h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

All right, I took some photos today of my carrot and parsley trees. Like I said elsewhere, they are tree-sized members of the carrot family, found here in Northern South Africa, often on the rocky hills we call 'koppies' (little heads). The parley tree sometimes grows in forests, where it reaches a height of 25 m/about 83', but mostly it is much smaller. The carrot tree reaches 7 m/23'.

Both these trees have flaky bark. The carrot tree has a yellowish papery bark with a green underbark that you can see poking through here and there:

http://i360.photobucket.com/albums/oo45/WillemvdMerwe/CarrotTreeBark1_zps5906ca3a.jpg

The parsley tree has bark that peels in horizontal rings as you can see here:

http://i360.photobucket.com/albums/oo45/WillemvdMerwe/ParsleyTreeBark1_zps0e01a5e5.jpg

Carrot trees regenerate vigorously from cut roots. This is a specimen in my plant house ... I keep removing and planting out the above-ground portions and the roots keep sprouting out new stems and leaves:

http://i360.photobucket.com/albums/oo45/WillemvdMerwe/CarrotTree1_zpseb87f4b9.jpg

This species has quite attractive foliage, delicate-looking for a tree that often grows in dry, harsh landscapes. Here is a leaf I scanned in:

http://i360.photobucket.com/albums/oo45/WillemvdMerwe/CarrotTreeLeaf1b_zps432157f0.jpg

It's a pity I can't share the leaf's fragrance with you! It smells carotty as you might guess from the name.

Here's a leaf of the Parsley tree:

http://i360.photobucket.com/albums/oo45/WillemvdMerwe/ParsleyTree1b_zpsb2d99165.jpg

It has a nice fragrance, not exactly like parsley but still very pleasant. These leaves actually come in many different forms ... the above, with three leaflets per leaf, is actually very simple ... the leaves can have a very complex pattern of division, with nine or ten or more leaflets.

Splendid Willem! Thanks!

I like those scanned leaves, I wish I could smell them, but I get the atmosphere just from your words.

I think I'm going to put some leaves in my scanner now, I'm getting into scanner art, this has inspired me!

Hi Cactuscafé, I'm glad you made your way here and saw the piccies! If you liked the scanned-in leaves, I can share some more with you! I think it's an interesting way to 'present' plants to people.

Yes, I put on my shades and crossed the glaring void of cyberspace to get here. .

I think so too! Scanner art is a great communication. (imagines the Parktown Prawn in the scanner ).

It's great Willem, I would love to see more, and flowers too, or anything, feathers and things.

I have to be careful not to scratch the surface of my scanner, putting rocks and snails in there, not good, , best for documents, but now I am going to try leaves.

Hi again Cactuscafé! I'm glad you're enjoying these. Gimme till the weekend and I'll post some more scanned stuff.