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It looks a little bit like Woolly Nightshade (non-native tobacco plant) too. But as you say the leaves aren't hairy - so it won't be that. There's another weedy plant that it looks similar to, but I don't know the name of (it has multiple small flowers on a stalk, I think they might be yellow [it's not Mullein]).

My rope climbing ability skills are not really existent at the moment. But I'm quite fit and quite strong, and have done a lot of hiking (70kms over 4 days, and up and down a 2.5km mountain in 6.5 hours are the most recent two). But I didn't feel truly challenged by either, so there's room to improve. I am actually saving up for a trip at the beginning of 2014, but so far it's to see family (and a girl ) in Europe - but if that doesn't pan out, then I'll highly consider coming along (in which case I'll crash course train up in the months before). So I'm not just chain-yanking.

Looks stunning. Can't wait to see it growing bigger

Sounds legit! If I have the cash, and amn't working fulltime - then I will definitely be interested. I'll keep it in mind. (In no position to promise now)

Lovely plants. :D If only there was somewhere to put them, haha

My research that has stalled. I'm researching a particular plant, that contains a particular chemical, that under an extremely simple chemical reaction - should transform into another particular chemical (according to my research). The second of these chemicals, my research has surmised is active in humans. The first chemical - my research has determined, is not (which is also backed by the limited field-testing). There are two stages to my project: Stage A) Cultivating this plant in a suitable manner (this will require research and skill with cultivation - there is not much room for error) Stage Performing the extraction and chemical reaction (initial research indicates this to be relatively simple... but I've probably jinxed it and it'll have unforeseen difficulties) Bonus round) Bio-assay? Realistically, stage B cannot commence without stage A having been completed. Should my research succeed, I believe there will be available to all - a simple, discreet OTC method to produce a CB1 agonist (let's leave it at that). I'm not a qualified chemist, and there are a few assumptions (relatively benign ones I should think) that nevertheless need to be assessed for Stage B to proceed. Now I'd like to comment that due to the nature of this plant, and my location in NZ - it's going to be extremely difficult to perform this anywhere other than NZ. I would prefer to perform it here, but that might make the funding difficult. In terms of the funding - most of it will go towards stage A. Some prototype propagators will need to be made and tested (small ones), and for stage B one cheap reagent will need to be procured. I'm willing to disclose more in private, but for risk of intervention I won't disclose in public (until the project's momentum is too great to stop ;) ). Immediate requirements: * Advice from adept chemists and biologists. Enquire via PM if you'd like to help.

Nah, Chai tea is the one that tastes like dirt. Redbush tea just tastes a bit like normal tea, but different (can't really describe it better ).

I've started to move the cacti (still in their pots) to sit on the new garden bed, as I haven't really figured out how I'm going to lay it out yet. I'm now thinking I'll arrange them so that each plant is similar to its neighbours (so they change smoothly in appearance) and the slowest and shortest cacti are at the front (so they don't get their sun blocked by the quicker ones). I have selected about 5 seedlings that are going on the accelerated pathway to get big for the garden too - Peruvianus (BK08612.4, BK08612.9, EG Wild-collected), Psycho0 x Pachanoi, Beauty-big-golden-spine pachanoid from bit's open - but it's extremely hard to decide (maybe a second garden would help? ).

