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[MysteRy]

Common Name: Verbena
Botanical Name: Verbena Hybrida
Family: Verbenaceae

Verbena (play /vərˈbiːnə/),[2] (vervain), is a genus in the family Verbenaceae. It contains about 250 species of annual and perennial herbaceous or semi-woody flowering plants. The majority of the species are native to the American continent and Europe.

The leaves are usually opposite, simple, and in many species hairy, often densely so. The flowers are small, with five petals, and borne in dense spikes. Typically some shade of blue, they may also be white, pink, or purple, especially in cultivars.

The genus can be divided into a diploid North American and a polyploid South American lineage, both with a base chromosome number of 7. The European species is derived from the North American lineage. It seems that verbena as well as the related mock vervains (Glandularia) evolved from the assemblage provisionally treated under the genus name Junellia; both other genera were usually included in the Verbenaceae until the 1990s.[3] Intergeneric chloroplast gene transfer by an undetermined mechanism – though probably not hybridization – has occurred at least twice from vervains to Glandularia, between the ancestors of the present-day South American lineages and once more recently, between V. orcuttiana or V. hastata and G. bipinnatifida. In addition, several species of verbena are of natural hybrid origin; the well-known garden vervain has an entirely muddy history. The relationships of this close-knit group are therefore hard to resolve with standard methods of computational phylogenetics

Some species, hybrids and cultivars of verbena are used as ornamental plants. They are drought-resistant, tolerating full to partial sun, and enjoy well-drained, average soils. Plants are usually grown from seed. Some species and hybrids are not hardy and are treated as half-hardy annuals in bedding schemes.

[MysteRy]

Common Name: Verbena
Botanical Name: Verbena Hybrida
Family: Verbenaceae

Verbena (play /vərˈbiːnə/),[2] (vervain), is a genus in the family Verbenaceae. It contains about 250 species of annual and perennial herbaceous or semi-woody flowering plants. The majority of the species are native to the American continent and Europe.

The leaves are usually opposite, simple, and in many species hairy, often densely so. The flowers are small, with five petals, and borne in dense spikes. Typically some shade of blue, they may also be white, pink, or purple, especially in cultivars.

The genus can be divided into a diploid North American and a polyploid South American lineage, both with a base chromosome number of 7. The European species is derived from the North American lineage. It seems that verbena as well as the related mock vervains (Glandularia) evolved from the assemblage provisionally treated under the genus name Junellia; both other genera were usually included in the Verbenaceae until the 1990s.[3] Intergeneric chloroplast gene transfer by an undetermined mechanism – though probably not hybridization – has occurred at least twice from vervains to Glandularia, between the ancestors of the present-day South American lineages and once more recently, between V. orcuttiana or V. hastata and G. bipinnatifida. In addition, several species of verbena are of natural hybrid origin; the well-known garden vervain has an entirely muddy history. The relationships of this close-knit group are therefore hard to resolve with standard methods of computational phylogenetics

Some species, hybrids and cultivars of verbena are used as ornamental plants. They are drought-resistant, tolerating full to partial sun, and enjoy well-drained, average soils. Plants are usually grown from seed. Some species and hybrids are not hardy and are treated as half-hardy annuals in bedding schemes.

[MysteRy]

Common Name: Verbena
Botanical Name: Verbena bonariensis
Family: Verbenaceae

Verbena bonariensis is a tall and slender-stemmed perennial. It can grow to 6 ft (120 cm) tall and can spread to 3 ft (90 cm) wide. At maturity, it will develop a woody base. Fragrant lavender to rose-purple flowers are in tight clusters located on terminal and axillary stems, blooming from mid-summer until fall frost. The stem is square with very long internodes. Leaves are ovate to ovate-lanceolate with a toothed margin and grow up to 4 in (10 cm) long.

[MysteRy]

Common name: Calico Flower, Dutchman's Pipe, Pipe vine
Botanical name: Aristolochia elegans
Family: Aristolochiaceae (Birthwort family)

Native to South America, Calico flower is a tender evergreen vine with very unusual flowers. Leaves are beautiful, bright green heart shaped. These are about 3 in long by 2 in wide and grow closely together to create a dense mass of foliage. Slender woody stems twine gracefully in tight coils around any support, growing to heights of 10-15 ft. In summer the vine produces abundance of 3 in flowers scattered among the drooping leaves. The greenish-white flowers have a s-shaped tube that is flared at the mouth that resembles a 19th century Dutch pipe. Species of Aristolochia are generically called pipe vines or Dutchman's pipes for this reason. The inner portion surface of the mouth of the "pipe" is covered with a purplish-brown pattern that is reminiscent of calico fabric which inspire this species common name "calico flower".

