FLORA Y FAUNA. Hortensia y Carbonero común

The Hydrangea and Great Tit are depicted in the Flora and Fauna series in self adhesive stamps in a cheque book format.

The Hydrangea is a deciduous plant belonging to the family of the Saxifragaceae and the genus of the Hydrangea macrophylla. The leaves are opposite, simple ovoid-acute, with a coarsely toothed margin and depending on the climate of the country were they are cultivated they can reach a couple of meters height. Hydrangea flowers are produced from early spring to late summer and the plant blooms on previous year’s growth. There are 90 species of these flowering plants although they all come from the common Hydrangea. They grow in flowerheads (corymbs) at the end of the stems and they can be either sterile or hermaphrodite. There are two types of shrubs, those that only have one flowerhead and those with more than one. Flowers can be white, or range from blue to purple to pink and red depending on soil pH;

The Great Tit (Parus major) is a passerine bird of the Paridae family and the order of the Passeriformes. It is a widespread and common resident species found in Europe and Asia. It measures around 15 cm and has a broad black line, broader in the male, down its otherwise yellow front. The neck and head are black with white cheeks and its upper parts are olive. They mainly feed on insects and seeds and live in woodland areas and gardens. They breed between April and June and lay six to eight eggs.