Woman sheds 45kg on energy drink diet By Alice Neville 4:00 AM Sunday May 24, 2009Brooke Robertson once weighed 105kg. She is now slim, but has a weak heart.A young mum has told how she lost 45kg in eight months by drinking nothing but 10 to 14 cans of Red Bull a day. Brooke Robertson shrank from 105kg to 60kg during the drastic diet but said she ended up in hospital after a minor heart attack and has had ongoing health problems. "I know it doesn't sound too good, but I don't regret it because I got to a weight I was happy with," said the 23-year-old Auckland mother of one. Robertson put on weight while carrying son Keir, now four, but said she didn't make a conscious decision to go on a Red Bull diet. "I just started drinking it. I wasn't sleeping, I wasn't eating - I was exhausted. "I just continued to drink it because it's an appetite suppressant and I noticed I was losing weight so stuck with it." A handful of dry Honey Puffs was usually her only solid sustenance during the 2006 diet - alongside 800-1120mg of caffeine and 275-385g of sugar a day from the 250ml cans of energy drinks. Robertson said she shook constantly but managed to keep her addiction secret from family and friends. "They didn't really know the extent of what was going on. They couldn't work out why I wasn't sleeping too well, but they put it down to the stresses of raising my son. I kept it secret but in the end they were quite concerned." Two weeks in hospital cured Robertson of her addiction. "I managed to wean myself off it by being in hospital for that long but I had severe withdrawals - sweating, nausea, shaking. It was an addiction. The doctors stated that." A Red Bull spokesman denied the drink was addictive and said there was "scientific evidence that caffeine is not addictive". He said it was available in 148 countries "because health authorities across the world have concluded that Red Bull is safe to consume". But Red Bull is banned in Norway, Denmark and Uruguay because of health fears. The full-strength drink was allowed into France only last year after the country lifted a 12-year ban, and then only because of pressure from the European Union. Until then a taurine-free version was sold. In 2008, researchers from the Royal Adelaide Hospital found just one can of Red Bull could increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. They found that within one hour of drinking it, people developed symptoms normally associated with cardiovascular disease. Earlier this year, 21-year-old student Chloe Leach died in an English nightclub after drinking about four cans of Red Bull and several vodka-based caffeine drinks. Doctors found the caffeine could have triggered a rare heart condition. Robertson now maintains her 60kg figure in a much healthier way - through exercise and a Weight Watchers diet. Three years after quitting the Red Bull diet, the cafe worker says she still suffers from the effects. She has a heart murmur, gets severe pain and cramping in her stomach and bowel and suffers anxiety attacks. Her doctors told her to stay off Red Bull and other caffeinated beverages, but Robertson admits she still drinks it occasionally. "I can have one and my heart starts and I get the shakes, so I try not to. It's the same with coffee." http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10574199

Aesculus Indica! Pretty sure these are them, or another Aesculus. Thanks for your help paradox.

Does look a lot like an Aesculus - but I think a bit more like A. glabra (as the hilum [that's the name for the little white patch where it attaches to the plant?] seems way too huge on A. hippocastanum) A. glabra: Aesculus hippocastanum:

You been there? That place is epic. I'm fairly sure there was a few uncommon Acacias growing there too (I have photos of what are very likely Maidenii, or at least another long-phyllode species). I didn't know he had zebras though haha. I did know that he was so good at wallaby conservation that Australia asked for some them back. ;) If I can find out how to grow this nut, I'll grow it to get a better idea of what it is.

I thought this would be a lot easier than it's proving to be. :| Just to be clear, the wrinkly black outer layer is very hard, and feels comparable in hardness to the shell of a macadamia (I scratched the bottom with a knife to test). It's quite dense and solid (no rattling), and would weigh as much as two Macadamia nuts or so. It's about the size of an eyeball. I can take further photos if necessary. I've checked almost all the plants listed in that .pdf, and no black nuts appeared. Either I'm an egg - or this is a bit of a mystery nut indeed. Would be mint if it was a very rare plant growing, and no-one had IDed it correctly before (entirely possible).

A fair amount of searching looking for nuts, beeches, chestnut types, Macadamias (the tree looks like a Macadamia relative) turned up nothing. There is a superficially similar 'Black walnut', but it doesn't look the same in any way. I found this: http://www.doc.govt.nz/documents/getting-involved/students-and-teachers/field-trips-by-region/kawau-island-flora.pdf And am searching through the listed plants for information. It says Quercus Ilex is here - which looks extremely similar to the plant I took an ID photo of. But it doesn't have funny black nuts - just standard acorns. :/ : Quercus Ilex (Holly Oak)

What is this strange nut? I collected it last year from Kawau island, next to the old homestead. It's been cluttering around ever since then, so I want to finally find out what it is - so I can grow it, or eat it. Here is the nut in question: I took this photo of a tree from near where I found the nut, but I can't remember if I took the photo because I knew it was the tree the nut came from, or because it was just a tree I wanted to ID. But I can tell that the photo I took was primarily for ID reasons, (as it's not my usual stunning photography ) so it has a high chance of being the mum tree. Thanks in advance.

Syner - you're a good dude (dudette?), and it would be a shame to lose you. Secondly, and most importantly - it's not black and white, if you don't want to be balls-deep in the forum, then you don't have to quit - many members only post once a month or so. Just a thought.