Flowers!

[godblessemall]

Hedgerow

 

 

 

[Assurancetourix]

[antoniuni]

Opuntia in Bangkok

 

[Roger Lee]

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[antoniuni]

Consumption


To prepare a pitaya for consumption, the fruit is cut open to expose the flesh. The fruit's texture is sometimes likened to that of the kiwifruit because of its black, crunchy seeds. The flesh, which is eaten raw, is mildly sweet and low in calories. The seeds are eaten together with the flesh, have a nutty taste and are rich in lipids, but they are indigestible unless chewed. The fruit is also converted into juice or wine, or used to flavour other beverages. The flowers can be eaten or steeped as tea. 



The skin is not eaten, and in farm-grown fruit it may be polluted with pesticides.
Ingestion of significant amounts of red-fleshed dragon fruit (such as Costa Rican Pitaya) may result in a harmless reddish coloration of the urine (pseudohematuria) and of the feces.
Several of the Padres who missionized Baja California recorded an unusual form of consumption of pitaya that is also shared in some O'odham stories from southern Arizona. It is called the "second harvest" of pitaya seeds. With the scarcity of fruits in their lands, the pitaya was such a prized fruit that once it was eaten, the natives would wait for their own excrement to dry, then break it apart separating the pitaya seeds. These seeds would be ground into a flour and eaten again, giving the pitaya's "second harvest" its name. Interestingly, the O'odham name for the Milky Way translates as "the second harvest of pitaya."


Taste

The mild taste of pitaya flesh is often remarked upon, as it stands in stark contrast to the vibrant exterior. The taste has been described as being "very bland... like a melon or kiwi," with a "mild sweetness."

Preliminary research

Pitaya peel contains polyphenols which are under basic research for their potential to inhibit cancer mechanisms.


PITAYA

Edited January 13, 2017 by samuijimmy
removed formatiing

[antoniuni]

EUPHORBIA TRIGONA

[antoniuni]

UTRICULARIA ULIGINOSA

 

A carnivorous plant 

[Roger Lee]

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[antoniuni]

Looking in the heart of a ASPLENIUM NIDUS, bird's-nest fern in Bangkok

 

Family: Aspleniaceae

Common name: Bird's Nest Fern

 

 

Asplenium nidus has been used locally in folk medicine (to treat asthma, sores and weakness) and hygienically to treat halitosis.

This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

 

The sprouts of A. nidus are eaten as a vegetable in Taiwan. In Taiwan this plant is called 山蘇 (pronounced shān sũ) and typically cut into inch length pieces and fried with garlic and chilli peppers.

 

ASPLENIUM NIDUS

Edited January 14, 2017 by antoniuni

[antoniuni]

The ASPLENIUM NIDUS as I found it in 1962 in previous Dutch New Guinea

Edited January 14, 2017 by antoniuni

[antoniuni]

And in Jakarta in 1977

13 photo's

[Roger Lee]

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[samuijimmy]

Interesting weeping plant with flowers popping out between foliage...about one meter high....  no idea of it's name!

[antoniuni]

19 minutes ago, samuijimmy said:

Interesting weeping plant with flowers popping out between foliage...about one meter high....  no idea of it's name!

Phyllodium pulchellum ???

 

 

 

PHYLLODIUM LONGIPES ???

Edited January 16, 2017 by antoniuni

[Ron19]

 

The Yellow Rose of Texas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LArGlfEVYqM

 

[Assurancetourix]

This morning, sunday 29 of january 2017 - Olympus TG 860

 

[antoniuni]

 

CAMPSIS RADICANS, TRUMPET VINE

 

 

 

Edited January 29, 2017 by antoniuni

[antoniuni]

Very sorry, I made a mistake: this is a vine from Catalonia (Spain)!

[antoniuni]

Afgekia Mahidolae

 

Kan pai mahidol or kan pai is a type of vine named Afgekia mahidolae Burtt et Chermsir. in the Leguminosae family. It is found in Kanchanaburi province, Thailand. Its leaves are compound with numerous leaflets. The stem has several petiolules. The dorsal side of the leaf has brown colored hairs. The flower is an erect panicle with white and purple color. The pod is flat, short and round. It's scientific name is given in the honor of her royal highness princess Srinagarindra, the princess mother.

This type of vine was first discovered in Thailand by Kasem Chanthraphrasong. Then Princess of Princess of Naradhiwas, Galyani Vadhana, later it was given the name "kan pai mahidol" and made the plant symbol of Mahidol university on February 19, 1999. The reasons were that it was discovered in Thailand, is easy to plant, it was a felicitous name and similar to the university's name. Moreover, although it is a vine, it has beautiful traits, can be set in to various types of bushes, has long life span as it can sprout anew after withering away. The vine's characteristics signifies prosperity and ability to adapt to changing environment.

 

Courtesy Wikipedia

[antoniuni]

 

Abutilon Indicum

 

Traditional medicine

 

In traditional medicine, A. indicum various parts of the plant are used as a demulcent, aphrodisiac, laxative, diuretic, sedative, astringent, expectorant, tonic, anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic, and analgesic and to treat leprosy, ulcers, headaches, gonorrhea, and bladder infection. The whole plant is uprooted, dried and is powdered. In ancient days, maidens were made to consume a spoonful of this powder with a spoonful of honey, once in a day, for 6 months until the day of marriage, for safe and quick pregnancy.

 

The plant is very much used in Siddha medicines. The root, bark, flowers, leaves and seeds are all used for medicinal purposes by Tamils. The leaves are used as adjunct to medicines used for pile complaints. The flowers are used to increase semen in men.

 

Chemistry β-Sitosterol is present in A. indicum and a petroleum ether extract has larvicidal properties against the mosquito larvae Culex quinquefasciatus. A methanol extract of A. indicum has some antimicrobial properties.

 

 

Found in the suburbs of Bangkok

Edited January 30, 2017 by samuijimmy
edited the type of text!

[Roger Lee]

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[antoniuni]

Acalypha indica, Indian acalypha

 

Effect on domestic cats

 

Throughout the area where the plant grows, it is widely known for its effect on domestic cats, which react very strongly and favorably to the root of the plant. In this regard it is very similar to catnip, but the effect is much more pronounced.Due to this ability it is called as Poonamayakki in Tamil.

 

Medicinal value

 

The juice extracted from the leaves, mixed with lime and applied on skin to cure diseases caused by Ringworm.Fresh juice of leaves mixed with oil and salt is used for Rheumatoid_arthritis and to cure Scabies. Powdered leaves are used to cure bedsores and infected wounds. The active medicinal compounds like Acalyphine and Triacetoneamine are extracted from this plant.They contain cyanogenic glucoside and alkaloids.The paste of the leaves can be applied to burns.

 

Courtesy Wikipedia

 

Found in Bangkok

 

[samuijimmy]

First Hibiscus of the year!

 

[samuijimmy]

and this has just opened up too!

 

[Roger Lee]

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[Assurancetourix]

Was cycling along main rd 22...................but I think it's a false one

 

 

[Ron19]

[Ron19]

[Roger Lee]

Cactus Flower (macro closeup)

 

 

[Assurancetourix]

Yesterday, in our garden at 5.37 pm - Olympus TG 860

 

 

The flower of this tree