Gesneriad project - Streptocarpella saxorum

8 months or so from seeds and this is what I get. Nice !
Most Streptocarpus do not do well in our climate but this relative can be grown like a succulent here.

Ready to drop

Dow dropped 300 on Friday. That's ominous.

Fruits maturing on the hanging spadix of the Swamp Taro Cyrtosperma merkusii, will eventually drop into the forest stream where it will be carried away from the mother plant. In the Singapore and Malaysia form, wild plants of this species are restricted to shady blackwater swamps. There are more robust domesticated forms grown for food in some Polynesia islands.

Central Catchment, Singapore.

An orchid from New Guinea

An unknown Hapalochilus, closely related, and sometimes placed as a section within Bulbophyllum genus.
Any idea what species this is ?

Ginger for your hair

The sticky viscuous liquid within the bracts of this shampoo ginger, Zingiber zerumbet has been used traditionally by Polynesians as hair shampoo. The whole "cone" would be taken to a river, and upon a light squeeze, the liquid would ooze out and ready to be applied. The chemical is said to impart a lasting shine to the hair. It is apparently effective, some famous (I think) shampoos - like Paul Mitchell and Freeman put it in their products.

More recently, an oil known as Zerumbone extracted from its rhizome is found to have anti-tumour properties as well.