Laurus Tree and Climber
May 03, 2016
Photographer: Menashe Davidson
Summary Author: Menashe Davidson
I found this oddity walking in the scrubland of the Judea Hills region of Israel: a commonplace climber in the Mediterranean region named Periploca graeca is using the support of a Laurus tree (Laurus nobillis) stem to reach sunlight. The Laurus, known by its common names True Laurel and sweet bay, is an evergreen native to the Mediterranean region. In has few stems, smooth bark with olive green to gray color, reaching a height of about 25 ft (8 m).
Initially, the climber twists with long loops around the surface of the bark of the Laurus tree stem (the stem at the right side of the photo). But, as the climber's stem thickens, it girdles the Laurus, disturbing the nutrient transport. However, the bark of the Laurel reacts and begins to grow above the climber and to cover it with new bark in an attempt to overcome the girdling effect (stem at the left side of the photo). Photo taken on February 20, 2016.
Photo Details: Camera Model: NIKON D7100; Focal Length: 50mm (35mm equivalent: 75mm); Aperture: ƒ/20.0; Exposure Time: 0.010 s (1/100); ISO equiv: 1250; Software: Windows Photo Editor 10.