Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Saturday, 3 December 2011
Valuation of Trees
Trees and other living plants are valuable, for they purify our air, act as sound barriers, manufacture oxygen, beautify our surrounding, provide shades, even historically, psychological, leisure etc.
But how much do that cost ?
Methods of valuation have been developed for landscape plants, including trees. A valuation by trained appraisers, usually accepted by insurance companies, courts, and public agencies.
Tree Valuation Guide ( ISA 2009 ) is the most widely used method in North America.
It is divided into 2 general categories :
1. The Replacement Method, for plants up to 8” in stem diameter
Value ($) =
( Plant Cost + Installation Cost ) x ( Species Rating x Condition x Location ) + Removal Cost
2. The Basic Formula Method, for plants that are too large to replace.
Value ($) =
Basic Value x Species Factor x Condition Factor x Location Factor
The Thyer Tree Valuation Method ( Australia 1984 ) was developed in Sydney, Australia in 1984. It was distributed for public use in 1985.
This method expresses the positive qualities of the trees, the contribution that the tree makes to the landscape, and the extent to which this is appreciated.
Value ($) =
Size ( height + canopy width + canopy diameter to dripline + circumference of trunk ) + Age + Physical & Social Qualities + Planting Cost
This method was designed to value trees on public land in residential or commercial area. It is not intended for use within bushland or jungle.
The Revised Burnley Method ( Australia 1988 ), was developed at the Victorian College of Agriculture and Horticulture Limited, Burnley Campus. It was first published in 1988 ( McGarry & Morre ) and revised in 1991 ( Moore ).
This method uses the volume of the tree as a inverted cone. The calculation is done by determining an average value for at least 3 specimens form different nurseries.
Value ($) =
Tree Volume x Base Value ( $/m3 ) x Useful Life Expectancy Modifier x Form & Vigour Modifier x Location Modifier
The modified Burnley method is self-indexing for inflation, and sensitive to changes in the value of trees due to changes in consumer preference. It has been tested in the courts and has been accepted as a realistic and well based method in the Australian context.
However, many arborists find the establishment of the initial base value time-consuming and tedious. It also does not deal with subjective components, such as historical or environmental significance.
The City of Sydney Tree Valuation Method ( Sydney, Australia 2003 ) was developed in 2003 for use in the city of Sydney to calculate tree value in public and private land.
Value ( $) =
Planting cost x Size x [ { (Age + 6)/3 } + 4 ] x [ Trunk Diameter/ (42/2)+0.5 ] x
[ Condition of Tree x Life Expectancy / 30 ] x Visibility x Heritage Status x Ownership.
It was purposed to :
1. tree valuation to assist with management of trees on public land
2. tree value calculation for inclusion in contract documents for public land
3. tree value calculation for compensation when trees are damaged on public land
4. valuation to set tree protection bonds for trees on private land
5. valuation to set compensation to the community for trees unlawfully damaged on private land.
The Guide for Plant Appraisals, 9th Edition ( USA 2000 ) developed by Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers ( CLTA ) has been widely used since 1951, and had been revised several times. This guide is endorsed by American Association of Nurseryman, The American Society of Consulting Arborists, American Society of Landscape Architects, The Associated Landscape Contractors, Association of Consulting Foresters of America, International Society of Arboriculture, The Society of American Foresters and the National Arborists Association.
Value ($) =
Basic Value [ Replacement Cost + {Basic Price x Trunk Area(at 4.5 ft) – Trunk Area(at 6 in) x Species } ] x Condition x Location
Friday, 2 December 2011
Green Product : String - Musa x paradisiaca
Banana fruits only once. That’s the way it is. Takkan pisang berbuah dua kali, that’s the local Malay proverbs means ‘having good fortune more than once’.
After fruiting, the banana plant is fell. It would be a waste of fertilizer to have a non-fruiting stand. The fallen trunk will soon decayed into organic matter.
For those lived through 1980s and older, before the use of raffia strings, groceries are tied in Cyperus strings , and occasionally banana strings.
I tried to re-fabricate the time forgotten banana string. Who knows, it will make a comeback.
First, chop the trunk into a 1.5-2.0m length , then peel the banana trunk till the core. The sheaths are carefully julienne into a 5mm width strings. Then the strings are hang to dry. Once they are dried, it’s done !
Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Phragmites karka
The origin of P.karka is uncertain. However it is widely distributed all over the Old World’s tropical regons.
