Genista

In the photos of the botanical prepared slide shown here, we see a part of the cross-section of a twig of Genista spec. The slide was made in 1964 and is in very good condition still. The coloring was done with the dyes acridine red, chrysoidine, and astra blue. The mounting medium is Caedax. Caedax is a synthetic substitute for Canada Balsam in microscopic techniques.

Large cattail

Typha latifolia, called ‘large cattail’ in English, is a water plant that is mainly found in eutrophic and acid water, along the shores of ponds, ditches and in swamps. This perennial has an upward and wide-spread growth habit. It is easy proliferating through rhizomes. If planted in a garden pond, locking it in a good pond basket is the message. The leaves are broad, linear and blue-green colored. Large cattail blooms from June to September with double cigar-shaped ears. The male ears are at the top, the female right below. After wind fertilization, the characteristic brown colored ‘cigars' form the female flowers. The seeds of cattail develop from the flowers on the cigars. The seed fluff is normally transported by the wind. The plant is hardy, endures sea breeze, air pollution and has a beautiful winter silhouette.