Balinghasai Farms

Native wild edible : Embelia philippinensis

Native wild edibles, What we grow No Responses »

Jul 152014

Photo specimen : Cultivated

Specimen height : 6 meters

Local names : Dikay, Lando

Trade names : Philippine embelia

Botanical name : Embelia philippinensis

Family : Primulaceae

Traits : Drought tolerant; Evergreen; Fast-growing; Full-sun; Low to medium altitude species; Much-branched; Perrenial; Scrambling; Shade tolerant; Tolerant of infertile soil; Woody climber

Recommendations : Backyards; Bird food; Edible gardening; Farms; Fence climber; Fruit collector’s; Hedgegrow/Screen; Large gardens; Plantations; Reclamation; Urban parks; Wildcrafting

Used for : Tart young shoots and leaves are used as flavoring for soupy fish and meat dishes; Fruits may be eaten off hand or processed into preserves; Mature stems used as natural cordage

Native range : Philippines and Borneo (Malaysia, Indonesia)

National conservation status : Not threatened

Further reading :

PROSEA - Embelia philippinensis http://proseanet.org/prosea/e-prosea_detail.php?frt=&id=519 (724)

Native wild edible : Piper sarmentosum

Native wild edibles, Our Blogs, What we grow No Responses »

Jun 172014

Photo specimen : Cultivated

Specimen height : 1/2 meter

Trade names : Wild betel, Kadok, Chaphlu

Botanical name : Piper sarmentosum

Family : Piperaceae

Traits : Evergreen; Fast-growing; Herbaceous creeper; Low to medium altitude species; Perrenial; Shade tolerant

Recommendations : Backyards; Edible gardening; Farms; Home gardens; Landscaping; Large gardens; Living mulch; Medicinal plant; Natural ground cover; Ornamental; Pharmacological uses; Plantations; Potted/Container plant; Public spaces; Reclamation; Urban parks; Urban greening; Wildcrafting

Used for : Leaves are eaten with salad as condiment or used as vegetable or edible food wrap or as an alternative to Piper betel; Leaves, roots and fruits have uses in traditional medicine

Native range : India, Andaman Islands, China and Southeast Asia (including the Philippines)

National conservation status : Not threatened

Further reading :

An Investigation of the Vegetative Anatomy of Piper sarmentosum, and a Comparison with the Anatomy of Piper betle (Piperaceae) (Vijayasankar Raman, Ahmed M. Galal, Ikhlas A. Khan) file:///C:/Users/user/Downloads/Piper%20sarmentosum_anatomy.pdf

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine - Does Oral Ingestion of Piper sarmentosum Cause Toxicity in Experimental Animals? (Maizura Mohd Zainudin, Zaiton Zakaria, Nor Anita Megat Mohd Nordin and Faizah Othman) http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2013/705950/

Natural Antioxidants: Piper sarmentosum (Kadok) and Morinda elliptica
(Mengkudu) (Vimala Subramaniam, Mohd. Ilham Adenan, Abdull Rashih Ahmad & Rohana Sahdan) http://nutriweb.org.my/publications/mjn009_1/mjn9n1_art5.pdf (734)

Native wild edible : Momordica cochinchinensis

Native wild edibles, Our Blogs, What we grow No Responses »

Jun 142014

I have always wondered why we Filipinos have not exploit the use of our native Momordica cochinchinensis. I’ve heard from friends that they’ve encountered this strange fruit during forest walks and at times in forest clearings near settlements. In Thailand, where it is called Fak Khao, a few pieces of fruits may seasonally be seen in fruit markets. The orange, spiny fruits sometimes weigh from 250g to a kilo per piece and they are a little more expensive than the common fruits. There are small plantations in Surin but few and far between outside of the province. The red aril covering the seed is extracted to make a nutritious beverage; the same is also used in making glutinous rice desserts imparting a natural red color. The young shoots are steamed, dipped in Nam Prik (Thai chili sauce) and eaten with rice.

