STROPHANTHUS GRATUS

I have not posted about this beautiful plant before. But seriously, it is also one of my newer favourite shrubs in recent years.

From the Apocynaceae Family, this plant is known by its synonym Roupellia grata and its common names Rose Allamanda, Climbing Oleander or Cream Fruit. The young floral buds do remind me of unopened roses. The leaves are typically hard, glossy and leathery and are probably unpalatable to most plant eating insects. Interestingly, the throat of the pink flowers is surrounded by a circle of red frills.

A link is attached below and in the last photo, a Common Palmfly is captured on its leaves.

http://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/strophanthus_gratus.htm

JOHANNESTEIJSMANNIA LANCEOLATA

The handsome palm in the center appeared to be a Joey Palm, Diamond Joey Palm or Umbrella Leaf Palm from the Arecaceae (Palmae) Family.

The link on the palm is shown below for reference:

http://www.florida-palm-trees.com/joey-palm-tree/

GARDEN OF SEASONS

These butterflies were spotted at the GOS and they were the seasons:

1. Common Grass Yellow on a common garden weed Vernonia cinerea (Common Vernonia)
2. Common Palmfly on the Bambusa lako (Black Bamboo)
3. Plain Tiger on Cosmos caudatus
4. Common Grass Yellow on Leea rubra
5. Common Five Spot Ring on Hamelia patens
6. Common Mormon on Stachytarpheta mutabilis
7. Peacock Pansy on Stachytarpheta indica (variegated)

Finally, the last 2 photos were just the freshly formed and unripe fruits of the Flacourtia inermis (Plum-of-Martinique).

IRRIGATION POND

This is one of my favourite areas within HortPark. It was supposed to be planted up as a bird corridor and butterfly trail and subsequently developed as a new theme garden for guided tours etc. However, this did not materialise under me.

Anyway, it was still a pleasure to walk through this place anytime because there are always plenty of butterflies, just like the those captured in these photos taken on 9 Jun 10.

There were numerous Leopards found on the young leaf flushes of the Flacourtia inermis, apparently because they were looking for the host plant to lay their eggs.

The Duranta erecta plants are also a good nectar plant for the butterflies as there are always numerous butterflies flocking to it for nectar, like the Mottled Emigrant shown below.

Right here, I did not chop down the African Tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata) and retained them because they pose no hazard to the general public and they can appreciate the orange flowers from afar.

Other than butterflies, there are also dragonflies, like the one hidden amongst the leaves of the Acacia auriculiformis at the water edge.

Finally, there is the Common Palmfly, captured once again in photo.