Tag Archives: Asia

Corpse Flower

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Corpse Flower

You get more than you bargained for with the corpse flower.

  • Corpse flowers are large flowering plants native to the Sumatra rainforests of Indonesia, in Asia, and they may also be found in nearby areas.
  • The scientific name of a corpse flower is Rafflesia arnoldii and it is from the family Rafflesiaceae, a family of parasitic plants.
  • Corpse flowers have five large petals that can grow to be up to 1.05 metres (3.4 feet) in length and they are the largest known extant flower recorded.
  • The flower colour of corpse flowers ranges from red, oranges and browns, and is spotted with white.
  • Corpse flowers excrete an odour compared to that of a dead corpse, which serves as an attraction for flies to pollinate the plant.
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Corpse Flower
Image courtesy of Tamara Van Molken/Flickr
  • The buds of corpse flowers reach a length of approximately 0.3 metres (1 foot) and have an appearance similar to a cabbage.
  • There was a race between the French and the British to publish a scientific name for the genus of the corpse flower, as both countries obtained specimens at various times, however it was the British who named the genus in 1820, and in 1821 they named this particular species.
  • Tree shrews eat the fruit produced by corpse flowers, that contain numerous small seeds, which the shrews help to disperse.
  • Corpse flower plants do not have leaves or roots, and instead, they feed from a vine host plant as a parasite, and remain hidden until ready to bloom.
  • Corpse flowers will only bloom when ready for pollination, a period that may last for only a couple of days, though it can take months for the buds to mature and open.
Bibliography:
Rafflesia Arnoldii (Corpse Flower), n.d, KEW Royal Botanic Gardens, http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/rafflesia-arnoldii-corpse-flower
Rafflesia Arnoldii, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafflesia_arnoldii
World’s Largest Flower, Raffelsia Arnoldii, 2013, Facts List, http://factslist.net/2013/04/worlds-largest-flower-rafflesia-arnoldii/

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Langsat

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Langsat

Langsats are just one of those many exotic fruits from Southeast Asia.

  • Langsat is the edible fruit of a tree that originates from countries of Southeast Asia, and it is commonly eaten raw, but can also be cooked.
  • The scientific name of the tree bearing langsats is Lansium parasiticum, also known as Lansium domesticum, and it is from the family Meliaceae, the family of mahogany.
  • ‘Langsat’ fruit is also known as ‘lanzone’, ‘lansone’, ‘langsak’, ‘longkong’, ‘duku’, and other names, depending on the country and language.
  • The langsat tree typically grows to a height of 10 to 20 metres (33 to 66 feet), and the trees may bear fruit twice a year, depending on the climate.
  • Langsat fruit are usually around 2 to 5 centimetres (0.8 to 2 inches) in length and ovoid or spherical in shape, and they grown in bunches of two to thirty.
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Langsat
Image courtesy of Yun Huang Yong/Flickr
  • The flavour of langsats is sweet to sour, and is often compared to a blend of grape and grapefruit.
  • The flesh of langsats is a translucent white colour, while the skin is a yellow or brown colour and can either be thick or thin, depending on the variety, and is usually peeled off before eating.
  • Each individual langsat contains five or six segments, and one to three seeds that expel a taste of bitterness once eaten.
  • Langsats are high in vitamin B, phosphorus and vitamin A, and they contain other beneficial vitamins and minerals.
  • When ripe, langsats can drop from their host tree with ease, even with just a few shakes, and once picked, they are best stored in cool conditions, or eaten soon after ripening.
Bibliography:
Health Benefits of Langsat Fruit, 2015, Medindia, http://www.medindia.net/patients/lifestyleandwellness/top-9-health-benefits-of-langsat-fruit.htm
Langsat and Duku, 1982, The Archives of The Rare Fruit Council of Australia, http://rfcarchives.org.au/Next/Fruits/LangsatDuku/LangsatDuku5-82.htm
Lansium Parasiticum, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lansium_parasiticum
Morton J, Langsat, 1987, Purdue Agriculture, https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/langsat.html
Nelson B, 15 Fruits You’ve Probably Never Heard Of, 2010, Mother Nature Network, http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/photos/15-fruits-youve-probably-never-heard-of/langsat

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Nori

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Nori

Faces crinkle when nori is eaten!