Photo specimen : Cultivated

Specimen height : 6-10 meters

Local names : Patolang-uwak, Balbas-bakiro

Trade names : Gac, Cochinchin gourd

Botanical name : Momordica cochinchinensis

Family : Cucurbitaceae

Traits : Dioecious; Drought tolerant; Fast-growing; Full-sun; Low to medium altitude species; Perrenial vine; Woody climber

Recommendations : Backyards; Edible gardening; Farms; Fence climber; Fruit collector’s; Hedgegrow/Screen; Large gardens; Medicinal plant; Pharmacological uses; Plantations; Reclamation; Urban parks; Wildcrafting

Used for : Young shoots and flowers are eaten as vegetable; The pulp is also eaten; The nutritious aril is used in making specialty beverages, glutinous rice desserts and in the manufacture of dietary supplements; Aril is used as a natural food color; Leaves, roots and seeds have uses in traditional medicine

Native range : India, Bangladesh, China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia (including the Philippines), New Guinea, Australia

National conservation status : Not threatened

Further reading :

Flora of China - Momordica cochinchinensis http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200022699

FOXNEWS Gac : Strange Name, Powerful Fruit (Chris Kilham) http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/02/22/gac-strange-powerful-fruit/

(776)

Entada phaseoloides

What we grow No Responses »

Feb 082014

Thank you Mr. Edmund Sana, Mr. Danny Tiu and Mr. Rey Palacio for the Gugo seeds you gave us a few years ago; they’ve grown fast and tall. Some have already colonized the canopy of the larger trees in the farm.

Photo specimen : Cultivated

Specimen height : 6-10 meters

Local names : Gugo, Balugo, Bayugo

Trade names : St. Thomas bean, Gogo bean

Botanical name : Entada phaseoloides

Family : Fabaceae-Mimosoideae

Traits : Coastal species; Drought tolerant; Evergreen; Fast-growing; Low to medium altitude species; Nitrogen-fixing; Perrenial; Salt-spray tolerant; Tolerant of infertile soil; Sub-tropical to tropical species; Woody climber

Recommendations : Farms; Hedgegrow; Landscaping; Large gardens; Medicinal plant; Reclamation; Specimen; Urban parks; Wildcrafting

Used for : Used in traditional medicine; Seeds are used as ethnic-inspired ornaments and jewelries; Drinkable water may be obtained from cut stem (?); Cut, dried and pounded stems are used in making the olden Gugo hairwash

Native range : Coastal Africa, Coastal Asia (including the Philippines), Australia and Western Pacific islands

National conservation status : Not threatened

Further reading :

Chinese Plant Names - Entada phaseoloides http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=3&taxon_id=200012124

National Tropical Botanical Garden - Entada phaseoloides http://www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=4612 (765)

Native wild edible : Sauropus androgynus

Native wild edibles, Uncategorized, What we grow No Responses »

Jan 192014

Specimen : Cultivated

Local name : Binahian, Chinese malunggay

Trade name : Star gooseberry, Sweet leaf

Botanical name : Sauropus androgynus

Family : Phyllanthaceae

Specimen height : up to 2 meters

Fruiting season : wet season

Traits : Fast growing; Semi-deciduous; Shade tolerant; Shrub; Willowy

Used for : Leaves are cooked and eaten as vegetable or used as fodder for cattles; Traditional medicine

Recommendations : Backyards; Edible gardening; Farms; Hedge; Home gardens; Livestock fodder; Medicinal plant; Potted; Wildcrafting

Native range : India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, China, Southeast Asia (including the Philippines)

National conservation status : Not threatened

(Note : Over-consumption may lead to irreversible injury of the lungs)

Casuarina equisetifolia

What we grow No Responses »

Dec 012013

Photo specimen : Cultivated

Specimen height : 6-14 meters

Local names : Agoho, Agoo

Trade names: Casuarina, Sea pine, She-oak

Botanical name : Casuarina equisetifolia

Family : Casuarinaceae

Traits : Deep-rooted; Evergreen; Fast-growing; Full-sun; Low altitude tree; Medium-sized tree to Large tree; Nitrogen-fixing; Salt-spray tolerant; Subtropical to Tropical tree; Tolerant of infertile soil; Wind hardy

Recommendations : Boundary marker; Coastal stabilization; Erosion control; Fallow improvement; Farms; Green manure; Home gardens; Landscaping; Large avenues; Large gardens; Light shade for crops; Living fence; Living post; Living trellis; Mangrove management; Nurse tree; Ornamental tree; Paper & pulp tree plantations; Pioneer species for coastal areas; Public spaces; Reclamation; Roadside tree; Shade tree; Timber belt; Timber plantations; Urban greening; Windbreak

