Palm | Kelapa Sawit

 

Cornflower  or Centaurea cyanus  is a small annual flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to Europe.Cornflower is an annual plant growing to 16-35 inches tall, with grey-green branched stems. The leaves are lanceolate, 1–4 cm long.

 

 

The flowers are most commonly an intense blue colour, produced in flowerheads (capitula) 1.5–3 cm diameter, with a ring of a few large, spreading ray florets surrounding a central cluster of disc florets. The blue pigment is protocyanin.

In the past Cornflowerit often grew as a weed in crop fields. Rye is one of Estonia's most important crops. Mainly rye flour is used to bake Estonia's tasty and healthy "black bread". Cornflowers have been used and prized historically for their blue pigment. Cornflowers are often used as an ingredient in some tea blends and herbal teas.The cornflower is considered a beneficial weed, and its edible flower can be used to add colour to salads.

The beautiful blue cornflower (Centaurea cyanus), in Estonian literally the rye flower, has been chosen for a national symbol since 1968 and symbolizes daily bread to Estonians. It is also the symbol of the Estonian political party,

Cornflower is now endangered in its native habitat by agricultural intensification, particularly over-use of herbicides, destroying its habitat.The conservation charity Plantlife named it as one of 101 species it would actively work to bring 'Back from the Brink'. It is also, however, through introduction as an ornamental plant in gardens and a seed contaminant in crop seeds, now naturalised in many other parts of the world, including North America and parts of Australia.

The barnacle goose is the most significant migriting bird in the Matsalu wetland. Every year nearly 20 000 barnacle geese stop here during their spring migration, with the flocks consisting of up to 6000 individuals. Since 1981, the barnacle nests also on the islands of the Matsalu Nature reserve. The number of nesting barnacle geese has increased from year to year, reaching about 20 pairs at present.

Matsalu National Park or Matsalu National Reserve is a home for a number of endangered species, many of which are listed in the Estonian IUCN Red List, including the White-tailed Eagle of the highest conservation category, a lot of bird species of the second and third protection categories, 22 strongly protected plant species, the Natterjack Toad, and ten species of mammals of the second conservation category.

The Estonia Post has collaborated with WWF organization issued the stamp series features  the  endangered species, Pteromys volans Lendorav  or the Flying squirrel on June 27th 1994. The issuance consisted of 4 single stamps with differ face value and one First Day Cover. All issuance  stamps have marked  a logo of WWF.

The Siberian Flying Squirrel (Pteromys volans) is an Old World flying squirrel occurs throughout Scandinavia, Russia, across northern Asia to Siberia and south along the Pacific coast of northern China including the Korean Peninsula and northeast China. Pteromys volans is the only species of flying squirrel found in Europe.It is considered vulnerable  species  within the European Union where it is found only in Finland and Estonia.Possibly extinct in Belarus and Lithuania.

 

 

Pteromys volans are basically herbivores.The diet  consists of leaves, seeds, cones, buds, sprouts, nuts, berries and occasionally bird eggs and nestlings. In the summer, they feed on green plants, young branches, berries and seeds. During the winter months, P. volans consume nuts, catkins, pine cones, and pine needles.

 

 

 

Pteromys volans are a social species; many can be found together in a single tree. They build nests in vacant tree holes or in the junction of a branch and the trunk. Nests are often inhabited by pairs.Siberian Flying Squirrels preferentially build their nest in holes made by woodpeckers, but they may also nest in birdhouses if the size of the entrance is appropriate. The nest consists of a pile of soft materials (preferably soft beard lichen) into which the squirrel burrows. Pteromys volans or a Siberian Flying Squirrel can live up to about five years.

 

 

Siberian Flying Squirrels favor old forests with a mix of conifers and deciduous trees.It prefers mature spruce-dominated forests with a significant proportion of deciduous trees, especially aspen Populus tremula, birch Betula sp. and alder Alnus sp. They are mostly nocturnal, being most active late in the evening, although females with young may also feed during the day.They are found from lowlands to montane regions. Siberian Flying Squirrels do not hibernate, but in the winter they may sometimes sleep continuously for several days.

As shy and nocturnal animals, Siberian Flying Squirrels are seldom seen. The most common sign of their presence are their droppings, which resemble orange-yellow rice grains and are often found beneath or on top of their nest.In the summer, they are active from a half hour to an hour after sunset until dawn. Most of this time is spent searching for food.During the winter, the activity  is shorter and  consume less food.

Modern intensive forestry and logging are the major threats to this species .Pteromys volans are hunted for commercial use of their fur..Pteromys volans are preyed upon by martens, owls, ermines, and cats.The species continues to decline in many parts of its range owing to loss of old-growth mixed forests.Possibly extinct in Belarus and Lithuania.