Native wild edible : Piper retrofractum

 Native wild edibles, Salvaged  No Responses »
Apr 292013
 

Specimen : Wild

Specimen height : 3-5 meters

Habitats : On trees in moist thickets

Botanical name : Piper retrofractum

Local names : Litlit, Salimara

Trade names : Javanese long pepper, Balinese long pepper

Family : Piperaceae

Traits : Dioecious; Low altitude species; Perrenial; Herbaceous to woody climber

Recommendations : Backyards; Edible gardening; Farms; Fruit collector’s; Home gardens; Landscaping; Medicinal plant; Urban greening; Wildcrafting

Used for : Fruits used as spice; Fruits for pickling; Leaves, fruits and roots have uses in traditional medicine; Used in modern medicine

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

National conservation status : Not threatened

Possible threats : Clearing of woodlands for agricultural, commercial or residential use

Further readings :

Flora of China Piper retrofractum http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200005592

Piperidine alkaloids from Piper retrofractum Vahl. protect against high-fat diet-induced obesity by regulating lipid metabolism and activating AMP-activated protein kinase. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21741367 (589)

Pandanus luzonensis

 Salvaged  No Responses »
Apr 212013
 

Specimen : Wild trees

Specimen height : 4-6 meters

Habitat : Creek banks

Local name : Alas-as, Alasas, Pandan-luzon

Botanical name : Pandanus luzonensis

Family : Pandanaceae

Fruiting season : Fruits observed from February to March

Traits : Dioecious; Evergreen; Shade tolerant; Small tree; Water-logging tolerant; Willowy

Recommendations : Landscaping; Ornamental tree; Public spaces; Riparian management; Wildcrafting

Used for : Prop roots have been used as diuretic; Leaves employed in weaving hats, mats and baskets; Firewood

Native range : The Philippines

National conservation status : Not threatened

Possible threats : Clearing of woodlands for agricultural, commercial or residential use

Resources :

Bureau of Plant Industry’s Medicinal Plants Publication - Pandanus luzonensishttp://www.bpi.da.gov.ph/Publications/mp/pdf/p/pand (490)

Alstonia scholaris

 What we grow  No Responses »
Apr 192013
 

Specimen : Wild and semi-domesticated trees

Specimen height : 20-30 meters

Habitats : In open woodlands, coastal thickets and along natural waterways

Local name : Dita

Trade name : Devil tree, Milkwood, White cheesewood, Milky pine

Botanical name : Alstonia scholaris

Family : Apocynaceae

Traits : Drought tolerant; Emergent tree; Evergreen; Fast growing; Low to medium altitude tree; Medium to large tree; Salt spray tolerant; Shade tolerant; Tolerant of infertile soil; Tolerant of occasional water-logging

Recommendations : Boundary marker; Coastal stabilization; Erosion control; Farms; Large avenues; Large gardens; Living fence; Mangrove management; Ornamental tree; Paper & pulp tree plantations; Pioneer species for reforestation purposes; Public spaces; Riparian management; Roadside tree; Shade tree; Specimen tree; Timber belt; Urban greening; Wildcrafting; Windbreak

Used for : Latex are made into chewing gum; Fiber are obtained from the bark; Inflorescence yields essential oil; Sap from the bark is used as tonic, vermifuge and anti-malarial drug; Latex and leaves are also medicinal; Wood for interior work, veneer, plywood, wooden crates, bowls, food containers, boxes and shoes, coffins, chalkboards, small wooden items, buoys or floats and carving; Pulpwood; Fuelwood

Native range : India, Sri Lanka, China, Southeast Asia (including the Philippines), New Guinea, Australia and neighboring islands

National conservation status : Not threatened

Possible threats : Clearing of woodlands for agricultural, commercial or residential use; Forestry logging

(Note : The wood is made into chalkboards and slates used for school hence the epithet “scholaris”)

Further readings :

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)

Tropical & Subtropical Trees (M. Barwick)

World Agroforestry Centre - AgroForestry Tree Database Alstonia scholaris http://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org/sea/Products/AFDbases/AF/asp/SpeciesInfo.asp?SpID=201 (783)

Parkia timoriana

 What we grow  No Responses »
Apr 182013
 


Photo specimen : Wild

Specimen height : About 25 meters

Habitats : Riverine and limestone forests, secondary forests

Local name : Kupang

Botanical name : Parkia timoriana

Family : Fabaceae - Mimosoideae

Traits : Buttressed; Emergent tree; Drought tolerant; Fast growing; Large tree; Low to medium altitude tree; Nitrogen-fixing; Semi-deciduous to Evergreen; Shade tolerant; Tolerant of infertile soil

Recommendations : Boundary marker; Erosion control; Fallow improvement; Farms; Fodder tree; Landscaping; Large avenues; Large gardens; Living fence; Ornamental tree; Paper and pulp tree plantations; Pioneer species for reforestation purposes; Public spaces; Riparian management; Roadside tree; Shade tree; Timber belt; Urban greening; Wildcrafting; Windbreak

Used for : Fruits reportedly edible and can be eaten raw or cooked; Leaves, root, bark and seeds have uses in traditional medicine; Cut and carry fodder; Firewood and charcoal

Native range : India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines

National conservation status : Not threatened

Possible threats : Clearing of woodlands for agricultural, commercial or residential use; Forestry logging

(Note : Literatures claim this is synonymous to Parkia javanica)

Further readings :

ASEAN Tropical Plant Database http://211.114.21.20/tropicalplant/html/print.jsp?rno=145

Parkia javanica http://www.bpi.da.gov.ph/Publications/mp/pdf/k/kupang.pdf

Revised Lexicon of Philippine Trees (J. Rojo)

Tropical & Subtropical Trees (M. Barwick)

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