[MysteRy]

Common name: Indian birthwort
Botanical name: Aristolochia indica
Family: Aristolochiaceae (birthwort family)

Aristolochia indica is a native of India and Eastward. The Aristolochiales are a group of flowering plants that have attractive leaves and flowers, often with bizarre colors or patterns, and so they are cultivated in gardens. Some oddly shaped flowers have been given names like "bird's head" and "Dutchman's pipe". In this genus, the sepals are united into a long curving tube which completely surrounds the reproductive structures. Often this tube is mottled or dark-colored, producing a pungent odor that attracts pollinating flies. In addition to the foul-smelling species of Aristolochia that attract flies to pollinate them, other species are important for the survival of butterflies. There has been concern in India that since Aristolochia indica has become endangered, the swallowtail butterfly Tros aristolochae may also be endangered. This butterfly will only lay its eggs on Aristolochia vines, and its caterpillars make defensive use of the toxic chemicals they ingest. In fact most swallowtail caterpillars in the tribe Troidini feed on Aristolochiales foliage.

[MysteRy]

Common name: Yellow Bleeding Heart
Botanical name: Dicentra macrocapnos
Family: Papaveraceae (Poppy family)

Synonyms: Dactylicapnos macrocapnos
Yellow Bleeding Heart is a charming vine found rambling on banks and through shrubberies in the Himalayas, from Uttarakhand to NE India, at altitudes of 1500-3000 m. It is a slender climber, growing up to 2 m long, with short-stalked hanging clusters of yellow urn-shaped, or with some imagination, heart-shaped flowers, tipped with purple. Flowers are 2-2.5 cm long, with 2 small traingular sepals, 4 petals, with 2 outer ones having inflated bases, the inner 2 long-stalked, keeled, enlarged and coming together at the tips. Stamens are only 2. Leaves are double- compound with stalked ovate leaflets, 5-25 mm. Capsule is cylindrical, with papery valves and shining seeds. Flowering: April-October.

[MysteRy]

Common name: Hawaiian Sunset Vine, Hawaiian Bell, Braveheart Vine
Botanical name: [Stictocardia beraviensis (Vatke) Hallier f.] Stictocardia beraviensis
Family: Convolvulaceae (Morning glory family)
Synonyms: Ipomoea beraviensis

Hawaiian Sunset Vine is a woody climber, growing up to 14 m long. Leaves are ovate, heart-shaped, 16-20 cm, pointed or blunt, stalk as long or slightly shorter than the blade. Flowers are large, 5 cm, bright crimson-red, striped orange within, inspiring the comparison with Hawaiian sunsets. Flowers are borne in clusters of 10 or so. Sepals are 7-13 mm, almost circular to elliptic. Fruit is about 1.4 cm, surrounded by enlarged sepals. Hawaiian Sunset Vine is native to W. Africa, Madagascar, and cultivated as a garden plant throughout the tropical world.

[MysteRy]

Common name: Cardinal Creeper, Lady Doorly's Morning Glory
Botanical name: Ipomoea horsfalliae
Family: Convolvulaceae (morning-glory family)

Native to Jamaica, this evergreen woody vine is commonly cultivated all around the world. The ornamental features are its foliage and the flowers. The leaves are palmately divided into five to seven segments, and are very atractive smooth green color. The noticable long red flowers are in groups. Even before the flowers emerge the buds are a positive feature, because they look like small berries.

[MysteRy]

Common name: Cardinal Creeper, Lady Doorly's Morning Glory
Botanical name: Ipomoea horsfalliae
Family: Convolvulaceae (morning-glory family)

Native to Jamaica, this evergreen woody vine is commonly cultivated all around the world. The ornamental features are its foliage and the flowers. The leaves are palmately divided into five to seven segments, and are very atractive smooth green color. The noticable long red flowers are in groups. Even before the flowers emerge the buds are a positive feature, because they look like small berries.

