Greater plantain (Plantago major)

Daun sendok or greater plantain (Plantago major) is a plant species in the Plantaginaceae, annual herb with rosette leaves, 15-30 cm in diameter, oval-shaped leaves, 5-20 cm long, 4-9 cm wide, pointed tip, smooth edges, stalk and 5-9 veins along the leaf.

P. major has small, greenish-brown flowers with purple stamens, dense thorns 5-15 cm long on stems 13-15 cm high. Seeds are attached to long spikes that soar high above the leaves. Each plant can produce up to 20,000 seeds, very small and oval in shape.

Greater plantains grow in grasses and fields, along roadsides and in other areas that have been disturbed by humans. Young leaves are eaten raw, older, more fibrous leaves are boiled in stews and eaten. Mature leaves contain flexible and strong fibers for making small ropes, fishing line, stitches.

Plants contain phytochemicals allantoin, aucubin, ursolic acid, flavonoids, and asperuloside. The leaves are commonly used in traditional medicine for wounds, or insect stings. The root is used for fever and respiratory infections.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Lamiales
Family: Plantaginaceae
Tribe: Plantagineae
Genus: Plantago
Species: Plantago major
Subspecies: Plantago major ssp. intermedia, Plantago major ssp. major

Plumeria rubra and Plumeria obtusa, the differences

SPECIES HEAD TO HEAD - The genus frangipani trees ( Plumeria Tourn. ex L.) has only 18 officially recorded species and two very similar species, frangipani ( Plumeria rubra L.) and white frangipani ( Plumeria obtusa L.). Both have the same habitus, flowers and fruits and are difficult to distinguish. The leaves of both species have slightly different shapes. Therefore, the leaves are very important to distinguish the two species, especially the shape of the tip. P. rubra has simple, lanceolate leaves with acute tips. P. obtusa has simple, elliptic leaves with rounded tips. By Aryo Bandoro Founder of Dlium.com . You can follow him on X: @Abandoro . Read more: Plumeria rubra Plumeria obtusa

Bugang (Clerodendrum calamitosum)

Bugang ( Clerodendrum calamitosum ) is a species of plant in the Lamiaceae family. It is an erect shrub, growing up to 1 meter tall, with cylindrical, green stems and white hairs. The leaves are opposite. The leaf blade is oval, wavy, with a central main vein with numerous pinnate minor veins, and serrated margins. The leaves are up to 9 cm long and 7 cm wide. The petiole is up to 2 cm long. The flowers are star-shaped, white, up to 3 cm in diameter and up to 6 cm in total length. The fruit is round, dark green, turning black when ripe. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Lamiales Family: Lamiaceae Subfamily: Ajugoideae Genus: Clerodendrum L. in Sp. Pl.: 637 (1753) Species: Clerodendrum calamitosum L. in Mant. Pl. 1: 90 (1767) HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS Clerodendrum fastigiatum (W.Hunter ex Ridl.) H.J.Lam in Verben. Malay. Archip.: 317 (1919) Volkameria alternifolia Burm.f. in Fl. Indica: 137 (1768) Volkameria fastigiata W.Hunter...

Lady Susan's orchid (Pecteilis susannae)

Lady Susan's orchid ( Pecteilis susannae ) is a plant species in the Orchidaceae, a large to giant terrestrial orchid, growing upright, white flowers and large in karst to limestone landscapes and flowering December-January. P. susannae has an erect, thick, leafy stem with a basal sheath and is oval in shape with a pointed tip and has no stalk. Large flowers, stalks and ovaries 4-6 cm, shallow wings and hairless. Dorsal sepals erect, ovate to globose, 2.5-3 x 2-2.8 cm, blunt end rounded. Lateral sepals spread, broadly ovoid, slightly oblique, 2.5-4 x 1.2-2.2 cm, usually slightly longer than the dorsal sepals and blunt apex. Calyx linear lance-shaped, 7-12 x 2.5 mm, lip irregularly ovate and 2.5-4.0 x 2.5-4.4 cm. Lateral lobes broad, subflabellate, 1.6-2.2 x 1.8-2.4 cm, entire lateral margin, apical margins frayed torn, Mid-lobe linear-oblong, 18-30 x 4-6 mm, moderately fleshy and intact. Straight to gradually curved forward, 6-13 cm x 3-5 mm and pointed end. TAXON Kingdom: Pl...

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