Plants by Angie Ng

Sunday 18th morning @ Bukit Brown, Nature Society’s Angie Ng conducted a plant walk and shared what she knew about plants which are used as herbs in local dishes and fruit trees. Here are some of the highlights

Red Stem-fig tree ( Ficus variegata)

They look like dried sea urchins, but from them will spring figs (photo Cuifen)

What the fig? (photo: Angie Ng)

Angie picks up a fig of Ficus aurantiacea , a climbing fig.” (photo :Suki Singh)

Ferns grow close to the ground

This one is rare (photo Cuifen)

Set again a white backdrop, it is quite exquisite and delicate in design (photo: Cuifen)

The tiny leaf from a frond deserves closer investigation (photo: Cuifen)

An edible fern found at the foot of hill leading up to Ong Sam Leong’s gravesite

An edible fern, delicious saute with sambal belachan (a Malaysian dish) according to Angie (photo; Angie Ng)

The sori (arrangement of sporangia ) is most interesting (photo Angie Ng)

Ferns also grow on hospitable rain trees

This bird’s nest fern in turn hosts a nest for a family of bats. Cuifen who took this photo spotted four. can you spot any?

The False Curry Leaf Plant (Clausena excavata)

The False Curry Leaf Plant is a small tree which looks like a Curry Leaf plant and whose leaves also smell like it. But its small flowers are in panicles and its green oblong berries ripen pink. (photo Cuifen)

Berries from the False Curry Leave tree turning pink (photo Angie Ng)

Geophila repens

Geophilia repens with tiny white flower and bright red berries creeps among the grasses under shady trees.

Salam Tree ( Syzygium polyanth )

The Salam tree is flowering and dropping bunches of its creamy white stamens. Salam leaves are used to flavour your favourite local breakfast dish, lontong. (Photo: Cuifen)

The Napkin tree