January 2008

The cheque book style of self adhesive stamps within the Flora and Fauna series depict images of the Camellia and the Green Woodpecker.

"Camellia"

Ver Portada

The Camellia is a plant or shrub from the family of the Theaceae belonging to the genus Camellia name given by Linnaeus after jesuit botanist Georg Joseph Kamel, who recollected this plant in the Philippines. It is also known as Camellia Japonica and it is native to eastern and southern Asia though most of the known species come from China. They grow as small trees and shrubs 5–10 m tall and their leaves are thick, oval shaped and serrated, usually glossy and dark green. The flowers are large and conspicuous, 3–10 cm diameter, and their colour varies from white to red and pink.

"Green Woodpecker"

Ver Portada

The Fauna stamp is devoted to the Green Woodpecker (Picus Viridis), belonging to the family of the Picidae,. Both sexes have a colourful plumage, dark green above and yellowish green below with a crimson crown and nape. In the male the centre of the moustachial black stripe is crimson. Its beak is long and strong and enables this bird to drill the tree trunks and use the wood chips to build its nest. It has a long tongue up to 15 cm long with which it captures insects and larvae. It has a bounding flight about 30 cm long. This bird weighs more or less 200grs and lives in the forests and parks and open countries. It nests one brood a year, between May and July, made up of around five eggs. Its call sounds like a drum as the beak hits the tree trunks.