  • Nori is a food item traditionally eaten as part of Japanese and Korean cuisine, and it is also consumed in China, but is less common.
  • Typically nori is made of an edible species of red seaweed, from the Pyropia and Porphyra genera, such as Pyropia yezoensis (the most commonly used species) and Pyropia tenera, both of which were previously part of the Porphyra genus, that are especially farmed for this purpose.
  • Nori is made by washing the seaweed in clean water, cutting it into small pieces via a machine, mixing the pieces with water and pouring the mixture onto mats to create sheets, which are passed through a drier, after which the sheets may be toasted, a process comparable to that of paper-making.
  • Nori is traditionally used as a wrapping around rice to make sushi and onigiri, and it may be used to flavour other rice dishes as well as soup and noodles.
  • Nori can be found in Asian grocery stores, although it is becoming increasingly common to find the product in general supermarkets, and it is typically sold as sheets in airtight packets, often including a moisture absorbent, as the product is susceptible to moisture, and thus should be stored in a dry place.
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Nori
Image courtesy of John Lodder/Flickr
  • The production of nori has occurred since at least 700 AD, as a paste, although it was not made into dry sheets until the early 1700s, while British scientist, Kathleen Drew-Baker contributed to a major breakthrough in the industry in the mid 1900s, and ‘one man’ machines have also revolutionised production since 1975.
  • Japan is the greatest producer of nori in the world, and produced 10 billion sheets in 2003, and it is the most widely eaten seaweed in Japan.
  • Nori is very high in iodine and is high in vitamin A, vitamin C and manganese, and contains many other vitamins and minerals.
  • ‘Nori’ is also known as ‘laver’ in some western cultures, and it can be flavoured and eaten as a food by itself, and it has a crispy texture in the packet, but once it is in use, it becomes limp and chewy.
  • The darker the colour of nori, the higher quality it is, and the product is typically roasted or toasted before consuming, although this is often done prior to packaging, which will turn it from a deep red, purple or almost black colour, to a dark green.
Bibliography:
About Seaweed, 2014, Seaweed Industry Association, https://seaweedindustry.com/seaweed/type/pyropia-yezoensis
Nori, 2015, All About Sushi Guide, http://www.allaboutsushiguide.com/nori.html
Nori, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nori
Reavis R, Nori – Japan’s Most Famous Seaweed: Part I, History and Traditional Use, 2012, Glendale Community College Blog, https://glendalecommunitycollege.wordpress.com/2012/05/03/nori-japans-most-famous-seaweed-part-i-history-and-traditional-use/

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Ixora

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Ixora

You will be able to notice an Ixora in even the darkest parts of a jungle.

  • Ixora is a group of shrubs and trees that are evergreen and produce flowers, and are mostly native to tropical parts of Asia.
  • The name ‘Ixora’ is a genus name, and it is from the family Rubiaceae, the family of madder and coffee, while commonly grown species in the genus include Ixora coccinea and Ixora chinensis.
  • ‘Ixora’ is the common name of a number of species from the genus with the same name, and they are also known as ‘flame-of-the-woods’, ‘jungle flames’, ‘West Indian jasmine’, and ‘jungle geraniums’.
  • The height of Ixora plants grow from 0.6 to 3.6 metres (2 to 12 feet), depending on the species, and they typically have glossy, mid to dark green leaves.
  • The flowers of Ixora have a tube-like appearance with four petals, and grow in groups of up to 60 in a cluster; and after flowering, the plant often produces red, to dark purple or black berries.

Ixora, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Flower, Pink, Red, Bud, Plant, Vegetation, Australia

  • Ixora flowers commonly bloom throughout the year in tropical areas, and they come in an assortment of colours including a range of white, pink, yellow, orange, and red shades.
  • There are more than 500 species of Ixora, and numerous varieties, and some species have been used as part of traditional medicine, while others have a tendency to have invasive roots.
  • Ixoras grow best in well-drained acidic soil, located in full sun, and if they are grown too close to concrete, the soil can become too alkaline, causing the leaves to turn yellow.
  • Ixora will fail to flower on the occasion that light levels are insufficient, and the plants prefer warm temperatures.
  • Ixora are commonly used for ornamental purposes, including bonsai and hedges, or individual specimens in the garden.
Bibliography:
Ixora, 2011, Panpit Garden Center, http://www.panpitgardencenter.com/other/ixora.html
Ixora Coccinea, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ixora_coccinea
Ikora Facts and Growing Tips, 2015, Hub Pages, http://hubpages.com/living/Ixora-Facts-and-Growing-Tips

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Phi Phi Islands

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Phi Phi Islands

The Phi Phi Islands are some of the most beautiful on earth.

