Cryptotaenia canadensis commonly known as the honewort or Canadian honewort is a perennial plant species belonging to Apiaceae / Umbelliferae (Carrot family). The plant is native inhabitant of rich, moist forests in the eastern United States and eastern Canada, although it is rare in Maine, where it is known only from historical collections. Few of the popular common names of the plants are honewort, wild chervil, umbel weed, Canadian honewort, White chervil, Canada honewort and Japanese parsley. It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. Young stems and leaves may be added fresh to salads (like…
Author: Sylvia
Water Dropwort or Water Celery scientifically known as Oenanthe javanica is a plant of the genus Oenanthe and Apiaceae / Umbelliferae (Carrot family). The plant is native to South, Southeast and East Asia, from Pakistan to Japan and Taiwan and from northern China to tropical Australia (Queensland). This plant should not be confused with the plants of the genus Cryptotaenia, sometimes called Japanese wild parsley (mitsuba in Japanese), Apium graveolens var. secalinum which is also called Chinese celery, or other plants called water dropwort and water celery. Some of the popular common names of the plant are Water Dropwort, Java…
Cryptotaenia japonica, commonly called Japanese parsley, Japanese honeywort or mitsuba, is an herbaceous perennial with foliage that somewhat resembles a flat-leaved parsley. The plant is the member of the Umbelliferae /Apiaceae (Carrot family), which includes carrots, dill, parsley, lovage, and fennel. Even though Japanese parsley is considered a biennial/annual herb, it is more often grown as a vegetable in Japan. The plant is native to the shady places and forests of Northeast China, Korea and Japan, and some says that also those of North America. Apart from mitsuba it is also known as East Asian wild parsley, Japanese cryptotaenia, Japanese…
Prunus fruticosa popularly known as Mongolian Cherry is a deciduous shrub of low, spreading habit belonging to Rosaceae (Rose family). The plant is native to Ciscaucasia, western Siberia, Kazakhstan, Xinjiang China, western Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Belarus, Moldova, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Serbia, Austria, and Italy. Some of the popular common names of the plant are Dwarf cherry, European dwarf cherry, Steppe cherry, Siberian cherry and Mongolian cherry. It is also called ground cherry and European ground cherry, but is not to be confused with plants in the distinct “Ground cherry” genus of Physalis. The plant is harvested from…
Flame tree or fire tree scientifically known as Delonix regia, also known as Royal Poinciana or Gulmohar is one of the most beautiful trees in the world belonging to pea family, Fabaceae / Leguminosae and subfamily Caesalponioideae. It is perhaps one of the oldest ornamental trees grown with one of the earliest records of cultivation in India. The plant is native to northern and western Madagascar and Zambia. It is exotic in Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cyprus, Ethiopia, India, Jamaica, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Africa, Uganda, United States of America, Egypt, Eritrea, Kenya, Mexico, Niger, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania. It…
Medicago arabica, commonly known as spotted medick or burclover is a flowering plant in the pea and bean family Fabaceae / Leguminosae. The plant is native to Mediterranean region and introduced in North and South America and Australia. It is found throughout the world, usually on cliff top grasslands and grassy places. The plant is easy to identify because of the dark red blotch on each leaflet. The spot is anthocyanin, the same flavonoid that gives foods such as blueberries their color. But M. arabica is not edible. The plant forms a symbiotic relationship with the bacterium Sinorhizobium medicae, which…
Lolium perenne commonly known as perennial ryegrass is a long-lived species of grass belonging to Poaceae / Gramineae (Grass family). The plant is native to Northern Africa (i.e. Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia), the Azores, the Madeira Islands, the Canary Islands, Europe, western Asia, southern Russia, Afghanistan and the Indian sub-continent (i.e. Pakistan and north-western India). It is widely cultivated and naturalized around the world. Few of the popular common names of the plant are English ryegrass, perennial rye grass, perennial rye-grass, ryegrass, rye grass, Italian ryegrass, Darnel, Lyme Grass, Terrell Grass and ray grass. Genus name is the…
