- Alder trees belong to the genua Alnus, which contains about 30 different species from small shrubs to trees such as the Red and Black alder which can grow to 80 feet tall or more. The trees can be found in Europe, North and South America and Asia. They tend to grow in riparian forests, that is, a forest beside a river or stream.
- Because they grow near water, their wood doesn't rot in Water, but rather becomes as hard as stone when immersed. Human beings soon noticed this property and used alder in the bronze age to build strongholds on the lochs of Scotland. Come the industrial revolution, lock gates for canals were made from alder wood, and most of Venice is built on piles made of alder trunks. Out of water, though, the wood doesn't last anything like as long, so is rarely used for fences or buildings.
- The alder tree is monoecious, which means it is both male and female, enabling it to self-pollinate. The flowers are catkins, which appear in spring before the leaves. The fruit is a woody cone, which matures in October, remain on the tree until spring. Individual seeds have tiny membranes filled with air, which resemble wings. This allows the seeds to float away down the river the adult tree is growing beside. It can germinate while floating along so it can take root quickly when it reaches land.
- Some alder catkins are edible, and a good source of protein, but since they taste nasty, the only time it would be advisable to eat them is if you're lost in a forest and there's nothing else to eat!
- The bark contains the anti-inflammatory salicin, so it has been used for medicinal purposes by Native Americans. They used it to treat skin irritations and made an infusion of it to treat lymphatic disorders and tuberculosis.
- Alder wood is pale in colour, but turns a deep Orange when cut, giving the impression that the tree is bleeding. After cutting this fades to a rich Brown, leading to the wood being nicknamed 'Scots mahogany'. Electric Guitars are commonly made from alder wood.
- Dyes of various colours can be obtained from the tree - red from the outer bark, Yellow from the inner and Green from the flowers. According to folklore, this green dye was used to colour the clothes of Fairies as camouflage - one reason we rarely see them! It is also said that Robin Hood and his Merry Men used dye from alder flowers for their Lincoln Green garb.
- It is believed that female woodworm like alder wood better than any other wood, so placing an alder log inside a wooden cupboard would attract the woodworm away from the furniture.
- In Ireland, it was believed to be unlucky to pass an alder tree on a journey, possibly because the wet and boggy places where the trees grew made ideal hiding places for bandits. However, alder leaves would be helpful to travellers, because, if placed in the Shoes, would help cool the Feet and prevent swelling.
- Alder trees improve the fertility of the soil in which they grow, due to a symbiotic relationship with a nitrogen-fixing bacterium called Frankia alni. The bacteria live in the tree's root nodules and live off the sugars the tree makes through photosynthesis. In return, the bacteria absorb nitrogen from the air which the tree can use. The roots of the tree also help prevent the erosion of soil on river banks.
New!
Closing the Circle
A stable wormhole has been established between Earth and Infinitus. Power Blaster and his friends can finally go home.
Desi Troyes is still at large on Earth - Power Blaster has vowed to bring him to justice. His wedding to Shanna is under threat as the Desperadoes launch an attempt to rescue their leader.
Someone from Power Blaster's past plays an unexpected and significant role in capturing Troyes.
The return home brings its own challenges. Not everyone can return to the life they left behind, and for some, there is unfinished business to be dealt with before they can start anew.
Ben Cole in particular cannot resume his old life as a surgeon because technology no longer works around him. He plans a new life in Classica, away from technology. Shanna hears there could be a way to reverse his condition and sets out to find it, putting herself in great danger. She doesn't know she is about to uncover the secret of Power Blaster's mysterious past.
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