Buluh Lemang - Schizotachyum brachycladum

Lemang is a traditional Malay food made of glutinous rice, coconut milk and salt, cooked in a hollowed lemang bamboo, lined with banana leaves.

The lemang bamboo ( buluh lemang ) ( Schizotachyum brachycladum ) is used for cooking lemang because of its unique properties :

1. Availabililty – Not Too Difficult To Find
The bamboo is evergreen plant native to tropical Asia, abundance all over lowland secondary forest.  It produces several new stems annually, each stems grow to their maximum heights in their first year of growth.  Propagation is common, usually by rhizome and clum cuttings.

It has been used in Borneo, Java, Bali, Malesia, Cochinchina, etc for construction, handicraft, container for water and cooking, etc.

2. Length – Not Too Long, Not Too Short

Buluh lemang’s clum are erect and straight, about 10-15m in length, 6-8cm in diameter. With approximately 7-10 hollow internodes, each 20-50cm in length, buluh lemang is suitable as a vessel for cooking.

3. Thickness – Not Too Thick

The bamboo’s internode wall is thin, about 3-5mm think, comparable to other species of bamboo.  The thin wall is easy to cut through, shortened the cooking time and uses less firewood.  

Axonopus compressus : American Carpet Grass

Axonopus compressus (Sw.) P.Beauv.

Family : Poaceae

Subfamily : Panicoideae

Tribe : Paniceae

Synonyms

Axonopus compressus var. australis,

Milium compressum,

Paspalum compressum, P. platycaule, P. platycaulon.

Common Names

Cowgrass, broadleaf carpetgrass, American carpet grass, tropical carpet grass, blanket grass, lawn grass, Louisiana grass, savanna grass, Kearsney grass

Origin

Tropical America.

Distribution

Tropical and subtropical regions

Description

Shallow-rooted stoloniferous and shortly rhizomatous perennial, with glabrous, oval-section (± 3.5 x 2.5 mm) stolon internodes and bearded nodes;  forms a dense mat with foliage 15-20 cm tall, and flowering culms mostly 30-45 (-60) cm;  can be mowed to a turf. 

Leaf sheath compressed, keeled, glabrous or ±hirsute;  ligule a fringed membrane 0.5 mm long;  blades shiny, flat or folded, 4-18 mm wide, and 2-16 cm long, glabrous or hairy on the upper surface, margins ciliate, apex broadly acute or obtuse. 

Inflorescence a panicle comprising 2 or 3 (rarely 5) slender, spikelike racemes, paired or sub-digitately arranged on a long slender peduncle ;  racemes (2-) 3-7 (-10) cm long;  spikelets, 2.0-3.5 mm long, 1-1.25 mm broad, inserted alternately either side of a flattened rachis.  2.6-3.0 million seeds per kg.

Drought tolerance

Poor drought tolerance.

Tolerance to shade and heavy grazing.

Soil requirements

Adapted to well to moderately drained sandy or sandy-loam soils, but also to light clays and peats. 

Best in acid soils with pH (5.0-) 5.5-6 (-7), iron chlorosis above pH 7. 

Low tolerance of salinity (<4 dS/m).

Economics

Used as a permanent pasture, ground cover and turf in moist, low fertility soils, particularly in shaded situations.  It is generally too low growing to be useful in cut-and-carry systems or for fodder conservation .

Chrysopogon aciculatus : The Hated Lovegrass

Chrysopogon aciculatus (Retz.) Trin.

Synonyms

Andropogon aciculatus, A. javanicus, A. subulatus,

Centrophorum chinensis,

Chrysopogon acicularis, C. subulatus, C. aciculatus var longifolius,

Holcus aciculatus,

Raphis aciculatus. R. javanica, R. trivialis, R. zizanioides var aciculatus.

Common Names

love grass, kemuncup

Origin

Tropical Asia

Distribution

Tropical and subtropical regions

Description

A vigorous creeping grass with stout, tough rhizomes, the culms ascending to 45 cm. Inflorescence a small panicle, 7.5-10 cm long, with numerous slender branches. Spikelets narrow. Awn bristly, short and fine. The branches at first ascend almost vertically, spread obliquely at flowering and then bend upward again at fruiting. Each branch has three spikelets at its tip, one sessile and two pedicelled.

Drought tolerance

fairly drought tolerant.

Soil requirements

favours sandy acidic loams with pH 5.1-6.1.

Economics

An extremely common grass in village pasture in the plains of Asia because the prostrate, creeping stems resist overgrazing and trampling.

It used to be used as a cover for coconut plantations in the Philippines, and in Guam the straw was used for making hats and mats.

Its creeping rhizome and its capacity to resist hard grazing makes it useful for stabilizing embankments and similar sites.

Useful for rough lawns, forming a dense, hard-wearing turf, but a troublesome weed when uncontrolled because of the sharp-pointed seeds.

The seeds work through clothing and cause irritating sores.

