Month: December 2013

Species: Epiphyllum oxypetalum English Name: Night Blooming Cactus Chinese Name: 曇花 Family: Echinocactus Description: Shrubs epiphytic, freely branched, 2-6 m tall, with aerial roots. Old stems and basal extension shoots terete, to 2 m or more, woody; branches numerous, dark green, laterally flattened, leaflike, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 15-100 × 5-12 cm, glabrous, base cuneate, attenuate, or stalked, margin undulate…

Species: Echinocactus grusonii English Name: Golden Barrel Cactus Chinese Name: 金琥 Family: Echinocactus Description: Photos used under a Creative Commons license References:

Species: Mirabilis jalapa English Name: Marvel of Peru Chinese Name: 胭脂花、狀元花 Family: Nyctaginaceae Description: Herbs annual, to 1 m tall. Roots tuberous, black or black-brown. Stems erect, much branched, cylindric, glabrous or slightly pubescent, inflated on nodes. Petiole 1-4 cm; leaf blade ovate or ovate-triangular, 3-15 × 2-9 cm, base truncate or cordate, margin entire, apex acuminate. Flowers usually…

Species: Bougainvillea spectabilis English Name: Beautiful Bougainvillea Chinese Name: 葉子花 Family: Nyctaginaceae Description: Branches and leaves densely pubescent; spines recurved. Leaves petiolate; leaf blade elliptic or ovate, base rotund. Bracts dark red or light purple-red, elliptic-ovate, 2.5-6.5 × 1.5-4 cm, base rotund to cordate. Perianth tube green, narrowly tubular, rounded, 1.6-2.4 cm, densely pubescent, apex 5-6-lobed, lobes spreading, yellow,…

Species: Bougainvillea glabra English Name: Bougainvillea Chinese Name: 簕杜鵑 Family: Nyctaginaceae Description: Shrubs vinelike. Stems thick, branches pendent, glabrous or sparsely pubescent; spines axillary, 5-15 mm. Petiole 1 cm; leaf blade ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 5-13 × 3-6 cm, chartaceous, abaxially sparsely pubescent, adaxially glabrous. Foliaceous bracts purple or magenta, oblong or elliptic, 2.5-3.5 × 2 cm, chartaceous. Perianth tube…

Species: Boerhavia diffusa English Name: Diffuse Boerhavia Chinese Name: 沙參 Family: Nyctaginaceae Description: Herbs perennial. Stems trailing, to 200 cm; stems glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Roots thick, fleshy. Petiole 0.4-2 cm; leaf blade ovate, 1-5 × 1-4 cm, both surfaces sparsely pubescent, abaxially gray-yellow, wrinkled when dry, base rounded or cuneate, margin undulate, with stout, muticellular hairs, apex obtuse…

Species: Phytolacca dioica English Name: Indian Poke Tree Chinese Name: 樹商陸 Family: Casuarinaceae Description: Photos used under a Creative Commons license References:

Species: Phytolacca acinosa English Name: Indian Pokeberry Chinese Name: 商陸 Family: Casuarinaceae Description: Herbs perennial, glabrous, 0.5-1.5 m tall. Roots obconic, thick, fleshy. Stems erect, green or reddish purple, terete, longitudinally grooved, fleshy, branched. Petiole 1.5-3 cm; leaf blade elliptic or lanceolate-elliptic, 10-30 × 4.5-15 cm, papery, base cuneate, apex acuminate or sharply pointed. Racemes erect, terete, usually shorter…

Species: Casuarina nana English Name: Dwarf Horsetail Tree Chinese Name: 千頭木麻黃 Family: Casuarinaceae Description: Photos used under a Creative Commons license References: – Wu ZY, Raven PH, Hong DY (eds) (1994). Flora of China, Volume 4: UCycadaceae through Fagaceae. Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Bot Garden Press, St. Louis

Species: Casuarina gluca English Name: Grey Horsetail Tree Chinese Name: 灰葉木麻黃 Family: Casuarinaceae Description: Photos used under a Creative Commons license References: