts that filtered the sunlight as it reached the ground.

According to the locals, this is a really old tree, a claim which was supported by its height and girth. The tree is the Devdar which goes by the botanical name Cedrus deodara from the Pinaceae family. The leaves are needle like and the tree bears cones and not regular fruit that we are familiar with.

There were several Devdars in Manali and in on the mountain slopes as well. Here is another one that I spotted. Its stem is twisted, I wonder why…..

The species is native to India and commonly found on the slopes of the western Himalayas.

Have you seen the mighty Devdar tree?

I am participating in Parul’s #ThursdayTreeLove28. Head over to see some wonderful trees from around the world.

09/11/201723/09/2021

Heritage Tree (#ThursdayTreeLove)

Well, I had heard of heritage structures, heritage walks, heritage conservation and so on but a heritage tree was something unique. Come to think of it why not considering that some trees live for hundreds of years…

In a perfect coincidence, my tree for the day is the Pilu or Salvadora persica which I have seen in the lawns of the Qutub Minar in Delhi. Our guide told us that this tree is really really old and the tree trunk showed its age. It belongs to the Salvadoraceae family and is also called Meswak.

There are several of these in the complex so do take a while to spot and admire then if you do visit Qutub Minar. They have gnarled trunks with elliptic to oblong leaves with entire margins and arranged oppositely on the stems. We were lucky to see the fruits that were really beautiful glassy looking red globule like structures.

Leaves

Fruits

One of the trees has this massive trunk which has some infestation

As you can see one of the trees has fallen possibly weakened by some infection or due to weather conditions

According to my field botany teachers, this tree is a mangrove associate so how come its flourishing in dry Delhi is a bit of a surprise to me.

Have you visited Qutub Minar? Have you spotted these trees?

I am participating in Parul’s #ThursdayTreeLove27. Head over there to see some lovely trees from around the world.

26/10/201723/09/2021

Falling Stars (#ThursdayTreeLove)

This is the time of year in Pune when the beauty of morning walks is enhanced many fold due to the haunting sweet fragrance of the Indian Cork Tree aka ‘Buccha’ (बु च्च ). The roads are carpeted with waxy tube like flowers every morning which demand us to look up at the tree. I never tire of seeing the inflorescence which looks like falling stars!! Notice the flowers in the accompanying images!!

Universally known as Millingtonia hortensis of the Bignoniaceae family this tree grows straight up and fairly tall. In fact, it grows in many parts of India so many of you will easily recognise this species if not the name of the tree. The genus Millingtonia is in honour of the English botanist Thomas Millington and Buccha is the only species of the genus.

They are night blooming and are at their most fragrant in the night and early mornings. I have not seen fruit formation in my city but I am told that fruits do form in Mumbai – I guess the pollinator insects choose to stay away from here 😉

Bell shaped flowers – next to a pen for size comparison

Waxy petals and didynamous stamens which are peculiar to Bignonicaceae family

The cream coloured flowers can be braided into a ‘veni’ but mind you this needs some skill and practise.

Veni is the Marathi word for a braid of flowers that worn to adorn hair.

Buccha often gives out suckers that grow sideways which means ‘baby’ plants can be found to be growing next to the older trees. It is commonly grown as a garden tree and avenue tree as well.

Millingtonia is among my favourite trees one that I never tire of seeing, writing about – I have written about or mentioned in five posts so far 🙂

Have you noticed this tree in your city?

I am participating in Parul’s #ThursdayTreeLove26. Head over to read about some amazing trees from around the world.

Update on 2 Nov 2017

Millingtonia leaf

Leaf

Here is an image of the leaf. Leaf can be described as Bipinnate, leaflets are opposite in 3-5 pairs. Leaflets are ovate, acuminate with rounded base.

12/10/201723/09/2021

Birch (#ThursdayTreeLove)

What do we ‘see’ when we travel away from our home cities? Over the past few years, I have made it a point to look out for plants and flowers of that particular place, especially when overseas. This made my visit to the Scandinavian countries a double delight as I was able to enjoy the flora of the temperate region – which for me had been limited to books and electronic screens so far!

I had a small field guide to help identify the trees and I cannot express my joy at recognising a tree!!

Here is a road outside our Helsinki hotel that struck me for two reasons, one is obviously the golden carpet of yellowing autumn leaves and the second is the white bark. Moving a little closer, the white almost looked like paint! I did not need any reference to know that these were Birches. They belong the family Betulaceae and the genus Betula.

Autumn

White bark

These are mostly deciduous trees which means they shed their leaves in winter. All seemed to have straight trunks. This was most obvious in the countryside, as the scene outside the window was blur of vertical white lines!!

View from the bus window

An article I read online, mentions that during the World War II, Birch wood was used to build the Hercules H4 which was a strategic airlift flying airboat. The aircraft is called “Spruce Goose” and is on display at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum at McMinnville in Oregon. Wow!!

Which trees have you spotted in your travels – for work or leisure?
🙂

I am participating in Parul’s #ThursdayTreeLove25. Head over to seen some wonderful trees from around the world…