Desert 2 Chart |
Spectrum Chart - 562 : Desert 2
1. Desert - A desert is a barren area of
land where little precipitation occurs and consequently living
conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. Hot deserts are
mostly in the subtropics. They can be covered by sand, rock, salt
lakes, stony hills and even mountains. The largest hot desert in the
world is the Sahara in North Africa.
2. Sand Dune – A dune is a hill of sand
built by eolian processes. Sand dunes have different forms and sizes
based on their interaction with the wind. A "dune field" is
an area covered by many sand dunes. Sand dunes are found in desert
regions.
3. Oasis – An oasis is an isolated place
in the desert where there is vegetation. Most often, this occurs
around a source of water. Oases provide a habitat for animals and are
used as a source of water for humans. The location of oases has been
of critical importance for trade and transportation routes in desert
areas, caravans must travel via oases so that supplies of water and
food can be replenished.
4. Desert Sandstorm – A sand storm is a
meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions.
Sandstorm is a storm of small particles of sand and dirt. Sand storms
happen when a strong wind front blows loose sand and dust from a dry
surface. Particles are picked up and suspended in the air, causing
soil erosion where they were.
5. Gemsbok – Gemsbok is a large antelope
in the Oryx genus. It is native to the arid regions of Southern
Africa, such as the Kalahari Desert. Gemsbok are light brownish-grey
to tan in colour, with lighter patches toward the bottom rear of the
rump. Their tails are long and black in colour. Gemsbok are widely
hunted for their spectacular horns that average 85 cm in length.
6. Wild Ass - Indian wild ass is a
subspecies of the onager native to Southern Asia. The body of Indian
Wild Ass is usually sandy, but varies from reddish grey, fawn, to
pale chestnut. Indian wild asses graze between dawn and dusk. The
animal feeds on grass, leaves and fruits of plant, crop and saline
vegetation. Saline deserts, arid grasslands and shrublands are its
preferred environments.
7. Meerkat – Meerkat is a small
carnivore belonging to the mongoose family. It is the only member of
the genus Suricata. Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert
in Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert in Namibia and southwestern
Angola and in South Africa. Meerkat is a small diurnal herpestid
weighing on average about 0.5 to 2.5 kilograms.
8. Cape Fox - Cape fox, also called the
cama fox or the silver-backed fox, is a small fox. It inhabits mainly
open country, from open grassland plains with scattered thickets to
arid to semi desert scrub. It is widespread in Zimbabwe, Botswana and
South Africa. It has black or silver gray fur with flanks and
underside in light yellow. The tip of its tail is always black. Cape
fox is nocturnal and most active just before dawn or after dusk. Cape
foxes are omnivorous and will eat plants or animals.
9. Cactus Wren - Cactus Wren is a species
of wren that is native to the southwestern United States southwards
to central Mexico. Cactus wren primarily eats insects, including
ants, beetles, grasshoppers and wasps. Occasionally, it will take
seeds,fruits, small reptiles and frogs.
10. Sandgrouse – Sandgrouse is the common
name for Pteroclididae. They are ground dwelling birds restricted to
treeless, open country, such as plains, savannahs and semi-deserts.
They are distributed across northern, southern and eastern Africa,
Madagascar, the Middle East and India through to central Asia.
Sandgrouse have small, pigeon-like heads and necks and sturdy compact
bodies. They range in size from 24 to 40 cm in length and from 150 to
500 grams in weight.
11. Pallid Harrier - Pallid harrier is a
migratory bird of prey of the harrier family. It breeds in southern
parts of eastern Europe and central Asia and winters mainly in India
and southeast Asia. This is a typical harrier, with long wings held
in a shallow V in its low flight. It also resembles other harriers in
having distinct male and female plumages. Pallid harriers hunt small
mammals, lizards and birds, surprising them as they drift low over
fields and moors.
12. Bustard - Bustards are large and highly
terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes
in the Old World. Bustards are all fairly large with the two largest
species, the kori bustard and the great bustard, being frequently
cited as the world's heaviest flying birds. Bustards are omnivorous
and opportunistic, eating leaves, buds, seeds, fruit, small
vertebrates and invertebrates.
