Wikipedia:Main Page history/2013 February 9

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

From today's featured article

Verpa bohemica is a species of fungus in the Morchellaceae family, commonly known as the "early morel" or the "wrinkled thimble-cap". The species was first described in the scientific literature by the Czech physician and mycologist Julius Vincenz von Krombholz in 1828; bohemica refers to Bohemia (now a part of the Czech Republic) where Krombholz originally collected the species. The mushroom has a pale yellow or brown thimble-shaped cap that has a surface wrinkled and ribbed with brain-like convolutions. The cap hangs from the top of a lighter-colored, brittle stem that measures up to 12 cm (4.7 in) long. It is one of several species known informally as a "false morel". In the field, the mushroom is reliably distinguished from the true morels on the basis of cap attachment: V. bohemica has a cap that hangs completely free from the stem. Although widely considered edible, consumption is generally not advised due to reports of poisoning in susceptible individuals. Poisoning symptoms include gastrointestinal upset and lack of muscular coordination. V. bohemica is found in northern North America, Europe, and Asia. It fruits in early spring, growing on the ground in woods following the snowmelt. (Full article...)

Recently featured: La Stazione – "Confirmed Dead" – Huia

Archive – By email – More featured articles...

Did you know...

From Wikipedia's newest content:

... that on the first ascent of the Cordier Couloir on the Aiguille Verte (pictured), Thomas Middlemore, John Oakley Maund and Henri Cordier were nearly obliterated by rockfall?

... that Alaska's gold production began after the 1869 discovery of gold placers in Windham and Sumdum Bays?

... that the grained seastar is the only known starfish that reproduces by parthenogenesis?

... that country music singer Sheila Andrews' voice changed following an operation to remove a tumor from her thyroid?

... that during the Portuguese Colonial War in February 1969, the Portuguese army lost 47 men while crossing the Corubal River in Guinea-Bissau in the Cheche Disaster?

... that the film Fruitvale, which won two major awards at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, is based on a real-life police shooting?

... that the anthropologist Herman ten Kate, the junior, son of the artist Herman ten Kate, the senior, wrote about skulls of decapitated criminals?

Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news

At least 51 people are killed when a bus and truck collide near Chibombo, Zambia.

Tunisian opposition politician Chokri Belaid (pictured) is assassinated near Tunis, sparking protests and calls for new elections.

An 8.0-magnitude earthquake strikes the Solomon Islands, generating a tsunami that has killed at least 13 people.

Dell announces it will become a privately held company in a $24.4 billion leveraged buyout.

Ireland admits state collusion in the mistreatment of more than 30,000 women in Magdalene asylums.

Archaeologists identify human remains found in Leicester as those of Richard III of England.

Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...

On this day...

February 9

1861 – American Civil War: Jefferson Davis (pictured) was named as the provisional president of the Confederate States of America.

1913 – A group of meteors was visible across much of the eastern seaboard of North and South America, leading astronomers to conclude that the source had been a small, short-lived natural satellite of the Earth.

1943 – World War II: Allied forces declared Guadalcanal secure, ending the Guadalcanal Campaign as a significant strategic victory for Allied forces fighting Japan in the Pacific War.

1976 – The Australian Defence Force was formed by the unification of the Australian Army, the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force.

2001 – The American submarine USS Greeneville accidentally collided with the Ehime Maru, a Japanese training vessel operated by the Uwajima Fishery High School.

More anniversaries: February 8 – February 9 – February 10

Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries

It is now February 9, 2013 (UTC) – Reload this page

Today's featured picture

Alstroemeria x hybrida, an Alstroemeria hybrid, at the Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens in Bangalore, India. The genus consists of some 120 species and is native to South America.

Photograph: Muhammad Mahdi Karim

Recently featured: Enoch Powell – Himalayan Bluetail – Ronald Reagan

Archive – More featured pictures...

Other areas of Wikipedia

Community portal – Bulletin board, projects, resources and activities covering a wide range of Wikipedia areas.
Help desk – Ask questions about using Wikipedia.
Local embassy – For Wikipedia-related communication in languages other than English.
Reference desk – Serving as virtual librarians, Wikipedia volunteers tackle your questions on a wide range of subjects.
Site news – Announcements, updates, articles and press releases on Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation.
Village pump – For discussions about Wikipedia itself, including areas for technical issues and policies.