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 →
Meet “Allo the old cobber” – or at least what I imagine this familiar fella should be known as in Australia. Known to science since 1779, this shrub of mangroves and coastal regions is a well known and variable entity … 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 →
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 →
This is the well-known foambark tree famed for the saponin foam that forms on the bark after heavy rain. It is usually found in lowland areas in coastal rain forest but can also be seen in upland rain forest. The … Continue reading →
The common name of this attractive and elegant fig, the Small leaved fig is not really accurate and pretty uninformative for getting to know it. Figs are in a class of their own, and it is not difficult to tune … Continue reading →
A stately Moreton Bay Chestnut at the Queens Garden, Townsville. A truely iconic tree of the Australian tropics and subtropics, the Black Bean or the Moreton Bay Chestnut is found in Australia and New Caledonia and is the only species … Continue reading →
Everyone knows teak, the iconic timber tree. Teak is native to southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the Caribbean. The word teak originates from the … Continue reading →
A true seafarer, Caesalpinia bonduc (also known variously Grey Nicker, Gray Nickarbean, Grey Nickernut, Sea Pearl and Fever Nut) is widely distributed along tropical shores worldwide. It is a very widely travelled plant because the seeds are buoyant and can … 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 