Located near the south fence toward the greenhouse is Bauhinia monandra

Common name:    Golden trumpet Botanical name:    Markhamia lutea Family name:          Bignoniaceae An indigenous species to East Africa, its wood is strong and termite-resistant and is traditionally used for poles.   The bark is used in the tobacco curing  process. Women use an extract of its leaves to treat diarrhea in children. Internet reference Internet reference

Common name:    Cinnabar Flower Botanical name:   Rondeletia odorata Family name:         Rubiaceae From Cuba and tropical America, this delightful evergreen bush may grow to 4-6 feet.  Toward summer the trusses appear with small, tubular cinnabar (red) flowers with yellow throats. Propagation is by cuttings.  Light shade from the strong sun is required in the summer. Everett, T.H., Editor. 1973. Encyclopedia of Gardening. Greystone Press, New York. Page 2820.

Common name:    Ruffled Cycad Botanical name:   Zamia skinneri Family name:        Zamiaceae The large, glossy, green leaves make this a very desirable plant.  It is native to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama.  Z. skinneri was named for George Skinner, a plant collector who worked mainly in Central America. Internet reference

Common name:    Golden Fernleaf Aralia Botanical name:   Polyscias filicifolia cv. Aurea Family name:         Araliaceae Native to New Zealand, tropical Asia, and the Pacific Islands, this plant is valued for its decorative foliage.  The fern-like leaves may vary from broad to thread-like.  The leaves of this variety have a golden hue.  P. filicifolia may grow to eight feet if not pruned. Internet reference

Common name:    Butterfly orchid tree, Ipil Botanical name:   Intsia bijuga Family name:        Caesalpiniaceae (Leguminosae) This tree is widely distributed in lowland, tropical rainforest areas, especially in the Pacific Islands. Intsia bijuga produces one of the most valuable timbers of South East Asia. The species has been exploited so intensively for timber that in most countries few trees are left in natural stands. It is stronger than Teak and is one of the most decay-resistant timbers known. Its wood is used for flooring (it produces the famous  'merbau floors'), posts, beams, musical instruments, furniture and cabinet making.  Its bark and leaves are used medicinally and the seeds are edible. In addition, the wood is a dye source. Internet reference

Common name:    Clown Fig Botanical name:   Ficus aspera 'Parcellii' Family name:        Moraceae A native of the South Pacific, the clown fig is a very popular ornamental tree in warm-climate gardens.  It is grown for its odd, white-speckled leaves and bright pink marble-sized fruit. Someone at one time must have thought that this fruit looked like a clown’s nose, and this, coupled with the harlequin-type foliage, gave rise to this tree’s common name.

Burma, is a large shrub/small tree up to 20’. It covers itself in pale pink flowers with a raspberry-colored lip throughout the summer and into early autumn. It is a bit more cold-sensitive than other bauhinias and should be planted in a sheltered spot. The species name monandra refers to the fact that they have only one stamen. - Darrin Duling

Common name:    Gold Birds, Golden Brush Botanical name:    Burbidgea schizocheila Family name:         Zingiberaceae From Bornea, this dwarf ginger produces bright orange flowers about twice a year. It does not tolerate excessive fertilizer.  Internet reference

Also on this Live Oak is the popular dendrobium species, Dendrobium nobile. It is a cool grower with groups of flowers produced along the pseudobulbs rather than at the top.  As you can see, it does flower in South Florida with some chilly nights.

Please cross over to the east side of the path and walk back to the Live Oak area to view the specimens on this side.

Common name:     White Elephant Palm Botanical name:     Kerriodoxa elegans Family name:         Arecaceae From Thailand, K. elegans has large, glossy circular leaves,  green on top, white below.  It grows slowly to 15 feet.  Once estalished in a frost-free area it will tolerate the cold. Internet reference

Mounted on the Live Oak above is the Pigeon Orchid. Andy Easton, former AOS Director of Education,  provided the photo and the following text. "Last week began with the (much needed) typical South Florida summer afternoon thundershowers which continued on a daily basis for most of the week. This was just what Dendrobium crumenatum needed to initiate flowering. This orchid is widely distributed from India to the Philippines and is

Common name:    Ti Plant Botanical name:   Cordyline terminalis cv. Family name:         Agavaceae This plant is native to Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand and larger Pacific Islands such as Hawaii.  The name is derived from the Greek kordyle, meaning club, referring to the thickened root.  This is an evergreen plant that may grow to 7 feet.  The beautiful leaves have an intense red color.  The flowers are inconspicuous. Lower leaves tend to fall off as the plant grows. Internet reference

Common  name:    Botanical name:    Sobralia atropubescens Family name:          Orchidaceae From Central and South America, this terrestrial orchid has Cattleya-like red brown flowers with yellow picotee on petals and sepals. The large tubular pink lip is red in the throat with ruffled edges.  Sobralia flowers last only a day or so but many bloom in succesion. Russ and B . Curtis donated this Sobralia. Internet reference