Piper retrofractum commonly known as Balinese long pepper or Javanese long pepper is a flowering vine in the Piperaceae (Pepper family). The plant occurs wild in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. It is also found in the Ryuku Islands and Yunnan, and is cultivated in Guangdong, China and Kampuchea. Long pepper is cultivated only to a limited extent on Java, Bali and some neighboring islands. Some of the well-known common names of the plant are Balinese Pepper, Jaborandi Pepper, Java Pepper, Long Pepper, Java Long Pepper, Javanese Long Pepper, Javanese long pepper bush, Thai Long pepper and Bengal pepper.…
Purple Bauhinia scientifically known as Bauhinia purpurea is a species of flowering plant in the Fabaceae / Leguminosae (Pea family). The plant is native to South China (which includes Hong Kong) and found throughout India. It is Indigenous to Southern Asia, South-Eastern Asia and widely distributed throughout the world and common in Himalayan, Sub-Himalayan and western track of India. In the United States of America, the tree grows in Hawaii, coastal California, southern Texas, and southwest Florida. Popular common names includes Hawaiian Orchid Tree, Hong Kong Orchid Tree, Pink Butterfly Tree, Purple Butterfly Tree, Purple Camel’s Foot, Purple Bauhinia, Purple…
Rottboellia cochinchinensis commonly known as Itchgrass, Raoul grass or corngrass, is a species of grass belonging to Poaceae / Gramineae (Grass family). The plant is native to Old World tropics, and is thought to have an origin in Indo-China in the area that is now Vietnam. It has been introduced into tropical America, as a potential pasture grass in the USA in the early 1900s and since the 1960s has been spread widely by contaminated rice seed, agricultural equipment and along transport routes in Central and South America, the Caribbean, and in the Gulf Coast region of the USA. It…
Asparagus cochinchinense commonly known as Chinese asparagus is a species in the genus Asparagus which consists of between 217 and 242 species and belongs to the family of the Asparagaceae (Asparagus Family). No subspecies are listed in the Catalogue of Life. The plant is native to southern part of Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu and other provinces to the eastern, central and southern parts of Southwest China. Chinese asparagus is also found in Korea, Japan, Laos, and Vietnam. Few of the popular common names of the plants are Chinese Asparagus, Cochinchinese Asparagus, Shiny Asparagus and Wild Asparagus. The plant is often…
Magnolia scientifically known as Magnolia grandiflora, also called evergreen magnolia, bull-bay or big-laurel is a tree of the family Magnoliaceae. The plant extends from North Carolina along the Atlantic Coast to central Florida, westward through the southern half of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, and across Louisiana into eastern Texas. Although widespread to the evergreen lowland subtropical forests on the Gulf and south Atlantic coastal plain, it is widely cultivated in warmer areas around the world. Few of the popular common names of the plants are Bull bay, Laurier tulipier, Southern magnolia, Big-laurel, Evergreen Magnolia, Giant flowered magnolia, Large-flowered Magnolia, Evergreen…
Papaver argemone commonly known as Pale poppy is a species of flowering plant in the poppy family Papaveraceae. The plant is native to temperate regions of North Africa, Europe and Western Asia including Macaronesia, Canary Islands, Algeria, Egypt and Morocco. Within Western Asia it is found in the Caucasus, Armenia, Cyprus, Egypt (in the Sinai), Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey. In Eastern Europe, it is found within Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova and Ukraine. In middle Europe, it is in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia and Switzerland. It has been introduced into the American states…
Siberian crabapple scientifically known as Malus baccata is an Asian species of apple belonging to the rose family (Rosaceae). The plant is native to Russia, Mongolia, China, Korea, Bhutan, India, Kashmir and Nepal. The tree is found in Japan, and it has also been introduced to Europe and to North America, where it is found in the wild mostly in the Great Lakes Region and in the Northeastern United States. It is also grown elsewhere as an ornamental tree and for rootstock. It is used for bonsai as well. Some of the popular common names of the plant are Siberian…
Sclerocarya birrea commonly known as the marula, is a medium-sized deciduous fruit belonging to Anacardiaceae (Sumac family). It is in the same botanical family as cashew, pistachio, sumac and mango. The plant is native throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa outside the humid forest zone, from Mauritania and Senegal to Ethiopia and Eritrea, south to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland. It is also present, possibly introduced, in Madagascar and has been introduced to Mauritius and Reunion. It is grown as an experimental crop in Israel and has been introduced to Australia, India and Oman. Apart from marula it…