Common name : Bayongbong, glagah asu, gumulong, kasongket, palungpung, parongpong, perumpung, prumpung, tatepal, tatupele ( Indonesia ), pit-pit ( New Guinea ), 卡开芦 ( China, Taiwan ), nal, nalkhagari, doka-ghas, kilak, potagala, chamana, perunanal, nalam, eela karra ( India ), kyu ( Cambodia ), say nui ( Vietnam ) etc
Synonyms : Arundo karka, A. roxburghii, Phragmites cinctus, P. roxburghii, Trichoon roxburghii.
This plant is a reliable indicator of freshwater. In places, such as at the mouth of Laguas River, Guam, there is a sharp division between the reeds and the plants which grow in brackish water.
The root of common reed is regarded as cooling and diuretic by the Chinese.
It is also used for thatching and making mats, baskets, chairs, fences, fish traps etc.
The culms used for hookah pipes, flutes, and pens.
Panicles are used for brooms.
The flowering stalks yield a fiber suitable for cordage.
It is planted at wetlands, treatment plants etc to remove nutrients, organic matter, COD and other pollutants.
Saturday, 8 October 2011
Grasses @ Broga Hill
Imperata cylindrica, commonly known as blady grass (Australia), speargrass (Nigeria), silver spike (S.Africa), cogon grass (USA), lalang (in Malay), 茅草 (in Mandarin), etc , is a species of grass ( Poaceae ), native to east and southeast Asia, India, Micronesia, Australia, and Africa.
It is first describe by Linnaeus in 1759 as Lagurus cylindricus. French entomologist and botanist Palisot de Beauvois renamed it to current accepted name Imperata cylindrical.
Its other synonyms include : Calamagrostis lagurus, Imperata allang, I. arundinacea, I. koenigii, I. pedicellata, I. sieberi, I. thunbergii, Saccharum cylindricum, S. europeaum, S. loenigii, S. laguroides, Sl sisca, S. thunbergii.
It grow from 0.6 -3 m tall.
The leaves are about 2cm wide, and narrow to a sharp point at the tip. Leaf margins are finely toothed and embedded with sharp silica crystals. Upper surface is hairy near the base, underside is usually hairless.
Roots are up to 1.2m deep.
Propagation via seeds and rhizomes.
It can withstand draught and fire, regenerates quickly after fire.
Propagation via seeds and rhizomes.
It can withstand draught and fire, regenerates quickly after fire.
Imperata cylindrica is found in areas where the soil has been disturbed, such as roadsides, building sites, agricultural land, ex-logging area, cleared jungle. Once established it often form dense monocultues.
Despite considered weeds in most part of the world, it is cultivated in some area for commercial uses.
In Papua New Guinea, it is used for thatching the roofs of traditional homes.
It s planted as ground cover for soil stabilization to prevent erosion.
It is also used in paper-making, and weaving into mats and bags.
In traditional Chinese medicine, it is use for its medicinal properties for astringent, febrifuge, diuretic, tonic and styptic actions.
Some cultivars are planted as ornamental plants, including the red-leaved ‘Red Baron’
Young inflorescence and shoots may be eaten cooked.
Roots are edible containing starch and sugars.
Pennisetum polystachyon also known as feather Pennisetum, mission grass, rumput gajah ( in Malay ), ekor kucing ( in Malay ), 狼尾草 ( in Mandarin ) etc.
Pennisetum polystachyon also known as P. triticoides, P. setosum, Panicum polystachyon, Panicum longisetum.
Originated from Old World tropics, probably India and tropical Africa.
It is an annual, simple erect in large clumps, capable to grow up to 2 - 3 m in height.
Leave are linear with narrow blade up to 45cm long.
Inflorescence is cylindrical with dense spike, yellow-brown, 10 – 26 cm long.
Propagation via seeds. Seeds are dispersed by flowing water, strong winds, or they may adhere to clothing or animal.
It canot stand heavy grazing. However, it tolerates fire.
It is capable to adapt to wide range of soil type.
It is capable to adapt to wide range of soil type.
In Thailand, India and Fiji, it is used as green fodder.
It is planted at slopes to prevent erosion.
P. polystachyon easily invades both wasteland and cultivated land, and of course moutainous land too.
At many places, it is regarded as noxious weed.
Thursday, 6 October 2011
Stenochlaena palustris - Miding
It is rhizomatous and epiphytic perennial, commonly found in fresh water and peat swamps, as well in secondary jungle.
