Tag: James Cook University

Psidium cattleianum littorale

Post author By Mukul
Post date August 18, 2015
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Botanical Name: Psidium cattleianum littorale
Family: Myrtaceae
Subfamily: Myrtoideae
Genus: Psidium
Species: P. cattleyanum
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Myrtales

Synonyms: Psidium cattleianum lucidum. P. lucidum

Common Name:Yellow Strawberry Guava

Habitat : Psidium cattleianum littorale is native to coastal areas of Eastern Brazil. The strawberry guava is now a weed in many parts of the tropics where it has quickly adapted to a variety of climates. There are major infestations on Hawaii and many Caribbean islands. In tropical climates, the strawberry guava is most often found growing at higher elevations, where the mean temperature is much cooler.

Description:
Psidium cattleianum littorale is a small evergreen bush or tree to 20-25ft, although often much smaller. The frilly white flowers are often borne a couple of times a year, concentrated during warmer months. It is frost tender. It is in leaf 12-Jan It is in flower in May. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)….…CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES
Cultivation :
Requires a well-drained sandy loam with leafmold. Not very hardy in Britain, it is best grown in a greenhouse but it can tolerate short-lived light frosts and therefore might succeed outdoors in the mildest areas of the country. Sometimes cultivated for its edible fruit.

Propagation :
Seed – sow spring in a warm greenhouse. When large enough to handle, prick out the seedlings into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. If trying the plants outdoors, plant them out in the summer and give them some protection from winter cold for at least their first two winters. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame.
Edible Uses :
Edible Parts: Fruit.

Fruit – raw or cooked. Sweet and aromatic. An agreeable acid-sweet flavour. High in pectin, the fruits are good for mixing with high-acid, low-pectin fruits for making jellies etc. This species has a superior flavour to P. littorale longipes. The fruit is about 4cm in diameter.
Medicinal Uses:
None known

Other Uses : Grown as a hedge in warm temperate climates
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psidium_cattleyanum
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Psidium+cattleianum+littorale
http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/content/yellow-strawberry-guava.htm

Tags Australia, Banana, Fruit, Global warming, James Cook University, Plant, Queensland, Tree, Tropics, Wet Tropics of Queensland

Herbs & Plants

Adenophora Triphylla

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Botanical Name : Adenophora triphylla var. japonjca Hara
Family : Campanulaceae
Genus : Adenophora

Synonyms : Adenophora tetraphylla – (Thunb.)Fisch. ex B.D.Jacks. Campanula triphylla – Thunb.

Korean Name: Jan-dae

English Name: Three-leaf ladybell

Parts Used : Root

Habitat : E. Asia – China, Japan, Korea. Grassy places in lowland and mountains, also on woodland edges. In meadows from the lowlands to elevations of 1000 metres. Woodland Garden; Sunny Edge; Meadow; Cultivated Beds;

Description:–
Erect Perennial herb growing to 1m.Root white,thickened. Stem glabrous or white-pilose. Basal leaves long -petiolate,almost round; stem leaves usually in worls of 4 , oralternate, short-pitiolate or sessile, oblong or oblong-ellipetic or linear, to 10 cm long, serrate. Flowers lower in whorls on very slender pedicels, more paniculate above; corolla pale bluish-violet, narrow urceolate- companulate, slightly constricted above, about 13-22 mm long; style long-exerted. July-Nov

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES..
It is hardy to zone 7. It is in flower in September, and the seeds ripen in October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.

This quite rare & most elegant & graceful member of the Campanula family comes from Japan. To 2-3’ tall, it forms erect, branching spikes bearing pale blue, perfect little chubby bells in late Summer thru Fall. The lance shaped leaves are glossy & held in whorls. Good garden soil is best. Easy! (Bait for snails).

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

Cultivation:-
Prefers a light rich slightly alkaline soil that is not too dry and a warm sunny position. Prefers a moist peaty soil in sun or partial shade. Plants are hardy to about -20°c. This species is extremely polymorphic, and several varieties and forms have been described in Japan. The many variations in several characters (hairiness, leaf-shape, inflorescence-shape etc.) can be seen in individuals growing intermixed. This species succeeds in a meadow if the grass is not cut until after the plant flowers. Intolerant of root disturbance. The young growth is extremely attractive to slugs, they have been known to destroy even mature plants.

Propagation:-
Seed – best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. The seed can also be sown in spring. Surface sow 2 – 3 seeds per pot in the spring in order to avoid transplanting. We have found that if transplanted when very small seedlings grow away without difficulty. Germinates in 1 – 3 months at 10°c. Plant out into their permanent positions whilst young. Basal cuttings in spring. Division in spring – very difficult because the plant dislikes root disturbance.

Chemical Components:- Saponin (1). Triterpenes (2)

Edible Uses:-
Edible Parts: Leaves; Root.

Root – cooked. The root is thick and carrot shaped. Leaves – cooked.

Medicinal Actions & Uses :
Antifungal; Cardiotonic; Expectorant.

The root is antifungal, carditonic and expectorant. It is used I Korea to treat bronchial catarrh and coughs, especially where there is excess phlegm. The rot has been shown to contain saponins and triterpenes which are responsible for its expectorant action.

Tradional Uses: Sputum, cough,bronchial catarrh

Disclaimer: The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Adenophora+triphylla
http://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/plant_display.asp?prodid=1323

Click to access 11.pdf

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Adenophora_triphylla_var_japonica3.jpg
http://gayasan.go.kr/eng/diary/diary.jsp?mnu_uid=0&lan_code=eng&flw_uid=667&gotopage=1&cmd=view

Tags Adenophora Synonyms : Adenophora, Air pollution, Australia, China, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Flower, Garden, Inflorescence, James Cook University, Korean Peninsula, Leaf shape, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations, Plant, Seed, Soil acidification

News on Health & Science

Hookworms May Harbour Asthma Cure

Post author By Mukul
Post date September 21, 2007
No Comments on Hookworms May Harbour Asthma Cure

Blood-sucking parasitic worms are being studied as a potential treatment for asthma and other allergic diseases. People with asthma and hay fever are being purposely infected with hookworms to test whether the parasites can control the allergic reactions that cause the conditions……….CLICK & SEE

British researchers believe that hookworm infestations could be induced under medical supervision to reduce symptoms, or the worms could help the development of new drugs.

They also say that worm treatments might not only work for allergies, but also more serious auto-immune disorders such as type-1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis (MS).

Evidence from the early 1970s suggests that people infected with the tropical hookworm do not suffer allergies.

Studies in New Guinea, where hookworms are common, have suggested that the worms protect themselves in the human body by dampening down the immune system. At the same time, they appear to prevent over-active immune responses linked to allergies and auto-immune diseases.

Now, Dr David Pritchard, from the University of Nottingham, is leading a team to determine if the worms can be harnessed to fight these conditions.

Two small safety trials have already been completed and early preparations are in progress for a study of asthma patients.

“Many of the people who were given a placebo have now requested worms. And the people with worms, many of them have decided to keep them for the next hay fever season,” Times Online quoted Dr Pritchard, as saying.

Source:The Times Of India