Sea hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliaceus)

Waru or sea hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliaceus) is a species in the Malvaceae, a small tree, 5-15 meters high, the stem grows straighter and the crown narrower on fertile soils, while the trunk grows crooked and the crown widens on arid soil.

H. tiliaceus has leaves with long stalks. Strands circular or ovoid or heart shaped, flat edge, diameter up to 19 cm. Veins with glands at the base. The underside has gray hair. The supporting leaves are oval in shape, 2.5 cm long and leave marks at the ends of the branches.

Flowers solitary or in bunches with 2-5 florets. Additional petals 8-11 items, more than half attached. Petals 2.5 cm long and 5 items. Fan-shaped crown, 5-7.5 cm wide. The flowers bloom yellow in the morning, turn orange in the afternoon and turn red in the evening, before finally falling.

Fruit egg-shaped, short beak, imperfect 5 chambers and opens with 5 valves. The seeds are small and light brown. Taproot and yellowish white.

This tree has high adaptability, is tolerant of drought and flooding. Grows well in hot areas with rainfall 800-2000 mm/year. Common in sandy coasts, mangroves and riparian forests. This species grows wild in forests, agricultural land and roadsides.

The leaves contain saponins, flavonoids and polyphenols, while the roots contain saponins, flavonoids and tannins. This plant contains Cyanidin-3-glucoside as the main anthocyanin found in flowers. The leaves exhibited strong free radical scavenging activity and the highest tyrosinase inhibitory activity among 39 tropical plant species.

Light wood, quite dense, fine structure and not too hard. Bluish gray or pseudo purple or purplish brown or greenish. Tough and durable survive in the soil. Commonly used as building materials, boats, cartwheels, tool handles, carving and firewood. Bark is soaked and beaten to obtain fiber and rope for further use as the basis for making nets and bags.

Leaves for animal feed. Young leaves are used as vegetables and soy sauce fermentation process. The leaves are crushed to treat boils, hair fertilizer. Young leaves are boiled with sugar to dissolve phlegm in severe coughs. Leaf buds are used to treat dysentery and mucus in children. Root for fever medicine.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Subfamily: Malvoideae
Tribe: Hibisceae
Genus: Hibiscus
Species: Hibiscus tiliaceus
Subspecies: Hibiscus tiliaceus ssp. hastatus, Hibiscus tiliaceus ssp. tiliaceus
Variety: Hibiscus tiliaceus var. elatus, Hibiscus tiliaceus var. pernambucensis

Pohpohan (Pilea melastomoides)

Pohpohan clearweed ( Pilea melastomoides ) is a species of plant in the Urticaceae, herbaceous perennial, erect stems, up to 100 cm tall, succulent, square or cylindrical, enlarged in the middle of the internodes, bright green in color and forming colonies in the shade. P. melastomoides has stipules that are immediately deciduous or subpersistent, green or brownish and oblong. The stalk is 2-9 cm long. The leaf blade is ovate or ovate-elliptic or oblong-lanceolate. The surface is wavy, pale green on the underside, dark green on the top. The three main veins are central and linear. Rounded base, tapered ends and serrated edges. The inflorescences are paired, the male is a dense cyme paniculata. Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Rosales Family: Urticaceae Genus: Pilea Species: Pilea melastomoides

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) manufacture bubble-nets as tools to increase prey intake

NEWS - Humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) create bubble net tools while foraging, consisting of internal tangential rings, and actively control the number of rings, their size, depth and horizontal spacing between the surrounding bubbles. These structural elements of the net increase prey intake sevenfold. Researchers have known that humpback whales create “bubble nets” for hunting, but the new report shows that the animals also manipulate them in a variety of ways to maximize catches. The behavior places humpbacks among the rare animals that make and use their own tools. “Many animals use tools to help them find food, but very few actually make or modify these tools themselves,” said Lars Bejder, director of the Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP), University of Hawaii at Manoa. “Humpback whales in southeast Alaska create elaborate bubble nets to catch krill. They skillfully blow bubbles in patterns that form a web with internal rings. They actively control details such ...

Cempaki (Termitomyces microcarpus)

Cempaki ( Termitomyces microcarpus ) is a species of fungus in the Lyophyllaceae family. It grows wild in tropical Asian forests near termite nests. It is rarely reported in urban areas. It is edible and known for its deliciousness, high nutritional value, and difficulty in cultivating. In Indonesia, it is used as an alternative food ingredient. T. microcarpus is the smallest of the Termitomyces species, umbrella-shaped, plain white, measuring 5 cm tall and 2.5 cm wide. It grows in dense clusters on surfaces and forms a mutualistic relationship, requiring the metabolic activity of termites as a substrate for growth. This species is known for its deliciousness, rich in nutrients, and has potential bioactive properties, such as helping lower cholesterol and acting as a tonic. Currently, it is difficult to cultivate on a large scale, and people rely solely on wild harvests. This mushroom is highly favored for its savory, delicious flavor and soft, chewy texture. It is often stir-fried ...

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