Ximenia caffra, commonly known as sour plum, is a thinly branched small tree or small shrub belonging to Olacaceae family. The plant is native throughout tropical regions. In particular, the sourplum is native to regions in South East Africa, mainly Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The plant can tolerate altitudes of up to 2000 m, and requires annual rainfall of 250–1270 mm. Some of the popular common names of the plant are Large Sourplum, Monkey Plum and Sourplum. The edible fruit is generally highly valued within the plant’s native range, where it is commonly…
Lonicera caerulea, also known by its common names Haskap Berries, blue honeysuckle, sweet berry honeysuckle or the honeyberry is a non-climbing honeysuckle belonging to Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle family). The plant is native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere in countries such as Canada, Japan, Russia, and Poland. Some of the popular common names of the plant are Sweet berry honeysuckle, Blue fly honeysuckle, Haskap berry, Hascup, Hasukappu, honeyberry, blue-berried honeysuckle, sweet berry honeysuckle, Edible Honeysuckle, Blue Honeysuckle and Swamp Fly Honeysuckle. The plant or its fruit has also come to be called haskap, derived from its name in the language of…
Prunus mandshurica, popularly known as Manchurian apricot and scout apricot, is a fast-growing flowering tree in the Prunus genus belonging to Rosaceae (roses) family. Manchurian apricot was first listed by Karl Maximovich in 1883 as Prunus armeniaca var. mandshurica, but is now known as Prunus mandshurica. Accepted nomenclature for this plant is currently unresolved. The plant is resistant to cold and is native to mixed forests and mountain slopes in northeast China, Korea, and Manchuria. It is highly susceptible to plum pox potyvirus. The plant is better known for its often superb early spring ornamental display of pink flowers than for its fruit which,…
Clausena Anisata scientifically known as Horse wood is a fairly fast growing shrub belonging to the Rutaceae or Citrus family. This species is one of 25 in the genus Clausena, first described in 1768 by the Dutch botanist Nicolaas Laurens Burman, and named for the Norwegian clergyman, Peder Claussøn Friis (1545-1614), the translator of the Icelandic historian and poet, Snorri Sturluson. The plant is widespread in the Afro-tropical realm or Sub-Saharan Africa, but absent from the drier regions. It is also found in tropical and south-East Asia, growing in India and Sri Lanka and extending as far as Queensland in…
Siberian apricot scientifically known as Prunus sibirica is a species of shrub or small tree in the genus Prunus in the rose family, Rosaceae, one of several species whose fruit are called apricot, although this species is rarely cultivated for its fruit. The species was named by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. The plant is native to eastern China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia and eastern Siberia. It is the dominant species on mountain dunes and dry steppes. It is an important ecological and economic tree species in China, mainly distributed in Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Gansu, Hebei, and Shanxi in China,…
Dipteryx odorata commonly known as Tonka Bean, cumaru or kumaru is a species of flowering tree in the Fabaceae / Leguminosae (Pea family). The plant is native to Central America and northern South America (Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil). Few of the popular common names of the plant are Tonka Bean, Brazilian Teak, Kumaru, Cumarú de Cheiro, Cumaru, Tonco bean, Tonco seed, Tonga bean, Tongo bean, Tonquin bean, Torquin bean, Amburana, Imburana De Cheiro, Charapilla, Cumaruzeiro, Rumara, Sarapia, Shihuahuaco, Tonka Bean Tree, Yape, Cimaru, Coumarou, Dutch Tonka bean, Gaiac, Guayac, Karapa Bossi, Muirapaye, Choiba and Sarrapia. The modern genus name is…
Chromolaena odorata commonly known as Siam weed is a tropical and subtropical species of flowering shrub in the Asteraceae / Compositae (Aster family). The plant is native to the Americas, from Florida and Texas in the United States south through Mexico and the Caribbean to South America. It has been introduced to tropical Asia, West Africa, and parts of Australia. Common names include Communist Pacha, Armstrong’s weed, baby tea, bitter bush, butterfly weed, Christmas bush, chromolaena, devil weed, eupatorium, Jack in the bush, Jack-in-the-bush, kingweed, paraffinbush, paraffinweed, Siam weed, turpentine weed, triffid weed, hagonoy, archangel and devil weed. Siam weed…
