Pennisetum cv.: Fountain Grass

Pennisetum is a genus of grasses in the family Poaceae, native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the world. They are known commonly as fountain grasses.

They are annual or perennial grasses. Some are petite while others can produce stems up to 8 meters tall. The inflorescence is a very dense, narrow panicle containing fascicles of spikelets interspersed with bristles. There are three kinds of bristle, and some species have all three, while others do not. Some bristles are coated in hairs, sometimes long, showy, plumelike hairs that inspired the genus name, the Latin penna [feather] and seta [bristle].

The genus includes pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum], an important food crop. Napier grass [Pennisetum purpureum] is used for grazing livestock in Africa. African fountain grass [Pennisetum setaceum] is used as an ornamental plant.

Photos: Gardens by the Bay, Flower Dome, Singapore [20140630]

Source: Wikipedia 

Coix lacryma-jobi : Job’s tears beads

Job’s Tears [Coix lacryma-jobi], Coixseed, Tear Grass, is a tall grain-bearing tropical plant of the family Poaceae [grass family] native to Southeast Asia but elsewhere cultivated in gardens as an annual. It has been naturalized in the southern United States and the New World tropics. In its native environment it is grown in higher areas where rice and corn do not grow well. Job’s Tears are also commonly sold as Chinese pearl barley in Asian supermarkets, although Coix lacryma-jobi is not closely related to barley [Hordeum vulgare].

Job’s tears are known by many different names across the world:

Sanskrit: Vyjanti beads ~ Chinese: The plants are called chuān gǔ [川谷) or yì yǐ (薏苡]. The grains are called yì rén [薏仁] or yì mǐ [薏米]. ~ Vietnamese: bo bo, hột bo bo [hột meaning “seed”] ~ Japanese: juzudama [ジュズダマ] or hatomugi [ハトムギ] ~ Korean: yulmu [율무] ~ Malay: bali ~ Thai: luk dueai [ลูกเดือย] ~ Indonesian: jali, hanjeli ~ Filipino: adlai.

Photo: Gardens by the Bay, Singapore, 20120704

Source: Wikipedia

Muhlenbergia capillaris: Pink Muhly Grass

Muhlenbergia capillaris, commonly known as the hairawn muhly or Pink Muhly Grass, is a perennial hedge-like plant that grows to be about 30–90 cm [1–3 ft] tall and 60–90 cm [2–3 ft] wide. The plant itself includes a double layer; green leaf-like structures surround the understory, with purple-pink flowers out-growing them from the bottom up. The plant is a warm-season grass, meaning that leaves begin growth in the summer. During the summer, the leaves will stay green, but they morph during the fall to produce a more copper color. The seasonal changes also include the flowers, as they grow out during the fall and stay healthy untill the end of autumn. The muhly grows along the border of roads and on plain prairies. The grass clumps into herds, causing bush-like establishments in the area that the hairawn muhly inhabits. The flowers are very feathery and add a cloudlike appearance to the top of the grass. It is native to eastern North America and can be used for a multitude of purposes including ornamental gardening and farming. Over-cultivation as a crop has led to its depletion, even though it is easily maintainable in drought or shady terrain.

Photo: Flintstone, GA, 20120929

Source: Wikipedia

Ophiopogon japonicus: Monkey Grass

Ophiopogon japonicus [Mondo grass, Fountain plant, monkey grass] is a species of Ophiopogon native to Japan. It is an evergreen, sod-forming perennial plant. The leaves are linear, 20–40 cm long. The flowers are white to pale lilac.

In traditional Chinese medicine Ophiopogon japonicus tuber is the cardinal herb for yin deficiency.

Ophiopogon japonicus is also grown as an ornamental plant, providing an excellent groundcover.

Photos: Atlanta, GA, United States [20120727]

Source: Wikipedia

Anigozanthos manglesii: Red Kangaroo Claw

Anigozanthos is a small genus of Australian plants in the Bloodwort family Haemodoraceae. The 11 species and several subspecies are commonly known as kangaroo paw and catspaw depending on the shape of their flowers.

