Natural History Notes

Phyllagathis rotundifolia Phyllagathis rotundifolia is a fairly common plant in forested areas, where it thrives in the humid and relatively dimly lit understory. A herbaceous member of the Melastomataceae family, it is a compact and sprawling plant often found along shaded trails. Its glossy, oppositely arranged leaves, with their prominent parallel veins, bear a resemblance to those of Clidemia hirta , another member of the melastome family. However, P. rotundifolia has broader leaves and exhibits a darker green pigmentation, an adaptation that helps it capture the scarce light available in the understory. Flowers of Pyllagathis rotundifolia The plant produces tiny yet striking purple flowers, held in panicles, creating a vivid contrast against the dark forest floor. Due to its neat, compact growth and attractive foliage, it is also cultivated as an ornamental plant. Plants within the Melastomataceae family are known for their anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. In the ...

Sea Hibiscus flowers just last a dawn-to-dusk. The Sea Hibiscus ( Hibiscus tiliaceus ) is a small flowering tree commonly found along beaches and mangroves. It can grow to heights exceeding 10 meters and is characterized by its heart-shaped leaves that are arranged alternately along the branches. The tree produces striking flowers, approximately 10 cm in diameter, which start as yellow with a darker base and gradually transition to a pinkish-orange hue. The fruit is a capsule with a persistent calyx that splits into several parts when ripe. Sea Hibiscus fruits change from green to brown as they mature. With a geographic range spanning the Indo-Pacific region and the Pacific Islands, this tree is known by various names, such as Waru in the Philippines and Bebaru in Malaysia. In parts of the Americas, where it is considered an invasive species, this member of the Malvaceae family is referred to as Mahoe . Sea Hibiscus growing along mangroves. The Sea Hibiscus can be used in landscaping...

The multiple fruit of the Indian Mulberry The Indian Mulberry, also known scientifically as Morinda citrifolia is a valuable tree because almost all of it parts – leaves, fruits, barks and roots, are useful as a source of food, medicine and dyes. The young leaves are eaten as vegetables in Thailand and Indonesia. The fruit is also edible, but it is unpopular partly due to its unpleasant smell and mainly eaten during famine. Before the advent of modern dyes, the roots and barks were important source of dyes particularly for batik production in Java.  The flowering head of the Indian Mulberry contains many flowers. In traditional medicine, Morinda citrifolia has been used to treat a wide array of diseases and conditions that affect the digestive and respiratory system, as well as healing skin problems and wounds. In recent times, studies have shown that the seeds of Morinda citrifolia contain linoleic acid, a type of fatty acid which provides many health benefits...

The Snakeweed ( Stachytarpheta spp.), also called Porterweed, is an introduced species originated from South America. A shrub reaching up to 2 m, it exhibits many typical features of the family Verbenaceae in which in belongs. The leaves, for example, are oppositely arranged, and the flowers are tubular, each with five 5 petals. Snakeweed flowers may be blue, light blue or white. Snakeweed’s flowers are borne on elongated spikes, and the flowers come in different colors ranging from white, light blue to deep blue. This characteristic may help identification for several species looks very similar to the novice in many aspects except for the flowers. A case in point is Stachytarpheta Cayennensis and S. jamaicensis which may produce white and blue flowers respectively. Snakeweed leaves are oppositely arranged. Throughout its distribution in Southeast Asia, snakeweed is known by different names including Limbagat (Philippines), Gewongan (Indonesia), Selasih Dandi (Ma...

The rainforest ecosystem in Southeast Asia is home to many species of gingers (family Zingiberaceae), each with distinctive flowers that may greatly aid identification. The most famous because of its value as a garden plant is the Torch Ginger ( Etlingera elatior ), which has a large flower borne on a rather long stem that grows vertically from the soil. Etlingera littoralis flower A lesser known ginger of the genus Etlingera is E. littoralis . In contrast to E. elatior , it has red flower that grows directly on the ground. Some forms of this ginger have yellow-bordered flower petals particularly those found around southern Thailand. Both species is beneficial as food and medication. For instance, the flower of E. elatior and the fruit of E. littoralis are edible. The former is also helpful in treating headache and stomachache. Inflorescence of Costus speciosus More conspicuous than those species mentioned earlier is Costus specious , because of its ability to grow ...

The Castor Bean ( Ricinus communis ) is easily identified by its palmately lobed leaves with toothed margin held by a rather long stalk.  It originated from parts of Africa and Middle East but now has spread to many tropical countries where it grows along rivers, roadside and disturbed places.  Inside the capsular fruit, which is covered with soft bristles, are several smooth and glossy seeds or beans. Castor Bean leaves Castor Bean is most notable for its poisonous properties, due to the presence of ricin especially inside the seed.  Ricin can enter the cell and block protein production, a critical process for living organisms. Eating the seeds causes stomach pain, water loss, nausea, vomiting, and in severe cases death. Castor Bean fruits Despite its reputation as a poisonous plant, the oil extracted from this plant has many benefits. Aside from being used as lubricants, Castor oil is also used in the production of varnishes, polishes and ink. In medicin...

Despite its name, the Madagascar periwinkle ( Catharanthus roseus madagascariensis ) is believed to be native to Central America, specifically the Caribbean. A widely used garden plant, the Madagascar periwinkle is especially useful as covering plant by growing them in large numbers around other plants, particularly those with larger flowers. Periwinkle flowers However, it is in medicine that the Madagascar periwinkle as been proven highly beneficial.  In many tropical countries including those in Africa, Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent, this plant is utilized in traditional medicine to cure various ailments like heart condition, diabetes, indigestion and toothache. More importantly, modern medicine has been using the alkaloids extracted from the Madagascar periwinkle to treat certain types of cancer. It is so effective to the extent that the chance of surviving some form of cancer such as pediatric leukemia has increased dramatically. The Madagascar periwinkle...

Urena lobata or Ceasarweed is one of the common shrubs growing in disturbed areas and it can reach more than 1.5m tall. The flower is attractive - pink with five petals and borne on the leaf axil. It looks like tiny hibiscus flower, and indeed it belongs to the same family as the Hibiscus, Malvaceae. The fruit is spiky and easily adheres to human trousers or presumably animal fur as well.  The leaves are palmately lobed and hairy. Urena lobata growing along rural roadside Urena lobata is also referred as the Congo Jute, because its fiber is similar in quality to that of the Jute. For this reason it is planted in Congo and some countries in South America and Asia where the fiber is made into rope and paper. Apart from being a source of fiber, the Congo Jute/Ceasar weed has many uses in traditional medicine. The leaf is known to be used as pain killers and to treat dirrhoea. The bark is beneficial to treat skin injuries and the plant is also used to treat swellings. ...

Coral Swirl ( Wrigthia antidysenterica )

Cat's Whiskers is a widely used plant in traditional medicine in South-east Asia where the dried leaves are used to make a tea with diuretic properties that helps get rid of uric acid, as well as kidney and urinary stones. The flowers are white or pale lilac in color, sprouting long filaments resembling whiskers, hence its name.