Imbewu Encinane Yom-oki Iba Ngumthi Omkhulu
● Imbewu yom-oki encinane, efana neqanda elincinane elifakwe ekomityini, iyaphuncuka emthini ize iwele phantsi. Emva kokuba ithathwe ngunomatse waza wayigqumelela, ekuhambeni kwexesha le mbewu iyantshula. Ethubeni iba ngumthi wom-oki, owona mkhulu nowomeleleyo kunayo yonke imithi yaseBritani.
Njengokuba kudla ngokuthethwa ngawo embalini nasezintsomini, um-oki unokuphila ngaphezu kweminyaka eliwaka. Eminye idla ngokuba nobude obungangeemitha ezingama-40! Imithi yom-oki emidala idla ngokuba nesiqu esikhulu namasebe olulekileyo. Nangona eBritani kukho iindidi ezimbini zemithi yom-oki, kukho ezingama-450 ehlabathini lonke. Eyona nto ifana ngayo le mithi, yimbewu yayo.
Umthi wom-oki uhlala izilwanyana ezininzi kunayo nayiphi na eminye imithi yaseBritani. Ezi zilwanyana ziquka iindidi ezininzi zezinambuzane. Imibungu emininzi iyathanda ukuzifikisela kumagqabi athambileyo alo mthi ehlotyeni. Kodwa lo mthi uyazikhusela. Amagqabi amadala aneasidi ebangela ukuba angabi mnandi.
Akukho ndawo ingahlali silwanyana kulo mthi. Ukubakho kwezinambuzane kulo mthi kusondeza iintaka nezigcawu kuwo. Ooqongqothwane babhora ezantsi kwesiqu somthi baze bahlale khona. Izikhova namalulwane ahlala kwimingxuma esesiqwini somthi. Izilwanyana ezincinane njengeempuku, iivole, imivundla, iimbila neempungutye zihlala ezingcanjini zalo mthi.
Lo mthi wom-oki unendlela yawo yokulahla amagqabi awileyo neembewu. Nyaka ngamnye ikota yesigidi samagqabi iyawa kulo mthi. Ukungunda nebacteria ziyawabolisa amagqabi amadala zize ziwabuyisele emhlabeni. Emva kweminyaka, umthi unokuvelisa iimbewu zom-oki ezingama-50 000. Uninzi lwazo lutyiwa ziintaka nezinye izilwanyana. Iinxalenye ezomileyo zomthi zityiwa ngamangolwane nooqongqothwane aze amaxolo omthi atyiwe kukungunda.
Amaplanga enziwe ngomthi wom-oki omelele yaye ahlala ixesha elide. Asetyenziswa kakhulu xa kusakhiwa izindlu nefanitshala yexabiso eliphezulu. Iifatyi zokugcina ibhiya newayini zenziwa ngala maplanga. Iinqanawa ezomeleleyo ezakhiwe ngomthi wom-oki ziye zanceda uMkhosi Waselwandle waseBritani wahlala iminyaka emininzi.
Amaplanga om-oki asaxabisekile nangoku. Lo mthi othabatha inxalenye enkulu yomhlaba waseBritani waziwa ngokomelela, usetyenziswa kakhulu yaye uyanyamezela. Imbewu nje encinane yom-oki iba ngumthi omkhulu—lo ngomnye wemimangaliso yendalo!
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]
Umthi wom-oki unokuphila ngaphezu kweminyaka eliwaka, unokuba nobude obuziimitha ezingama-40 nobubanzi obungaphezu kweemitha ezili-12 neesentimitha ezingama-30
[Inkcazelo Ngemifanekiso ekwiphepha 18]
Tree: © John Martin/Alamy; acorn: © David Chapman/Alamy