This is the 11th post in the Series of Picture Poster-Flowers.The following blog posts have been separated into pictures with flowers, bees, birds, insects and others. Each blog post will contain about six to eight pictures in each series; and there will be more than a blog post for each section. ​
The following illustrations have been resized from their originals to expedite quicker uploading for internet purposes. As such, there will be a drop in the picture or text quality. 

Growth Form: It is a herbaceous plant with underground rhizomes and grows to about 2 – 4 m tall.


Foliage: Leaves are dark green, arranged spirally around the stems, measuring about 35 cm long and 15 cm wide. 


Stems: Herbaceous, bamboo-like stems and has underground rhizome.


Flowers: Has the appearance of and upside down pineapple; dark red and has cone-shaped bracts enclosing the yellow flowers. 


Fruits: Cone-like, red bracts which will slowly turn to brown.

October 21st 2018 is WORLD MISSION SUNDAY. Support is needed for the Humanitarian Aid Fund to support overseas humanitarian work and disaster response. I am reminded of this beautiful passage from Khalil Gibran ‘On Giving.’

3.5 – 5.0m height, up to 9.0m spread. Leaves glossy, leathery. Flowers solitary, funnel-shaped, large (up to 25cm-30cm long and 10cm wide at mouth), corolla recurved and 5-lobed, 5 dark veins inside calyx tube, open light or creamy yellow, age to medium yellow, especially fragrant at night.

Fruit globose berry, rarely produced in cultivation.Large and heavy plant, requires space and sturdy support. Grown for showy flowers, can be used to cover large trellises, or trained over garages and building walls.

All parts of plant are toxic if ingested. Contain alkaloids like solanine and solanidine. Can cause headache, incoordination, excitability, stomach pain, lowered temperature, dilated pupils, paralysis, vomiting, diarrhoea, shock, respiratory depression; may be fatal.

Picture taken at home after a rain.

Moringa oleifera is the most widely cultivated species in the genus Moringa, the only genus in the plant family Moringaceae. Common names include moringa, drumstick tree, horseradish tree, and ben oil tree or benzoil tree. Wikipedia.

Moringa has been used for centuries due to its medicinal properties and health benefits. It also has antifungal, antiviral, antidepressant, and anti-inflammatory properties. There is plenty of recent research to back up the benefits as stated above, though many of the studies are still in the preliminary stages or the tests have only taken place on animals as opposed to humans, so there is plenty more to be done.

These are the flowers of the Moringa plant. Picture taken in my garden.

Pink waterlily in my pond at home. The morning sun hits the flower as it begins to close for the day. These are pink waterlilies that flower at night and by late morning, closes up into a bud form. 

Meaning of the Water Lily is symbolic of rebirth, but in addition to its religious meaning, the lotus is also a symbol of all that is true, good and beautiful, representing good fortune, peace and enlightenment. 

The water lily also symbolizes fertility, sexuality and creation. White water lilies symbolize peace, purity, pleasure and spiritual enlightenment. In ancient Greece, white water lilies symbolized modesty.

Growth Form: An aquatic perennial herb. 

Foliage: The leaves are peltate, circular and have an upturned rim. The leaf underside is covered with sharp spines and has a prominent leaf venation. The leaf petiole too is covered with sharp spines.

Flowers: The flowers are large and cream-white in colour, turning light pink when pollination has occurred. The flower bud has prickles on the base.

Picture taken at Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Alpinia purpurata, red ginger, also called ostrich plume and pink cone ginger, are native Malaysian plants with showy flowers on long brightly coloured red bracts. They look like the bloom, but the true flower is the small white flower on top. It has cultivars called Jungle King and Jungle Queen. Wikipedia.

Ethnobotanical Uses :
Medicinal (The stems are used by Hawaiians for stomachaches. Salt and rhizomes are mashed together for treating headaches.), Cut / Dried Flower (Bracts of red gingers are used for lei making.)
[Others]: The leaves produce subtle yellow dye. 

Picture taken in my garden.

Growth Form: Small, clump forming succulent with individual rosettes 12-15cm across in diameter.

Foliage: Leaves dark green, 6-8 cm long by 2cm wide, with white turbercles on both the upper and undersurface of the leaves. Edges of leaves with a row of soft spines; tips of leaves drawn out into a long, soft bristle. 

Flowers: Inflorescence to 30cm long. Flowers tubular,2.5-3.5cm long, orange – orange red, greyish green at the tips of the petals.

In Singapore, the flowers are visited by the Olive backed Sunbird for nectar.