Euphorbia pulcherrima (Poinsettia) - Sikkim Flora

Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Plantae

Family:           Euphorbiaceae

Genus:            Euphorbia

Species:           E. pulcherrima

Binomial name: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch

Other Names:  Poinsettia, Christmas plant, lobster flower and the flame-leaf flower

Lalupate (Nepali)

Special feature:  The colored bracts—which are most often flaming red but can be orange, pale green, cream, pink, white, or marbled—are often mistaken for flower petals because of their groupings and colors, but are actually leaves. (Wikipedia)

Poinsettias received their name in the United States in honor of Joel Roberts Poinsett, who introduced the plant into the country in 1828. Poinsett was a botanist, physician and the first United States Ambassador to Mexico. He sent cuttings of the plant he had discovered in Southern Mexico to his home in Charleston, South Carolina. The word Poinsettia is traditionally capitalized because it is named after a person. December 12th is Poinsettia Day, which marks the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett in 1851. (extension.illinois.edu/)

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Giant wood spider (Nephila pilipes) - Sikkim Spider

Nephila pilipes (Giant wood spider)

Venue: Sirwani, Singtam,  South Sikkim

Date: November 29, 2014

Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Animalia

Phylum:          Arthropoda

Class:             Arachnida

Order:            Araneae

Suborder:       Araneomorphae

Family:           Nephilidae

Genus:            Nephila

Species:           N. pilipes

Binomial name: Nephila pilipes (Fabricius, 1793)

Other Names: Giant Wood Spider, golden orb-weavers  or banana spiders.

Special feature:  Females are large and grow to a body size of 30–50 mm (overall size up to 20 cm), with males growing to 5–6 mm. It is one of the biggest spiders in the world.

The Nephila pilipes' web is vertical with a fine irregular mesh and not symmetrical, with the hub is usually nearer the top. Rather than egg sacks being hung in the web, a pit is dug which is then covered with plant debris or soil.

The first, second and fourth pairs of legs of juvenile females have dense hairy brushes, but as the spider matures these brushes disappear. (Source: Wikipedia)

Cirrochroa aoris (Large Yeoman) - Sikkim Butterfly

Cirrochroa aoris (Large Yeoman)

Venue: Sirwani, Singtam,  South Sikkim

Date: November 29, 2014

Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Animalia

Phylum:          Arthropoda

Class:              Insecta

Order:            Lepidoptera

Family:           Nymphalidae

Genus:            Cirrochroa

Species:           C. aoris

Binomial name: Cirrochroa aoris Doubleday, 1847

Other Names: Large Yeoman

Special feature:  The genus Cirrochroa comprises of 18 species, of which 15 occur in the Oriental region, plus 2 on Papua New Guinea, and one on the island of Biak. Cirrochroa aoris is found in India, Bhutan and Myanmar.

Actitis hypoleucos (Common Sandpiper) - Sikkim Bird

Actitis hypoleucos (Common Sandpiper)

Venue: Sirwani, Singtam,  South Sikkim

Date: February 16 2014

Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Animalia

Phylum:          Chordata

Class:             Aves

Subclass:        Neornithes

Infraclass:      Neognathae

Superorder:   Neoaves

Order:            Charadriiformes

Superorder:   Neoaves

Family:           Scolopacidae

Genus:            Actitis

Species:           A. hypoleucos

Binomial name: Actitis hypoleucos (Linnaeus, 1758)

Other Names:  Common Sandpiper

Special feature:  This bird and its American sister species, the Spotted Sandpiper, make up the genus Actitis.

In the Nukumanu language of the Nukumanu Islands (Papua New Guinea), this species is usually called tiritavoi. Another Nukumanu name for it, matakakoni, exists, but this is considered somewhat taboo and not used when children and women are around. The reason for this is that matakakoni means "bird that walks a little, then copulates", in reference to the pumping tail and thrusting head movements the Actitis species characteristically perform during foraging. (Source: Wikipedia)