Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from August, 2020

Songotan (Pogostemon auricularius)

Songotan ( Pogostemon auricularius ) is a species of plant in Lamiaceae, a perennial shrub that grows upright, 30-80 cm high, simple or loose branched stems, weak, blunt 4 corners, hair spread, pink, has strong bolts and grows wild in the forest, tidal areas and roadsides. P. auricularius has leaves oval or elliptical or ovoid, 4-6 cm long, 2-3 cm wide, cuneate base, pointed tip, serrated edges that are irregular except near the base, hairy, a bone in the middle and several veins that is pinnate. The petiole is 2-10 mm long and hairy. The inflorescences consist of dense verticillasters, forming dense terminal spikes and 4-10 cm long. Narrow elliptical bracts and long ciliates. Subcampanulation petals, dotted outer glandular, 1.2-1.5 mm long, has 5 unequal teeth, triangles and cilia. The petals are urn-shaped, 2.5-3.5 mm long and teeth often appear above the shoots. The crown has a size of 2-3.5 mm, a slender, protruding tube, 4 lobes, equal, blunt, pubescent and pale pink or white i...

Philippine violet (Barleria cristata)

Philippine violet ( Barleria cristata ) is a plant species in the Acanthaceae, erect stems up to 2 meters high, terete stems, branched, covered with soft trichomes, grows wild on roadsides, slopes, along rivers, xeric vegetation at altitudes of 100-2600 m and many used as an ornamental and medicinal plant. B. cristata has a petiole for a length of 0.3-1 cm, leaf blade oval to oblong ovate, rounded base, pointed tip, 2-10 cm long, 1-4 cm wide, a bone in the middle, the villi surface especially along the veins, 4-7 secondary veins on each side of the midvein, base cuneate and decurrent to the stalk. Inflorescences of axillary cymes are short and dense, short pedunculate, variable bracteoles, linear to linear-lanceolate, 2.4-6.5 cm long, 0.5-1.5 cm wide, 3-7 veins, cuneate base, usually spiny edges but sometimes accumulates and becomes spinescent with time and sharp peaks. The outer petal lobes are ovoid into a narrow ellipse to lanceolate, 1.2-2.5 cm long, 0.5-1.3 cm wide, pilose, re...

Rubyung (Pyrrosia longifolia)

Rubyung ( Pyrrosia longifolia ) is a plant species in Polypodiaceae, an epiphytic fern that grows vines on a large tree to form dense colonies and covers the tree trunk, grows wild in the shade of forest canopy, sometimes in open areas, plantations and neglected lands. P. longifolia has fibrous roots with rhizomes. Stems in the form of a rhizome that grow creeping, long, dark brown, 3 mm in diameter and densely noisy. Ptiolus blackish brown, 10-15 mm long, 4 mm diameter and has trichomes. The leaves are green, slightly thick, linear in shape, flat edges, smooth and shiny top surface. Sterile has an oblong shape and a widened center, 20 cm long and 2.5 cm wide. Fertile has a rounded tip, is 35 cm long and 3 cm wide. Sorus sticks to the lower surface, is round in shape, clustered on some of the upper leaves and is brown in color. The scales on the rhizome are oblong-ovate, 2-3 mm long, dark brown in the middle, flat, yellowish-white, and have more than 100 hairs. Trichomes of sterile ...

Plorok (Gloxinia perennis)

Plorok ( Gloxinia perennis ) is a plant species in the Gesneriaceae, tropical herb, has rhizomatous, erect stem up to 60-120 cm, tubular, branched, green and red spots, grows wild in shady and humid places, rocks, river banks and slopes wet. G. perennis has leaves arranged sitting opposite on a stalk, slightly rounded, heart-shaped base, pointed tip, serrated margin and has a thin maroon line. A bone in the middle and white with many pinnate veins. The leaves are thick, the top surface is dark green and a yellow tinge, shiny, bumpy and sometimes have small rashes. The bottom surface is bright green and maroon. The flower is striking, bell-shaped, about 4 cm long, horizontal, has fine hairs, is pale purple on the outside and dark purple at the base of the hallway, smells minty, clustered and solitary. The fruit is round to elliptical and contains many small seeds. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Lamiales Family: Gesneri...

Tampis (Xiphidium caeruleum)

Tampis ( Xiphidium caeruleum ) is a plant species in Haemodoraceae, herbaceous perennial, up to 100 cm high, rhizome propagates or collapses which progressively erect into stems, leaves widen to form fans and grow in semi-shady places. X. caeruleum has leaves that are shiny, green, rippled texture, linear like a sword with a length of 20-50 cm, flattened and arranged overlapping at the base to half of the leaf so that it looks like a fan, parallel threads and young leaves sometimes have soft spines. Flower buds grow on the tip of an erect panicle, egg-shaped, yellow-brown and will turn white. The blooms are white, small bell-shaped and have 6 sepals. The stamens are yellow and the pistil is white. Flowers bloom at the end of the rainy season and the change of seasons. Inflorescence arises from the middle of the top leaves, branches to more than 20 branches. Each branch contains up to 25 buds that bloom alternately. Pollination is assisted by ants, bees or birds. Young fruits ...