  • The Phi Phi Islands is a small group of islands located in Thailand, almost midway between the tip of Phuket and the mainland, in the Malacca Strait.
  • The largest island of the Phi Phi Islands is Ko Phi Phi Don, which covers 9.7 square kilometres (3.7 square miles) of a total surface area of 12.25 square kilometres (4.7 square miles).
  • There are six primary islands in the Phi Phi Islands collective group, although a couple are simply large limestone formations, while the other main island is Ko Phi Phi Ley (or Lee or Leh).
  • Phi Phi Islands has become a very popular tourist destination, attractive for its activities like diving, snorkelling and kayaking to explore the notable and colourful aquatic fauna and flora.
  • The Phi Phi Islands were tragically hit by a tsunami in 2004, a day after Christmas, destroying around 70% of the area’s infrastructure and much of the islands’ population.
Phi Phi Islands, Bay, Water, Thailand, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Water, Rock, Place, NaturePart of the Phi Phi Islands
Image courtesy of Every Stock Photo
  • Notably, Phi Phi Islands was the filming site of The Beach (2000), which is said to have resulted in a massive tourism boom.
  • In 2013, the local population of Phi Phi Islands consisted of 2000 to 3000 individuals, and walking and cycling are the main forms of transport, as the number of four wheeled motor vehicles on the islands is very limited.
  • ‘Phi Phi Islands’ were originally known as ‘Palau Api-Api’, translatable as ‘Fiery Island’ after certain trees that are said to grow on the islands.
  • Ferries or speedboats are typically used to reach Phi Phi Islands from the mainland, taking about 45 to 90 minutes in travel time.
  • Tourists in the thousands visit Phi Phi Islands daily, although such tourism has caused notable disturbance in the surrounding ecosystem, while lobbying for visitor numbers to be capped to reduce the threat, has been carried out.
Bibliography:
About Phi Phi Island, 2011, Zeavola, http://www.zeavola.com/aboutPhiPhiIsland-en.html
Phi Phi Islands, 2007, Gokoh Phi Phi, http://www.gokohphiphi.com/
Phi Phi Islands, 2015, Hotels.com, http://www.phiphi.phuket.com/#
Phi Phi Islands, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phi_Phi_Islands

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Weaver Ant

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Weaver Ant

Weaver ants boast a skill that no one could ever teach.

  • Weaver ants are an ant species native to the tropical habitats of Australia, southeast Asia and India, and they are also known as ‘orange gasters’, ‘red ants’, ‘green tree ants’, ‘kerengga’, and ‘green ants’.
  • The scientific name of a weaver ant is Oecophylla smaragdina and it is from the family Formicidae, the family of ants.
  • Weaver ants are notable for constructing nests using a number of leaves, which are held together with silk, that they carefully squeeze out of their larvae.
  • Weaver ants are typically an orange or red colour, though sometimes they will have green abdomens, while the queen is often a combination of brown and green.
  • Weaver ants span gaps and bend leaves into usable positions by grabbing onto leaves with their legs and mandibles, and linking with one another in chains.

Weaver Ant, Trivia, Insect, Animal, Ten Random Facts, Leaves, Nest, White, Brown, Branches,

  • The diet of weaver ants consists primarily of insects and honeydew collected from scale bugs, and the ants live in trees.
  • Worker weaver ants range from 5 to 10 millimetres (0.2 to 0.4 of an inch) in length, and their size is relative to their role in the colony, while the queen ant reaches up to 25 millimetres (1 inch) in length.
  • Weaver ants have a natural territorial attitude towards other creatures, so farmers have used them to reduce pest numbers among crops.
  • A bite of a weaver ant is generally quite painful, as the ant commonly injects the bite with formic acid that it produces.
  • Communities in parts of southeast Asia collect the pupae and larvae of weaver ants for a variety of purposes, including food, traditional medicine ingredients, or as bait for fishing.
Bibliography:
Oecophylla smaragdina, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oecophylla_smaragdina
Tan R, Weaver Ants, 2001, Mangrove and wetland wildlife at Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve, http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/inverts/weaver_ants.htm
Weaver Ant, 2015, AntARK, http://antark.net/ant-species/weaver-ant-oecophylla-smaragdina/

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