Grazing animals suffer severely from the ripe fruits becoming attached to their hair by the sharp basal callus. By this means the fruit works its way into the flesh and causes extensive ulceration. Dogs frequently develop abscesses between the toes from the same cause, and germinating seeds of this grass can sometimes be pressed out of large bags of pus in the dog's flesh

A serious pest in north Queensland.  It is listed in USDA’s Federal Noxious Weed List 2012.

Artificial Grass @ Inspire

It Is Obviously Not Obvious

Artificial grass is an innovative product substituting natural grass, that can be used on a long term basis. With its equally natural appearance, artificial grass is not only beautiful but also more practical when it comes to maintenance and landscaping.

Usually used for sports fields, golf courses, residential and business compounds, artificial grass allows landscape lovers to enjoy perfectly maintained grass all year round, regardless of the weather condition.

The texture of artificial grass is soft yet tough, making it comfortable to walk on even without footwear. Because of its toughness, artificial grass is able to endure the weight of heavy objects without leaving any dry patches or discolouration. Most artificial grass are treated with a UV inhibitor which helps to shield it from drastic fading and degradation caused by UV.

Using artificial grass is a smart choice because it requires minimal maintenance, making it unnecessary to mow, trim or fertilise. It is also environmental friendly as there is no need for harmful pesticides and it does not require any watering, which helps save water as well.

Some of the advantages of using artificial grass are:-

Ö  Long lasting and the colour does not fade easily.

Ö Easy to install.

Ö  Safe for both children and pets.

Ö  More hygienic as it does not require dirt or mud.

Ö  Suitable alternative in areas with little or no sunlight.

Ö  Excellent for swimming pool areas as it is non-slippery.

Le Grassi

Measuring at a height of 40mm, Le Grassi is denser and more compact, making it suitable for use in an indoor setting or padding a safe children-friendly playground.

Features

Height:40mm  Gauge:3/8"      Stitch Rate:18(±2) stitches, with a 10cm width

Le Meadow

The measurement for Le Meadow is 36mm and is suitable for outdoor landscaping. It can be used in residential or business compounds, giving it an aesthetic look and creates a scenery that is pleasing to the eye.

Features

Height:36mm  Gauge:3/8"      Stitch Rate:12(±2) stitches, with a 10cm width

Le Uniq

Specially designed with a U-shaped yarn and a green curl yarn, Le Uniq is ultra flexible and is ideal for landscaping and gardening. The U-shaped yarn gives Le Uniq a tougher characteristic, allowing it to stand upright compared to other types of artificial grass.

Features

Height:30mm  Gauge:3/8"      Stitch Rate:18(±2) stitches, with a 10cm width

Le Clubio

Being 12mm in height, Le Clubio is best used for putting and mini golf courses. Its short and neatly groomed nature makes it easier for golf balls to roll a longer distance, giving golfers a more enjoyable golfing experience.

Features

Height:12mm  Gauge:4.5mm  Stitch Rate:20(±3) stitches, with a 10cm width

Chrysopogon zizanioides - vetiver grass

Vetiver grass, is Chrysopogon zizanioides, formerly known as Vetiveria zizanioides, is a perennial grass of Andropogoneae tribe of the Poaceae family.  The Andropogoneae tribe also include the infamous corn ( Zea ), lallang ( Imperata ), lemongrass ( Cymbopogon ), Job’s tears ( Coix ), sugarcane ( Sacharum ), sorghum ( Sorghum ), etc.  Thus it is not surprise vetiver resembles lemongrass in many morphological characteristics.  All member of this tribe utilize C4 carbon fixation in photosynthesis. 

In its origin Indian Subcontinent,  it is known as khus ( Hindi ), Valo ( Gujarati, Marathi ), Kuruveeru ( Telugu ), Vattiver ( Tamil ), Ramaccham ( Malyalam ), etc.

Vetiver can grow up to 1.5 meters in height and form clumps as wide.  The flowers are brownish-purple.  Its root grow vertically downward, up to 4 meter in depth.  Vetiver is frost and fire resistant, drought tolerant, and can sustain heavy grazing.

Most commercially grown vetiver are sterile.  They propagate via producing small offsets from stems.  Thus they are non-invasive and can be easily controlled.  One widely cultivated non-fertile cultigen is ‘Sunshine’, a genotype named after the town of Sunshine, Louisiana, USA.

Vetiver is widely cultivated in the tropical regions of the world.  The world’s major producers are : Haiti, India, Java and Réunion.   It is grown for many different purposes.  Its vertically grown roots make it an excellent stabilizing hedge for stream banks, terraces, and slopes.  Vetiver attracts pest, such as stem borer ( Chilo partellus ), to lay their eggs on vetiver, instead of on crop.  However, the mainly purpose for vetiver cultivation is for its essential oil distilled from its roots, to be used in perfumery industry.  The leaves, as a by-product, are feed to cattle, goats, sheep and horses.  The roots are also used in traditional medicine, as air freshener, to make ropes, and mixed with mud to make bricks for building houses, and to mark boundary lines.

