Civet — Civets are mammals, most of which are species in the family Viverridae. They are small, lithe-bodied, mostly arboreal members of the order Carnivora. General appearance is broadly cat-like, but the muzzle is extended and often pointed, rather like an otter or a mongoose. Civets range in length, excluding its long tail, from about 17 to 28 in (400 …

Chevrotain — The four species of chevrotain, also known as mouse deer, make up the family Tragulidae. Chevrotains are small, secretive creatures, now found only in the tropical forests of Africa, India, and South-east Asia. They are the only living members of the infraorder Tragulina. In Malay folklore, the mouse deer plays the same role as the wily fox of …

Ass — The donkey or ass, Equus asinus, is a member of the Equidae family, and an odd-toed ungulate. The words refer to the domesticated E. asinus. The animal considered to be its wild ancestor, is called the African Wild Ass, also E. asinus. Colloquially, the term “ass” is usually used today to refer to a larger, horse-sized animal, and …

Aardvark — The Aardvark (Orycteropus afer) (“Digging foot”), sometimes called “ant bear” is a medium-sized mammal native to Africa. The name comes from the Afrikaans/Dutch for “earth pig” (aarde earth, varken pig), because early settlers from Europe thought it resembled a pig. However, the aardvark is not closely related to the pig, being placed in its own order. Nor is …

Water Hyacinth — The seven species of water hyacinths comprise the genus Eichhornia of free-floating perennial aquatic plants native to tropical South America. With broad, thick and glossy ovate leaves, water hyacinths may rise some 1 metre in height. The leaves are 10-20 cm across, supported above the water surface by long, spongy and bulbous stalks. The feathery, freely hanging …

Viburnum — Viburnum (Viburnum) is a genus of about 150-175 species of shrubs or (in a few species) small trees that were previously included in the family Caprifoliaceae. Genetic tests by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group showed however that they are correctly classified in the family Adoxaceae. They are native throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere, with a few species extending into …

Primrose — Primroses (primula vulgaris) is a species of Primula native to western and southern Europe (from the Faroe Islands and Norway south to Portugal, and east to Germany, Ukraine, the Crimea, and the Balkans), northwest Africa (Algeria), and southwest Asia (Turkey east to Iran). The common name is Primrose, or occasionally Common Primrose or English Primrose to distinguish it …

Rhododendron — Rhododendron (from the Greek: rhodos, “rose”, and dendron, “tree”) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae. It is a large genus with over 1000 species and most have showy flower displays. It includes the plants known to gardeners as azaleas. The Rhododendron is an interesting genus characterized by shrubs and small to (rarely) large trees, …

Tulip — Tulip (Tulipa) is a genus of about 100 species of flowering plants in the family Liliaceae. Its region includes southern Europe, north Africa, and Asia from Anatolia and Iran in the east to northeast of China. The centre of diversity of the genus is in the Pamir and Hindu Kush mountains and the steppes of Kazakhstan. They are …

Squill — Scilla (squill) is a genus of bulb-forming perennial herbs in the Hyacinthaceae. The 90-odd species are found in woodlands, subalpine meadows, and seashores across the Old World. Their flowers are usually blue, but white, pink, and purple types are known; most flower in early spring, but a few are autumn-flowering. Several African species previously classified in Scilla have …