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 are green then red and eventually turn brown to dry out. Reproduction using seeds or the base of rhizomes and flower stalks that produce shoots.

Tampis grows to form an abundant population in forests, lakeside, river banks, roadsides and open areas with partial shade and sun exposure for several hours. Often used to treat worm infections and ornamental plants in pots.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Commelinales
Family: Haemodoraceae
Genus: Xiphidium
Species: Xiphidium caeruleum

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) manufacture bubble-nets as tools to increase prey intake

NEWS - Humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) create bubble net tools while foraging, consisting of internal tangential rings, and actively control the number of rings, their size, depth and horizontal spacing between the surrounding bubbles. These structural elements of the net increase prey intake sevenfold. Researchers have known that humpback whales create “bubble nets” for hunting, but the new report shows that the animals also manipulate them in a variety of ways to maximize catches. The behavior places humpbacks among the rare animals that make and use their own tools. “Many animals use tools to help them find food, but very few actually make or modify these tools themselves,” said Lars Bejder, director of the Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP), University of Hawaii at Manoa. “Humpback whales in southeast Alaska create elaborate bubble nets to catch krill. They skillfully blow bubbles in patterns that form a web with internal rings. They actively control details such ...

Javan mocca or Javan slender caesar (Amanita javanica)

OPINION - Javan mocca or Javan slender caesar ( Amanita javanica ) is a mysterious fungus species and has been enigmatic since it was first reported by Boedijn in 1951 and after that no explanation or reporting of specimens is believed to be the same as expected. Boedijn (1951) described A. javanica which grew on Java island as having the characteristics covered in the Amanita genus. Corner and Bas in 1962 tried to describe Javan mocca and all species in Amanita based on specimens in Singapore. Over time some reports say that they have found A. javanica specimens in other Southeast Asia including also China, Japan, India and Nepal. But there is no definitive knowledge and many doubt whether the specimen is the same as described by Boedijn (1951). I was fortunate to have seen this species one afternoon and soon I took out a camera for some shots. In fact, I've only met this mushroom species once. Javan mocca is an endangered species and I have never seen in my experience in...

Asian house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus)

Asian house gecko ( Hemidactylus frenatus ) is an animal species in Gekkonidae, a medium sized reptile, up to 12 cm long, has a black phase, is nocturnal, lives mixed with other species in Gekkonidae in trees, wooden structures in houses and shrubs in the yard. H. frenatus has a relatively short snout, dorsal gray and whitish and mottled or blackish. Ventral white or slightly yellowish in color. It has no skin tufts on the sides and legs. The tail is round with rows of soft, white skin spikes. The scales are shaped like fine round spots on the dorsal side and come in various sizes. Having rash arranged in rows is rather rare. Two faint lines on each side of the body from the waist to the hips and a line above the hips. Rows of soft thorn-like nodules on each side of the tail. A pair of anal pores at the base of the tail at the back of the anus. The tail is slightly reddish orange on the underside towards the tip. Wide scales on the underside of the tail. The black phase is dorsal bl...

Dlium