13. Thorny Devil - Thorny devil is an
Australian Lizard, also known as the mountain devil. The thorny
dragon grows up to 20 cm in length and it can live for 15 to 20
years. Most of these lizards are coloured in camouflaging shades of
desert browns and tans. The thorny dragon usually lives in the arid
scrubland and desert that covers most of central Australia.
14. Sidewinder Snake – Sidewinder is a
venomous pit viper snake species found in the desertic regions of the
southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. They are usually
found in desert regions. Sidewinder is a venomous snake, but the
species possess a much weaker venom when compared to other
rattlesnake species.
15. Chameleon - Chameleon is a type of
lizard. There are around 160 species of chameleons. chameleons are
known for their ability to change the colour of their skin.
Chameleon's tongue is propelled by incredible speed: it takes 0.07
seconds for tongue to reach the victim, it eat locusts, grasshoppers,
crickets, mantis and stick insects.
16. Sand Goanna (Monitor Lizard) - Sand
goanna is a species of large Australian monitor lizard, also known as
Gould's monitor. The sand goanna is a relentless forager. It is
diurnal, meaning most of its activities take place during the day.
Anything smaller than itself will be eagerly devoured. They are
seemingly immune to snake venom and will kill and eat even the most
venomous species such as the fierce snake.
17. Scorpion - Scorpion belongs to group
called arachnids. There are 1200 species of scorpions that can be
found all over the planet. Scorpions use pincers to grab its prey.
Venom is used both for attack and for defence. Scorpions are
carnivores. They usually feed on insects. Scorpions do not drink much
water and they can survive very long time without water.
18. Darkling Beetle - Darkling beetle is
the common name of the large family of beetles, Tenebrionidae.
Darkling beetles occupy ecological niches in mainly deserts and
forests as plant scavengers. Most species are generalistic omnivores
and feed on decaying leaves, rotting wood, fresh plant matter, dead
insects and fungi as larvae and adults.
19. Desert Locust – The desert locust is
a species of locust. Plagues of desert locusts have threatened
agricultural production in Africa, the Middle East and Asia for
centuries. The desert locust is potentially the most dangerous of the
locust pests because of the ability of swarms to fly rapidly across
great distances. It has two to five generations per year.
20. Wheel Spider - Wheel spider is a
huntsman spider native to the Namib Desert of Southern Africa. Wheel
spiders are up to 20 mm in size. The wheel spider is a nocturnal,
free-ranging hunter, coming out at night to prey on insects and other
small invertebrates. Its bite is mildly venomous, but the spider is
not known to be harmful to humans. The wheel spider does not produce
a web. Its principal line of defence against predation is to bury
itself in a silk-lined burrow extending 40–50 cm deep.
21. Farash – Farash tree (Tamarix
articulata) is a moderate sized tree with feathery foliage and an
erect stem usually attaining a height of 40 feet to 50 feet and girth
of 5 to 6 feet. It grows faster than any other species in the arid
tract. The tree is very hardy and capable of standing extremes of
temperature and excessive drought except during its early
establishment period. It is frost hardy. It does not produce root
suckers. It stands saline conditions fairly well.
22. Quiver - Quiver tree is a tall,
branching species of aloe, indigenous to Southern Africa,
specifically in the Northern Cape region of South Africa and parts of
Southern Namibia. Quiver tree is cultivated in arid areas around the
world, for use in landscaping. The slow growth rate and relative
rarity of the plant make it a particularly expensive specimen. It is
also relatively difficult to keep outside of its natural habitat.
23. Acacia -
Acacias are native to tropical and subtropical regions of the world,
particularly Australia and Africa, where they are well-known
landmarks on the veld and savanna. Several acacia species are
important economically. The bark of most acacias is rich in tannin,
which is used in tanning and in dyes, inks, pharmaceuticals and other
products.
24. Jujube – Jujube tree is a small
deciduous tree or shrub reaching a height of 5–12 metres, usually
with thorny branches. Jujube tree grows best in warm, dry climates,
but can tolerate winter lows down to -20 F. Growing jujube trees
requires to have sandy, well-drained soil.
25. Prickly Pear (Plant) - Prickly pears are native to the Americas, but they have been introduced to other parts of the globe. Prickly pear species are found in abundance in Mexico. Prickly pears typically grow with flat, rounded cladodes armed with two kinds of spines large, smooth, fixed spines and small, hairlike prickles called glochids, that easily penetrate skin and detach from the plant. Many types of prickly pears grow into dense, tangled structures.
