Our mystery seeds today are from another small tree.
When you figure out what they are, you may think I was trying to be tricky.
Nope, I just happened to find them this week and timing is everything. (The white object is a rice grain added for scale).
Do you recognize what plant these seeds are from? If you choose to, please leave a comment with your ideas.
Mystery Seed answers and new Mystery Seeds are posted on Tuesdays.
Edit:Â The answer is now posted.
Craig recognized our mystery seeds and seed pods from last week as coming from orchid trees (Bauhinia sp.)
Orchid trees are named for their absolutely breathtaking, orchid-like flowers.
A few weeks ago our local orchid trees were masses of brilliant flowers.
Orchid trees were originally from Asia, but are now grown in warm areas throughout the world. The trees can withstand a light frost, but are killed by colder temperatures.
The pods and seeds in the mystery seed post most likely were from Bauhinia variegata, which is also called “mountain ebony.”
(Public domain photograph by Steve Hurst, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database)
Unlike the immature green mystery seeds, Bauhinia variegata seeds are light brown when mature.
Orchid trees are easy to identify when they are not in bloom because they have unusual bi-lobed leaves.
Another type of orchid tree that grows in Arizona is the Hong Kong orchid tree, Bauhinia blakeana. The Hong Kong orchid tree is actually a hybrid and does not produce seeds.
Hong Kong orchid trees have darker magenta or reddish purple flowers.
Given the long stamens and pistil of the orchid tree flowers, it is not surprising to learn that they are often pollinated by large moths (see pollination by butterflies post for more information).
Have you every seen an orchid tree in full bloom? Aren’t they amazing?
This week is filled with special celebrations. Wednesday was Earth Day, today is Arbor Day (see last Friday’s post for suggestions for marking Arbor Day), and tomorrow, April 25, 2015, is Astronomy Day. What a great week to get out and celebrate nature and science!
Today, let’s get ready for Astronomy Day.
What better way to explore the universe than through a good book? To get started, we have a middle grade nonfiction title: 
This title starts with overviews of the history of our discoveries and also some of the chemistry and physics behind those discoveries. It then discusses some of the more familiar aspects of the universe, such as the moon, planets and solar system before moving into nebulae, star cycles, black holes, etc. In the back matter is a fact-filled discovery timeline of many important events in the field of astronomy.
We are rapidly learning more about our universe and a fresh new title from DK is a great way to keep current.
Age Range: 8 – 12 years
Publisher: DK Children (March 10, 2015)
ISBN-10: 146543187X
ISBN-13: 978-1465431875
The children’s picture book, A Place in Space, will be available for free to download at Amazon tomorrow. See our previous post for information and a link.
Looking for more children’s books about astronomy? Try our lists organized by age level and genre at Science Books for Kids:
List of children’s books about the planets, solar system and lunar landing
Children’s Poetry Books about Space
And our list of books that explore beyond the solar system (under construction)
Do you have a favorite children’s book about astronomy? Please feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments.
Disclosures: The book above was from my local library. Also, I am an affiliate for Amazon. If you click through the linked titles or ads and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Proceeds will be used to maintain this self-hosted blog.
Come visit the STEM Friday blog each week to find more great Science, Technology, Engineering and Math books.
For more information, see Roberta Gibson Writes.
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