Apple mangrove (Sonneratia caseolaris)

Pidada or apple mangrove (Sonneratia caseolaris) is a species of plant in the Lythraceae, evergreen tree, wide crown, up to 20 meters high, cream to brown bark with fine horizontal cracks, thick roots and appears in the form of rather thick pointed cones.

S. caseolaris has leaves sitting opposite each other, thick, oval or inverted oval, 5-10 long, 3-9 cm wide, wide rounded tips, often curved and the stems are often red.

The flowers are red, ephemeral, fully developed after 20.00 at night (nocturnal) and contain a lot of nectar. The fruit has a diameter of 6-8 cm, green, smooth surface, stemmed tip, cup-shaped petals that cover the base of the fruit and sour taste. The seeds are numerous and flat.

This species grows in brackish areas in mangrove forests and muddy soil along small rivers with slow flowing water and is influenced by tides and lots of sunlight, temperature 20-30C, rainfall 1500-2500 mm/year and pH 6.7-7 ,3.

This plant is a pioneer in mangrove forests, often growing in the sea but in parts that are protected from direct waves. The fruit floats in water and is spread by sea currents and tides.

This wood is durable in sea water and is often used for boat decks. Young leaves are eaten raw or boiled. The fruit is astringent and sour, eaten when it starts to soften and used as a seasoning for fish dishes.

Plants contain alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, phenolics (gallic acid, 2 luteolin flavonoids, luteolin 7-O-ß-glycoside), pectin, tannins, saponins, nyasol, maslinic acid. Often used as a hemostatic, a medicine for sprains, swelling, wounds and bruises, worms, coughs, smallpox, bloody urine and a stimulant.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Myrtales
Family: Lythraceae
Genus: Sonneratia
Species: Sonneratia caseolaris

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...

Red lip (Syzygium myrtifolium)

Pucuk merah or daun pucuk merah or red-lip ( Syzygium myrtifolium ) is a plant species in the Myrtaceae, a medium tree with a cylindrical trunk and produces cambium, up to 5 meters high, bark rough and light brown, many branches and strong roots. S. myrtifolium has oval-shaped leaves, pointed tip and base, up to 7 cm long, up to 2 cm wide, a vein in the middle, flat margins, shiny surface, bright red leaf buds and will turn green over time. The flowers are compound and arranged in panicles. The flowers bloom with a stigma in the center and are white. The fruit is round and up to 1 cm in diameter, the middle of the upper surface has a depression and is shiny black when ripe. This species grows in forests, agricultural land, roadsides and abandoned lands. This tree has a root structure that goes deep into the ground and is sturdy so it is often used to rehabilitate land, prevent landslides and store water reserves. This tree has a greater ability to absorb CO2 than other types of plan...

Dlium