Cordia sebestena: Geiger Tree

Cordia sebestena is widely planted throughout the tropics and subtropics as an Ornamental plant in gardens because of its flowers. It has dark green, oval shaped leaves. This is a popular ornamental tree in a garden, a street or a median strip tree or parking lot tree 🙂

The tree comes from the Borage Family. The name, Cordia is after Valerius Cordus, a 16th Century German botanist. Sebestena refers to a Persian tree with similar seeds found near the town of Sebesta. Egyptian mummy cases were made out of the wood.

Photo: SG 20120427

Sources: Wikipedia, Key West Garden Club.

Spondias dulcis: Golden Apple, Kedondong.

Spondias dulcis, golden apple, ambarella, is an equatorial or tropical tree, with edible fruit containing a fibrous pit. This fast-growing tree can reach up to 60 ft [18 m] in its native homeland of Melanesia through Polynesia; however, it usually averages 30 to 40 ft [9–12 m] in other areas. Spondias dulcis produces small, inconspicuous white flowers in terminal panicles, assorted male, female. Its oval fruits, 2.5 to 3.5 in [6.25–9 cm] long, are long-stalked and are produced in bunches of 12 or more.

Photos taken @ HortPark, SG 20120428

Source: Wikipedia

Cethosia hypsea hypsina: Malay Lacewing butterfly

Cethosia hypsea hypsina, common name Malay Lacewing, is a subspecies of Cethosia hypsea. This is a bright colored with delicate pretty pattern of 80mm wide wingspan. Found in Southeast Asia.

Beautiful but…

Aposematic colouration is a term used to describe colours and/or patterns that act as a warning to predators that a potential prey species is unpalatable, toxic or dangerous.

Photos taken @ HortPark, SG 20120428

Cethosia cyane: Leopard Lacewing butterfly

The Leopard Lacewing butterfly, Cethosia cyane, ranges from India and throughout Southeast Asia.

Brightly colored, with an intricate details that is truly unique from the pattern on the wing.

Larvae are cylindrical, purplish-black segments with alternate yellow and crimson bands. Head armed with two long spines, segments with dorsal and lateral rows of fine spines.

Photos taken @ HortPark, SG 20120428

Source: Wikipedia

Hypolimnas bolina bolina: Great Eggfly butterfly

There are two subspecies of Hypolimnas bolina [Great Eggfly] in Malaysia and Singapore, Hypolimnas bolina bolina and Hypolimnas bolina jancintha [Jacintha Eggfly] The difference in these subspecies is in polymorphism in the females.

Great Eggfly is seasonally common in Singapore, one of the many butterflies species migrate over long distances associated with weather change and the monsoons.

Photos taken @ HortPark, SG 20120428

Alternanthera sessilis ‘Red’: Red Sessile Joyweed

Also known as Red Carpet Weed, Bayam Keremak Merah [Malay], found in many parts of the world. It is a creeping low shrub, grows in waste and cultivated ground, especially in damp or wet conditions. Leaves and stems purplish red. Flowers white, produced as inconspicuous head-like clusters in leaf axils.

Plant self-seeds freely. Also can be propagated by stem cuttings. May be used as groundcover, but coverage of ground is not dense due to leggy stems.Medicinal uses: Leaves boiled and drunk as tea to improve blood circulation, as well as relieve high blood sugar and cholesterol.

Photos taken @ HortPark, SG 20120428

Gynostemma pentaphyllum: “Twisting-vine orchid” creeper

Gynostemma pentaphyllum, jiaogulan [Chinese pinyin: jiǎogǔlán, literally “twisting-vine orchid”] is an herbaceous vine of the family Cucurbitaceae [cucumber or gourd family] indigenous to the southern reaches of China, northern Vietnam, southern Korea, and Japan.

Jiaogulan is best known as an herbal medicine reputed to have powerful antioxidant and adaptogenic effects purported to increase longevity. Clinical research has indicated a number of therapeutic qualities of Jiaogulan, such as lowering cholesterol and high blood pressure, strengthening immunity, and inhibiting cancer growth.

Photos taken @ HortPark, SG 20120428

Jiaogulan is most often consumed as an herbal tea, and is also available as an alcohol extract and in capsule or pill form.

Butterfly and rain.

When it’s raining, butterflies do not fly, they wait until the rain stops. They hold onto trees or bushes.

If wet butterflies get knocked off their perches, they sometimes get stuck on the ground.

If they’re too wet, they can’t fly because their wings are too heavy. If they do get wet, they simply remain still until the water evaporates off their body.

They often bask in the sun to dry their wings.

Appias libythea olferna: Striped Albatross butterfly [male]

This photo was taken @ Oh Farms, Singapore [20130129];

Striped Albatross olferna, as Appias libythea of the Family Pieridae, is a small butterfly with wingspan 50-56 mm. Distribution range from India, Srilanka to Southeast Asia. It is a common butterfly which can be found in the urban areas of Singapore.

Photo taken @ HortPark, SG 20120428;  Penang Butterfly Garden, Malaysia, 2002

Yummy manure 😉  The above photo taken @ HortPark, SG 20120630

Parthenos sylvia lilacinus: Blue Malayan Clipper butterfly

This is a remarkable species in that the various subspecies have colors. The race philippensis is brown and this one,   Parthenos sylvia lilacinus [race lilacinus] blue.

The above Parthenos sylvia lilacinus has purple tint on its hind wing.

Mating couple.

Photos taken @ HortPark, SG 20120428, 20120526; Penang Butterfly Garden, Malaysia 2002