25. Prickly Pear (Plant) - Prickly pears are native to the Americas, but they have been introduced to other parts of the globe. Prickly pear species are found in abundance in Mexico. Prickly pears typically grow with flat, rounded cladodes armed with two kinds of spines large, smooth, fixed spines and small, hairlike prickles called glochids, that easily penetrate skin and detach from the plant. Many types of prickly pears grow into dense, tangled structures.
26. Brittlebush - Brittlebrush is a common
desert shrub of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States.
It can be found in a variety of habitats from dry, gravelly slopes to
open, sandy washes up to 1,000 m. It requires a very sunny position in
a deep very well-drained soil. It does well in cultivation often
being used for border, erosion control, ground cover and massing.
Brittlebush grows up to 30 to 150 cm tall, with fragrant leaves 3–8
cm long, ovate to deltoid and silverytomentose.
27. Krantz Aloe - Krantz aloe is a species
of flowering succulent perennial plant that belongs to the Aloe
genus, which it shares with the well known and studied Aloe vera.
This species is also relatively popular among gardeners and has
recently been studied for possible medical uses. It is endemic to the
south eastern part of Southern Africa. Specifically, this range
includes the countries of South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique and
Zimbabwe.
28. Barrel Cactus - Barrel cactus are
various members of the two genera Echinocactus and Ferocactus, found
in the deserts of Southwestern North America. Barrel cactus plants
are one of the more dangerous cacti to humans in the desert. As the
flowers wilt away, small pineapple-shaped greenish fruit may form.
The fruit can be easily removed but are not usually consumed because
they are fairly dry and bitter to the taste.
29. Saguaro Flowers – Saguaro is an
arborescent cactus species. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in
Arizona, the Mexican State of Sonora. Flowers appear in April through
June. They are white and open well after sunset and close in
mid-afternoon. They continue to produce nectar after sunrise. Flowers
are self-incompatible, thus require cross-pollination. Main
pollinators are honey bees, bats, and white-winged doves.
30. Impala Lily – Impala lily is the best
known of the South African adeniums. It flowers in winter when most
of the surrounding vegetation is rather dull in comparison to the
brilliant white, pink, crimson, red and bicoloured flowers that cover
these plants when in full bloom. These plants are usually found in
sandy soil or in alluvium in rocky habitats, in dry woodland or open
grassland on brackish flats.
31. Barbary Fig – Barbary fig is a
species of cactus that has long been a domesticated crop plant
important in agricultural economies throughout arid and semiarid
parts of the world. It is thought probably to have originated in
Mexico. The flowers have showy yellow or orange tepals, pale green or
pale pink anther filaments, and a whitish, greenish, or pale pink
style. The flowers are followed by large, juicy, edible fruit known
as "tunas".
32. Hedgehog Flower - The flowers of
hedgehog cacti have a structure typical of cactus family. They
typically produce clusters of erect stems, up to 30 cm high. The ribs
that run up the stems have areoles that produce long, sharp spines,
which stick out like the spines of a hedgehog. Most of these cacti
produce bright, showy flowers from short flowering branches.
33. Castor - Fruit of castor is spiny
capsule composed of three sections, each filled with one large seed.
Seed can be red, brown, white, black, grey or yellow and covered with
various spots and blotches that are unique for each seed.
34. Apple of Sodom - Apple of Sodom fruit
are a globular berry between 2 cm and 3.5 cm in diameter. They are
green with white mottling at first, then yellow when ripe. The fruit
is bitter and poisonous. The calyx of the fruit is armed with
numerous fine prickles.
35. Pitaya - Pitaya commonly known as the
dragon fruit, is a fruit from Central America, South America and
Asia. Dragon fruits have pink skin and white or red flesh with an
abundance of small black edible seeds. The flavor is mildly sweet.
36. Prickly Pear (Fruit) - Prickly pear is
the common name of the fruit that grows at the tops of the leaves of
Nopales cacti. Spread throughout North and South America. The most
commonly used species in terms of eating and cooking would be the O.
Ficus-indica, also known as the Indian Fig Opuntia. Before eating a
prickly pear, it is very important to remove the skin and peel it off
so all of the spines are removed. After that, however, the fruit can
be used for a variety of things, either eaten raw or dry and made
into various jellies and jams, candies etc.
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