Tropical pokeweed (Phytolacca icosandra)

Pecut kebo or tropical pokeweed ( Phytolacca icosandra ) is a plant species in the Phytolaccaceae, up to 3 meters high, tubular, green or red in color, many branches, grows in forests, agricultural land, roadsides, disturbed areas and lots of sun. P. icosandra has a long petiole 0.5-6 cm. Leaves oval or sparsely lanceolate, up to 30 cm long, up to 15 cm wide, blunt base for thinning, sharp tip, a bone in the center with pinnate veins, dark green upper surface and lighter green lower surface. Flowers grow in bunches 10-20 cm long, red stalks and stand upward, each flower 5-10 mm in diameter with 8-20 stamens. Flowers have 5 sepals, white or pink or pale red, round shape which is long and wide. Berries grow in bunches, red in color and face up or down and each have a short stalk. The fruit is purple-black and 7-8 mm in diameter. The seeds are black, lenticular thick, 2.5-3 mm and shiny. Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: C...

White champaca (Magnolia alba)

Cempaka putih or kantil putih or white champaca ( Magnolia × alba ) is a species of plant in Magnoliaceae, a large tree, up to 50 meters high, lush, grows in forests and human settlements, white flowers, solitary, fragrant and widely used for traditional ceremonies. M. alba has a sturdy trunk, large diameter, branching, brown bark, sometimes growing new shoots on old trunks at the base and at the end forming several large vertical trunks that appear to be several trees with a base. Leaves are oval, elongated, thick, rounded base, pointed tip, a large bone in the middle and several pinnate veins, slightly thickened and slightly wavy margins, dark green and shiny upper surface, lighter lower surface and have a stalk with an enlarged base. Spear-shaped flower buds, white, green stalk, facing upwards and growing on the end of a branch. The flowers bloom facing upwards, have 8-15 fingers and are white in color. The pistil is erect in the center, is green, has layers and blooms in brown....

Dog's tongue (Pseudelephantopus spicatus)

Sandung or dog's-tongue ( Pseudelephantopus spicatus ) is a plant species in Asteraceae, perennial herbs, stems erect, 10-40 cm tall, inconspicuously ribbed, puberulous, grows wild on roadsides, open land and disturbed sites, often used to make brooms, animal feed and medicines. P. spicatus has simple leaves, rosulate or alternate at base, 5-15 by 1.5-5 cm, obovate or oblanceolate, margin slightly serrate to entire, apex obtuse or rounded, base cuneate or attenuate and subcoriaceous. Upper surface puberulous without glands, lower surface puberulous with filiform hairs and capitate glands. Lateral veins 9-15-paired. Petioles up to 2 cm long. Capitulescences terminal and axillary, capitula 1-4 aggregated in clusters supported by foliaceous bracts, clusters arranged in a spike. Capitula tubular, 14-17 mm long. Receptacle flat, 1-1.5 mm in diameters and glabrous. Florets bisexual and fertile. Involucres oblong, in 2 series, 10-11 mm long. Phyllaries 8, decussate, light green, margi...

African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata)

African tulip tree ( Spathodea campanulata ) is a species of plant in Bignoniaceae, a medium to large tree, growing up to 35 m high, trunk diameter up to 175 cm, flowers are reddish orange or dark red or yellow and are widely planted as ornamental and shade trees in all over the tropics. S. campanulata has a sturdy trunk and occasionally supported, thick branches mottled with small white lenticels. The leaves are opposite, very wide and up to 50 cm long. Leaf blade elliptical or ovate, 15x7.5 cm with 7-8 main veins on each side, pubescent, protruding below, apex slightly sharp, base slightly asymmetrical and stalk up to 6 cm. The flower has a short stalk, 2-3 mm thick, the ribs are almost straight and pubescent brown. Raceme is 8-10 cm long on stalks of the same length and a pair of small leaves about halfway, rachis and stalk thick, pubescent brown, bracts subtending pedicels lanceolate, curved, about 1 cm long, caducous and a pair of bractlets near the pedicel-like apex. The ...

Common sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus)

Tempuyung or common sowthistle ( Sonchus oleraceus ) is a species of plant in Asteraceae, an annual shrub with erect stems, 10-125 cm high, hollow, five-angled, branched, dark green and sometimes with a reddish purple tinge, grows in full sun and tolerates mostly soil conditions. S. oleraceus has leaves oblong, oblong-ovate or lyrate, base sagittate, basal auricles usually with a tooth obliquely pointing downwards, margins very acutely irregular dentate, teeth not pungent, apex acute or rarely rounded and glaucous on the lower surface. Lowermost radical, more or less narrowed into a petiole, pinnatifidpinnati-partite with irregular, acutely aciculate-dentate lobes and often with a triangular or ovate acute terminal lobe. Peduncle 1-5 cm long. The flowers are yellow or white, sitting on stalks at the ends of branches in irregular terminal panicles with main axes and lateral branches further forked and each axis ending in a flower or bud and having or not having hair. Involucre 8-9 mm...

