If I am not very mistaken, this is the species that is used to make those grass quaint stools (mooda) and chairs that are sold by the wayside in towns all over India. I suspect that the reason for the explosions is that the soft pithy inside expands rapidly when heated much like the pop of popcorn since the outer hard layer acts as a casing or shell that gives way all at once when the pressure builds up within.
Murali On Wednesday, 24 January 2018 19:28:52 UTC+5:30, vikram jit singh wrote: > > Dear Mr. Garg, > > Could the members of this esteemed group explain the phenomenon of a > jungle fire with reference to wild 'Sarkanda' growth. > > A fire in the 'sarkanda' --- that grows commonly in the Shivaliks ravines > behind Chandigarh --- was observed last week (Village Chhoti-Baddi Nagal, > Punjab). It had not rained for many weeks here. What was remarkable was the > incendiary quality of dry sarkanda. The dry sarkanda went aflame with > such ferocity that it virtually exploded like ''popcorns'' with loud > sounds. The black soot and smoke of the aflame sarkanda was hurled high > up in the air like an imploding Ravana. It was visible and audible from > quite a distance. > > *Would any other vegetation virtually 'explode' like the Shivaliks > sarkanda? Is it due to any special feature of 'sarkanda' or what causes > such inflammability of this particular wild vegetation? It is due to the > air/gases stored in the hollows of the sarkanda stalks, which upon heating > from fires, expand and cause the 'explosions'? * > > (Attached are pics of burning sarkanda and adjoining sarkanda not yet > reached by the jungle fire) > > Best regards, > > *Vikram Jit Singh* > > (09814019356) > > Golf Columnist and Wildlife Correspondent: > > *The Times of India* at Chandigarh (India). > > > > http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/toireporter/author-Vikram-Jit-Singh.cms > > > > http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/wildbuzz-feminism-in-vogue > /story-i0vWsRwTTijaIenfxZRHQN.html > > > Columnist and writer for: > > The *Hindustan Times* > > > > *http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/co-s-letter-bomb-to-brigade-commander-blows-up-after-17-years-via-twitter/story-UFgbWx6L65LsdILHUhJ3kK.html > > <http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/co-s-letter-bomb-to-brigade-commander-blows-up-after-17-years-via-twitter/story-UFgbWx6L65LsdILHUhJ3kK.html>* > > > > > *http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/wild-buzz-nabbing-phantoms-and-yogi-the-mascot-mongoose/story-LlTFv5VnncLpAFJ2ly6K6L.html > > <http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/wild-buzz-nabbing-phantoms-and-yogi-the-mascot-mongoose/story-LlTFv5VnncLpAFJ2ly6K6L.html>* > > http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/wild-buzz-the-lone-skimmer-at-sukhna > -and-that-pair-of-eyes/story-SOVZWJhykfMRZzSaDrfjBL.html > > > http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/wildbuzz-feminism-in-vogue > /story-i0vWsRwTTijaIenfxZRHQN.html > > http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/wild-buzz-bull-of-the-baoris > -and-how-water-looks-to-kids/story-HQoGntUmXbYXzcEodVHeVL.html > > http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/wildbuzz-demonising-the-gharial > /story-ByDVAyG3nbMTN66PSi3D8L.html > > > http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/a-ban-on-dawn-s-dew/story > -x9SYGLUz472SOkEXNgMgXI.html > > > http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/wildbuzz > -touched-by-the-sun/story-cDl6qyUBwshDw0rWSDkFjM.html > > *http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/wild-buzz-cooperative-of-scavengers/story-bbbB4tKOrjEwI9D0CojumN.html > > <http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/wild-buzz-cooperative-of-scavengers/story-bbbB4tKOrjEwI9D0CojumN.html>* > > > > > > > > http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/wild-buzz-harike > -under-siege/story-AS6LFy7DaZJKv6Bu74BMUK.html > > > http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/wildbuzz-kiran-ki-kalpana > /story-YJzbpNFj4Ei3DmiHdYAShP.html > > > http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/wildbuzz > -from-the-jaws-of-death/story-sAXNhH8BlWIBq0gmhhjuRI.html > > > http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/wildbuzz-man-eaters-of-begumpur > /story-SRWrWwIVv1L0E6P4iKZX3L.html > > > http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/wildbuzz > -death-at-dawn/story-tMymRnkgLarg1FqkTmOCpN.html > > > http://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/hiss-highness-is-high > -up/article1-13732 > 22.aspx > > *The Daily Post* > > > http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=111456&boxid=59264&uid&; > dat=2014-07-22#.U83Vm7Xqt5U.facebook > > > > > > > > > > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "efloraofindia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to indiantreepix+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send an email to indiantreepix@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
