Thursday, June 11, 2009

Gallery of Iringa Flora

Otherwise known as:  Trees Do Funny Things Here!

Also pretty things.  I have seen several flowering types that erupt into color at the end of each branch.  This one I recognized... except that I thought it was a little plant that comes in a pot at Christmas time.  Here poinsetta trees are common decor.


Then there are trees that have creative ways of sheltering their seeds.  The example below is referred to as a Sausage Tree.  Each "sausage" is rock-hard, and easily a foot long.


The brittle "streamers" on this tree are at least two feet long.


So you have probably figured out that my botanical knowledge is limited.  I have no idea what to make of these things.  But this one really throws me:  It's like a tree grew, and then changed its mind as it sent out branches, prefering to become a cactus.  I'm serious--trunk of a tree, bark and everything; arms of a cactus, complete with stickers.

(And since taking this picture, I have discovered that these "trees" also produce flowers at their tips.)

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