Beach morning glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae)

Katang-katang or tapak kuda or beach morning glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae) is a plant species in the Convolvulaceae, growing up to 30 meters long on sandy beaches and rock cliffs, green-brown stems, roots on each segment and secretes white latex.

I. pes-caprae has leaves that sit spread out, stalks 2-3 cm long, sap is white and oozes when broken. Leaf blade in the shape of a butterfly wing, divided at the tip and base, elongated round, thick, smooth and shiny surface, hairless, green in color and flat edge.

Compound inflorescences with one or more flowers. The flowers are funnel-shaped and purple in color. The stalk is 3-16 cm long. Calyx is not the same, somewhat hideous, trumpet-shaped corolla and purple to reddish.

Dehiscent fruit, round to slightly flat capsule, 12–17 mm long and four seeds. Seeds are black and tightly haired, light and brown, 6–10 mm.

Beach morning glories have a pan-tropical distribution along beaches or rocky soil containing sand. It often grows just behind the tidal line on the beach. It also grows on land, along roadsides and ditches, up to an elevation of 800 meters.

Rural communities believe hoof is used to treat constipation, stomach cramps and pain, prevent swelling from jellyfish stings, abscesses and speed up boils, difficulty urinating, preventing edema and kidney problems.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Solanales
Family: Convolvulaceae
Subfamily: Convolvuloideae
Tribe: Ipomoeeae
Genus: Ipomoea
Species: Ipomoea pes-caprae
Subspecies: Ipomoea pes-caprae ssp. brasiliensis, Ipomoea pes-caprae ssp. pes-caprae

Black jumping spider (Hyllus diardi)

Black jumping spider ( Hyllus diardi ) is an animal species in the Salticidae, black and white spiders, long hair, round head, elongated belly, relatively small, arboreal, perched on leaves in bushes and low trees in forests and agricultural lands. H. diardi has black and white color, shiny surface and white hair all over the body. The head is round, shiny black with a linear white line in the middle. Black eyes on the front of the head. The stomach has an elongated, jointed, black cylindrical shape with black plots at the top of each segment. The legs are long, segmented, shiny black or brownish in color and hairy. Black jumping spiders live arboreal, perch on leaf surfaces, low bushes, trees in forests, agricultural land, roadsides and shade. Very sensitive to human presence and will hide behind leaves to avoid sight. Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Subphylum: Chelicerata Class: Arachnida Order: Araneae Suborder: Araneomorphae Infraorder: Entelegynae Superfamily: Salticoi...

A deep-sea isopod Bathyopsurus nybelini adapted to feed submerged Sargassum algae

NEWS - Incredible footage shows a marine species, Bathyopsurus nybelini , feeding on something that sinks from the ocean’s surface. Researchers using the submersible Alvin found the isopod swimming 3.7 miles down using its paddle-like legs to catch an unexpected food source: Sargassum. Researchers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), the University of Montana, SUNY Geneseo, Willamette University and the University of Rhode Island found the algae sinking, while the isopod waited and adapted specifically to find and feed on the sinking nutrient source. The Sargassum lives on the surface for photosynthesis. The discovery of a deep-sea animal that relies on food that sinks from the waters miles above underscores the close relationship between the surface and the deep. “It’s fascinating to see this beautiful animal actively interacting with sargassum, so deep in the ocean. This isopod is extremely rare; only a handful of specimens were collected during the groundbreaking Swedis...

Awar awar (Ficus septica)

Awar-awar or lagnob or hauli tree or barabar or sirih popar or tobo tobo ( Ficus septica ) is species of plants in Moraceae, trees grow in bushes or in neglected places and sap contained in roots, twigs, leaves and fruit is used to treat poisoning and digestive problems. F. septica is usually 1-5 m high, although in the forest it can be up to 25 m. Round, hollow and bare branches. Roots, twigs, leaves and fruit will emit a yellow sap and sticky if injured. The base of the leaves is large and spiky, arranged alternately or face to face with a stem length of 2.5-5 cm. Large leaf blade, round egg, 9-30x9-16 cm, rounded base and blunt narrow tip, flat-edged, upper side dark green with 6-12 secondary bones pale white. Fruit paired, single or clustered up to 4 items, short-stemmed, at the base has 3 protective leaves, light green or gray green and 1.5 cm in diameter. F. septica is food for 22 animal species including wasps, bats, birds, monkeys and mice as well as seed dispersing vecto...

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