Anise Hyssop scientifically known as Agastache foeniculum is neither anise (Pimpinella anisum) nor hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis), despite its common name. However, it belongs to the Lamiaceae / Labiatae (Mint family), just like hyssop. The plant is native to Southern Canada (Alberta, Ontario) to the north central and northern states of the United States (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Dakota, Colorado). Few of the popular common names of the plant are Anise Hyssop, Anise-Hyssop, Anise-Mint, Blue Giant-Hyssop, Fennel Giant Hyssop, Fragrant Giant Hyssop, Giant Hyssop, Lavender Giant Hyssop, Lavender Hyssop, Licorice-Mint and Wonder Honey Plant. The common names are referring to fragrant…
Chinese Onion scientifically known as Allium chinense is a perennial herb belonging to Liliaceae (Lily family). Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and garlic. The plant occurs spontaneously in Central and Eastern China (in Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces) and in Japan, Korea, Russia and Mongolia. It is widely cultivated in China and Japan. It is also cultivated in Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia) and introduced with oriental emigrants from this region into further areas, e.g. the United States (Hawaii, California) and Cuba.…
Acer saccharum commonly known as sugar maple is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry and lychee family Sapindaceae. The plant is native to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick westward to Ontario and Manitoba, southward through Minnesota, and eastern Kansas into northeastern Texas. It extends eastward to Georgia and northward through the Appalachian Mountains into New England. Sugar maple is best known for being the primary source of maple syrup and for its brightly colored fall foliage. It may also be known as Sugar Maple, Florida Maple, Rock Maple, head maple, sugar tree, bird’s-eye maple, and hard maple particularly…
Amaranthus retroflexus is a species of flowering plant in the Amaranthaceae (Amaranth family) with several common names, including pigweed, American pigweed, Common Amaranth, Careless weed, Pigweed redroot, Red-root amaranth, Redroot, Redroot pigweed, Reflexed amaranth, Rough pigweed, Wild-beet amaranth, wild amaranth, slender pigweed and Common Tumble Weed. Name “pigweed” refers to the fact that this plant usually grows on the pastures where pigs are fed. The plant is native throughout North America, from Canada to Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts. It is also found throughout much of the rest of the world, including Europe, South America, Eurasia,…
Acacia pennata syn. Senegalia pennata also known as Climbing wattle, and Cha-oum is a large scrambling or climbing shrub belonging to Fabaceae / Leguminosae (Pea family). The plant is native to South, and South-East Asia, found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam; also Indian Ocean- Andaman Islands. Few of the popular common names of the plants are Climbing Acacia, Climbing Wattle, Feather Acacia, Narrow-Leaved Soap Pod, thorny tree, Khang, Stinky Leaf, Petai Duri, Rau Thoi, Cha-om tree, rusty mimosa and wait-a-bit-thorn. The plant has numerous prickles and is a very useful plant with…
Xylopia aethiopica popularly known as Grains of Selim is an evergreen, aromatic tree belonging to Annonaceae (Custard-apple family). The plant is native to lowland rainforest and moist fringe forest in the savanna zones of Africa, but largely found in West, Central and Southern Africa, particularly in Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Senegal to name a few. Apart from Grains of Selim it is also known as African grains of Selim, Ethiopian pepper, Grains of Selim, Kani pepper, Moor pepper, Negro pepper, Senegal pepper, spice tree, many red-fingers, African pepper, Senegal Pepper, Xylopia and Uda Seeds. The genus name Xylopia is…
Para grass scientifically known as Brachiaria mutica (Forssk.) Stapf is a semi-aquatic, palatable and good quality forage grass belonging to Poaceae / Gramineae (Grass family). The plant is native to tropical areas of western and northern Africa including areas from the Sahara to Angola, northern Africa to Syria, and the Southwestern Arabian Peninsula. It is now also widely distributed in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, South America and the West Indies. It was introduced elsewhere and it is now cultivated throughout tropical regions of the world for this purpose. Few of the popular common…
Green Wattle or early green wattle scientifically known as Acacia decurrens is a perennial tree or shrub in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the pea family Fabaceae / Leguminosae. The plant is native to eastern New South Wales, including Sydney, the Greater Blue Mountains Area, the Hunter Region, and south west to the Australian Capital Territory. In Victoria it is widely naturalized in the western and central parts of the state, and is particularly common north-east of Melbourne. Cultivated throughout Australia and in many other countries, Acacia decurrens has naturalized in most Australian states and in Africa, the Americas, Europe, New…