Used for : Roots, twigs and bark have uses in traditional medicine; Leaf litter as fuel; Raw material for Rayon fibres; Wood for flooring, interior works, ship building, paneling, poles, agricultural implements, walking canes; Pulpwood; Fuelwood and charcoal

Native range : Australia, New Zealand; New Guinea; Polynesia, Bangladesh; coastal Southeast Asia (including in the Philippines)

National conservation status : Not threatened in the Philippines

Further reading :

AgroForestry Tree Database (Casuarina equisetifolia) http://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org/Sea/Products/AFDbases/AF/asp/SpeciesInfo.asp?SpID=477

Philippine Woods : Principal Uses, Distribution & Equivalent Woods in Asia Pacific (A. Ella, A. Tongacan, R. Escobin & F. Pitargue)

Revised Lexicon of Philippine Trees (J. P. Rojo) (694)

Native wild edible : Ficus pseudopalma

Native wild edibles, Our Blogs, What we grow No Responses »

Dec 012013

In 2008 I went to a fruit nursery in Angeles City, Pampanga to purchase a few seedlings of Philippine native fruit trees and met there for the first time Verman “Berns” Reyes; the nursery owner and also the lone founding member of the merry group the “Rare Fruit Society of the Philippines” or what is always called “RFSP”. Asking for membership through Yahoogroup ([email protected]) was easy as a breeze and so in time I became a “Rarefruiter” (a moniker for every member) myself. RFSP now hosts thousands of members from different trades and professional backgrounds and still dozens get membered at RFSP’s Yahoogroup or Facebook page everyday. Anyway, on that first meeting, Berns gave me a lot of freebies and among those were half-germinated Lipote (Syzygium curranii) seeds and Niyog-niyogan (Ficus pseudopalma) seeds. Fast tracked to June 2011 and finally it was his turn, with fellow rarefruiters TJ Gonzalez, Boy Gonzalez and J.A. Aguirre, to visit the farm for some native fruit hunting and sight-seeing. Whenever we have visitors, I usually ask them to plant whatever native tree seedlings we have at the nursery to make the event meaningful and in line with our advocacy. At the time, it was the Niyog-niyogan seedlings that I had them out-plant.

Niyog-niyogan is a culturally important food source especially in the Bicol region of the Philippines where its young leaves are usually cooked with fish, chillies and the ubiquitous coconut milk.

Specimen : Cultivated

Local names : Niyog-niyogan, Lubi-lubi

Trade name : Philippine Fig

Botanical name : Ficus pseudopalma

Family : Moraceae

Height : 2 to 6 meters

Fruiting season : Year round

Traits : Evergreen; Fast growing; Prolific fruiter; Shade tolerant; Tolerant of infertile soil; Willowy

Used for : Edible fruits; Leaves are cooked and eaten as vegetable; Leaves used as food wrap; Fodder for livestock; Firewood

Recommendations : Backyards; Farms; Home gardens; Nurse tree; Ornamental tree; Potted; Public spaces; Urban greening; Wildcrafting

Native range : The Philippines

National conservation status : Not threatened

Getting up

Our Blogs No Responses »

Nov 192013

As central Philippines is still reeling from the damages brought about by the recent super typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), we can’t help but feel sorry for our less fortunate brethren who were at the center of this epic calamity. It is really difficult what they are going through right now; how can we, at least, lessen their pain and anguish? Despite the overwhelming influx of volunteers, donations, pledges and prayers both from local and international communities I still feel that, collectively, they are not enough… There was simply too much havoc and chaos but not much help getting in until only recently. We feel very lucky now that when typhoon Nari (Santi) struck Central Luzon last month, it left us alive and complete in spite leaving the farm operations impaired for a time.

Rebuilding our visitor’s area will have to wait until next year when budget has been set aside again but replacing damaged crops and planting anew is being done as usual.

(523)

The aftermath of Nari (Santi)

Our Blogs No Responses »

Nov 012013

21 days after typhoon Nari (Santi) struck Central Luzon, fallen century old Mango and Saman trees still litter the roadsides of rural San Miguel, Bulacan. Rice still lay flattened on the fields, some businesses still closed, some properties still unrepaired; there’s evidence everywhere of the devastating deluge that passed. We were one of those early placed under a state of calamity when unbelievable amount of floodwater surged and sank the town proper and nearby low-lying barangays which reached a record high of 2 meters in some areas of the town. The event, I believe, was a first for us.

