Os Eucaliptos e as Aves da Quinta de São Francisco
Os Eucaliptos e as Aves da Quinta de São Francisco
Os Eucaliptos e as Aves da Quinta de São Francisco
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a quinta e a natureza<br />
102 the quinta and nature<br />
M<strong>as</strong> nem só <strong>de</strong> árvores <strong>de</strong> gran<strong>de</strong> porte é<br />
construído o património vegetal <strong>da</strong> <strong>Quinta</strong>.<br />
Entre a antiga c<strong>as</strong>a <strong>de</strong> família e a capela surge<br />
um medronheiro (Arbutus unedo), espécie que,<br />
por ter a floração e a maturação dos frutos do<br />
ano anterior feit<strong>as</strong> em simultâneo, tem gran<strong>de</strong><br />
valor <strong>de</strong>corativo. Quando cultiva<strong>da</strong> em gran<strong>de</strong>s<br />
quanti<strong>da</strong><strong>de</strong>s, esta pequena árvore característica<br />
<strong>da</strong> mata mediterrânica dá ain<strong>da</strong> os frutos<br />
essenciais para produzir a aguar<strong>de</strong>nte<br />
<strong>de</strong> medronho.<br />
É também junto à c<strong>as</strong>a que surge um exemplar<br />
<strong>de</strong> carvalho americano (Quercus rubra) também<br />
muito procurado como árvore ornamental:<br />
no Outono <strong>as</strong> su<strong>as</strong> folh<strong>as</strong> adquirem diversos tons<br />
<strong>de</strong> vermelho e laranja que lhe dão<br />
uma beleza única.<br />
Muito mais recente na <strong>Quinta</strong>, m<strong>as</strong> d<strong>as</strong> mais<br />
antig<strong>as</strong> espécies vegetais do mundo, a Ginkgo<br />
biloba ergue-se direita junto ao edifício do RAIZ.<br />
É um exemplar recente, plantado já <strong>de</strong>pois <strong>da</strong><br />
compra <strong>da</strong> <strong>Quinta</strong> pelo Grupo, m<strong>as</strong> tem carácter<br />
histórico por ser consi<strong>de</strong>rado um «fóssil vivo».<br />
Afinal, juntamente com os fetos e <strong>as</strong> cic<strong>as</strong>, é<br />
uma d<strong>as</strong> pouc<strong>as</strong> espécies que ain<strong>da</strong> presenciou<br />
a p<strong>as</strong>sagem dos dinossauros pelo Planeta.<br />
However, the <strong>Quinta</strong>’s plant heritage does not<br />
only inclu<strong>de</strong> large-sized trees. Between the old<br />
family house and the chapel there is a strawberry<br />
tree, a plant species whose fruit mature for<br />
12 months at the same time <strong>as</strong> the next flowering<br />
and is hence of a precious <strong>de</strong>corative value. When<br />
planted in large quantities, this small tree typical<br />
of Mediterranean forests bears enough fruit to<br />
produce a kind of strong brandy, which is ma<strong>de</strong><br />
in Portugal and known <strong>as</strong> “Aguar<strong>de</strong>nte <strong>de</strong><br />
medronho”.<br />
Near the house, we also find a Northern red oak<br />
(Quercus rubra) very much used for ornamental<br />
purposes. In the autumn, its leaves turn into<br />
uniquely beautiful sha<strong>de</strong>s of red and orange.<br />
Much more recent to the <strong>Quinta</strong>, and yet one of<br />
the most ancient plant species in the world, is the<br />
Ginkgo biloba that grows next to the building<br />
of RAIZ. Recently planted, after the <strong>Quinta</strong> w<strong>as</strong><br />
acquired by the Group, it h<strong>as</strong> a historic character<br />
<strong>as</strong> it is consi<strong>de</strong>red a “living fossil”. After all,<br />
together with the ferns and the cycads, it is one<br />
of the few species that witnessed the dinosaurs’<br />
p<strong>as</strong>sage in our planet.<br />
Fóssil vivo, a Ginko biloba foi d<strong>as</strong> primeir<strong>as</strong> espécies arbóre<strong>as</strong> do planeta.<br />
A living fossil, the Ginkgo biloba w<strong>as</strong> one of the planet’s first tree species.