Fall Fable – celebrating the en-masse death of leaves
Every year, leaves die off en masse during fall. What’s the science behind this glorious phenomenon?
Category: Plants
The Cannonball Tree, an explosion of beauty
In flower the Cannonball Tree is lovely. But, by Toutatis, beware the skull-crushing quality of its menacing fruits
Encounter: The darling buds of May
May is just behind us, but the familiar trees that lend their signature flush to this month are still in riotous flower One reason I look forward to May, despite the sweltering heat it brings, is the blooming of Gulmohar (Delonix regia), often called ‘Mayflower’ locally. The tree is also…
Tree or no tree, who gives a fig?
A fig tree in fruit is a forest in itself: every creature in the vicinity is attracted to the sprawling canopy to eat the ripe red fruits, or the fruit-eaters. Sadly, these lovely fig trees are disappearing with our appetite for wider roads
Encounter – Monsieur Baobab
The Baobab trees of Pondicherry were lost in time and rediscovered in the 13-acre forest patch inside the now defunct Swadeshi Cotton Mill Complex
Encounter: The insectivorous Pitcher Plant
If Ram Gopal Varma had imagination, he’d make a movie on insectivorous Pitcher plants. One helluva motion picture, that’d be