The farm has taken it’s share of destruction as well : the once pompous Alibangbang (Bauhinia malabarica) and Ligas (Semecarpus cuneiformis) trees had fallen from grace due to intense wind, Binayuyu (Antidesma ghaesembilla) trees were left standing leafless, felled branches and roofing are strewn about, an hectare of our vegetable crops (Long beans and Bottlegourd) ironed out flat and the helper’s quarter plus the adjacent newly renovated visitor’s area were completely brought down. The sight was a big headache!

Rebuilding and replanting in complete surrender to the forces that shape the world and us, we felt cleansed and lucky to be alive and gifted with another work, another plan, another hope.

(523)

The anticipated leaves

Our Blogs No Responses »

Oct 212013

In our part of the world, August until November is that much-awaited time to collect the edible newly sprouting leaves of the native Alibangbang trees (Bauhinia malabarica). Bulakenyos, especially us who are from the town of old San Miguel, are particularly fond of using this butterfly-looking leaves as a flavoring, notably, for cooking beef shanks (Sinigang na pata ng Baka sa Alibangbang) and chicken (Inalibangbangang Manok). Our friends from Manila have been regularly requesting for Alibangbang leaves and even seedlings after knowing that we have a few wild trees growing in the farm. Our Alibangbang trees are not really remarkable to look at but they are always an attraction to visitors who often have a childhood memory of this tree. Sometimes, we also wrap some fresh leaves to give as gifts when visiting friends or relatives.

This species must not be confused with other tree Bauhinias that exhibit the same leaf shape but has large, often brightly colored, orchid-like flowers. (659)

Glochidion rubrum

Salvaged No Responses »

Oct 052013

Photo specimen : Wild trees

Specimen height : 2 - 4 meters

Habitat : Creek banks, open grasslands, roadsides and scrublands

Local name : Bagnang-pula

Botanical name : Glochidion rubrum

Family : Phyllanthaceae

Fruiting season : probably year-round

Traits : Drought-tolerant; Evergreen; Full sun; Grassfire-tolerant; Low to medium altitude tree; Shade-tolerant; Small tree; Tolerant of infertile soil; Undercanopy tree

Recommendations : Bird food; Hedge or screen; Landscaping; Living fence; Ornamental tree; Pioneer species for reforestation purposes; Potted; Public spaces; Roadside tree; Urban greening

Used for : Firewood and charcoal

Native range : Southeast Asia (including the Philippines)

National conservation status : Not threatened in the Philippines

Further reading :

Flora of China Glochidion rubrum http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=242323539

Glochidion rubrum http://www.asianplant.net/Phyllanthaceae/Glochidion_rubrum.htm

Revised Lexicon of Philippine Trees (J. Rojo) (718)

Native wild edible : Terminalia catappa

Native wild edibles, What we grow No Responses »

Oct 042013

Photo specimen : Domesticated and semi-domesticated trees

Specimen height : 14 - 18 m

Local name : Talisay

Trade names : Indian almond, Tropical almond

Botanical name : Terminalia catappa

Family : Combretaceae

Fruiting season : Fruits seen on January and August (probably year-round fruiting)

Traits : Buttressed; Deciduous; Drought tolerant; Fast-growing; Full-sun; Long-lived species; Low altitude species; Medium-sized tree; Salt spray tolerant; Spreading crown; Tolerant of infertile soil; Water-logging tolerant; Wind hardy

Recommendations : Backyards; Boundary marker; Coastal stabilization; Edible gardening; Erosion control; Farms; Fruit collector’s; Honey tree; Landscaping; Large avenues, Large gardens; Living fence; Living post; Living trellis; Mangrove management; Nurse tree; Ornamental tree; Paper & pulp tree plantations; Pioneer species for reforestation of coastal areas; Plantations; Public spaces; Riparian management; Roadside tree; Shade tree; Timber belt; Urban greening; Wildcrafting; Windbreak

Used for : Fruit pulp and seed kernel are edible (the nuts are important food source in the Pacific islands); Wine is made from fruit pulp fermentation; Timber for small constructions, interior work, veneers, plywood, musical instruments and furnitures; Firewood and charcoal

Native range : Tropical Asia (including the Philippines), Australia to the Pacific islands

National conservation status : Not threatened in the Philippines

Further reading :

