lekowala!

Myristicaceae
Originally uploaded by lekowala.

I am sure these are from the nutmeg family, perhaps a Horsfieldia species. The smell of the rind is characteristic of the nutmeg. MacRitchie, June 2005.

Lyssa zampa
Originally uploaded by lekowala.

I have been following Otterman’s Lyssa zampa reports with gusto. So as we came back from the pasar malam, there it was infront of the lift, on the seldomed noticed notice board. It was photographed several times and I am glad to add to the sightings. This is fresh report. Anchorvale Road, 10 pm, 30 June 2005. The back of the moth is hairy; overall, this moth is quite an eye catcher.

Dipterocarpus grandiflorus
Originally uploaded by lekowala.

Here are the pretty looking flowers of the keruing (taken in Mar 2005) featured in Francis and the Dipteropcarp. They spot the brown leaf litter pleasantly with pink and white petals. Celebrate masting, it happens once in a few years.

Bug on Simpoh ayer
Originally uploaded by lekowala.

If it hadn’t been for my sharp eyes, I would have missed this bug on the abaxial surface of the simpoh ayer leaf. It blended in well with its vein-like margins and central axis. What creature is this?

caterpillars
Originally uploaded by lekowala.

After reading Otterman’s “Does Lyssa zampa eat?”, I wondered if the three different types of caterpillars I saw one afternoon at MacRitchie in June, acting gregarious, were also doing a Lyssa zampa. Note the fig tree on the right stripped of its leaves by munching caterpillars on each branch. The forest has been busy, unbeknownst to many…

Note: I originally posted the sightings in Mar but realised that it was actually in early June that I saw them in MacRitchie.

Gluta wallichii
Originally uploaded by lekowala.

Gluta wallichii, Anacardiaceae. Cousin of the mangoes, the sap of this plant, which charactersitically turns black when exposed to air, is said irritate some to the point of developing painful blisters. Looks like I am not one of them.

Dillenia suffructicosa
Originally uploaded by lekowala.

Dillenia suffructicosa, Dilleniaceae. The flowers hang down but the fruits face up thanks to some torsion by the stalk. Also known affectionately as the CB leaf.

Pandanus odoratissimus
Originally uploaded by lekowala.

Pandanus odoratissimus, Pandanaceae, Monocot. The fruiting head is as big as a man’s head. A magnificent pandan (yes, its a close cousin of our pandan wangi, Pandanus amaryllifolius), that punctuates a pristine beach forest, along with the Ximenes.

Licuala peltata var. sumawongii
Originally uploaded by lekowala.

The beautiful 1st order inflorescence branches of this palas against the backdrop of its peltate (shield-shaped) fronds.

Licuala peltata
Originally uploaded by lekowala.

This palas was in flower (mature) when I was there 2 weeks ago. I wonder if it is also part of the mast flowering that happened a couple of months ago in Feb.