Nelumbo Nucifera

Nelumbo nucifera is commonly called sacred

lotus in reference to the sacred and symbolic
status the flower holds in Buddhism and
Hinduism. It is a large-flowered lotus that
typically grows 3-6’ tall in shallow water and
spreads by thickened rhizomes rooted in the
mud. Large, cupped, fragrant, pink or white
flowers (8-12” diameter) appear in summer on
stiff stems above the foliage.

Flowers, seed receptacles and foliage are all unique, attractive and interesting additions to a water garden
or pond.

Pistia stratiotes

Pistia stratiotes, commonly called water lettuce, is a free-floating, frost-tender aquatic perennial that is
commonly used as an ornamental plant in water gardens. It produces rosettes (4-6” across) of wedge-
shaped, overlapping, fluted, velvety, soft green leaves covered with water-repellant hairs. Plants resemble
small open heads of lettuce.

Free floating aquatic perennial for water gardens or ponds.

Typha angustifolia

Typha angustifolia, commonly known as narrowleaf cattail, is a marginal, semi-aquatic, herbaceous

perennial that often forming, over time, dense stands of robust spreading vegetation. It is very easily
grown plant, it grows in boggy pond margins or in shallow water up to 15cm deep. Dense stands of cattails
provide nesting areas and cover for many species of wetland animals plus their leaves provide nesting
material for a number of different species of wetland birds.

Equisetum hyemale

It is a spreading, evergreen perennial boasting tall, slender, hollow, bamboo-like stems. Cylindrical,
jointed, usually unbranched, dark green stems display rough longitudinal ridges. Rising up from the plant
rhizomes, they are adorned with a ring of black and ash gray sheath at each joint (node).

Water gardens. Japanese gardens. Bog gardens. Stream or pond peripheries. Good plant for covering a
wet low spot where nothing else will grow. Interesting plant for large patio containers. Provides strong
vertical accent to any planting.

Wolffia globosa
It is a rootless and stemless plant that is a close relative of water lentils or common duckweed, but Wolffia
is the smallest, most specialized genus in the family. It is considered as the world’s smallest flowering
plant that usually grows extremely fast (2-3 days) and floats in water.

Calophyllum inophyllum

Alexandrian laurel is a slow-growing, medium-sized evergreen tree with a spreading crown. The bole is
usually short and twisted or leaning; it can be up to 150cm in diameter. All parts of the plant contain a
sticky yellowish latex. The tree is planted in reforestation schemes; to provide shelter from the wind; and
also as an ornamental and roadside tree, where it is valued for its deliciously scented white flowers that
are reminiscent of orange blossom.

Pongamia pinnata

Millettia pinnata is a medium-sized evergreen tree that grows along rocky and sandy shores, and in
mangrove forests. Its flowers are pink to white and fragrant too. After pollination by insects, a pale brown
fruit pod is formed. The seed inside contains pongam oil that is used as an illuminant. Recently, it is
increasingly used for oil production due to its use in biodiesel.

Erythrina indica

Erythrina indica is a medium-sized, spiny, deciduous tree with young stems and branches are thickly
armed with stout conical spines up to 8 mm long, which fall off after 2-4 years; rarely, a few spines persist
and are retained with the corky bark. Bark smooth and green when young, exfoliating in papery flakes,
becoming thick, corky and deeply fissured with age.

Barringtonia asiatica

Barringtonia asiatica, also known as Putat Laut, is a large evergreen tree with a dense, spreading canopy
that casts a good shade . It has showy flowers with numerous filamentous stamens that are white with
pink tips. Almost exclusively littoral, it is found on sandy beaches or coral-sand flats, along rivers or in
mangrove swamp at about sea-level. The fruits and seeds are crushed and used as fish poisons as they
contain toxic saponins.

Gliricidia sepium

Gliricidia sepium is a perennial, medium-sized (2-15 m high) legume tree. It is mostly deciduous during
the dry season but is reported to remain evergreen in humid areas. The bright pink to lilac flowers are
arranged in clustered racemes. It is one of the major tropical forage trees due to its protein-rich forage
and high nutritive value.
Nypa fruticans

is an unusual palm tree because its trunk grows beneath the ground and only its leaves and flower stalks
grow above the surface. The inflorescence of this palm is globose and comprised of female flowers at the
tip and male flowers at the lower branches. It is edible and also yields sugary sap.

Avicenna marina

Avicennia marina, also known as Api-api Jambu, White mangrove is an evergreen shrub or small tree
with an open branched, rounded crown. Unlike other species, the young branches of Api-api Jambu is
distinctly square shaped. The fruit is greyish green with a short beak at the tip. Growing in the tidal
mudflats, it develops roots with many vertical breathing roots above soil level.

Cyathea contaminans

It reaches 10 meters in height, forming a glaucous purple stipe, strongly spiny and scaly, said paleas or
scales are pale brown even white. The canes emerge from the crown of an intense green color and as they
spread out forming their spectacular fronds, the spiny rachis acquire a glaucous purple color almost black
at the base that fades towards the apex.

Angiopteris evecta

An evergreen fern boasting the largest fronds known amongst ferns, growing between 5 to 7 meters long
in tropical conditions. In subtropical climates, the fronds are usually at least 2m in length. Requires rich
moist soil to do well.

Asplenium nidus

Bird's Nest Fern is a tropical, slow growing, evergreen, perennial, epiphyte that inhabits rain forests and is
found in soils or on branches of trees. It is characterized by dramatic foliage similar in appearance to
banana leaves. Large, simple, stemless, strap-shaped, bright green fronds have a dark brown-black mid-
rib and wavy margin.

Nephrolepis exaltata

It is an evergreen fern that grows with an upright spreading habit to 3’ tall and as wide. It is an easy
and popular fern to grow indoors. Generally sword-shaped fronds have shallow toothed to entire
pinnae. Fronds initially grow upward but arch gracefully with age. Genus name comes from the
Greek words nephros meaning a kidney and lepis meaning a scale.
References
Asplenium nidus. (n.d.). Retrieved from North Carolina State University:
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/asplenium-nidus/
Barringtonia asiatica. (n.d.). Retrieved from The Ferns: https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?
id=Barringtonia+asiatica

Calophyllum inophyllum. (n.d.). Retrieved from The Ferns:

https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Calophyllum+inophyllum

Cyathea contaminans. (n.d.). Retrieved from The Tree Fern: https://thetreefern.com/en/helecho-

arborescente/cyathea-contaminans/

Flora & Fauna Web. (n.d.). Retrieved from National Parks Board:
https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb

Gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium). (n.d.). Retrieved from Feedipedia: https://www.feedipedia.org/node/552

Grey Mangrove. (n.d.). Retrieved from iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/75723-Avicennia-

marina

Karanja (Milletia pinnata). (n.d.). Retrieved from Feedipedia: https://www.feedipedia.org/node/636

Nypa fruticans. (n.d.). Retrieved from Plants For A Future: https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?

LatinName=Nypa+fruticans

Plant Finder. (n.d.). Retrieved from Missouri Botanical Garden:

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderSearch.aspx

Raftery, J. (2021, July 16). Wolffia Globosa (Duckweed) All You Need To Know About This Miracle Plant
Food. Retrieved from The Holistic Chef: https://holisticchefacademy.com/wolffia-globosa/

Typha angustifolia. (n.d.). Retrieved from Plants For A Future: https://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?

latinname=Typha+angustifolia

Wolffia globosa. (n.d.). Retrieved from Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS):
https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=505751#null