Of things past, things present, and things to come....

Of things past.........

Described only in 2010, this beautiful Begonia from Southern Thailand is one of the most unique species discovered till date. Begonia pteridiformis, or the 'Fern leaf begonia' is named for its characteristic leaf arrangement which is reminiscent of the pinnate compound leaves of common ferns.

The leaf color, according to the original description, states that leaves are iridescent light green on the upper surface, and pale greenish white beneath. However, field observations has shown that other color clones exist, such as the one photographed below. It would be interesting to examine if leaf color expression for this species is simply a matter of genetic variation, or environmentally induced (addendum: the color clones are found in similar light conditions, but geographical location varies)



Things present.........

Begonia sinuata (Maple leaf begonia), a green leafed species from Peninsular Malaysia, is an oddity in its own right. While this species grows in the evergreen forest, it behaves somewhat like an annual. During certain parts of the year, one will not be able to locate any plants as they would persist either as tubers, or as seeds in the soil seed bank. This colony, photographed recently, is perhaps at the end of the 'growth cycle' where one can see a good mix of mature plants with smaller individuals that have just begun to flower.

And things to come .........

So what's the best thing that can happen in a new year ? It's when something that you've photographed may actually be a new species. This green leafed species with white flowers is purportedly something new; I'm keeping my fingers crossed so watch this space for updates !

Of Dillenias and a favorite tree......

I live in a city where there're probably more tree lovers than anywhere else in the world, area for area. I don't really know of course, but that is not too difficult to imagine considering how much tree cover that's been put in place over the years. Major highways are tree lined, as are the byways and the ordinary street in the neighbourhoods.



The tropical paradise that I've been blessed with....

So imagine for a moment, the dismay on the faces of some tree huggers when I announced that I was not as much a tree person as I was into herbaceous plants, shrubs and epiphytes - they could hardly believe their ears, but well, it's a matter of personal preference. That aside, I do have a soft spot for certain trees, and of them all, my favorites are from the Simpoh Ayer family (Dilleniaceae). Large showy flowers, ornate looking dehiscent seed capsules and large leaves for some species are sure winners, at least for me.


Dillenia alata in blossom


Dehiscent capsule of D alata with arillate seeds; these attract many frugivorous birds


I have my favorites even amongst this group, and the one Dillenia sp. that is above all, for me, has to be Dillenia philippinensis or the Katmon (the vernacular name in Tagalog). Katmon is a small to medium sized tree that is endemic to the Philippines, and well grown specimens produce attractive white flowers throughout the year. These are visited by Xylocopa (Carpenter) bees as well as the smaller hymenopterans such as the Honey bees (Apis spp) and Blue banded bees (Amegilla spp). If I could ever grow a tree, this species would be IT - for the compact growth habit, elegant flowers that are fit for a queen, as well as the edible but rather sourish and tangy tasting, indehiscent fruits that is used in Pinoy dishes.



Xylocopa bees are regular visitors to the Katmon



A close up of the exquisite blossom of D philippinensis , one of the few white flowered Dillenia species. D albiflos, which is endemic to Peninsular Malaysia, does not come close in terms of beauty as the stamens and pistil are also greenish white.

I can continue to extoll the beauty of this tree, but here's a rather interesting anecdote that I gathered from some of my Filipino friends. Apparently one of the ex-first ladies of the Philippines was so smittened by the beauty of the Katmon after visiting one of the gardens in the region, that she ordered her staff to procure trees to be sent back to the Philippines. Apparently neither her nor her staff were aware that this beauty was indigenous to her homeland. One may know her as the one with a penchant for all things beautiful, and in particular, footwear..........

Sigh of relief, and a new beginning.

I've never really written about anything else in this blog, but a return from an absence of 6 months does call for a short note - now that I'm able to breath once again, after a lengthy upheaval that has finally run its course.

Anyway, I'm exceedingly glad to be back, doing my heart's work. A new beginning is already on the horizon too, and it will open into blessings untold....

Native plants of Singapore (II) - Just in time for Christmas !

What are my favorite colors for Christmas decor ? While I would say that my inclination is for anything that's put together tastefully, I still have this 'thing' going for the traditional 'Reds and Whites'.

Of *Reds...
Over the Christmas season, I had the chance to photograph Uvaria grandiflora, a large climbing shrub that hails from the same family (Annonaceae) as the Soursops and the Custard apples. The stunning blood red flowers are about 5-8cm across, but remain partially hidden by the large leaves. It is a great native climber to grow if one has the space for it, and it is one plant that will not disappoint when it comes to attracting wildlife such as birds.

According to the Flora of Malay Peninsular, there are 2 varieties to this species - Uvaria grandiflora var. grandiflora and Uvaria grandiflora var. tuberculata. The latter is an endemic variety and has only been collected from Perak thus far. Uvaria grandiflora var. grandiflora is the more common and widespread variety and can be found throughout the Malay Peninsular. This is also the variety that we have in Singapore.