Common name:     Window Palm Botanical name:    Beccariophoenix madagascariensis  Family name:           Arecaceae The Window Palm from east Madagascar is located between the White Calabash and a nearby bench. The young leaves have a window.  This palm was decimated by constant harvesting of young leaves to make hats.  It towers over the forest with the large, pinnate leaves looking like giant feather dusters. Internet reference

are hardy outdoors only in the far south. The laxative drug "senna" is obtained from the leaves and pods of several species. The American Senna leaves are obtained from Cassia marilandica. - Darrin Duling

Common name:    Live Oak Botanical name:   Quercus virginiana Family name:         Fagaceae These trees are the backbone of our hardwood forests in Florida and may live to be over 1,000 years old. This fast-growing tree is the best suited to desert conditions of all the oaks. Its large, spreading canopy makes it a superior choice for dense shade. It drops leaves in spring just before new ones appear, but is essentially evergreen.  A very long-lived and stable tree, the live oak’s life is measured in centuries. It withstands high winds very well. During the hey-day of wooden sailing ships,

Common name:    Dwarf Elk Horn Fern Botanical name:   Polypodium punctatum hybrid ?`Grandiceps' Famly name:        Polypodiaceae Thia dwarf variety grows on the ground. it requires shade and drying out a bit before watering.  Internet reference

Common name:    Windmill Palm Botanical name:    Licuala grandis Family name:         Arecaceae L. grandis is a small dainty, slow growing palm from Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. The pleated leaves are ruffled and toothed at the tip. Internet reference

Common name:    Peruvian Maidenhair Fern, Silver Dollar Fern Botanical name:   Adiantum peruvianum Family name:         Pteridaceae "This fern originates in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.  As a tropical plant, A. peruvianum requires protection for temperatures below 60 deg. F. The new leaflets are oval shaped and displays a pale pink shade, later turning to pale green with a metallic sheen and finally to a dark green, hence the common name, "silver dollar" .The genus name, Adiantum, comes from the Greek, meaning, "not wetting", referring to the fronds' ability to shed water without becoming wet. Internet reference

Common name:    Botanical name:   Heliconia bihai `Birdsey’s’ Amarillo’ Family name:         Musaceae This is a rare and beautiful yellow cultivar from the West Indies and South America.  It was named for Dr. Munroe Birdsey, a former professor of botany at the University of Miami. – Darrin Duling James B. Watson donated this specimen.

Common name:    Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree Botanical name:   Bauhinia monandra Family name:         Fabaceae Bauhinias are ornamental members of the pea family that are widely grown in Jungle Gardens for their colorful flowers. They are easily identified by their notched “camel’s foot” shaped leaves. Although some species are evergreen, most tend to drop their leaves for a short period during winter months. Bauhinia monandra, a native of

When left to grow, mature specimens may reach a height of 60’ with an equal spread, however clown fig can be pruned hard each spring and kept as a large shrub. This tree will grow in full sun or deep shade; the more sun they receive, the more compact they remain. – Darrin Duling

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Common name:    Scarlet Shower Botanical name:   Sterculia hamiltonii, S. coccinea Family name:         Sterculiaceae Scarlet Shower is a native of Borneo where it is a giant forest tree reaching heights of 100’ or more with a massive buttressed trunk. It has a very broad, heavy canopy of palmate leaves and produces large mop-head clusters of small red flowers that carpet the ground underneath when they drop. The fruit of this tree is a lipstick-red pod that splits open to reveal cobalt-blue berries that are reputed to be a favorite food of parrots. Our Scarlet Shower came to us as a seedling from an enormous specimen growing in Miami that actually prevented a housing development from being built due to its rare tree landmark status!  - Darrin Duling. S. Oliphant donated this specimen from Ernesto's Good Earth.

Common name:   Climbing Pandanus Botanical name:   Freycinetia cumingiana Family name:        Pandanaceae From Madagascar, this climbing pandanus attaches to the Live Oak with its aerial roots. It is easily propagated by root cuttings. Its striking orange flower is shown here. The Kalanguya tribesmen in the Philippines pound the roots of F. cumingiana for fibers to sew the bangew or hunter’s coat. Internet reference Internet reference

Common name:    Moreton Bay Chestnut, Black Bean Botanical name:   Castanospermum australe Family name:         Fabaceae This is a large, majestic rainforest tree from eastern Australia and New Caledonia.  A heavy crown of dark green, shiny leaves shelters summertime clusters of red, orange and yellow sweet-pea type flowers that emerge from twigs, branches, and the main trunk. Large woody pods enclosing brown chestnut-like seeds are produced after flowering. These “chestnuts” are poisonous when raw, but apparently were roasted and eaten by the Australian aborigines. An extract from this tree is being screened as a potential treatment for the  HIV virus.

