Telopea speciosissima, commonly known as the New South Wales waratah, is a large shrub in the
Proteaceae family.
Endemic to
New South Wales, it is the
floral emblem of that state. T. speciosissima grows as a shrub to 3 to 4 m (10–13 ft) high and 2 m (7 ft) wide, with dark green leaves and several stems rising from a pronounced woody base known as a
lignotuber. It is most renowned for its striking large red
inflorescences (flowerheads) in spring, each made up of hundreds of individual flowers. These are visited by the
eastern pygmy possum (Cercartetus nanus), birds such as
honeyeaters (Meliphagidae), and insects. Telopea speciosissima has featured prominently in art, architecture and advertising, particularly since
federation. Commercially grown in several countries as a cut flower, it is also cultivated in the home garden, although it requires good drainage, yet adequate moisture, and is vulnerable to fungal disease and pests. (
more...)
... that the Bergmann Hotel, an historic building in
Juneau, Alaska, was built in 1913 by Marie E. Bergmann as a home for local miners?
... that twice-married Indonesian singer Dewi Persik announced earlier this year that she had officially become a virgin again following a
pilgrimage to Mecca?
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