Panfuti (Bryophyllum pinnatum) - Sikkim Flora

Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Plantae

Order              Saxifragales

Family:           Crassulaceae

Genus:            Bryophyllum

Species:           Bryophyllum pinnatum

Binomial name: Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lam.) Oken

Other Names:  Air Plant, Life Plant, Cathedral Bells, Goethe Plant, Patharkuchi (Bengali), Panfuti (Maharastra)

Special feature: Bryophyllum pinnatum is a succulent plant native to Madagascar, which is a popular houseplant and has become naturalized in tropical and subtropical areas.

The writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - who also was an amateur naturalist of some repute - was "passionately fond" of this plant and liked to give the baby plantlets as gifts to friends who visited his home. He also discussed his air plant at length in an essay titled Geschichte meiner botanischen Studien ("History of my botanical studies").

Bryophyllum pinnatum has been found to contain bufadienolide cardiac glycosides. These can cause cardiac poisoning, particularly in grazing animals.

Bryophyllum pinnatum has been recorded in Trinidad and Tobago as being used as a traditional treatment for hypertension. The juice made of Bryophylum is useful for cure of kidneystones, although there is no evidence-based clinical indication for these uses in modern medicine and, indeed, such usage could prove dangerous and even fatal in some cases. (Wikipedia)

African tuliptree (Spathodea campanulata) - Sikkim Flora

Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Plantae

Family:           Bignoniaceae

Genus:            Spathodea

Species:           Spathodea campanulata

Binomial name: Spathodea campanulata P.Beauv.

Other Names:  African tuliptree, fountain tree, pichkari or Nandi flame

Special feature: Spathodea is a monotypic genus in the flowering plant family Bignoniaceae, with a single species pathodea campanulata

The tree grows between 7–25 m (23–82 ft) tall and is native to tropical dry forests of Africa. It has been nominated as among 100 of the "World's Worst" invaders.

This tree is planted extensively as an ornamental tree throughout the tropics and is much appreciated for its very showy reddish-orange or crimson (rarely yellow), campanulate flowers. The generic name comes from the Ancient Greek words σπαθη (spathe) and οιδα (oida), referring to the spathe-like calyx. It was identified by Europeans in 1787 on the Gold Coast of Africa.

The flower bud is ampule-shaped and contains water. These buds are often used by children who play with its ability to squirt the water. The sap sometimes stains yellow on fingers and clothes. The open flowers are cup-shaped and hold rain and dew, making them attractive to many species of birds. (Wikipedia)