Vetiver Seedlings - HumiVeti @ HumiBox

Vetiver seedlings are grown in BX1-50 Plug Tray with peat moss as media

Vetiver seedlings packed and delivered in box of 200

Phragmites karka

Phragmites karka is a very tall perennial common reed grows in thick pure stands on swampy lands.  The stems grow up to 5 meters in height and 2-3cm in diameter. 

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.





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.

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.

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.

四君子

四君子是中国画的传统题材，以梅、兰、竹、菊谓四君子。

明代黄凤池辑有《梅竹兰菊四谱》，从此，梅兰竹菊被称为“四君”。画家用“四君子”来标榜君子的清高品德。《集雅蔡梅竹兰菊四谱小引》：“文房清供，独取梅、竹、兰、菊四君者无他，则以其幽芳逸致，偏能涤人之秽肠而澄莹其神骨”。明万历年间黄凤池还辑有《梅竹兰菊四谱》，一般均借“四君子”来表现正直、虚心、纯洁而有气节的思想感情。各种形式的四君子图案纹样，一直流传到现在。

.

　　梅，剪雪裁冰，一身傲骨

　　兰，空谷幽香，孤芳自赏

　　竹，筛风弄月，潇洒一生

　　菊，凌霜自行，不趋炎势

.

据画史记载，南北朝已经有人画梅花，到了北宋，画梅就成了一种风气，最有名的是仲仁和尚，他创墨梅，画梅全不用颜色，只用水墨深浅来加以表现。据说他看到月光把梅花映照在窗纸上的影子，从中得到了启发，便创作出用浓谈相间的水墨晕染而成的墨梅。此后，杨补之在这种基础上又进一步发展了这种画法。创造出一种双勾法来画梅花，使梅花纯洁高雅，野趣盎然。元明以来，用梅花作画更多。元代最大的画梅大师应该首推王冕，他自号梅花屋主，他的水墨梅画一变宋人稀疏冷倚之习，而为繁花密蕊，给人以热烈蓬勃向上之感。王冕的存世名作，是他的一幅《墨梅图》他用单纯的水墨和清淡野逸的笔致，生动地传达出了梅花的清肌傲骨，寄托了文人雅士孤高傲岸的情怀。明清的画梅者举不胜举，如刘世儒、石涛、金农、汪士慎等，从风格来看，他们大体继承了宋人的疏冷和元人的繁密两种画风。

画梅人还必须有画梅人的品格，有人称之为“梅气骨”，一种高尚的情操和洁身自好的品格，正所谓：“画梅须有梅气骨，人与梅花一样清。”

..

人们画兰花，一般都寄托一种幽芳高洁的情操。如楚国诗人屈原就以“秋兰兮清清，绿叶兮紫茎，满堂兮美人”这样的诗句来咏兰。但兰花入画则比梅花晚，大概始于唐代。到了宋朝，画兰花的人便多了起来，据说苏轼就曾画过兰花，而且花中还夹杂有荆棘，寓意君子能容小人。南宋初，人们常以画兰花来表示一种宋邦沦覆之后不随世浮沉的气节，当时的赵孟坚和郑思肖，被同称为墨兰大家。元代以郑所南画兰花最为著名，寓意也最为明确。据说他坐必向南，以示怀念先朝，耻作元朝贰臣；他画的兰花，从不画根，就像飘浮在空中的一样，因：“国土已被番人夺去，我岂肯着地？”。欣赏绘画，也是必须了解历史背景的。而清人画兰，则以“扬州八怪”之一的郑板桥最为著名的了。郑板桥是一个注重师法自然的人，他画过盆兰。但尤嗜好画“乱如蓬”的山中野兰，为此，他曾自种兰花数十盆，并常在三春之后将其移植到野石山阴之处，使其于来年发箭成长，观其挺然直上之状态，闻其浓郁纯正之香味，因而得山中兰“叶暖花酣气候浓”的贞美实质。

　　.

竹入画，大略和兰花相当，也始于唐代。唐代的皇帝唐玄宗、画家王维、吴道子等都喜画竹。据说到了五代，李夫人还创墨竹法，传说她常夜坐床头、见竹影婆娑映于窗纸上、乃循窗纸摹写而创此法。到宋代，苏轼发展了画竹的方法，放弃了以前的画家们的双勾着色法，而把枝干、叶均用水墨来画，深墨为叶面，淡墨为叶背。以后的元明清时代，画竹名家辈出，只要是山水或花鸟画家，没有不画竹的，而且开始强调竹的整体气势。不过，在众多的画家中，郑板桥的画竹也堪称为一绝。 郑板桥的作品，存世较多，流传也广，自清代以来，被世人行家所叹眼，成为“人争宝之”的珍品。

.

菊花入画则稍晚，大略始于五代，比起梅兰竹来说，表现菊花的作品则相对要少得多。五代徐熙、黄筌都画过菊。宋人画菊者极少。元代苏明远、柯九思也有菊的作品。明清两代画菊的也不多。现有明代吴门画派中最享盛名的画家陈淳的一幅《菊石图》藏于首都博物愤，这是本来就较少的菊花作品中的珍品。