GOLDEN RAIN TREE

This tree is unforgettable if you see it in October when the tree undergoes the shedding of its very abundant golden-yellow pollen. That is how this tree got its name: when it sheds its pollen (over several weeks time), the ground beneath the tree is quite yellow and looks like gold dust has “rained down” from the tree. Three species are known, and the one shown here is Koelreuteria bipinnata = the “Golden Rain Tree.” 

Figure 1. Golden rain tree in Santa Clarita, Southern California.

Koelreuteria is native to China, Korea, and Outer Mongonlia (i.e., in both Russia and Mongolia). It has been was cultivated in Japan since at least the 1200’s, and it was introduced to Europe in 1747 and to North America is 1763. It is supposedly now a popular landscape tree worldwide. It is drought-tolerant (once it is well rooted). It is a moderately hardy tree. I had never seen one the until Fall of 2025, when I spotted, in a local municipal park, a 40-foot-tall tree with “clumps” of golden pollen. 

The leaves of this fast-growing tree are bipinnate. The leaves have serrated margins, and the tree branches have clusters of small golden-yellow flowers. Also present are numerous, pink/red, paper-thin parchment-thin (lantern like) seed pods (each pod containing two small black seeds). With ripening, these fragile pods lose most of their color, become brownish pink (see Figure 3) and eventually fall off the tree.

  Classification

Kingdom Plantar

Clades (4 of them)

Order Sapindales

Famly Sapindaceae

Genus Koelreuteria

Type species K. paniculata

The oldest know fossil of Koelreuteria (fruit valves) is from the Paleocene of southern Russia (Ablaev, 2000). Fossil fruits of this genus have also been found from middle Eocene deposits of the Green River Formation and Eocene deposits of British Columbia (see Wikipedia, 2025). Also found in the upper Eocene (about 34 million years old) Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument (see National Park Service Website nps.gov for some images of fossils (including a fossil plant from the Florissant Fossil Beds).

The species shown here is K. bipinnata. For images of the other two living species, see the website listed below.

Figure 1. Golden Tree in the process of shedding its "golden" pollen.

Figure 2. Seed pods (red color) of the Golden Tree.

Figure 3. Various parts of the Golden Tree: leaves, dried-out seed pods (in the previous figure these seed pods

were red, but a few months later = when this additional figure was taken, the red color had gone), and some  other small-red flowers still

attached to their thin stems.

References

Ablaev, A. G. 2000. Paleogene biostratigraphy of the coastal region in south Primorye. Vladivostok: Dal’nauka [in Russian].

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttRU1-dlMR8

National Park Service Website   nps.gov

Wikipedia 2025

THE ALMOND TREE NUT

The almond tree (genus Prunus) is one of the earliest domesticated fruit trees. Based on molecular dating, it diverged apparently from the peach tree around 6 million years ago (= latest Miocene time). The earliest know fossilized almond tree remains are of Pleistocene age (17,000 to 14,000 years ago). Humans in the Near East/Himalaya Mountains have cultivated it (= genetic “engineering”) now for thousands of years. 

Almond trees are a type of drupe because the each fruit of an almond trees has a pit. Inside the pit, is a seed = the almond nut, which a person eats. Examples of other drupes are peaches, plums, cherries, walnut, and pecans. The "rule of thumb" is that if a plant produces a pit, then that plant is a drupe. 

The almond tree is closely related to the peach tree, and it is likely that almond trees originated by divergence peach trees. The blooms of the almond tree are white and pink.

The almond nut that is so popular today occurs on the tree Prunus amygdalus. It prefers a Mediterranean climate with a cool winter. California “fits that bill” perfectly. In fact, California produces 80% of the world’s almond supply. One fall-back, however, is that almond trees require lots of water. California now holds the world record for production of almonds.

  Classification

Kingdom Plantae

Clades 4 of them

Order Rosales

Family Rosaceae

Genus Prunus

Type Species P. amygdalus Batsch, 1801 [Linnaeus, 1753 was the first to name this tree, but in doing so, he created a “taxonomic tangle,” thus Batsch renamed this tree.

Note: (for those who are interested): the dietary evaluation of almond nuts (e.g. bought in a typical grocery store) have the following nutritional data: 

Saturated fat [1] 

Trans fat [0]

Polyunsaturated fat [4] 

Monounsaturated fat [10] = healthy fats that help lower bad cholesterol (LDL)

The three images shown below are all via: PublicDomain Pictures.net

Figure 1. Almond tree in bloom.

Figure 2 . Almond fruit split open to show a nut in its  pit.

Figure 3. Ready to eat almonds which have been extracted from their pits.

GRAY BIRD GRASSHOPPER

 Gray Bird Grasshopper Schistocerca niten

It is a large insect, up to three inches long. This insect is native to North America: especially California to Texas and Mexico. It lives in deserts, woodlands, and mountains, can  make powerful jumps that involve long-distance flight (several yards).

This kind of grasshopper is an omnivore, thus it eats vegetation (leaves, grasses, crops, fruits, vegetables) and small insects (e.g. aphids).

It can live year-around in some places (e.g., southern California---even in January).

