African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata)

Kiacret or 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 is occasionally supported, thick branches mottled with small white lenticels. The leaves are opposite and rarely have three at one knot, very wide and up to 50 cm long.

Leaf blade elliptical or ovate, whole, 15x7.5 cm with 7-8 main veins on each side, pubescent, protruding below, apex slightly sharp, base slightly asymmetrical, lower leaves tend to reflex, stalk up to 6 cm and thickened at the base.

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 petals are strongly curved upward, asymmetrical, about 5 cm long, pointed, slightly striped, dividing when blooming up to several mm from the base along the curve of the dorsal, apex, horn-like, blunt, sericeous brownish pubic exterior.

Crown is reddish orange or dark red or yellow, 10-12 cm long, leg mouth about 7 cm, lobe about 3 cm long, blunt, very sharp edge and orange-yellow. The filaments are about 5 cm long, anthers are dull orange, linear, 15 mm long, yellow in color, 8 cm long and reddish pistils. The fruit is lanceolate and 17-25 x 3.5-7 cm.

African tulip tree grows naturally in secondary forest, high forest zone, deciduous transition forest, savanna forest and wet areas. This species rehabilitates degraded land through rapid growth. Creamy white, soft and light wood for carpentry, crates and covers. Edible seeds and plant extracts are used in medicine.

Ampoule-shaped flower buds and contain water, the buds are often used by children who play with their ability to spray water. The sap sometimes turns yellow on the fingers and on clothes. The open, cup-shaped, rain and dew resistant flowers are attractive to many bird species.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Lamiales
Family: Bignoniaceae
Tribe: Tecomeae
Genus: Spathodea
Species: Spathodea campanulata
Subspecies: Spathodea campanulata ssp. campanulata, Spathodea campanulata ssp. congolana, Spathodea campanulata ssp. nilotica

Sea almond (Terminalia catappa)

Ketapang or tropical almond or beach almond or talisay tree or umbrella tree or sea almond ( Terminalia catappa ) is a species of plant in the Combretaceae, a shady tree, fast growing, forming a multilevel canopy, often used as a shade tree in gardens and on roadsides. T. catappa grows large, up to 40 meters in height and up to 1.5 meters in trunk, shady canopy with branches that grow flat and terraced, young trees often look like pagodas while old and large trees often have aerial roots up to 3 meters. The leaves are scattered, mostly at the end of the twig, rounded egg upside down, 8-38 cm long, 5-19 cm wide, the tip is wide, the base is narrow, the upper surface is smooth, green but turns red if to fall out and short stalks. The flowers are small, collected near the tips of the twigs, 8-25 cm long and green-yellow in color. The flowers are not crowned, the petals have five taju, are plate or bell shaped, 4-8 mm long and are white or cream in color. Stamens in two circles and arra...

Asian foxtail (Uraria crinita)

Asian foxtail or cat's tail bean ( Uraria crinita ) is a species of plant in Fabaceae, a perennial, upright shrub with woody stems at least at the base, up to 2 meters high in forests, agricultural land, waterways, used as a medicinal herb, green manure and sometimes planted in the garden as an ornamental plant. U. crinita has elongated leaves, rounded base, pointed tip, a bone in the middle with several pinnate veins, rough surface, dark green with white spots. Petiole short or less than 0.5 cm and brownish red. Compound flower in spike shape, purple and white triangular crown. Long flower stalk, erect, 15-20 cm long and only at the end of the flower. The crown slowly falls off and leaves behind a stalk that is shaped like coir or light yellow pads. Asian foxtail grows in dry grasslands, open forests, trash cans, roadsides, sandy areas and sometimes in deciduous forests, elevations of 0-1500 meters and does not grow in waterlogged places. The different parts are often used in t...

Brazilian vervain (Verbena brasiliensis)

Brazilian vervain ( Verbena brasiliensis ) is a species of plant in the Verbenaceae, an annual shrub with erect stems, up to 1 meter high, triangular or semi-spherical in shape with sharp corners, green, white-haired, lower branches in an opposite arrangement, branches above grows in an irregular formation. V. brasiliensis has elongated leaves, up to 20 cm long, up to 4 cm wide, sharp tip, deeply serrated or flat margins, dark green in color, a main vein in the middle and whitish in color, several minor veins laterally, rough and stiff surface. Inflorescences in panicles at the end of a long stalk up to 5 cm long. The flower petals are 3 mm long, 5 lobed and tubular in shape. The corolla is formed from fused petals and spreads open at the tip, only slightly longer than the calyx. Flowers have reproductive organs of both sexes. Superior and bicarpellary ovaries. The fruit is a schizocarp or dried fruit that splits when ripe. Wrapped in petals. Nutlets are triangular in cross-sec...

Dlium