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From today's featured article

Alloxylon flammeum, commonly known as the Queensland tree waratah or red silky oak, is a medium-sized tree of the family Proteaceae found in the Queensland tropical rain forests. It has shiny green elliptical leaves up to 18 cm (7.2 in) long, and prominent orange-red inflorescences that appear from August to October, followed by rectangular woody seed pods that ripen in February and March. Juvenile plants have large (up to 25 cm (10 in) long) deeply lobed pinnate leaves. Previously known as Oreocallis wickhamii, the initial specimen turned out to be a different species to the one cultivated and hence a new scientific name was required. Described formally in 1991, A. flammeum was designated the type species of the genus Alloxylon. Alloxylon flammeum is a canopy or emergent tree of the Mabi rainforest community of north Queensland. It is readily adaptable to cultivation, and prefers a site with good drainage. The tree's terminal tubular flowers indicate that the species is pollinated by birds. It is listed nationally as vulnerable under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 as most of its habitat has been cleared for agriculture and logging. (Full article...)

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From Wikipedia's new and recently improved content:

... that after the son of novelist Ida Boy-Ed (pictured) was killed early in World War One, she wrote, "A mother is only dust on the road to victory"?
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... that the musical From Here to Eternity is based on the uncensored version of James Jones's 1951 novel?
... that Hemant Mehta, the "Friendly Atheist" who sold his soul on eBay, raised money to clean up a vandalized church?

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In the news

Following the passage of a secession referendum, the Republic of Crimea (flag pictured) declares independence from Ukraine and begins the process of accession to the Russian Federation.
Anna Fenninger and Marcel Hirscher of Austria win the overall Alpine Skiing World Cup titles.
The United States announces that it will relinquish control of the DNS root zone, removing its oversight of ICANN.
In rugby union, the Six Nations concludes with Ireland winning the championship.
Chiquita and Fyffes agree to a merger that would create the world's largest banana producer.

Recent deaths: Fred Phelps – Tony Benn – Bob Crow

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On this day...

March 22: World Water Day

238 – Because of his father's advanced age, Gordian II was proclaimed joint Roman emperor with Gordian I.
1508 – Ferdinand II of Aragon appointed Amerigo Vespucci (pictured) to the post of Chief Navigator of Spain.
1765 – The Parliament of Great Britain passed the Stamp Act, requiring that many printed materials in the Thirteen Colonies in British America carry a tax stamp.
1984 – In what would be the longest and costliest criminal trial in United States history, teachers at the McMartin preschool in Manhattan Beach, California, were falsely charged with satanic ritual abuse of schoolchildren.
1995 – Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov of the Soyuz programme returned from the Mir space station after 437 days in space, setting a record for the longest spaceflight.

More anniversaries: March 21 – March 22 – March 23

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Today's featured picture

The burning of McPhersonville, South Carolina, as depicted by William Waud, in both a preliminary sketch (left) and an engraving published in Harper's Weekly in 1865. During the American Civil War (1861–65), McPhersonville was a Confederate stronghold. Early in the Carolinas Campaign, Union forces under Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman razed the town, leaving only two pre-war homes and one church.

Engraving: William Waud; Restoration: Adam Cuerden

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