Figures 1 and 2. Two Gray Bird grasshoppers (lengths about 3 inches) from Santa Clarita, southern California.

Reference. Wikipedia, 2026.

THREE UNUSUAL BIRDS

THE EMU

This animal is a large flightless bird endemic (native) to most of Australia (in fact, it is Australia’s largest native bird). This bird is the second tallest flightless bird in the world today. As a bipedal runner, it can sprint up to 30 miles per hour. It has a very powerful kick, enough to deliver serious blows! It is also an excellent swimmer.

Figure 1. An adult emu. Image from the Smithsonian Institution (open access).

This bird eats fruits, leaves, grasses, flowers, seeds, and insects; it especially likes grapes and dandelion greens. The emu lives throughout most (but not all) of Australia.

The adult female is up to 6 foot three inches tall, and it weighs up to 82 pounds, whereas the male weighs a maximum of 69 pounds. This bird has unique fluffy, double-shafted feathers. It also has powerful 3-toed legs that can run up to 30 mph and are also used to deliver serious blows when it is necessary to protect itself or its young. This bird has a throat pouch for producing deep drumming calls. It is the only bird with calf muscles.

CLASSIFICAN

Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Cordata

Class Aves

Order Casuariiformes

Family Casuariidae

Genus Dromaius

Type Species Dromaius novaehollandiae (Latham, 1790)

GEOLOGIC RANGE

They originated during the Late Oligocene or early/middle Miocene (about 25 to 15 million years ago) in Australia (Wikipedia, 2026). 

Fossilized eggshells of Dromaius, about 65,000 years old, are frequently found in Australia.

KIWI BIRD

The Kiwi is a flightless bird (with vestigial wing approximately the size of a chicken. Kiwis are included in a diverse group of flightless birds generally referred to as ratites (e.g., ostriches, cassowaries, emus, rheas, moa, and the extinct elephant bird). The Kiwi bird is the national symbol for New Zealand.

Figure 2. Kiwi bird (image via the Smithsonian Institution, open access).

The Kiwi, which is endemic to New Zealand, consists of five recognized species. In general, the kiwi birds are up to 18 inches tall and weight about 5 pounds. The eye relative to body mass of the kiwi is the smallest in all of the avian species.

Kiwi birds are most closely related to the extinct elephant bird of Madagasgar. 

Classification

Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Chordata

Class Aves

OrderApterygiformes

Family Apterygidae

Genus Apteryx

Type Species A. australis

The geologic time range of the kiwi is Miocene to Recent (Wikipedia, 2026).

Reference

Wikipedia, 2026

THE SANDILL CRANE

This bird used to be referred to as the “Grus Stork.” Today, there are six known subspecies of this bird. It lives today in North America (including Cuba) and also in northeast Siberia. It is a herbivore. The male weights up to 11 pounds and has a wingspan up to nearly 7 feet.

Figure 3. The Sandhill Crane, Image via the Smithsonian Institution (open access).

It has one of the longest fossil record of any extant bird: 10 million years [= late Miocene time] in Nebraska.

Classification

Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Chordata

Class Aves

Order Gruiformes

Family Gruidae

Genus Antigone

Type Species A. Canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Reference:

Wikipedia, 2026.

VARIETIES OF APPLES (THE FRUIT—not the computer)

• apple trees originated in Central Asia and were introduced to North America by European colonists. 
• they are grown in over 90 countries (including New Zealand, Iran, So. Africa, etc.)
• largest producers are USA, China, Europe (e.g., Poland, France), Turkey, India, Russia, and South Africa.
• apple trees blossom in early spring; fruit matures in summer in late June to early July.
• Apples need a temperate climate with a chilling period but not below 12 degrees C. They thrive in full-sun conditions. They can be grown in “tropical” areas, but only at high altitude.

Classification of Apples:

    Order Rosales

    Family Rosaceae = the rose family

    Genus Malus

        Type Species M. domesticus [=“the Anna Apple”]--see Figures 1 and 2, herein.

                              

VARIETIES OF APPLES  [32 are listed here, but there are undoubtedly more]: 

Ambrosia: mild acidity

Anna (see Figures 1 and 2, herein)

Arkansas Black

Black Diamond

Black Limbetwig

Braeburn

Cortland

Crispin

Empire

Fugi

Gala

Ginger Gold

Golden Delicious

Golden Russet

Granny Smith: very tart taste but this apple is the lowest in sugar content.

Honey Crisp: sweet and tart balance but high in sugar content.

Jazz: New Zealand

Kidd’s Orange Red: New Zealand

King of Tomkins: A New York apple

McIntosh

Opal

Pink Lady: sweet and tart balance. 

Pippin: also known as the Newtown Pippen or the Albermarle Pippen. 

Mammoth Black Twig: closely related to the Arkansas Black.

Northern Spy

Rawls Jennet

Red Delicious = “healthiest” in terms of antioxidants.

Royal Gala: native to New Zealand

Rome

Sekai-Ichi (Japan): most expensive, up to $20 each! Grown at high altitude.