Philippine Woods : Principal Uses, Distribution & Equivalent Woods in Asia Pacific (A. Ella, A. Tongacan, R. Escobin & F. Pitargue)

Species Profiles for Pacific Island Agroforestry (Terminalia catappa) http://www.agroforestry.net/tti/T.catappa-tropical-almond.pdf (694)

Native wild edible : Canarium ovatum

Native wild edibles, What we grow No Responses »

Oct 042013

Photo specimen : Domesticated trees

Specimen height : 14-18 meters

Local name : Pili

Trade name : Pili Nut

Botanical name : Canarium ovatum

Family : Burseraceae

Fruiting season : Fallen fruits seen on December

Traits : Buttressed; Dioecious; Drought tolerant; Evergreen; Full sun; Long-lived species; Low to medium altitude tree; Medium-sized to large tree; Spreading crown; Wind hardy; With extensive root system

Recommendations: Agroforestry; Backyards; Boundary marker; Edible gardening; Farms; Fruit collector’s; Large avenues; Large gardens; Living fence; Plantations; Public spaces; Roadside tree; Shade tree; Specimen tree; Urban greening; Wildcrafting; Windbreak

Used for : Nutritious and oily kernels are used in making pastries and confections and made into preserves but they are also good eaten raw; An oil suitable for culinary use, as raw material for soap making and as illuminant can be extracted from the pulp and the kernel; Young shoots are cooked as vegetables or used in green salads; Green pulp pickled; Ripe pulp boiled, seasoned and eaten as a delicacy; Wood and seed shells are used as fuel; Seed shells are processed and sold as small souvenirs and ornaments; Light construction wood used under cover; Wood for furnitures, handicrafts, musical instruments and novelties; Pulpwood

Native range : The Philippines

National conservation status : Other Threatened Species (DENR AO 2007-

Further reading :

Philippine Woods : Principal Uses, Distribution & Equivalent Woods in Asia Pacific (A. Ella, A. Tongacan, R. Escobin & F. Pitargue)

Promoting the conservation and use of underutilized and neglected crops 6 Pili NutCanarium ovatum Engl. (R.E. Coronel)

DENR Administrative Order 2007-1 (Establishing the National List of Threatened Philippine Plants and their Categories, and the List of Other Wildlife Species) (623)

Pterocarpus indicus

Salvaged, What we grow No Responses »

Sep 012013

Photo specimen : Semi-domesticated trees

Specimen height : 20-25 meters

Local names : Narra, Smooth narra, Prickly narra

Trade names : Narra, Smooth narra, Prickly narra

Botanical names : Pterocarpus indicus forma indicus

Pterocarpus indicus forma echinatus

Family : Fabaceae - Faboideae

Traits : Buttressed; Deciduous to evergreen; Drought tolerant; Emergent tree; Fast growing; Large tree; Long-lived species; Low to medium altitude species; Nitrogen-fixing; Spreading crown; Tolerant of infertile soil; Tolerant of occasional water-logging; Wind hardy; With extensive root system

Recommendations : Boundary marker; Erosion control; Fallow improvement; Farms; Green manure; Honey tree; Landscaping; Large avenues; Large gardens; Living fence; Medicinal plant; Ornamental tree; Plantations; Public spaces; Riparian management; Roadside tree; Shade tree; Timber belt; Timber plantations; Urban greening; Windbreak

Used for : Young leaves and inflorescence are edible but rarely eaten; Barks and leaves are used in the preparation of traditional medicines, also made into herbal teas and pills; Timber for boat building, light constructions, interior works, high-class furnitures, musical instruments, decorative veneers and flooring, tools and handicrafts; Red dye can be extracted from the heartwood; Felled branches for fuel wood and charcoal

Native range : Southeast Asia (including the Philippines), Ryuku islands (Japan), Caroline islands, Bismarck Archipelago, New Hebrides, Solomon Islands

National conservation status : Critically Endangered Species (DENR AO 2007-1)

(Note : Difference between Smooth narra and Prickly narra is mainly about their fruit (pod). The latter’s fruit have soft pricks as compared to the former’s being smooth; other vegetative characteristics do not hold)

Further reading :

DENR Administrative Order 2007-1 (Establishing the National List of Threatened Philippine Plants and their Categories, and the List of Other Wildlife Species)

Revised Lexicon of Philippine Trees (J. Rojo)

Species Profiles for Pacific Island Agroforestry (Pterocarpus indicus) http://www.agroforestry.net/tti/Pterocarpus-narra.pdf

