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 />
a quinta e a natureza<br />
74 the quinta and nature the quinta and nature 75<br />
In the c<strong>as</strong>e of Eucalyptus macrorhyncha the<br />
difference is in the bark, which is very fibrous,<br />
reddish-brown and persistent throughout the<br />
tree, except for the branches. In its native region,<br />
the states of Victoria, South Australia,<br />
Queensland and New South Wales, it comes into<br />
bloom between January and April. Whilst young,<br />
its large and sickle-shaped leaves have hairs and<br />
its margins are either entire or irregularly<br />
toothed.<br />
Towards the end of May, the buds of Eucalyptus<br />
maculate start to form. Ovoid in shape, they have<br />
an intense red ring around the operculum, one of<br />
the most interesting features in this species of<br />
eucalyptus, which may grow <strong>as</strong> tall <strong>as</strong> 45 metres.<br />
The white or creamy flowers appear shortly after,<br />
between June and August. Even if quite small in<br />
size, the existing specimens in the <strong>Quinta</strong> are<br />
e<strong>as</strong>ily i<strong>de</strong>ntifiable due to their whitish trunks. In<br />
general, the latter is straight and the smooth<br />
bark sheds in small sheets, leaving greyish spots<br />
and small grooves in the trunk.<br />
Nos finais <strong>de</strong> Maio começam a surgir os botões<br />
do Eucalyptus maculata. De forma ovói<strong>de</strong>, os<br />
botões exibem um anel <strong>de</strong> um vermelho intenso<br />
em torno do opérculo, tornando-os um dos<br />
elementos mais interessantes <strong>de</strong>ste eucalipto<br />
que po<strong>de</strong> chegar aos 45 metros <strong>de</strong> altura. As<br />
flores, branc<strong>as</strong> ou cremes, surgem pouco <strong>de</strong>pois,<br />
entre Junho e Agosto. Embora <strong>de</strong> pequeno<br />
porte, os exemplares <strong>de</strong>ste eucalipto existentes<br />
na <strong>Quinta</strong> são facilmente i<strong>de</strong>ntificáveis pela cor<br />
esbranquiça<strong>da</strong> do tronco. Em geral este é direito<br />
e a c<strong>as</strong>ca, lisa, <strong>de</strong>staca-se em pequen<strong>as</strong> plac<strong>as</strong><br />
<strong>de</strong>ixando mácul<strong>as</strong> <strong>de</strong> um creme acinzentado e<br />
pequen<strong>as</strong> <strong>de</strong>pressões no tronco.<br />
Por to<strong>da</strong> a proprie<strong>da</strong><strong>de</strong> o ar é fresco e, em alguns<br />
pontos, húmido, o que favorece a existência<br />
<strong>de</strong> colóni<strong>as</strong> <strong>de</strong> mosquitos e melg<strong>as</strong>, difíceis<br />
<strong>de</strong> evitar quando se observam <strong>as</strong> vári<strong>as</strong> espécies<br />
<strong>de</strong> árvores ali existentes. Uma <strong>de</strong>l<strong>as</strong>,<br />
o Eucalyptus elata está particularmente bem<br />
a<strong>da</strong>ptado ao clima <strong>da</strong> região, com bons níveis <strong>de</strong><br />
<strong>de</strong>senvolvimento e regeneração. Árvore <strong>de</strong> fuste<br />
direito, po<strong>de</strong> crescer até aos 40 metros <strong>de</strong><br />
altura. Graç<strong>as</strong> às bo<strong>as</strong> condições que reúne, a<br />
<strong>Quinta</strong> tem alguns exemplares notáveis, o maior<br />
dos quais atinge os 41 metros. É um eucalipto<br />
espontâneo no estado <strong>de</strong> Vitória e <strong>da</strong> Nova Gales<br />
do Sul, caracterizado pela sua c<strong>as</strong>ca fibrosa,<br />
c<strong>as</strong>tanho-avermelhado, caduca até meta<strong>de</strong><br />
do tronco e persistente no resto. Nos meses<br />
<strong>de</strong> Março a Maio a árvore ganha uma beleza<br />
renova<strong>da</strong> com <strong>as</strong> flores branc<strong>as</strong> que surgem<br />
em conjuntos que po<strong>de</strong>m ir até às 30 uni<strong>da</strong><strong>de</strong>s.<br />
Tão pequen<strong>as</strong> como uma unha ou com tamanhos que atingem<br />
os 5 centímetros, graç<strong>as</strong> à sua dimensão, forma e cor <strong>as</strong> cápsul<strong>as</strong><br />
aju<strong>da</strong>m a distinguir <strong>as</strong> vári<strong>as</strong> espécies <strong>de</strong> eucaliptos.<br />
As small <strong>as</strong> fingernails or <strong>as</strong> big <strong>as</strong> 5 centimetres, their size, shape<br />
and colour help to distinguish the various eucalyptus species.<br />
Throughout the estate, the air is fresh and in<br />
some are<strong>as</strong> humid, encouraging the existence of<br />
mosquito and gnat colonies, which are hard to<br />
avoid when we take into account the existing tree<br />
species. One of them, the Eucalyptus elata is<br />
particularly well a<strong>da</strong>pted to the region’s climate,<br />
showing good levels of <strong>de</strong>velopment and<br />
regeneration. With a straight shaft, it may grow<br />
up to 40 metres. Thanks to the <strong>Quinta</strong>’s optimum<br />
conditions, there are some remarkable<br />
specimens, the largest of which is 41 metres. This<br />
eucalyptus grows spontaneously in the state of<br />
Victoria and New South Wales, and is<br />
characterised by its fibrous, reddish-brown bark,<br />
which is <strong>de</strong>ciduous up to half of its trunk and<br />
persistent in the rest. From March to May the tree<br />
gains a renewed beauty, with its white flowers<br />
arranged in groups of <strong>as</strong> many <strong>as</strong> 30 units.