Named in honor of two prominent Honduran conservationists, Magnolia ciroorum was found in Pico Bonito National Park during ongoing fieldwork to document and safeguard the threatened tree species within this globally important haven of biodiversity.
To date, just five individual trees of this new species have been identified, making it incredibly rare and eligible for Critically Endangered status on the IUCN Red List.
Magnolias are among the world's oldest flowering plants, dating back around one hundred million years. The ancestors of today's magnolias shared the planet with the dinosaurs, and relied on beetles for pollination because they evolved before bees even existed.
[…] This new discovery is a timely reminder that wild magnolias are seriously threatened throughout their global range, including Central America, another vital stronghold of these ancient trees.
I found myself underneath
the magnolia trees, looking
up at the blue dotted sky, hiding
between the branches-
the warm breeze gently
swaying the flowers, tugging
one into the air, giving
it a twirl into the sun
before gently, guiding it
into my open palm, a blessing
promising the sweetness-
of fortune.
Before I can claim this
blossom as my own- a flutter
of wings accompanied
by a few quick chirps- brings
my gaze upon the robin
amongst the flowers, looking at me-
head tilting in inquiry.
I smile at the little bird, bringing
the blossom to my lips, gently
blowing the blessing back into
the air- where the wind guides it
into a twirl once more.
Feeling the warm breeze,
I close my eyes, enjoying
this moment of peace,
underneath the blessings,
of the magnolia trees.
Beautiful Magnolia Tree in Spring. Their blooms smell amazing. They have kind of a sweet citrus scent. It's private property so I wasn't able to get close enough to see if there were blooms yet. May be too early.
“The Tree” 10″ x 8″ Oil on canvas – $300
Well it’s time to head back out into the field and begin some plein-air painting again! Last week we had a couple of temperate days so I decided to visit a park on a street called Lover’s Lane that’s full of magnolia trees. It’s a charming park where children often play. The magnolias are off in the distance with an assortment of other unique trees. …
It may not be spring quite yet but these blooming magnolia trees created by artist Tony Tasset may have you doing a double take. For this work he created two bronze trees with hand painted flowers that sit among five live trees located in a small park in downtown Pittsburgh.
Magnolias for Pittsburgh, 2006, is the latest art installation in the park, organized by Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.