A closer look at the flower

And *Whites....
A couple of days later, while I was running an errand over lunch, I took the opportunity to check on an Anaxagorea javanica, one of our native understorey trees. While at first sight, this unassuming species may have nothing much to offer other than a dense crown of leaves, a whiff of the flowers would change anyone's mind - The small greenish white flowers that are partially hidden by the leaves give off a most delicious scent, almost like a blend of red apples and pineapples. I mentioned 'delicious' because it did make me quite hungry after getting a whiff of it.

There are 3 recorded varieties of this species in the Peninsular, but the only one recorded from Singapore is Anaxagorea javanica var. javanica. Of the other 2 varieties, var. dipetala is confined to Johore whereas var. tripetala has been recorded from the Northern and Eastern states in the Peninsular.

From what I have observed, this species flowers year round, but the intensity tends to increase during the wetter and cooler seasons in the year. Many gardening enthusiasts have long struggled with getting the right plants to fit into shady corners in their gardens, but with its fragrant flowers, shade tolerance and the tendency to bloom throughout the year - I think we may just have found the ideal candidate in this small tree.

A flowering branch with the flower peeking out from behind the leaves


Greenish white flowers resembles those of their edible relatives such as the Soursop (Annona muricata)

Unripe fruits

Note:
Christmas decor, as Christians would understand, is rich in symbolism right down to the choice of colors. Red symbolizes the blood of Christ that was shed for the sinners for the purchase their salvation, whereas white symbolized the purity of Christ's sacrifice, as well as how, once washed by the blood of Christ, they will become 'as white as snow'.

Malayan Begonias (II)

Malayan Begonias are a highly adaptable lot. From mountains to valleys, steep earth banks to bare rock surfaces, there is perhaps only one niche that they have yet to exploit -growing as epiphytes. Given that their neotropical counterparts such as B. estrellensis have already colonized the tree tops, it may just be a matter of time that we too may discover a species that has made that leap.

And now, back to where we have started - the mountains. The mountain ranges of Peninsular Malaysia are home to at least 15 species, most of which are rhizomatous, with a few cane like species. The most unique of the cane like species is B.lowiana, a densely hairy plant that has flowers with pointed tepals. A species that inhabits the cool mossy forests, this species is probably most at risk from shrinking habitat size due to the pressures of hill top developments.

Juvenile leaf

Infloresence & flower bud showing the pointed tepals

Closer view of the flower


As we move away from the mountain tops to explore the streams and rivers in the lowlands, we will encounter some rather unusual species as well. While most Begonias are not known to take kindly to waterlogging, Begonia barbellata seems to be the exception as it grows in swampy areas. The stiff red hairs, for which this species was names, is present not just on the leaves and stems, but on the underside of the tepals as well. Apart from Malaysia, B. barbellata can also be found in Southern Thailand.

Leaves and stems of B. barbellata


Side view of the flower showing the hairs on the underside of the tepals


Closer view of the flower


Tbc...............

Malayan Rhododendrons (I)

When it comes to Rhododendrons, what often comes to mind would be the potted Azaleas (in Chinese characters - "杜鹃" or 'Du Juan' ), or the large tree like Vireya Rhodendendrons that adorn the temperate gardens.

A largely intermediate or cool growing genus, Rhododendrons are found mainly in the northern hemisphere, with centers of diversity in the Himalayas, as well as mountains of Indochina, China, Korea and Japan.

Closer to home, a considerable number of species can be found in moutainous areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Malaysian Borneo and Indonesia. A sole epiphytic species (Rhododendron longiflorum) has been recorded from Singapore, but is now presumed to be locally extinct.


1. The Malayan Rhododendron (Rhododendron malayanum)

Rhododendron malayanum is a large shrub with a wide altitudinal ad geographical distribution, being recorded from elevations of 200 - 1800m, and from Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo and parts of Indonesia. This species was first described by William Jack in 1822, from a specimen that he collected in Bengkoh,Sumatra.

This specimen was photographed at 1,600m asl in Peninsular Malaysia

The underside of the leaves are covered with a layer of brown scales that gives it a rusty appearance and a rough feel

The flowers are visited by birds, but some insects often steal the nectar by cutting tiny holes near the base of the floral tube. Flower color of this species is variable and ranges from reddish purple, purplish pink to greenish white.

First sprouts for the year !

April and May are two of the best months in the calendar year as that's when most of the dormant Indochinese plants will spring to life. Two of the Amorphophallus species that made a head start this year are A. ongsakulli and A. maxwellii.

Ongsakul's Amorphophallus
One of the tiniest Amorhophallus species discovered till date, Ongsakul's Amorphophallus has leaves that seldom exceeds 10cm in height. This diminutive species was only described in 2006, but had this been discovered before A. pygmaeus, the latter would probably have to give up its namesake.

A ongsakulii hails from Khammouane Province of Laos and is relatively easy to grow. It's a plus point for those with limited space and would still like to include an Amorphophallus or two in their collection. As the name suggests, this species was named after Anop Ongsakul who (together with Alan Galloway) discovered the species.


Maxwell's Amorphophallus
On the other hand, Maxwell's Amorphophallus (A maxwellii) is not for those with small growing spaces - the mature leaf and inflorescence will easily exceed 1m in height. The juvenile specimen below is already reaching 1/2 a meter in height. This species has very attractive dappled stems, and is relatively easy to grow under our local conditions.