Tiger grass (Thysanolaena maxima)

Tiger grass (Thysanolaena maxima) is a species of plant in Poaceae, large and perennial grass, growing in dense clumps, morphology similar to bamboo but smaller in stems, the shoots have a white flour coating forming tiger-like stripes, flowers collected and used to make brooms. T. maxima has an upright trunk and tends to be curved, up to 3 meters high, hard, has segments, has no branches and is dark green-black in color. The reed is solid, dense and not hollow. Ligules are membranous, 1-2 mm long and hairless. The leaf blade is lanceolate-oblong and wide, stiff, up to 60 cm long, up to 10 cm wide, rounded base, sharp tip, a bone in the middle, the upper surface is dark green and rough, the lower surface is pale green and a horizontal mark forms mold in the middle. The flowers are collected in large panicles at the end of the stem as terminals, 30-60 cm wide, 15-30 cm long. Each node has a branch, the wick has short hair, the bottom is free of spikelets, the lowest branch is up to 30...

Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Layang-layang api or barn swallow ( Hirundo rustica ) is a species of animal in the Hirundinidae, a distinctive warbler with a blue-black top, long forked tail, a pair of legs strong but not strong enough to fly non-stop all day long and often perch in large groups on power lines and man-made structures. H. rustica has a length of 17-19 cm including 2-7 cm of elongated outer tail feathers, a wingspan of 32-34.5 cm and a weight of 16-22 g. The top part is blackish blue, the bottom part is white with a long vertical line forming a curve to the stomach. The forehead, chin and throat are reddish brown. Elongated forked tail feathers and a white stripe along the outer end of the upper tail. The female has a shorter tail band and a paler underside. Juveniles are browner, the underside is whiter and do not have a long tail band. Barn swallow likes open areas including meadows and farmlands with water at altitudes up to 3,000 m. These birds usually grab prey in open areas above ground or ab...

Yellow joyweed (Alternanthera flavecens)

Benikan or yellow joyweed ( Alternanthera flavecens ) is a plant species in Amaranthaceae, perennial shrub, upright, 60-150 cm tall, rounded stems, long slender, spread upward, branching to form a trident, the tip ends with flowers, green with whitish scales. A. flavecens have oval or lancet or elliptical or long leaves, in pairs, 1.8-8 cm long, 0.5-3 cm wide, herbaceous, hairless or hairy, a bone in the middle with several pulses, shiny, surface the top is dark green and the lower surface is pale green. Flowers in the inflorescence and axillary terminals. Yellowish white head, subglobose to cylinder, length 0.9-2.5 cm, width 0.9-1 cm. Monomorphic tepal, green, lanceolate, 3.4-4.7 mm, acute peak, villi and non-thorny. Yellow Joyweed has five stamens, pseudostaminodes ligulate and margin laciniate. Utrikel included in tepal, greenish yellow, ellipsoid and size 2.5 mm. The seeds are ovoid and 1.2-1.3 mm in size. Benikan blooms throughout the year, grows into shrubs and spreads coverin...

Candlenut (Aleurites moluccanus)

Kemiri or candlenut ( Aleurites moluccanus ) is a species of plant in the Euphorbiaceae, a large tree, up to 40 meters high, up to 1.5 meters tall, the bark is gray and rather rough with lenticels, widespread in tropical areas, the seeds are used as source of oil and spices. A. moluccanus has young leaves, twigs and flowers decorated with dense star hairs, short and buttery silver in color as if dusted with flour. The crowns of large trees appear whitish or silvery from a distance. Leaves are single, alternate, dark green, stalk up to 30 cm long with a pair of glands at the tip. The leaves are round or ovoid or oval or triangular, up to 30 cm long, up to 15 cm wide, heart-shaped at the base, 3-5 triangles at the tip and finger bones only at the beginning. The flowers are in thyrsoid panicles in terminal or terminal axils, 10–20 cm long. The flowers are white, five leaves, short stalks, the female is at the end of an additional umbrella panicle, the male is smaller, blooms first a...

Anzac flower (Montanoa hibiscifolia)

Anzac flower ( Montanoa hibiscifolia ) is a plant species in Asteraceae, shrubs up to 6 meters high, rarely branched, terete stems with a soft sponge-like center, growing wild along forest boundaries, waterways and disturbed lands. M. hibiscifolia has a row of leaves arranged opposite, stem length 1-17 cm, terete, has hair, length 9-42 cm, width 4-25 cm, base of round heart shape, irregular jagged, ciliated, has five to seven lobes, accumulating at the apex, the upper surface is dark green and the lower surface is pale green. The flowers of the discs have 2-6 cm long stems, panicle cymose, many in the terminal and branching. The green crown turns yellow and 4 cm wide. Small achenes, 0.3-0.5 cm long, reddish brown, apex gland and four angles. Anzac flower fills the savanna vegetation, river banks, ditches, rainforest edges, road sides, neglected and disturbed lands. Interesting white flowers and leaves are often used for living fences and ornamental plants. Kingdom: Plantae Phylum...