Thursday 31 May 2018

Ficus pumila



Scientific Name : Ficus pumila

Synonyms :  Ficus hanceana, F. longipedicellata, F. pumila var. lutchuensis, F. repens var. lutchuensis, F. scandens. F. stipulate, F. stipulate, F. vestita, Plagiostigma pumila, P. stipulate, Tenorea heterophylla. Urostigma scandens, Varinga repens.

Common names : Climbing fig, creeping fig, 薜荔

  


Varieties & Cultivars

Ficus pumila var. awkeotsang 愛玉子
Ficus pumila var quercifolia
Ficus pumila ‘Curly’
Ficus pumila ‘Variegated’
Ficus pumila ‘Snowflake’


Habitat

F. pumila is native to the Old World tropics but is now cultivated and in some cases invasive to introduced places.



Risk

Reported to be invasive in Cuba  , Hawaii, New Zealand, Florida
Potential poisonous to mammals.


Description

The juvenile phase of this plant is morphologically different from the adult phase. Juvenile plant attaining several metres in length, much branched, climbing by means of adventitious roots; stems flattened; leaves 1.5-2.5 cm long, ovate to oblong, retuse at the apex, very closely spaced.


Adult plant developing into a much branched liana, with adventitious roots, attaining 10 m in length; produces abundant white latex when wounded. Stems flattened, striate, tomentose, glabrescent when mature, with short pendulous branches. Leaves alternate, simple, 4-7 × 2.2-4 cm, oblong, oblanceolate, ovate, or elliptical, the apex obtuse, the base subcordiform, the margins entire; upper surface dark green, slightly shiny, with the venation notably lighter; lower surface light green, dull, with prominent reticulate venation; petioles 1.3-1.6 cm long, flattened on the upper surface, pubescent, light brown; stipules oblong-lanceolate to subulate, persistent, 1-1.2 cm long, brown, sericeous. Syconium green, pyriform, up to 6 cm long, soft.


F. pumila has a symbiotic relationship with Blastophaga pumilae , an agaonid wasp for pollination, and is fed upon by larvae of the butterfly Marpesia petreus.


Uses

Landscape : Green walls, topiari
Ethnobotanical : Traditional Chinese herb






Tuesday 22 May 2018

Malpighia emarginata - acerola



Scienific name : Malpighia emarginata





Synonyms : Malpighia berteroana,  Malpighia lanceolate, Malpighia punicifolia var. lancifolia , Malpighia punicifolia var. obovate,  Malpighia punicifolia var. vulgaris, Malpighia retusa,  Malpighia umbellate, Malpighia urens var. lanceolate



Common name : acerola ( South America ) , Barbados cherry, seriz ( Haiti )

Origin : Yucatán, Central America



Propagation : seed & cutting


Description ( Fruit ) : drupe, red, 1-3cm diameter, 3-5g weight. 3 lobed, 3 triangular seeds.  

Uses : Fruit is edible, make into juice and pulps etc