(1085)

The Batoon tandem

Our Blogs No Responses »

Aug 292013

The year that passed had been a very fortunate one indeed for the farm and quite a busy one for us as well! The farm had considerable developments especially in the areas of irrigation, electrification, crop production and concrete fence installation. That year also saw us segregate our makeshift nursery of native trees as we had formally allocated a proper space for this very important endeavor. Surrounded with nets and all and with a diverse stock of native seedlings, our nursery of native trees have lured fellow advocates, conservationists, farmers, hobbyists, scholars, researchers and students alike to visit despite the road, the mud and meter-high grasses. Our farm is not at all remarkable but I guess our native trees and the nursery we have painstakingly established worked all the magic! Such could be the case for the gracious husband and wife tandem, Drs. Lito and Cora Batoon, who came to visit last June.

I had quite a talk with Dr. Lito when I invited him for a walk around the farm erstwhile introducing him to the native trees we’ve grown trough the years; Val came ahead to slash the unruly Cogon as we trudge along. This I really like to do with our visitors; talking to them about native trees and listening on what they have to say - you can really tell who did their assignments. In the end, everyone else that came here seemed more knowledgeable than I am! That’s, actually, a good thing. We passed by a row of Anubing (Artocarpus ovatus) trees that I planted about 3 years ago and one tree is now showing flowers; it’s amazing how some species can mature so fast!

Dr. Lito gave us a hefty sales that day which all went to buying polybags for a new batch of seedlings that needed bagging; it’s all good! But he left something else for the farm; 5 Bani (Millettia pinnata) seedlings which if had been in sapling sizes already I would have asked them both to stay a few minutes more to do tree planting. Thank you Drs. Lito and Cora, we hope you can come back again to, at least, plant your Bani trees. (630)

Canarium asperum ssp. asperum var. asperum

Salvaged, What we grow No Responses »

Jul 032013

Photo specimen : Wild and cultivated trees

Specimen height : 8-25 meters

Habitats in the wild : Disturbed or secondary forests, dry grasslands, moist and dry thickets

Local name : Pagsahingin, Patsingin

Botanical name : Canarium asperum ssp. asperum var.asperum

Family : Burseraceae

Traits : Dioecious; Drought tolerant; Evergreen; Fast-growing; Medium-sized tree; Tolerant of infertile soil; Tolerant of occasional water-logging; Wind hardy

Recommendations : Agroforestry; Erosion control; Farms; Landscaping; Large avenues; Living fence; Nurse tree; Paper & pulp tree plantations; Pioneer species reforestation purposes; Public spaces; Riparian management; Roadside tree; Shade tree; Timber belt; Timber plantations; Urban greening; Wildcrafting; Windbreak

Used for : Tapped resin sold as Manila elemi or Elemi which is used in the manufacturing of paint, varnishes, perfumes, incense, aromatherapy and pharmaceutical products; Resin also used as illuminant; Wood for light interior works, furnitures, veneer, plywood, agricultural implements, musical instruments, boxes, crates and toys; Pulpwood; Fuelwood and charcoal

Native range : Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines,New Guinea and Solomon Islands

National conservation status : Not threatened

Possible threats : Clearing of woodlands for agricultural, commercial or residential use; Indiscriminate cutting of wild trees for charcoal and fuelwood production

Further reading :

Philippine Woods : Principal Uses, Distribution & Equivalent Woods in Asia Pacific (A. Ella, A. Tongacan, R. Escobin & F. Pitargue)

Revised Lexicon of Philippine Trees (J. Rojo)

The IUCN Red LIST of Threatened Species - Canarium asperum http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/33233/0 (855)

Macaranga tanarius

Salvaged, What we grow No Responses »

Jun 302013

Photo specimen : Wild trees

Specimen height : 4-6 meters

Habitats : Coastal thickets, creekbanks, grasslands, roadsides, wastelands

Local name : Binunga

Botanical name : Macaranga tanarius

Family : Euphorbiaceae

Fruiting season : December to January

Traits : Drought tolerant; Fast-growing; Low to medium altitude tree; Semi-decidious; Shade tolerant; Small tree; Tolerant of infertile soil

