Tillandsia cyanea

 

    The Pink Quill (Tillandsia cyanea) comes from the genus Tillandsia which consists of epiphytic species of Bromelaids. It is a plant of Ecuadorian origins and can often be found growing on trees or other plants. What makes the Pink Quill so unusual is the large pink plume of which vibrant purple flowers emerge. This specific species of Tillandsia is commonly found in botanical gardens and greenhouses, for obvious reasons, it's quite unusual looking.

Acacia xanthophloea

The Fever Tree (Acacia xanthophloea) is a member of the very large genus, Acacia, consisting of many very unique trees. The Fever Tree is no doubt unusual, it's bark is a greenish yellow with a powdery coating. There is a reason for it's unusual color, it actually conducts photosynthesis in the bark, an extraordinary adaptation . The tree is native to Africa and can be found in many regions world wide due to it's ability to adapt to different conditions. It is typically grown in warmer environments, but developed trees can easily survive frosts making this tree a useful landscaping tree for many climates. It has compounded leaves, like many other Acacia species, as well as long spines.

This is a picture of the bark, it is uneven and has a coarse texture. The powder covering the bark is easily wiped off with one's finger.

Gossypium thurberi

Thurber's Cotton (Gossypium thurberi) is a kind of wild cotton native to Arizona, USA. The leaves are typically green during the spring and summer, in the fall (November) they turn red. It has a tree-like growth habit with perennial growth and thick woody stems. The flowers are white, and when pollinated, turn into small fruits. The fruits are small capsules that are dehiscent, meaning that when they dry out the capsule splits open and releases the seeds. There is a very small amount of cotton fiber in each capsule making Thurber's Cotton useless as a commercial crop.

The capsules can be seen in the picture above. These start to form between October and November in Arizona.