Plant of the Month
Cosmos caudatus
Cosmos caudatus, also known as Ulam Raja (meaning ‘king’s salad’ in Bahasa Melayu), is an annual herbaceous plant that can grow up to 2.5 m tall. Its ornamental pink to purple flowers attract butterflies and bees. The deeply lobed, pinnately compound leaves add a visually lacy texture in the landscape. Young leaves are eaten raw in salads in the Malay cuisine and the nutritious leaves have a pleasant, mango-like flavour. The plant is also used in traditional medicine in Southeast Asia.
Animal of the Month
Cypraea tigris
Cypraea tigris, commonly known as the Tiger Cowrie, is a large sea snail found on the ocean floor in the Indo-Pacific region. Once common, it is now much less abundant due to shell collecting and habitat destruction. In Singapore, it is exceedingly rare.
White to Black
Did you know that Gluta wallichii also known as Rengas Kerbau Jalang, is a tree that produces milky-coloured sap that changes to black? Species from the Mango family (Anacardiaceae) exude colourless, pale yellow or clear resinous sap which oxidises to black upon exposure to air.
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Tristaniopsis obovata and Tristaniopsis whiteana
Did you know that Tristaniopsis obovata and Tristaniopsis whiteana can be distinguished by differences in bark, leaves and flowers? Pick up quick tips from our botanists with this easy-peasy comparisons guide!
Tristaniopsis obovata and Tristaniopsis whiteana..jpg)
The 3 Musketeers and the Fourth
Did you know that there is not 1 but 3 species of Resam (Dicranopteris sp.) in Singapore? They are namely D. curranii, D. linearis var. linearis and D. subpectinata. Often found growing together along forest edges and exposed grounds, the sprawling ferns are fast-growing which form large dense bushes known as thickets. Another species that looks similar and is often mistaken to be a Resam is Sticherus truncatus. It can be distinguished by its fully foliated branching while the branching of Resam species remain bare.
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Sacrificing seeds for pollination
Did you know that the Monkey Apple (Glochidion littorale) is pollinated by a seed parasite? Native to Singapore, the Monkey Apple attracts its pollinator, the Leaf-flower Moth (Epicephala species) by offering the moth caterpillars its seeds as food! The moth pollinates and deposits eggs in the plant’s ovary. After the fruit develops, the hatched young then feed on some of the seeds. This strategy of sacrificing some seeds for the greater good of the species is one of many plant-insect interactions in our tropical ecosystem.
Monkey Apple
Petal tradeoff
Did you know that the critically endangered Rubroshorea parvifolia is pollinated by Leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae spp)? This majestic emergent tree typically flowers once every 5 to 10 years. When in bloom, the tree crown is covered in small yellow flowers. Leaf beetles play a crucial role by simultaneously feeding on the petals and pollinating the flowers. This strategy of sacrificing the petals to increase the chances of pollination is one of many plant-insect interactions in our tropical ecosystem.
Rubroshorea parvifolia
Sunda Slow Loris
Video of wild Sunda Slow Loris in Singapore, captured on Night Vision Equipment.