The young frond tips, with or without open leaves are consumed as vegetable. The frond colour varies from light green to dark green. Red shaded leaves means malnutrition or unfavourable environment.
Stenochlaena palustris can be propagated from the spores. Stem cutting with 4-6 nodes and some leaves are also used. Rhizomatous stem can also be used.
Miding grows well on moist or irrigated soil.
It is very sensitive to herbicides.
Pests and diseases are not common, thus pesticides application is necessary.
Pruning of old fronds may promote new growth.
Passiflora foetida
Passiflora foetida is a species of passion flower native to the tropical New World. It is also known as wild maracuja, santa papa, marya-marya, wild water lemon, stinking passion flower, love-n-a-mist, or running pop. The ‘Passion’ in passion flower refers to the passion of Christ, due to its unique physical structure of its flower.
The specific epithet foetida means ‘stinking’ in Latin, refers to the strong aroma emitted by damaged leaves.It is a creeping vine.
The stems are tiny and wiry, covered with minute sticky yellow hairs. Older stems become woody.
The leaves are three-lobed and viscid-hairy. When crushed, the leaves give off a pungent odor for some people considered unpleasant. The flowers are white, about 5-6cm diameter.
Fruit s are edible, globose, covered by hairy sepals, 2-3cm diameter, yellowish-orangey to red when ripe.
Seeds are black, covered by whitish pulp
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
Floral @ Fraser's Hill
Poinsettia pulcherrima - Christmas flower 圣诞红
Hemerocallis sp - Daylily 金针花
Vitis sp - grape 葡萄
Tradescantia spathacea variegata - Moses-in-a-cradle
Spathiphyllum sp
Thursday, 15 September 2011
Terrestrial Ecozone
An ecozone is the broadest biogeographic division of the Earth’s land surface, based on distributional patterns of terrestrial organisms.
Ecozone delineate areas of the Earth’s surface within which organism have been evolving in relative isolation over long periods of time, separated from one another by geographic features, such as oceans, deserts, mountain ranges, that constitute barriers to migration.
An ecozone may include a number of different biomes. Yet similar biomes in different ecozones may be inhabited by plants and animals with very different evolutionary histories.
A bioregion is a geographic clusters of ecoregions that may span several habitat types, but have strong biogeographic affinities, particularly at taxonomic levels higher than the species level.
WWF scheme divides the Earth’s land surface into 8 ecozones, and further subdivides ecozones into bioregions :
| Afrotropic | Sahel & Sudan |
| Southern Arabian Woodlands | |
| Forest Zone | |
| East Africa Grassland & Savannas | |
| East Africa's Highlands | |
| Southern African Woodland, Savannas & Grasslands | |
| Dessert of Sourthern Africa | |
| Cape Floristic Region | |
| Madagascar & Indian Ocean Islands | |
| Antarctic | Antartica |
| Australasia | Wallacea |
| New Guinea & Melanesia | |
| Indomalaya | India subcontinent |
| Indochina | |
| Sunda Shelf & Philippines | |
| Nearctic | Canadian Shield |
| Eastern North America | |
| Northern Mexico | |
| Western North America | |
| Neotropical | Amazonia |
| Carribean | |
| Central America | |
| Central Andes | |
| Eastern South America | |
| Northern Andes | |
| Orinoco | |
| Southern South America | |
| Oceania | Oceania |
| Palearctic | Euro-Siberian Region |
| Mediterranean Basin | |
| Sahara & Arabian Desserts | |
| Western & Central Asia | |
| East Asia | |
| Freshwater |
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
Solanum nigrum - Meranti
Sayur Meranti or ranti is Solanum nigrum, a short-lived perennial shrub of Solanaceae family, native to Eurasia.
Meranti has small white flowers with 5 lobed corolla, about 5mm-8mm in diameter, with yellow stamens. Fruit is berry, green, about 6mm-8mm diameter turn black when ripens. It is reported that there is a red fruits strain in India.
However, meranti can be confused with a variety of other related nightshades : Solanum americanum, Solanum ptycanthum, and Solanum villosum. I myself cannot be really sure if the Meranti I encountered is really a Solanum nigrum.
S. nigrum is harvested for its berries and leaves. It can be consumed raw as salad or cooked.
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| Solanum nigrum - Meranti's berries, leaves, and flowers |
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| Solanum nigrum - cross section of a Meranti's berry, exposing its seeds |
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
Melastoma malabatricum - Senduduk
Melastoma malabathricum is known as senduduk ( Malay ) or straits Rhododendron. Together with some 50 other species, it is a member of the Melastomataceae family from S.E.Asia, India and Australia.
