Kingkilaban (Mussaenda frondosa)

Wild mussaenda or kingkilaban (Mussaenda frondosa) is a species of plant in the Rubiaceae, a climbing shrub, 2-5 meters high, hairy all over, leaves sitting opposite each other, ovate to oval in shape, 15 cm long and 8 cm wide.

M. frondosa has flowers in panicles, star-shaped and orange-yellow in color. The petals are large and white. Pistils brown-orange. The fruit is round and narrow, bright green and black in color. This species grows in montane and sub-montane forests, slopes, elevations of 400-2000 meters and is semi-arid tolerant.

This plant contains β-sitosterol, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, β-stigmasterol, arjunolic acid, tannins, glycosides, steroids and resin. Often used as an anti-breast cancer agent, treating jaundice, asthma, fever, boils, leprosy, diuretic, coughs, wounds, diarrhea, eye pain and worm medicine.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Gentianales
Family: Rubiaceae
Subfamily: Ixoroideae
Tribe: Mussaendeae
Genus: Mussaenda
Species: Mussaenda frondosa

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...

Purhepecha oak (Quercus purhepecha), new species of shrub oak endemic to the state of Michoacán, Mexico

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