the screw-pine (pandanus utilis)




















the screw-pines in these pictures belong to the same family as the common pandan plant (panadanus latifolius), the fragrant leaves of which are used in cooking and also for warding off cockroaches, especially in singapore taxis. it actually serves two purposes: repelling the cockroach and at the same time, giving off a nice scent.

the screw-pine is not a pine, it is actually a tropical tree. it is best grown as a free-standing specimen with plenty of room. this tree grows to a height of 8m but also grows as wide. its habit is to branch in tiers with its top in a pyramid shape.

this tree wants full sun. it is not fussy about soil content and it is also salt tolerant. screw-pines can be found growing along the sea-shore.




the roots are significant with many brace roots increasing in number and size and width over time.

according to my friend, the prop roots, which anchor the tree firmly onto the ground, look and work like screws, hence the name. however, according to another source, the name comes from the fact that the leaves emerge from the stem in cockscrew like arrangement.













the fruit which is a bit round is edible. it can be eaten raw or you can have it cooked.

the pictures of the screw-pines were taken at fort canning park and botanic gardens.

some palm trees


on my walks, i have come to notice that there is actually a great variety of palm trees growing in our humid nature reserves and nature parks.

a palm tree is basically a trunk with leaves emerging from that trunk. there can be one or multiple trunks. the leaves or fronds can come off the trunk all the way from the top to the bottom, or just be at the top of the trunk.

here are three common ones.





















the licuala peltata, a palm with serrated leaves are common in our nature reserves and our nature parks. this one was seen at bukit batok nature park. the leaves will appear to have been trimmed by someone using a special pair of scissors with zig-zag blades.

it belongs to the same family as the fan palm. this palm prefers a moist shady position but once established can tolerate dry periods.




















this is a fan palm. there are quite a number of species of such palms. the fruit undergoes changes in colour as it is ripening. first, the fruit is green, the it turns orange and finally, when it is ripe, it becomes red.




















the ripe and unripe fruit of the fan palm. not all fan palms have fruit of the same colour. some have blue or purple fruit.




















the fishtail palm is a common palm found in tropical rainforests. it is the only palm with leaves that are subdivided twice. the shape of the leaflets give it its name - fishtail.

straits rhododendron/melastoma

this shrub is very common. see it all the time on my walks at the various nature parks and also at wastelands. today, i finally found out its name. the seeds are dispersed by birds.

the attractive flowers last only one day, opening after sunrise, closing the same day, with the petals falling off a few days later. the flower has two different kinds of stamens.the seeds are tasteless and can be eaten, but stains the tongue black. in fact, the word melastoma is greek for "black mouth".

the flowers are usually dark purple or pinkish. i have also seen the rare white ones at mt faber.

the young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked and taste sour. the pulp around the seeds can also be eaten. the seeds are used to produce a black dye, the roots, a pink dye. in some places, the leaves are fed to silkworms.

the leaves are used to treat diarrhoea and dysentery; wash for ulcers, to prevent scarring from smallpox; and to treat piles.

the fruit is favoured by birds like the flowerpeckers and doves which also disperse the seeds. squirrels and monkeys are also fond of the fruit. being among the first to be found on wasteland, the plant helps prevent soil erosion and to allow regeneration of vegetation.

pitcher plants at macritchie's water edge

found these pitcher plants growing by the water edge not far from the bandstand at macritchie reservoir.

the nepenthes plant, commonly known as the tropical pitcher plant captures its prey by means of the pitfall method. nepenthes are strikingly different in appearance from other passive varieties of carnivorous plants. pitchers are located growing from the ends of some leaves by what could appear to be an umbilical cord, called a tendril. nepenthes pitchers also contain water and digestive enzymes like the sarracenia and darlingtonia.

the prey is attracted to the pitcher in much the same manner, by colour and odour. downward pointing hairs inside the pitcher also make it very difficult for the visitor to escape.

some species of nepenthes can grow pitchers large enough to capture small animals such as frogs, etc. for instance, the pitcher of the n. rajah can grow to be as large as a rugby football!