PlantStuff: Introduction to Plant Morphology!

 Check out the next installment in PlantStuff! Here, we discuss (2.1) what is plant morphology and (2.2) the basic parts of the plant- all in the style of Paper Mario.


Most Popular Plants

Barringtonia asiatica (Barringtonia)

Image
TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0101 Botanical Name: Barringtonia asiatica   Common Name: Barringtonia, Fish Poison Tree, Putat, Botong (Pilipino name), Shaving Brush Tree Cultivar: N/A Family: Lecythidaceae Barringtonia asiatica Photo by Matthew Gaston Native To: South Pacific, Taiwan, and Zanzibar  Landscaping Information Plant Type : Tree Texture: Dense Form: Upright-broad  Height (on average, in landscape use): 25'-45' Height to Spread Ratio: 1:2 Growth Rate:   Medium Landscape Values: Street Tree, Shade, Specimen, Windbreak, Erosion Control Outstanding Quality: Flowers, Foliage Characters, Fruit Barringtonia asiatica at UH Manoa Photo by Matthew Gaston Botanical Descriptions Flowers: 5"-7" wide, white to cream petals. White to light pink stamens are abundant. The two-lobed calyx and pistil remain attached to the tree, while petals and stamens fall below. Flowers open at nig...
Read More»

Adansonia digitata (Baobab)

Image
TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0098 Botanical Name: Adansonia digitata Common Name: Baobab, African  Baobab , Dead Mouse Tree, Dead Rat Tree, Monkey-Bread Tree, Upside-Down Tree, Cream of Tartar Tree Cultivar: N/A Family: Malvaceae Adansonia digitata  Photo by Matthew Gaston Native To: Africa (range is nearly all of Africa  especially d ry shrub land  and s avanna) Landscaping Information:  Plant Type :   Tree Texture: Fine, Open, Smooth Form: Upright-broad Height (on average, in landscape use): 45'-60' Height to Spread Ratio: 1:1 Growth Rate:   Slow-Fast   (depending on rainfall and groundwater) Landscape Values:  Accent, Shade, Sculptural Form, Space Division, Specimen, Windbreak Outstanding Quality: Form/Silhouette, Bark Botanical Descriptions: Flowers:   Mallow-type flower; large, leathery, pendulous white flowers with five petals and 5 sepals. An abundance o...
Read More»

Graptophyllum pictum (Caricature Plant)

Image
T ropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0002 Botanical Name: Graptophyllum pictum Common Name: Caricature Plant Cultivars: 'Igneum', 'Lurido-sanguineum', 'Tricolor'/'Waimea', 'Eldorado' Family: Acanthaceae  (Acanthus Family) Graptophyllum pictum   Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Igneum'  Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Lurido-sanguineum'  Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Eldorado'  Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Tricolor' (believed to be the same as Graptophyllum pictum 'Waimea') Photo by Matthew Gaston Native To: New Guinea Landscaping Information
Read More»

Tabernaemontana divaricata (Crepe Jasmine)

Image
TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0081 Botanical Name: Tabernaemontana divaricate Common Name: Crepe Jasmine, Crepe Jasmine, East India Rose Bay, Nero's Crown, Coffee Rose, Flower of Love, Phut Son Cultivar: 'Flore Pleno' Family: Apocynaceae Native To: India, Southern China, Northern Thailand Tabernaemontana divaricata after a rain Photo by Matthew Gaston Landscaping Information Plant Type : Shrub, Treelet Texture: Medium Form: Mound to Round-Headed Height (on average, in landscape use): 2'- 15' Height to Spread Ratio: The ratio of height at maturity to the width (spread) at maturity. Growth Rate: Fast Landscape Values: Accent, Background, Border, Edging, Facer, Filler, Foundation, Framing, Hedge, Patio, Quick Effect, Screen, Specimen Outstanding Quality: Flowers , Fragrance Botanical Descriptions Flowers: Sweet Fragrance, green sepals, white petals, 0.5"-1.1" long. Double flower cul...
Read More»

Ficus benjamina (Benjamin Fig)

Image
TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0049 Botanical Name: Ficus benjamina  Common Name: Benjamin Fig, Weeping Fig, Weeping Chinese Banyan Cultivars: 'Exotica' is discussed in this post, but several cultivars exist. Family: Moraceae Native To: India, Southern China, and the Solomon Islands. Ficus benjamina Photo by Matthew Gaston Landscaping Information Plant Type : Tree  Texture: Dense, Open Form: Weeping/Pendent  Height (on average, in landscape use): 45'- 60' Height to Spread Ratio: 1:2 Growth Rate: Medium Landscape Values: Background, Border, Edging, Facer, Filler, Foundation, Framing, Hedge, Indoor, Lanai, Patio, Screen, Shade, Sculptural Form, Specimen, Erosion Control Outstanding Quality: Form/Silhouette, Foliage Characters  Ficus benjamina Photo by Matthew Gaston Ficus benjamina at the UH Manoa Campus Photo by Matthew Gaston Botanical Descriptions Figs: 0.25"-0.75...
Read More»

Polyalthia longifolia var. pendula (Mast Tree)

Image
TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0092 Botanical Name: Polyalthia longifolia var. pendula Common Name: False Ashoka, Mast Tree, Cemetery Tree, Indian Fir Variety: pundula Family: Annonaceae Native To: Southern India and Sri Lanka Polyalthia longifolia var. pendula leaves Photo by Matthew Gaston Landscaping Information Plant Type : Tree Texture:   Dense Form: Upright-Narrow with Weeping/Pendent features Height (on average, in landscape use): 45'-60' Height to Spread Ratio: 10:1 Growth Rate: Medium Landscape Values: Accent, Street Tree, Background, Border, Edging, Facer, Filler, Framing, Mass, Quick Effect, Screen, Sculptural Form, Space Division, Specimen, Windbreak Outstanding Quality: Foliage Color, Form/Silhouette, Foliage Characters Polyalthia longifolia var. pendula growing at the University of Hawaii Manoa Photo by Matthew Gaston Botanical Descriptions Flowers: 0.3'"-0.5"...
Read More»