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Ancient British tree undergoing 'sex-change'
phys.org ^ | November 2, 2015 | Staff

Posted on 11/02/2015 11:36:43 AM PST by Red Badger

A British tree thought to be up to 5,000 years old has started to change sex, a "rare and unusual" phenomenon not fully understood by scientists, a botanist said Monday.

The Fortingall Yew, in Perthshire, central Scotland has for hundreds of years been recorded as male, but has recently begun sprouting berries, suggesting that at least part of the tree is changing gender.

"It's a rare occurence ... rare and unusual and not fully understood," said Max Coleman of Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, who spotted the berries.

"It's thought that there's a shift in the balance of hormone-like compounds that will cause this sex-change. One of the things that might be triggering it is environmental stress."

However, the tree appears healthy, Coleman said, adding that it would now be closely observed for further changes.

The gnarled tree is situated in an old church yard, and is difficult to age because its heartwood—the wood in the centre of the tree—has long rotted away.

Scientists have been able to estimate by comparing its current size with measurements taken in the 1700s.

Explore further: Juniper essential oil characteristics determined


TOPICS: Agriculture; Health/Medicine; History; Outdoors
KEYWORDS: agriculture; animalhusbandry; caitlynjenner; fortingallyew; godsgravesglyphs; helixmakemineadouble; huntergatherers; perthshire; scotland; scotlandyet; tree
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To: Red Badger

21 posted on 11/02/2015 11:53:01 AM PST by stormer
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To: Billthedrill

That’s Oak-ay..............


22 posted on 11/02/2015 11:53:47 AM PST by Red Badger (READ MY LIPS: NO MORE BUSHES!...............)
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To: Red Badger

Lecturer at lady’s garden club ....

“Sometimes when the air is still, a flower will shoot its pollen straight up and it will fall right back into the same flower. This is called self-pollenization, and it tends to make the flower go crazy.”


23 posted on 11/02/2015 11:54:12 AM PST by sparklite2 (All will become clear when it is too late to matter.)
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To: stormer

Trunk or treat?...............


24 posted on 11/02/2015 11:55:10 AM PST by Red Badger (READ MY LIPS: NO MORE BUSHES!...............)
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To: Red Badger

Very Good!


25 posted on 11/02/2015 12:00:06 PM PST by lee martell
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To: Red Badger
 photo 10609665_10153329643498376_63615223.jpg
26 posted on 11/02/2015 12:01:42 PM PST by SkyDancer ("Nobody Said I Was Perfect But Yet Here I Am")
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To: Red Badger

I’ll go out on a limb. A tree changing sex is natural. A human? Not so much!


27 posted on 11/02/2015 12:02:40 PM PST by A Formerly Proud Canadian (I once was blind but now I see...)
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To: stormer

That’s just plain KNOTTY!


28 posted on 11/02/2015 12:03:22 PM PST by A Formerly Proud Canadian (I once was blind but now I see...)
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To: Red Badger

If a tree “goes down” in a forest, would there be any sound to it?


29 posted on 11/02/2015 12:04:08 PM PST by lee martell
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To: Red Badger

And the trees are all kept equal. By hatchet, axe and saw.


30 posted on 11/02/2015 12:05:16 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: lee martell

“If a tree “goes down” in a forest, would there be any sound to it?”

A Bark or two.


31 posted on 11/02/2015 12:10:13 PM PST by Autonomous User (During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.)
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To: Red Badger

Probably been exposed to cable TV. Next, it’ll start a #oldtreesmatter campaign.


32 posted on 11/02/2015 12:11:00 PM PST by ZinGirl (kids in college....can't afford a tagline right now)
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To: Impy; fieldmarshaldj; NFHale; stephenjohnbanker; Clintonfatigued; BillyBoy; Bender2

WTF is going on in this world???


33 posted on 11/02/2015 12:14:46 PM PST by GOPsterinMA (I'm with Steve McQueen: I live my life for myself and answer to nobody.)
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To: Red Badger

put a kilt on it and let it be whatever it wants to be, underneaath


34 posted on 11/02/2015 12:21:01 PM PST by faithhopecharity (Brilliant, funny, and incisive Tagline coming to this space soon.....)
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To: Red Badger

This just in: ESPN has announced it plans to present the “Arthur Ashe Courage Award” to the tree at the next ESPY Awards telecast.


35 posted on 11/02/2015 12:26:29 PM PST by GreenHornet
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To: stylecouncilor

ping


36 posted on 11/02/2015 12:26:30 PM PST by windcliff
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To: Red Badger

Still has the twig and berries....


37 posted on 11/02/2015 12:27:39 PM PST by Adder (No, Mr. Franklin, we could NOT keep it.)
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To: faithhopecharity

Is this walking stick that Joseph of Arimathea planted in England that’s still alive?


38 posted on 11/02/2015 12:28:53 PM PST by namvolunteer (Obama says the US is subservient to the UN and the Constitution does not apply. That is treason.)
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To: namvolunteer

i guess it depends on just how stiff it is?

(anyway, Somerset is a bit south of Scotland, last time I checked... but good point! might be an offshoot?)


39 posted on 11/02/2015 12:35:05 PM PST by faithhopecharity (Brilliant, funny, and incisive Tagline coming to this space soon.....)
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To: Impy; fieldmarshaldj; stephenjohnbanker; GOPsterinMA; BillyBoy; Bender2

Guess it won’t “sporting wood” anymore...

Maybe it’s just trying to .. branch out ...


40 posted on 11/02/2015 12:47:20 PM PST by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
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