Patriarchal Oak

Quercus suber
Davallia canariensis

Alhambra Diaper

Surface all,
Recess and wall,
From top to pavement here do shine,
In glory drest !
Where eye may rest,
Lo! diaper of Alhambra's shrine,
Web jinu-wove, where gazer sees
Real all unrealities !

Fairy Life in Fairyland 1869
Thomas Cargill

Jinn or Djinn - Arabic for demons or spirits. In Islamic demonology, an order of spirits lower than the angels, said to have the power of assuming human and animal forms, and to exercise supernatural influence over men. The singular form "Jinnee" is more familar as a Genie.

This fantastical pattern was woven, not by genies, but by Owen Jones. His book 'The Grammar of Ornament' was published in 1856. Plate XLI Moresque 3 - nº 7 was taken from the Alhambra, more precisely from ornament in panels of the Hall of the Abencerrages. Owen classifed this pattern as a LOZENGE DIAPER. About these he had the following observations to make: The general effect of Plate XLI will, we think, at once justify the superiority we have claimed for the ornament of the Moors. Composed of but three colours, they are more harmonious and effective than any others in our collection, and possess a peculiar charm which all the others fail to approach. The various principles for which we have contended, the constructive idea whereby each leading line rests upon another, the gradual transitions from curve to curve, the tangential curvatures of the lines, the flowing off of the ornaments from a parent stem, the tracing of each flower to its branch and root, the division and subdivision of general lines, will readily be perceived in every ornament on the page.


Hall of the Abencerrages, Alhambra

Jardim Botanico Coimbra 1882

Coimbra University Botanic Gardens

Engraved from photographs by de Santos

Jardim Botanico Lisboa 1882

Lisbon Botanic Garden
Drawing by Antonio Ramalho

Satin Bowerbird

And jet-black Satinbird derides
Mirthful, his sober russet brides!

FAIRY LIFE IN FAIRYLAND Thomas of Ercildoune (Thomas Cargill) London 1870

p. 267-8:- Note 5, Page 215

'And jet-black Satin-bird derides,'&c

This beautiful bird of Australia isof one colour, the deepest black, but which shines like satin. His eyes are the most exquisite ultramarine blue, and he is about the size of a blackbird. His creed is favourable to polygamy, and he possesses an extensive harem. He is seldom to be seen by himself, but his numerous wives are so tame that, and I have, concealed behind a lattice, been able to watch them often for a long time together, play about and amuse themselves within two or three yards of my window, at the hospitable house of Mr. Peppin, in the far bush. They sometimes seem to fall out, and would then utter a strange hissing sound like that of a serpent. I do not think this peculiarity has been observed before. Their plumage is a good deal like that of the Thrush, except the light green back, and they in no way resemble the male bird, except in the deep azure of their eyes. As to their movements, I have never seen anything at all like them in birds. They seemed to me more to resemble a company of dancers going through a variety of figures than anything else. This bird (Satin Bower-bird, Philonorynchus holosericeus) belong to the natural family of starlings. The blacks have a superstitious awe and veneration for it, and will on no account molest it. Its extraordinary bower, and actions connected therewith, puzzle the, and notably the fact which they aver, viz. that none of them has ever seen or been able to find a satin-bird's nest. The bower is of great size, and is made of sticks and twigs interwoven and meeting each other from opposite sides, so as to be vaulted. They are always in the most retired part of the forest. Outside, rows of white stones are placed, so as to form little lanes, and everywhere there are signs of contrivance. Their ornamentation of these Bowers or 'Praying places', as the colonists call them, is very singular : they collect large quantities of things that are white, shining, or coloured, and arrange them chiefly before the front entrance of their Bower. Snail shells and other land shells, the whitened crania of birds and the smaller mammals, the fine blue tail feathers of the Lory and other Parrots, &c., are their chief objects, but they are not very particular as to the 'meum and tuum,' for when the Blacks miss any article which they can nowhere find, they regularly visit these curious bowers and respectfully take it backagain. Mr. Gould, in his beautiful 'Birds of Australia,' says that from some of the larger and most favourite bowers has been taken as much as half a bushel of the above-mentioned articles. What is the specific purpose for which these bowers are constructed? -- a question as yet rather of conjecture than specifically answered. My own personal observations lead me to think I can settle it. They are immoderately fond of two things -- Dancing and Playing at hide-and-seek and its analogues ; these bowers are merely Terpsichorean temples for the gratification of the community, and places where these pastimes, the delght of their lives, can be obtained at greater advantage, since they can repair there at any time, where they are sure to find partners ready and willing to join them, and the buildings are well adapted for these purposes. When there, they are never seen at rest, but always observed to be going through their evolutions, running through and through the Bower and threading the lanes of the stones outside. The philosophy of this light-hearted Bird seems to be comprised in our familiar apothegm, 'A short life and a merry one,' and their motto to be 'Carpe diem !'

Diploglottis australis

Diploglottis australis
Australian Native Tamarind

This tree is growing in the Old Nursery area of Monserrate. Still a youngster. Twenty years ago it was just a single straight trunk with a tuft of leaves at the top. Since then it has flowered and fruited regularly and has now branched out a little. This habit is apparently normal for this species, even when grown in the open. See here an Australian photograph:

Photo: Robert Whyte

Found in temperate and sub-tropical rainforests as a pioneer species. East coast of Australia.
Fruit is a brown hairy capsule with 2 or 3 seeds surrounded by an orange yellow aril. The somewhat sour fruits are eaten by the green catbird and the satin bowerbird. Thomas Cargil would have been delighted. Fairylife in Fairyland has several references to Australian birds including the bowerbirds. Can also be eaten raw or sweetened in a jam or drinks.
Ailuroedus crassirostris

Fruit Photo Robert White

Referred as a foliage plant under synonym Stadmannia australis

Sapindaceae

Stadmannia australis G.Don
Don, G. (1831), A General History of Dichlamydeous Plants 1: 669 [tax. nov.]
Type: "Native of New Holland."Radlkofer, L.A.T. (1878) Sitzungsberichte der mathematisch-physikalischen Class der k. b. Akademie der Wissenschaften zu München 8: 278
basionym of: Diploglottis australis (G.Don) Radlk. Harden, G.J. & Johnson, L.A.S. (1986) A note on Diploglottis australis (G.Don) Radlk. Telopea 2(6): 747
Lectotype: "NEOTYPE: `on the banks of the Hastings River, at Port Macquarie', Allan Cunningham n. 14, s.d. (K, n.v.; examined by Dr Surrey Jacobs on our behalf)." CHAH (2006), Australian Plant Census
basionym of: Diploglottis australis (G.Don) Radlk.

Cinnamomum sp.