Recommendations : Coastal protection; Cut and carry fodder; Erosion control; Fallow improvement; Farms; Green manure; Home gardens; Landscaping; Living fence; Living trellis; Nurse tree; Ornamental tree; Paper & pulp tree plantations; Pioneer species for reforetation purposes; Public spaces; Riparian management; Roadside tree; Shade tree; Urban greening; Wildcrafting

Used for : Fruits added to palm juice to improve the quality of sugar produced; Bark and leaves are used locally in the preparation of Basi wine; Resin or gum from the bark is used as glue in making musical instruments; Black dye is obtained from the leaves; Tanin from the bark is used to toughen fishnets from seawater exposure; Leaves as cattle fodder; Pulpwood; Firewood and charcoal

Native range : India, East Asia, Southeast Asia (including the Philippines) to Australia

National conservation status : Not threatened

Further reading :

Revised Lexicon of Philippine Trees (J. Rojo)

Tropical & Subtropical Trees (M. Barwick)

World Agroforestry http://www.worldagroforestry.org/af/treedb/AFTPDFS/Macaranga_tanarius.pdf (939)

Native wild edible : Rourea minor

Native wild edibles, Salvaged No Responses »

Jun 282013

Materials identified by : Ulysses Ferreras (Field botanist)

Photo specimen : Wild

Specimen height : 4-6 meters

Habitat : Creekbank thickets

Local name : Kamagsa

Botanical name : Rourea minor

Family : Connaraceae

Fruiting season : April to June

Traits : Evergreen; Low to medium altitude species; Woody climber

Recommendations : Backyards; Farms; Fruit collector’s; Home gardens; Landscaping; Large gardens; Medicinal plant; Ornamental; Public spaces; Urban greening; Vertical gardens; Wildcrafting

Used for : Edible fruit; Bark, root, seed and leaves are used in traditional medicine

Native range : Tropical Africa, Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka, China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia (including the Philippines), Australia and neighbouring Pacific islands

National conservation status : Not threatened

Further reading :

E-Prosea - Rourea minor http://www.proseanet.org/prosea/e-prosea_detail.php?frt=&id=1281

Flora of China - Rourea minor http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200011842

Wild Edible Plants of Assam (Sri Brahmananda Patiri & Sri Ananta Borah) http://assamforest.in/publication/wildEdible_plantsAssam.pdf

(778)

Mucuna pruriens var. pruriens

Salvaged No Responses »

Jun 272013

Photo specimen : Wild

Specimen height : 4-5 meters

Habitats : Creek banks, roadsides, scrublands and thickets

Local name : Bolokabok

Trade names : Velvet bean, Cowitch

Botanical name : Mucuna pruriens var. pruriens

Family : Fabaceae - Faboideae

Fruiting season : November to January

Traits : Annual climber; Fast-growing; Nitrogen-fixing; Shade tolerant; Tolerant of infertile soil

Recommendations : Collector’s; Fallow improvement; Green manure; Cut and carry fodder; Ornamental vine

Used for : Various parts are used in traditional medicine; Forage and silage

Native range : India, China, Southeast Asia (including the Philippines)

National conservation status : Not threatened

(Note : var. utilis for non-stinging, cultivated forms and var. pruriens for stinging, wild forms)

Further reading :

Tropical Forages - Mucuna pruriens http://www.tropicalforages.info/key/Forages/Media/Html/Mucuna_pruriens.htm (1651)

Melanolepsis multiglandulosa

Salvaged No Responses »

Jun 202013

Photo specimen : Wild

Specimen height : 4-6 meters

Habitats : Open grasslands, creek banks, roadsides and scrublands

Local name : Alim

Botanical name : Melanolepsis multiglandulosa

Family : Euphorbiaceae

Fruiting season : Fruits observed from February to March

Traits : Deciduous; Drought tolerant; Fast-growing; Low to medium altitude tree; Small tree; Tolerant of infertile soil

Recommendations : Landscaping; Living fence; Living trellis; Medicinal plant; Nurse tree; Pioneer species for reforestation purposes; Public spaces; Riparian management; Roadside tree; Urban greening; Wildcrafting

Used for: Wood for shoes; Bark and leaves used in traditional medicine; Firewood

Native range : Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, The Philippines, New Guinea, Marianas Islands

National conservation status : Not threatened

Further reading :

Malesian Euphorbiaceae Descriptions (Flora Malesiana)
http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/euphorbs/specM/Melanolepis.htm

Revised Lexicon of Philippine Trees (J. Rojo) (737)