Years ago, whilst walking along the streets of a northern suburb of Cairns, a red fruit caught my attention. It was a large capsule the size of a huge egg, which split open very neatly along three suture lines and … Continue reading →
Female flowers Manioc, as this plant is better known, deserves a whole book written on it for its gastronomic virtues. But for now, it is enough to say that this shrub is a gift to the world as it provides … Continue reading →
Is it nice to have an example of a type genus for a plant family to grace the gardens and waysides of Queensland. The genus Malpighia is named in to honor Marcello Malpighia (1628-1693), a distinguished naturalist at Bologna, Italy. … Continue reading →
Commonly by various names such as the Flaming Glorybower, this vigorous vine, native to tropical Africa, is grown for its showy and ornamental red blossoms. Beautiful these flowers are! – brilliant bright red, very showy, and borne in terminal clusters. … Continue reading →
This herb, also known commonly as pignut or chan, is a native of tropical regions of Mexico, Central, the West Indies, and South America. It has been widely naturalized in tropical parts of Africa, Asia and Australia. It grows to … Continue reading →
For over a year the identity of this shrub vexed me, even after it flowered, even after it fruited. The strongly raised extrafloral nectaries were quite indicative of a Euphorbiaceae. I wasn’t sure if it was native or not, as … Continue reading →
The loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) is a tree from the Rose family, native to south-central China. It is a large evergreen shrub or small tree, grown in private gardens as an ornamental with sweet smelling flowers, and probably for its edible … Continue reading →
The Rose Apple is planted quite frequently in urban areas, but comparatively few people know that it is delicious. It’s called the Rose Apple for a good reason – the flesh has a rosy flavour.
Phytolacca octandra is a very descriptively named soft-stemmed shrub or herb by Linnaeas (Greek: “phyton” meaning plant; Neo-Latin: “lacca” meaning lacquer, alluding to the red dye of the berries). The common name Inkweed is also an allusion to the red … Continue reading →
A native of Philippine islands, this ornamental shrub is also known as Parrot’s Beak. The down-hanging inflorescence that bear the bright yellow and curious looking flowers are botanically classified as a paniculate cyme. The yellow flowers are accompanied by purple-brown … Continue reading →
Been in Australia for over a decade gazing at plants, both large and small, grasses and trees, in rain forest and savanna, in the tropics and in temperate zones. I love connecting with people with similar interests. You can read more about me on my About page and at my personal BLOG.
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Leaf Whispering in the Tropics 