2010:International Year of Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the diversity or variety of life forms in our surroundings. Plants, human beings, monkeys, virus, birds, tiger, trees, earthworms and all other organims contribute to this variety.

Unfortunately, we, humans also decimate this biological variety. In destroying the other creations of Nature, we are infact putting ourselves in great peril. Why not we follow a "Live & Let Live" policy?

Friends, 2010 is going to be declared as International Year of Biodiversity. So, let us vow to value the "right to live" of other organisms. Let us protect the biological variety of nature for Genxt.

Let us protect all our dear PLANTS which are also contributing to this biological diversity.

Notice the difference in leaf arrangement in plants

If you closely examine, you can see that the leaves in different plants are arranged in different manner. Leaves may be either ALTERNATE, in which the leaves alternate in the twig. In some other plants, the leaves are OPPOSITE. They emerge in pairs, opposite of one another from the twig. The arrangement of leaves in the plant stem is know as Phyllotaxy. By studying phyllotaxy, one can differentiate between different plant species.

നമ്മുടെ ദേശീയ വൃക്ഷം

Ficus benghalensis L.

This the national tree of India. This tree (Peraal in Malayalam; in English, Banyan), is a very long living evergreen tree with thick & numerous aerial roots. This belongs to the family of figs (ficus). It has simple (in taxonomic sense!), large, "leathery" leaves. If you pluck the leaves, you can notice that it produces a milky latex as exudate (most other ficus also show this character).

Ode to a great plant taxonomist

Armen Leonovich Takhtajan or Takhtajian, one of the most influential plant taxonomist of the 20th century who pioneered the "Takhtajan system" of flowering plant classification passed away on November 13, 2009 at the age of 99.

Trees to arrest GLOBAL WARMING

A single tree will absorb approximately one ton of carbon dioxide during its lifetime. They beautify our surroundings, purify our air, act as sound barriers, manufacture precious oxygen, and help us save energy through their cooling shade in summer and their wind reduction in winter. Trees are green machines that act as natural filters of our air. Through the process of photosynthesis they absorb carbon dioxide (a key GHG and principle contributor to global warming) from the atmosphere and store it in their trunk, branches, leaves, roots, soil and foliage, while releasing oxygen back out. Sustainably managed forests and urban forestry projects have multiple environmental and socio-economic functions important at the global, national and local scales, and play a vital part in sustainable development.

If you have the means to PLANT A TREE, Plant one NOW.

shape of plant leaves

The leaves of different plant species are differently shaped. Discover it!

Plants

Plants are nature's most wonderful creations. Look around and discover how different each plants are.