Alloxylon pinnatum, the Dorrigo waratah, is a tree of the family Proteaceae found in warm-temperate rainforest of south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales in eastern Australia. It has shiny green leaves that are either lobed and up to 30 cm (12 in) long, or spear- shaped and up to 15 cm (5.9 in) long. The prominent pinkish-red flower heads with 50 to 140 individual flowers appear in spring and summer. These are followed by rectangular woody seed pods, which bear two rows of winged seeds. Known for many years as Oreocallis pinnata, it was transferred to the new genus Alloxylon by Peter Weston and Mike Crisp in 1991; the genus contains four species previously classified in Oreocallis that are found in Australasia. The tree's terminal tubular flowers indicate that it is pollinated by birds. Classified as "near threatened" under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992, the Dorrigo waratah has proven difficult to keep alive in cultivation.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alloxylon_pinnatum

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1311:

In the Battle of Halmyros, the Catalan Company defeated the forces of Walter V, Count of Brienne, taking control of the Duchy of Athens, a Crusader state in present-day Greece. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Halmyros

1917:

Russian Revolution: Tsar Nicholas II was forced to abdicate in the February Revolution, ending three centuries of Romanov rule. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_Revolution

1956:

The musical My Fair Lady, based on George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion, debuted at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on Broadway in New York City. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Fair_Lady

1990:

Iraqi authorities hanged Iranian freelance reporter Farzad Bazoft on charges of spying for Israel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farzad_Bazoft

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

slugabed: (archaic, now chiefly Canada, US) A lazy person who lies in bed after the usual time for getting up; a sluggard. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/slugabed

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Throwing out preclearance when it has worked and is continuing to work to stop discriminatory changes is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.   --Ruth Bader Ginsburg https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ruth_Bader_Ginsburg