Greater plantain (Plantago major)

Daun sendok or greater plantain (Plantago major) is a plant species in the Plantaginaceae, annual herb with rosette leaves, 15-30 cm in diameter, oval-shaped leaves, 5-20 cm long, 4-9 cm wide, pointed tip, smooth edges, stalk and 5-9 veins along the leaf.

P. major has small, greenish-brown flowers with purple stamens, dense thorns 5-15 cm long on stems 13-15 cm high. Seeds are attached to long spikes that soar high above the leaves. Each plant can produce up to 20,000 seeds, very small and oval in shape.

Greater plantains grow in grasses and fields, along roadsides and in other areas that have been disturbed by humans. Young leaves are eaten raw, older, more fibrous leaves are boiled in stews and eaten. Mature leaves contain flexible and strong fibers for making small ropes, fishing line, stitches.

Plants contain phytochemicals allantoin, aucubin, ursolic acid, flavonoids, and asperuloside. The leaves are commonly used in traditional medicine for wounds, or insect stings. The root is used for fever and respiratory infections.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Lamiales
Family: Plantaginaceae
Tribe: Plantagineae
Genus: Plantago
Species: Plantago major
Subspecies: Plantago major ssp. intermedia, Plantago major ssp. major

Crested blue ear (Cyanotis cristata)

Crested blue ear ( Cyanotis cristata ) is a species of plant in the Commelinaceae, a fleshy and strong herb, growing as a vine. Leaves 8 cm long, 2.5 cm wide, oblong, rounded or heart-shaped base, blunt or pointed tip, sparsely ciliated at the edge; sheath loose, up to 8 mm long, scaly. C. cristata has flowers 6-7 mm in diameter. Calyx tube 2 mm long, lobes 2-2.5 mm long, hairy. Corolla pale blue to purple, 6 mm long. Stamen filaments bearded, purple. Ovary rounded, hairy at the apex. Capsules 2-3 mm long, ovate. Seeds about 1 mm long, trigonous, 2 large holes on either side. This species grows in grasslands, degraded forest areas, wastelands, waterways and roadsides. C. cristata is found in wet rocky areas, moist soils, grasslands, ravines and riverbanks. Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Liliopsida Order: Commelinales Family: Commelinaceae Subfamily: Commelinoideae Tribe: Tradescantieae Genus: Cyanotis Species: Cyanotis cristata

Broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius)

Broad-leaved dock ( Rumex obtusifolius ) is a species of plant in the Polygonaceae, herbaceous perennial, growing broadly, up to 150 cm tall, large, oval-shaped leaves with a heart-shaped base and rounded tip, large taproot with many branches extending to a depth of 150 cm. R. obtusifolius has leaves up to 30 cm long, 15 cm wide and green. Stems are long, hard, alternate, green or reddish in color and unbranched until just below the inflorescence. A main vein in the middle and green or reddish in color. Flat or wavy surface. The inflorescences consist of large clusters of racemes that contain small, greenish flowers that turn red as they mature. Seeds are reddish brown and dry. Broad-leaved dock grows in fertile soils, grasslands, waste lands, roadsides, ditches, coastlines and riverbanks, forest margins, forest clearing and agricultural land. The leaves are used as a salad to make vegetable broth or cooked like spinach. Dried seeds are used as a spice. Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tr...

Thomas Sutikna lives with Homo floresiensis

BLOG - On October 28, 2004, a paper was published in Nature describing the dwarf hominin we know today as Homo floresiensis that has shocked the world. The report changed the geographical landscape of early humans that previously stated that the Pleistocene Asia was only represented by two species, Homo erectus and Homo sapiens . The report titled "A new small-bodied hominin from the Late Pleistocene of Flores, Indonesia" written by Peter Brown and Mike J. Morwood from the University of New England with Thomas Sutikna, Raden Pandji Soejono, Jatmiko, E. Wahyu Saptomo and Rokus Awe Due from the National Archaeology Research Institute (ARKENAS), Indonesia, presents more diversity in the genus Homo. “Immediately, my fever vanished. I couldn’t sleep well that night. I couldn’t wait for sunrise. In the early morning we went to the site, and when we arrived in the cave, I didn’t say a thing because both my mind and heart couldn’t handle this incredible moment. I just went down...

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