Tag Archives: Plants

Grapefruit

Chinese Medicine, Plant February 17, 2020 idb

Grapefruit is a citrus fruit. People use the fruit, oil from the peel, and extracts from the seed as medicine. Grapefruit seed extract is processed from grapefruit seeds and pulp obtained as a byproduct from grapefruit juice production. Vegetable glycerin is added to the final product to reduce acidity and bitterness. Grapefruit juice is used for asthma, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, cancer, improving levels of red blood cells, a skin disease called psoriasis, and for weight loss and obesity. It is also used to reduce stomach…

Michelia x alba

Plant February 17, 2020 idb

Magnolia × alba, also known as the white champaca, white sandalwood, or white jade orchid tree, is a flowering plant of hybrid origin that is commonly cultivated in Southeast Asia and tropical regions of East Asia. Although the exact origin is uncertain, it is considered to be a hybrid of Magnolia champaca and Magnolia montana. Magnolia × alba is widely cultivated as an ornamental in Asia, particularly tropical and subtropical regions of China and Southeast Asia for the strongly fragrant flowers. In Taiwan, the flowers…

White Michelia – Traditional Chinese Medicine

Chinese Medicine, Plant February 17, 2020 idb

The distillate of the White Michelia has been used for animal testing. It has been shown to have antitussive and expectorant effect, and is able to relieve asthma though the effect is not strong. The medicine is bitter in taste, and main cure includes cough, main chest tightness and bloating, heat stroke, prostatitis and leucorrhea.

Japanese Camellia

Chinese Medicine, Plant February 17, 2020 idb

Camellia japonica is an evergreen Shrub growing to 10 m (32ft) by 8 m (26ft) at a slow rate. It is in leaf all year, in flower from April to June, and the seeds ripen in October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by bees. An edible oil is obtained from the seed of Japanese Camellia. It is called ‘tsubaki oil’. Dried flowers are cooked. The flowers are used as a vegetable or mixed with gelatinous-rice to make…

Pterocarpus indicus

Plant February 17, 2020 idb

Pterocarpus indicus is a large evergreen to deciduous tree with a large, spreading crown of many long branches that are at first ascending, but eventually arch over and sometimes droop at the ends. The plant usually grows 15 – 20 metres tall, but exceptionally can be up to 40 metres. It has a short, clear bole that can be 2 metres in diameter but is usually of poor form – twisted and deeply fluted, often with pronounced buttresses. The tree produces sweet-scented yellow flowers that…

Rhododendron pulchrum

Plant February 17, 2020 idb

Rhododendron pulchrum, also identified as Rhododendron x pulchrum is a rhododendron endemic to China. It grows as a semi-evergreen shrub, 1.5–2.5 meters in height, with leaf blades leathery, elliptic-oblong to elliptic-lanceolate or oblong-oblanceolate, 2–5(–7) × 1–2.5 cm in size. Flowers are rose-purple with dark red flecks. Hirsutum describes it as “a natural hybrid; seed x pollen= R. mucronatum var mucronatum x R. indicum var formosanum“. The plant grows with fine textured and leathery leaves, magnificent and showy blossoms in Spring. With its purlish pink flowers, the…

Evolution of Plants

4.5 Billion Years of Earth's History(4.5BYEH), Evolution of Plants April 1, 2019 idb

The evolution of plants had already started 475 million years ago. The ancestor was actually a freshwater green alga called charophyte, which at first evolved to non-vascular plants (liverworts, hornworts and mosses) and then seedless vascular plants (ferns). It was not until 360 million years ago that seed plants, including non-flowering plants (gymnosperms) and flowering plants (angiosperms), emerged on Earth. References: 1. https://www.doterra.com/US/en/botany-living-organism-plant-evolution 2. https://antranik.org/the-evolution-of-plants/

Tree Ferns

4.5 Billion Years of Earth's History(4.5BYEH), Jurassic Plants Garden April 1, 2019 idb

It is not certain the exact number of species of tree ferns there are, but it may be closer to 600-700 species. Many species have become extinct in the last century as forest habitats have come under pressure from human intervention. Location of species Lophosoria (tropical America, 1 species) Metaxya (tropical America, 1 species) Sphaeropteris (tropical America, India, southeastern Asia to New Zealand, the Marquesas, and Pitcairn Island, about 120 species) Alsophila (pantropic area, about 230 species) Nephelea (tropical America, about 30 species) Trichipteris (tropical…