Showing 1 - 4 of 4
Worthy of a name
B Magazine, Normita Thongtham, Published on 04/12/2016
» Piya Chalermglin, PhD, intrepid plant explorer and extraordinary researcher at the Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research, recently retired. He spent 20 years of his career surveying the country's plant genetic resources, particularly Magnoliales, which includes the custard apple family Annonaceae and the magnolia family Magnoliaceae. In the process, he earned the distinction of having discovered 17 species new to science, joining the likes of famous botanist Carl Linnaeus and other plant explorers who immortalised their names by inspiring the names of some plants.
Trumpeting the invasion
B Magazine, Normita Thongtham, Published on 13/03/2016
» The herald’s trumpet or Easter lily vine (Beaumontia grandiflora aka Beaumontia murtonii, known as hiranyika in Thai) along the fence of the neighbour across the street from my house is in bloom again. The large and attractive white flowers have a lovely scent, especially in the early morning, and I often cross the street to give the flowers a sniff.
The magic mountains of the Philippines
B Magazine, Normita Thongtham, Published on 10/05/2015
» From primary school, Filipino children are taught how rich the Philippines is in natural resources. But as a child I saw how the Caraballo mountain range straddling our province of Nueva Ecija in Central Luzon was being denuded of its forest cover, either by illegal loggers or settlers clearing the land for cultivation.
Survival of the seediest
B Magazine, Normita Thongtham, Published on 03/11/2013
» Bangkok Post reader and fellow plant lover Terry Commins shared on Facebook the fun he has had observing how many forest trees time their flowering with the rainy season. "Those with hard seed pods that take longer to mature tend to flower earlier," he wrote. "Each species has its own clock, but almost all end up getting it right for when to drop their seeds to maximise the weather conditions. Some seeds remain fertile for only a day or two, while others can last a year. Enjoy the complexity of nature."