SecretGarden of SeriPinang : Over the Fence

Epipremnum aureum

Epipremnum aureum is native to Mo’orea, in the South Pacific Ocean.  It is a very popular potted plant, but has become naturalized in tropical and sub-tropical forests worldwide.

Dieffenbachia sp.

Dieffenbachia is native to the New World Tropics.    There are about 56 species of Dieffenbachia recorded.    Some species are widely cultivated as ornamental plants, and have been naturalized in tropical regions worldwide.

Artocarpus heterophyllus

Artocarpus heterophyllus is known as nangka (jackfruit).  It is originated from the Malesia region.  Immature nangka can be consumed cooked, ripened fruit is a very popular local fruit.

Alocasia macrorrhizos

Alocasia macrorrhizos is originated from the Malesia region.  It’s corm is poisonous but edible if cooked to remove the calcium oxalate.

Musa sp.

Musa includes aroub 70 species of bananas and plantains. Cultivated Musa are sweet and their seeds are tiny.  Some wild Musa are edible, but with bigger seeds, small fruit and less sweet.

Macaranga tanarius

 

M. tanarius is native to S.E,Asia.  It is a common pioneer species in disturbed land.

Mallotus paniculatus

M. paniculatus is native to S.E,Asia.  It is also a common pioneer species in disturbed land.

 Carica papaya

Papaya originated in the tropics of the Americas.  So unattended stand outside the fence is probably a escaped one.

Dillenia suffruticosa

Dillenia suffruticosa ( simpoh air ) is found throughout tropical S.E.Asia secondary forest.    The big hardy leaves were once used as wrapper for food and fresh produce in market.   

Piper aduncum

Piper aduncum is from tropical America.  Like its cousin in the Piperaceae, P. aduncum has a peppery scent.  It is therefore used as a condiment,

Sarikei : Local Produce ( Banana )

Bananas of Johan Setia & Kg Jalan Kebun

Johan Setia and Kg Jalan Kebun are 2 Malay kampungs south of Klang.  The main economic activity is still non-other-than agriculture.  Almost every household plants something at their backyard.  There are some smallholders planting oilpalm, pineapple, vegetables, fruit trees and other cash crops.

Banana are widely planted as cash crops.  A wide variety of banana can be found in makeshift stall along Jalan Johan Setia and Jalan Kebun selling fruits.

 

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 !

Musa x paradisiaca - nomenclature

The first scientific name given to plantain banana is Musa paradisiaca, published in 1753 by Karl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum. In 1759, Linneaus published Systema Naturae, described Musa sapientum, a desert banana.

These two names were widely used for almost 2 centuries. However, classifying bananas of S.E.Asia based on characters of plantain and desert banana are too confusing. Asia, being the center of Musa diversity, many cultivars is dual purpose.

In 1955, Simmonds and Shepherd suggested that Musa paradisiaca and Musa sapientum were hybrid cultivars, and hence recommended their abolition. They are in fact diploids and triploids that evolved through the development of sterility and partenocarpy in Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana.

However, according to rules of International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants ( ICNCP ), hybrids can also be given scientific name, with condition the epithet must carry the prefix x to indicate hybrid nature of the species. In this case, Musa paradisiaca should be adopted as it was published ahead of Musa sapientum. Thus Musa x paradisiaca is applicable to all hybrids of Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana.

Modern taxonomy using isozymes and molecular markers confirmed the multi-specifid origin of edible bananas. The use of nuclear or cytoplasmic RFLP probes can even determine the maternal and paternal origins of banana cultivars.

The diagrame shows interspecific hybridization of Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana in proliferation of edible clones.