Common name:    Botanical name:    Senna (Cassia) species Family name:         Leguminosae These species are mostly evergreen shrubs, chiefly from tropical America, and belong to the Pea family, Leguminosae. They may grow from 6-50 ft. in height. The leaves are pinnate (on the same petiole from the leaf stem), glossy, and dark green. The flowers are golden yellow in terminal clusters in summer. Cassia is from the original Greek name Kasia. Most Cassias

Common name: Botanical name:     Ptychosperma pullenii Family name:          Arecaceae This is a delicate palm species from Papua New Guinea. it likes a warm, sheltered and moist, but well drained position. Internet reference

This bamboo is non-invasive.  The invasive types of bamboo have roots that strangle underground pipes and foundations, so never plant them near your home!

Common name:     Nicobar Palm Botanical name:    Bentinckia nicobarica Family name::         Arecaceae Off the coast of India in the Bay of Bengal are the Nicobar Islands.  Here in the evergreen forests is the home of the endangered Nicobar Palm.  It is a fast growing, slender palm with a distinctive crownshaft.   Internet reference Internet reference

Common name:    Lilinoe Ti Plant Botanical name:   Cordyline terminalis `Lilinoe’ Family name:         Agavaceae Lilinoe was sometimes known as the goddess of the mountain in Hawaii. This Ti plant bearing her name has bright reddish-purple leaves that take full sun and gets hues of orange and red in full summer sun. Several colorful Lilinoe Ti Plants are in this area. Internet reference

A new  path has been added near the Live Oak for a better view of the specimens in this area.

Common name:    Giant Bamboo Botanical name:   Dendrocalamus giganteus Family name:         Poaceae Bamboo is essential to Asian culture. Bamboo is one of the oldest building materials used by mankind. Bamboo shoots are an important source of food, and a delicacy in Asia. Extracts from various parts of the plant have been used for hair and skin ointment and medicine for asthma.  Bamboo ashes are used to polish jewels. The culms (stems) may grow as high as 100 feet tall and are 8-11 inches in diameter. Internet reference

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affectionately known as 'The Pigeon Orchid'. The flowers last for only a day. A temperature drop caused by a thunderstorm triggers bud initiation. About 8-10 days later, the plant will burst into flower. If you ever hand out divisions of the pigeon orchid, you can call your friends and ask how their plant looks, because it will be in bloom the same day if they had rain, too. Flowering usually begins in May and can continue throughout the summer. Den. crumenatum is powerfully fragrant, pleasantly so, but somewhat like epoxy resin. It is an easy-growing orchid but prefers warm temperatures and needs bright light to flower at its best." Kathy Figiel donated this specimen plant .

the navy bought large tracts of Live Oak for the exclusive use of the government’s ship builders. The massive, durable arching limbs were sought for ships' ribs and knees. The timber is very hard and was used to make the battleship “Old Ironsides”. The Live Oak is the state tree of Georgia. – Darrin Duling

Common name:    Shooting Star Clerodendrum Botanical name:   Clerodendrum quadriloculare Family name:         Verbenaceae Several specimens are located near the east and south fences. C. quadriloculare is a fast growing shrub from the Philippines with large, paired oval leaves that are dark green above and reddish purple below. The flowers, which are produced in very showy large clusters, each have a narrow pink tube that is commonly 3 inches or more in length, ending in five white, spreading lobes. It can grow to 15 feet. In November or  December it begins to put on a spectacular show that lasts through March.  Internet reference

Please cross to the other side of the main path and go back a few yards to the beginning of the path to view the specimens on this side.

Common name:    Angel's Trumpet Botanical name:   Brugmansia `Dr. Seuss’ Family name:         Solanaceae This Brugmanasia hybrid has pendant, night-fragrant, trumpet-shaped, cantaloupe-colored flowers. Dr. Seuss is a  natural hybrid, collected in the 1970's in Pasto Columbia by Hetty Krauss, who lived in California. The cultivar's real name is `Hetty Krauss'. It was renamed `Dr. Seuss' in the 1980's to honor the author. Internet reference

Common name:    Sandbox Tree Botanical name:    Hura crepitans Family name:         Euphorbiaceae From Tropical America, its leaves are papery thin. The plant secretes a milky juice used by American indians to poison darts.  The pumpkin-shaped seedpod explodes with a loud bang so that the flat seeds are dispersed over a wide area.  It grows well in sandy loam. Internet reference

Common name:    Lady of the Night Botanical name:    Brassavola nodosa On the Clown Fig is Lady of the Night, well known to just about everyone who grows orchids. A native of Mexico to Venezuela, it is a warm growing epiphyte/lithophyte with pretty, dark green terete leaves about 6” long. By day one enjoys the elegant, pristine white flowers that grace the plant but once the sun goes down, this beauty further captivates, emitting a pungent perfume that pervades its surroundings. This is a species that every orchid grower should have in his or her collection, because it is exceptionally easy to grow, compact, beautiful and fragrant. - Darrin Duling

This is yet another example that should spur us to amplify the study and conservation of our vanishing rainforest plants. – Darrin Duling S. Oliphant donated this specimen from Freunds Flowering Trees. Internet reference