It is an evergreen shrub, up to 2 m tall.
Grows well in most tropical habitat.
Propagation via seeds. Seeds dispersed by birds.
Stem with appressed scales.
Leaves ovate, hairy, 4-14cm length x 1.7-3.5cm width.
Flowers in clusters, produced at tip of shoots. Petals reddish purple.
Fruit is a berry-like capsule with numerous seeds coated with red, sweet astringent pulp.
Seeds dimorphic, with and without embryo.
Fertile seeds folded or spiral, triangular to D-shaped, 0.45-0.8m long x 0.35-0.5mm wide ; testa light yellow to dark cream coloured.
Infertile seeds appear similar to fertile seeds but smaller, 0.3-0.5mm long x 0.2-0.3mm wide ; appeared collapsed, dented, or wringkled ; testa black or reddish-black.
Fruits is edible, sandy-feel taste, and stain the mouth and teeth dark-blued. The fruits are also used to produce black dye.
The roots are used to produce pink dye.
Due to its growth habit, it is regarded as noxious weed in many places.
However, regardless of its nuisance to human, it provides abundant food to birds, and other small mammals. Its flowers attract butterflies, and its leaves host caterpillars.
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| Flower, at full bloom |
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| Matured fruit |
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| Ripe fruit, cracked open |
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| Fruit |
References :
1. Federal Nozious Weed Disseminules of the U.S.
2. Encyclopedia of Life
3. Wikipedia
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
Jasmine is not Just Jasmine
Jasmine is a genus of shrubs and vines in the Oleaceae family, with about 200 species, native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World.
The most famous is probably Jasminum sambac, the Arabian jasmine. Despite its English common name, J. sambac is not originally native to Arabia. It was from South and S.E. Asia, and were spread into Arabia. From there, they were introduced to Europe.
Jasminum sambac
Family : Oleaceae
Common name : Arabian Jasmine, 茉莉花
Description : evergreen shrub, flower : white, fragrant, clusters, zygomorphic, multiple petals, full bloom at night
Origin : South Asia, S.E.Asia
Uses : ornamental, jasmine tea, national flowers of the Philippine & Indonesia, leis, corsages, crowns
The word 'jasmine' also loosely refers to many other flowers not of Jasminum genus or Oleaceae family.
Cestrum nocturnum
Family : Solanaceae
Common name : Night-blooming Jasmine, lady of the Night, 夜来香，夜香木
Description : evergreen woody shrub, flower : greenish-white, cymose inflorescences, zygomorphic, tubular corolla 5 lobed, full bloom at night
Origin : tropical America
Uses : ornamental
Gardenia jasminoides
Family : Rubiaceae
Common name : Cape Jasmine, Common Gardenia, 栀子花
Description : evergreen woody shrub, flower : white, fragrant, solitary, zygomorphic, multiple petals
Origin : Asia
Uses : depicted in Chinese paintings, fruit for Chinese traditional medicine & dye, ornamental
Gelsemium sempervirens
Family : Gelsemiaceae
Common name : Yellow Jasmine, Carolina Jasmine, Evening Trumpet flower, Woodbine
Description : evergreen liana, flower : yellow, fragrant, clusters, zygomorphic, bell-shaped, corolla 5 lobed
Origin : tropical America
Uses : ornamental, toxic, state flower of South Carolina
Millingtonia hortensis
Family : Bignoniaceae
Common name : Tree Jasmine, Indian Cork Tree, 烟筒花
Description : evergreen tree, flower : white, fragrant, panicles, bisexual, zygomorphic, long tube, corolla 5 lobed
Origin : S.E.Asia
Uses : wood for timber, bark for cork, leaves for tobacco substitute
Nyctanthes arbor-tristis
Family : Oleaceae
Common name : Night Flowering Jasmine, Coral Jasmine
Description : evergreen shrub, flower : white with orange-red center, fragrant, cluster of 2-7, zygomorphic, 5-8 lobed, full bloom at night
Origin : Southern Asia
Uses : Ayurvedic medicine
Trachelospermum jasminoides
Family : Apocynaceae
Common name : Star Jasmine, Confederate Jasmine, Trader’s Compass, 络石 , 百花藤
Description : evergreen liana, flower : white, fragrant, clusters, zygomorphic, tube-liked, corolla 5 lobed
Origin : East Asia
Uses : ornamental
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