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Botanical Information
Welcome to the fourth edition of Botany News! Check our
backissues!
TOPICS:
1. A note from the editor
2. Plants grown in Iceland: Cereals
3. Life on the river bank
4. What’s for dinner? - Seaweeds?
5. Woody plants of Australia
6. Submit your Botany News article!
7. The flower box
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A note from the editor
AUTUMN IN HERE AGAIN! Welcome back to Botany News the new botanical online
e-zine. I hope you are still enjoying the outdoors, park visits and garden
walks, where ever you are in the world! I am still looking for more
communications from readers, telling us their botanical stories! If you like
this new e-zine you could tell your botanical and plant-loving friends know
about it. Some of you are already signed up and are receiving
Botany News via
email. The future of this e-zine depends on enthusiastic readers, willing to
exchange information on plants and events in botany. I strongly encourage you to
send in information of mutual benefit to botanists.
Plants grown in Iceland: Cereals
Monocots occur all over the world. The largest group being the
grasses, many
of which are the favourite food of grazing mammals and birds. Some grasses
produce large nutritious seeds that are well suited for human consumption and
these grasses are called cereals. The cereals include species such as wheat,
rice, maize, barley and oats.
Cultivation of cereals is on the
increase in Iceland. While the early settlers of Iceland grew cereals in
ploughed fields as early as the year thousand, this practice was abandoned in
Iceland in the Middle Ages. Harsh climate during the Middle Ages is a likely
explanation of why cereals were no longer grown in Iceland at that time. Some
attempts were made to grow cereals again in Iceland in the 17th and 18th
centuries. However, it was not until the 20th century that serious attempts
were again made to grow cereals in Iceland. While most of the early attempts
were made in South Iceland that has the mildest climate, today’s cereal
production in Iceland takes place all over the country.
Barley is by far the most common
cereal grown in Iceland, while wheat and oats are also grown in a few places.
Cereals in Iceland are grown almost exclusively as fodder for life stock,
especially for cows and pigs while in older times sheep were also fed cereals.
The human population consumes only small fraction of the cereal production in
Iceland and this part of the harvest is largely organic cereals.
Life on the river bank
On gravelly river banks in Iceland you often find Creeping Bent (Agrostis
stolonifera) and Alpine Fireweed (Epilobium latifolium). Whereas in river bank
succession where there is less flooding, there is an increasing proportion of
grasses and forbs characteristic of drier habitat. On sandy river banks you find
Arctic Rush (Juncus arcticus), Viviparous Fescue (Festuca vivipara),
Silverweed (Potentilla anserina), and the occasional Sea Pea (Lathyrus
japonicus). The fertility of land is often enhanced on river banks, the damp
soils containing abundant minerals and organic material. Along river banks and
their tributarites you often find good habitat for the Arctic Tern (Sterna
paradisaea) and wading bird such as Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), Ringed Plover
(Charadrius hiaticula), and Arctic Skua (Stercorarius paras).
What’s for dinner? - Seaweeds?
The use of edible seaweeds is known all over the world, while seaweeds are
traditionally included in the diet of coastal people of the Pacific and
North Atlantic. Edible species are valuable food and medicinal plants.
Commercial agar (vegetable gelatin) is used as a jellying agent allover the
world.
Some of the edible and commonly
consumed seaweeds are found on the coast of Iceland, these are Bladderlock
(Alaria esculenta), Purple Laver (Porphyra umbilicalis) and Dulse (Palmaria
palmata). However, only Dulse has traditionally been consumed here in Iceland
and in neighbouring Ireland. In Ireland, Irish Moss (Chondrus crispus), is also
used for culinary purposes.
Dulse was an important part of
the diet of Icelanders for centuries. Nowadays, Dulse is still utilized and is
increasingly being marketed as a food product in Iceland, while export of this
product is still very limited. Dulse is a species of red algae found attached to
rocks in the intertidal zone along North Atlantic coastline. This red alga grows
and is harvested during the spring and summer months. Dulse is delicious and a
rich source of complex carbohydrates and proteins, low in fats, while containing
important minerals and vitamins.
Seaweeds, especially species of
the red algae are common food plants in Asia. The Japanese commonly consume
seaweed. They use Kelp (Porphyra spp.) as nori for wrapping sushi and Giant
Kelp (Laminaria japonica) as kombu for broths, stocks and fish-wrapping. The
Japanese are well acquainted with seaweeds and use carefully chosen species for
exquisite dishes.
Woody plants of Australia
Eucalyptus is the dominant genus of woody plants in Australia, with more than
600 species. The largest Eucalypts can grow as tall as 100 meters. These plants
often carry colourful flowers producing rich nectars for honeybees. Others yield
valuable hardwood timber. Eucalypts are now grown widely outside Australia in
landscaping and foresty efforts and are also popular house plants. Here in
Iceland, succulent Eucalypts are especially popular indoor plants in the
well-heated houses in Iceland.
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Submit your Botany News
article!
You can write on any topic related to botany. Short essays on plant biology are
especially popular. It can also be a review on new botanical developments.
Anything that will help your fellow botanists and make it possible for them
progress in their work!
The articles need be approximately 300-1000 words. If needed or requested
editing will be made of English and style. The editor may request some changes
and articles that do not fit the profile or purpose of Botany News are not
published. Your article is still yours and you keep the full copyright.
Submit your
Botany News article!
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The Flower Box
Information on the
Customized
Botanical Tours in Iceland is now available on our website. Please, remember
to fill in the
Expession of Interest Form as this will greatly help us to make your visit
better. The spring, summer, and autumn are good times to explore the nature of
Iceland. However, some activities may be available if you decide to visit
Iceland during the winter months. Have you considered
skiing in the Blue
Mountains (Bláfjöll), outdoor swimming in heated pools, horse riding,
jeep safaris and the many
cultural and
winter festivities in Iceland?
However, If you feel like visiting Iceland during the warmer half of the year
you could of course sign up for the
Customized
Botanical Tours in Iceland. Updated information about the tours will be
published in this section. If you wish to participate and are planning a trip to
Iceland contact us well in advance.
Readers located in Iceland are
encouraged to check out
Thund’s sales page for new botanical health products.
This section publishes brief
announcements about botany and related issues. Announcements about meetings,
excursions, courses, jobs and other important items are consider for publication
here. Announcements are generally less than 300 words.
Submit your
Botany News announcement!
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Best wishes,
Soffia Arnthorsdottir
BOTANY NEWS is published by
Thund, Reykjavik, Iceland
Contact us
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October 30, 2005 -- Botany News, Issue #004
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