[MysteRy]

Common name: Lady Margaret Passion Flower
Botanical name: Passiflora 'Lady Margaret'
Family: Passifloraceae (Passion flower family)

Lady Margaret Passion Flower is a species with large red flowers, among the most sought-after passionflowers. It is a hybrid between Passiflora coccinia and Passiflora incarnata. Most red-flowering passionflowers are difficult to care for. Lady Margaret Passion Flower is one of the few ref-flowering hybrids that is comparatively undemanding but nevertheless free-flowering. Although the flowers are not the brilliant blood-red of the Red Passion Flower, they nevertheless stand out dramatically, a deep purplish red, with prominently marked corona not found in other red-flowering passionflowers. Flowers are 7-9 cm across. Sepals are green outside, deep purplish-red inside, oblong, 3.3-4 cm long. Petals are oblong, 3.6-4.4 cm long, 1.3-1.6 cm wide. Leaves are 3-lobed, 6.5-15 X 7.5-16 cm, with toothed margin. Fruit is ovate, 4-5 X 2-3 cm, green.

[MysteRy]

Common name: Milky Way Morning Glory, Purple Morning Glory
Botanical name: Ipomoea purpurea 'Milky Way'
Family: Convolvulaceae (Morning glory family)

Milky Way morning glory is a popular annual vine grown for its pretty funnel-shaped flowers of creamy white with mauve accents. This vigorous twining climber has hairy stems and medium green ovate leaves. On summer mornings it bears funnel-shaped cream flowers, each marked with a maroon star. Purple morning glory grows best in sheltered sites away from high winds. It requires full sun and fertile soil with good drainage and grows best on trellises, arbors or fences. Plants will gently self-seed if allowed to.

[MysteRy]

Common name: Black-Eyed Susan Vine
Botanical name: Thunbergia alata
Family: Acanthaceae (ruellia family)

Black-eyed Susan vine is an perennial climber native to South Africa. Grown in tropical zones it will climb to 8 feet but stays much smaller when grown as an annual or when it is contained in a pot. Orange or yellow flowers have chocolate-purple centers and are produced in mid-summer until autumn. This annual is available in whites, creams, yellows and gold, and is usually started from seed. The Black Eyed Susan Vine is not nearly as aggressive nor as hardy as Thunbergia gregorii, but has much the same fuzzy wrinkled leaves and tendrils. The flowers look very striking due to the dark center and will be covered in bloom most of the year, excepting the depths of winter.

[MysteRy]

Common name: Flaming Glorybower, Bleeding Heart Vine
Botanical name: Clerodendrum splendens
Family: Verbenaceae (verbena family)

Flaming glorybower, native to western Africa, is a woody or semi-woody evergreen vine or running shrub to 12 ft long, that climbs by twining. The leaves are oval, to 7 in long, and arranged in opposite pairs. Flowers are tuba shaped, having a slender tube with an abruptly expanded corolla. They are scarlet (sometimes white), about 1 in across and borne in dense terminal clusters to 5 in inches long. The fruit is unknown. This evergreen climber is popular in warm, humid climates and can be used as an evergreen screen on a trellis or wall. The flowers are extremely showy and attractive to butterflies as well as people. Flaming glory bower can be found growing up the pillars and walls and exhibits its peak flowering during December and January.

[MysteRy]

Common name: Green Taro, cocoyam
Botanical name: Colocasia esculenta
Family: Araceae (Arum family)

Green Taro is a tuberous bulb plant growing 3-5 ft tall. The large leaves of the plant resemble elephant ears. It produces heart shaped leaves 2-3 ft long and 1-2 ft across on 3 ft long stalks that all emerge from an upright tuberous rootstock, technically a corm. The inflorescence, which is rarely produced in cultivated plants, is a pale green spathe and spadix, typical of the arum family. The corm is shaped like a top with rough ridges, lumps and spindly roots, and usually weighs around 0.5-1 kg, but occasionally as much as 3.5 kg. The skin is brown and the flesh is white or pink. Certain kinds of taros produce smaller tubers or "cormels" which grow off the sides of the main corm.

[MysteRy]

Common name: Sikkim Rhubarb
Botanical name: Rheum nobile
Family: Polygonaceae (buckwheat family)

Rhubarb is a plant name for the many different species of Rheum, growing in the wild in the mountains of the Western and North-western provinces of China and in the adjoining Tibetan territory. Sikkim Rhubarb is a deciduous perennial that grows to 6.6 feet high by 3.3 feet wide. Basal leaves in a rosette. It forms large fleshy rhizomes and large leaves with long, thick (and tasty) petioles (stalks) Spikes of flowers rising to 3-4 feet completely shielded by large, translucent white bracts Prefers clay loam soil with a pH ranging from acid to alkaline and partial to full sun with moderate moisture. This plant has hermaphrodite flowers. Native to Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sikkim.