Anigozanthos manglesii, commonly known as the Red and Green Kangaroo Paw or Mangles Kangaroo Paw, is a plant species endemic to Western Australia, and the floral emblem of that state.

Each plant may produce over 350 flowers, on up to 10 long stems, these appear during the summer of the region.

^ Close up

^ Close up

Photos: Flower Dome, GBTH, Singapore 20120629,  20120704

Source: Wikipedia

Anigozanthos flavidus: Yellow Kangaroo Paw

Anigozanthos is a small genus of Australian plants in the Bloodwort family Haemodoraceae. The 11 species and several subspecies are commonly known as kangaroo paw and catspaw depending on the shape of their flowers.

Anigozanthos flavidus is a species of plant found in Southwest Australia. It is member of the Haemodoraceae family. It is commonly known as the tall, yellow, or evergreen, kangaroo paw.

Each plant may produce over 350 flowers, on up to 10 long stems, these appear during the summer of the region.

Photos: Flower Dome, GBTH, Singapore 20120629

Source: Wikipedia

Cyperus rotundus: Nut Grass

Cyperus rotundus [Nut Grass, Coco-grass, Purple Nut Sedge, Red Nut Sedge] is a species of sedge [Cyperaceae] native to Africa, southern and central Europe, and southern Asia. The word cyperus derives from the Greek kuperos and rotundus is from Latin, meaning “round”.

Cyperus rotundus is a perennial plant that may reach a height of up to 55 inches. The names “nut grass” and “nut sedge” [shared with the related species Cyperus esculentus] are derived from its tubers, that somewhat resemble nuts, although botanically they have nothing to do with nuts.

Cyperus rotundus is one of the most invasive weeds known, having spread out to a worldwide distribution in tropical and temperate regions. Despite its bad reputation, Cyperus rotundus has several beneficial uses in Folk Medicine, Modern pharmacology, Food [the tubers are edible], well dried grass as mats for sleeping.

Photos: Kebun Raya Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. 20061031

Source: Wikipedia

Herpetogramma licarsisalis: Grass Webworm moth

Herpetogramma licarsisalis, common names the Grass Webworm or Tropical Grass Webworm, is a moth of the Crambidae family. It is native to most of the old world tropics, including New Zealand, Hong Kong and Queensland. It is an introduced species in many other parts of the world. The wingspan is about 20 mm. Adults have grayish yellow-brown to moderate reddish brown wings with rows of indistinct dark spots.

SFGreen, Singapore 20120422

Source: Wikipedia

Zizeeria maha serica: Pale Grass Blue

HortPark, SG 20120402

The Pale Grass Blue is a member of the Lycaenidae butterfly family of small usually brilliantly colored butterflies. The Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide.

HortPark, SG 20120402

A small, under 5 cm usually, and brightly coloured, sometimes with a metallic gloss. The Pale Grass Blue can be found in grassy areas where it flutters near to the ground and amongst low-growing flowering plants.

Plant shown in the above two photos is Lantana [lan-TAN-a] camara [kuh-MAR-uh]
Bloom Color: Pink, Magenta, Red, Orange, Bright Yellow, Purple

HortPark, SG 20120630

Zizula hylax pygmaea: Pygmy Grass Blue butterfly

This Pygmy Grass Blue is incredibly tiny. This Butterfly has a pale creamy brown upperside and light brown and white pattern in the underside. It has a thin brown border on both underside wings and several round and oblong black spots.

They are common in Singapore’s forest, parks & gardens, even in urban gardens.

Zizula hylax pygmaea. Wingspan: 8-10 mm

Zizula hylax pygmaea. Zizula, commonly called grass blues

All photos taken @ Khoo Teck Phuat Hospital, Singapore 20120412.
Macro Zoom.