Spartan

Virginia Beauty

NOTES:

1. Several locales claim to be the “Apple Capital” of the World (e.g., Wenatchee, Washington; Adams County, Pennsylvania; and Winchester, Virginia). I am sure that other countries would tend to have different opinions on this subject. 

2. Do not eat the seeds of any apple because they contain cyanide, which is harmful if chewed in sufficient quantity.

3. Apples are prone to being cultivares (i.e., influenced by breeding techniques that are  implemented by humans).

3. Crabapples, which represent a type of apple, are ancestors of modern cultivated apples. Crabapple fruit is small (generally speaking, less than 2 inches diameter), hard, tart, and usually cooked and used in jellies and ciders, rather than eaten raw.  Online, I was able to find the names and images of at least 37 varieties of crabapples (e.g., Golden Hornet, Centinnial, Red Frosted, Callaway, Himalaya, etc.) but decided not to list them here. 

                                          _________________

Figure 1. Anna’s Apple tree with some ripening apples (in red). This tree is about as tall as a 1-story house.

Figure 2. Blossoms from the same apple tree shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3. An apple-seed sprout from a Pink Lady apple. The black-and-grayish scale (on the right side of this image) is in centimeters.

"RHINOCEROS RATSNAKE”

This nonvenous snake has a prominent, scaly “horn” on the tip of its snout. The exact purpose of this “horn” is unknown. The image shown here is via the Smithsonian Institution.

This snake lives is indigenous to subtropical rainforest of northern Vietnam and southern China. It lives at elevations of between 1,000 and 5,000 feet. It prefers to live near streams or lakes. It feeds on small rodents, birds, fish, or frogs. It is mainly a nocturnal snake. 

It changes color as its ages: hatchings are brownish gray. Then at about 1 year, they become steel gray. Then at about 2 years, when they become adults, their color is a brilliant bluish green.

Classification

Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Chordata

Class Reptilia

Order Squamata

Family Colubridae

Genus Gonyosoma

Type Species: Gonyosoma boulengeri

Note: This snake is NOT the same as the highly venous Rhinoceros Viper (Bitis nascicornis) that lives in Africa.

References

Wikipedia 2026

RHODOCROSITE, A RED/PINK MINERAL

 Rhodocrosite

This relatively rare mineral consists of manganese carbonate (MnCO3) and is a gemstone prized for its red to pink color with some white bands. It rarely forms large crystals. It is a rather soft mineral, however. On the Mohs Hardness Scale (1 to 10) for minerals, it scores at 3.5 to 4; thus it is rather delicate for jewelry (use care).

Figures 1 and 2, both from the Smithsonian Institution (open access).

 

Rhodocrosite  rarely forms large crystals. It occurs in the trigonal crystal system and commonly occurs in rhomboid-shaped crystals. Thus, it has typical calcite cleavage (i.e., rhombohedral). It forms often as a hydrothermal-vein mineral at low-to-moderate temperatures (e.g. in certain ore deposits).  It can co-occur with silver, lead, zinc, and copper sulphide ores. 

Rhodocrosite is mined in Montana (Butte area), Colorado, Peru, Argentina [= the national stone], Romania, and South Africa, and this mineral is source of manganese. 

This reddish-pink mineral is used in jewelry, and is also sought after by mineral collectors.

References

Berry, L.G. and B. Mason. 1959. Mineralogy: Concepts, Descriptions, Determinations. W.H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco. 630 pp.

Sorrell, C.A. 1973. Rocks and Minerals. Golden Guide Book. Guide to field identification rocks and minerals. New York. 280 pp.

“Reflection Bridge On Water”

This title sounds like the title of a painting, but it has been used for real reflection bridges. The most famous one is the “Devils Bridge” [also known as the Rakotzbrucke], located in Germany. That bridge reflection forms a perfect circle, which has been known for over a century, photographed extensively, and also used in recent TV commercials. For more information about these kinds of bridges, see “bridge reflections” on YouTube.

Getting back to the picture at hand, I recently discovered this image while taking a walk in a local-housing project that has water canals and a few, very small bridges. Nevertheless, the photograph I recently took is indeed a “reflection bridge on water,” although it is elliptical shape, rather than a circle, it is still interesting (if you care about these kind of things).

The Carpenter Bee

This bee, which is close to bumble-bee in size, is solitary and has a shiny black carapace (body) with thin wings that have a reddish brown sheen. It is known for drilling perfectly round holes into wood (it seems likely that is how it got the common name “carpenter bee”).  It is a solitary bee that hibernates during winter. Starting in late March, one individual showed up in my yard. A few weeks later, another specimen (same one?) showed up.   

This unusual bee is native to Europe and is one of the largest bees that lives there. It makes its nests in dead wood. 

Females have a stinger, whereas the males do not (they are harmless). 

It is restricted to latitudes near or above 30 degrees or so. It is found in Europe, India, central China, and southwestern USA (i.e., southern California. ).  To date, I have only seen two specimens, and they like
purple flowers.

Classification

Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Arthropoda

Class Insecta

Order Hymenoptera

Family Apidae

Genus Xylocopa

Type Species X. violacea (Linnaeus, 1758).

Two views of the same carpenter bee.