Kingdom:

Plantae

Clade:

Angiosperms

Clade:

Monocots

Order:

Asparagales

Family:

Asparagaceae

Subfamily:

Nolinoideae

Genus:

Dracaena

Species:

D. reflexa

SONG OF JAMAICA
(Dracaena reflexa)
Scientific classification
Plant Features:

Song of Jamaica is an easy-to-grow variety of dracaena

(just like corn plant, yucca, and song of India). Song of Jamaica
Binomial name
shows off chartreuse, reed-like foliage edged and streaked in dark
Dracaena reflexa
green. Young specimens keep their foliage all the way down to
the soil; as song of Jamaica matures, it loses its lower leaves and you see its interesting bamboolike stems.
A small tropical tree that will adjust to varying lighting conditions and requires little
watering. The thick leaves are narrow and deep green in color with parallel venation and grow in
tight spiral whorls. It does well in shaded bright areas without direct sunlight and does not
require frequent watering.
Light: Grow in medium to high light but not in direct midday sun.
Water: Throughly moisten when the surface soil begins to dry. Some drying of the soil can be
tolerated.
Fertilization: Fertilize with a houseplant product every three months.
Propagation: Roots readily from cuttings stuck in vermiculite. Larger specimens may be divided.
Cultivation and uses:

Dracaena reflexa is a popular ornamental plant, both in the landscape and the home. It
can be enjoyed as a specimen plant, accent, or pruned to create a border. Several cultivars have
been selected, particularly variegated clones with cream and yellow-green margins. It performs
well as a houseplant, tolerating infrequent waterings. It prefers bright, filtered light, without
direct sun exposure, restricted outdoors to zones 1011. It has average water needs and should
be fertilized bi-weekly when actively growing. Although it can survive in relatively low light
levels, the plant may grow spindly if given insufficient light. When grown indoors, temperatures
of 18 C to 25 C (64 F to 77 F) should be maintained. It can be propagated via herbaceous
stem cuttings.
Traditional medicine practitioners of Madagascar have long believed Dracaena reflexa to
cure malarial symptoms, poisoning, dysentery,diarrhea, dysmenorrhea, and to be useful as
an antipyretic and hemostatic agent. The leaves and bark are mixed with parts of a number of
other native plants and mixed into herbal teas. Its effectiveness in any such treatment remains
unproven.
The fruit of D. reflexa is also important to the diet of the Malagasy black-and-white
ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata variegata). The Frgate beetle (Polposipus herculeanus),
an endangered species endemic to Frgate Island (Seychelles), is also known to associate with
this plant.
Special features:
A colorful plant for with whorls of evenly spaced, lance-shaped leaves along tallgrowing stems. Each leaf has a dark green outer edge and yellowish-green inner stripes. Don't
allow plants to grow tall and lanky. Periodically cut 4to 6-inch tips to root and fill in around the
base.
Small plants may be set on the table, but specimens often grow more than 6 feet tall. This
dracaena has a durable reputation but must be protected from temperatures below 55 degrees.
Older plants gradually will lose mature leaves and can be rejuvenated by severe prunings to
stimulate new growths from the base. Plants kept in high light will remain compact and have the
best color. Many growers once placed this species in the genus Pleomele.

EARTHWORM
(Lumbricina)
Scientific classification

An earthworm is a tube-shaped, segmented worm commonly found

living in soil, that feeds on live and dead organic matter. Its digestive
Kingdom: Animalia
system runs through the length of its body. It conducts respiration through
its skin. An earthworm has a double transport system composed
Phylum: Annelida
of coelomic fluid that moves within the fluid-filled coelom and a simple,
Class:
Oligochaeta
closed blood circulatory system. It has a central and a peripheral nervous
system. The central nervous system consists of two ganglia above the
Subclass: Haplotaxida
mouth, one on either side, connected to a nerve cord running back along its
length to motor neurons and sensory cells in each segment. Large numbers
Order:
Megadrilacea
of chemoreceptors are concentrated near its mouth. Circumferential and
Suborder: Lumbricina
+ longitudinal muscles on the periphery of each segment enable the worm to
move. Similar sets of muscles line the gut, and their actionsmove the
Moniligastrida
digesting food toward the worm's anus.
Earthworms are hermaphroditeseach individual carries both male and female sex
organs. As an invertebrate, it lacks a skeleton, but it maintains its structure with fluid-filled
coelom chambers that function as a hydrostatic skeleton.
Medicinal Porpuses:
In China and other parts of Asia, earthworms are also used for their
medicinal properties. Earthworms are caught, killed and then eviscerated, with the viscera and
organic components washed away. The worms are then dried for use.
According to the concepts of traditional Chinese medicine, earthworm is associated with
the Bladder, Liver, Lung and Spleen meridians, and has salty and cold properties. It drains liver
heat and clears lung heat, and can also clear heat in the collateral channels. Typically, earthworm
is used with other herbs to treat a wide range of conditions, ranging from spasms and
convulsions to pain relief, treatment of fevers and certain types of arthritis. It is also used to treat
some types of asthma and bronchitis.
Benefits:

Biological: In many soils, earthworms play a major role in the conversion of large pieces
of organic matter into rich humus, thus improving soil fertility. This is achieved by the
worm's actions of pulling below the surface, deposited organic matter such as leaf fall or
manure, either for food or to plug its burrow. Once in the burrow, the worm will shred the
leaf and partially digest it and mingle it with the earth. Worm casts (see below) can contain
40% more humus than the top 9" (23 cm) of soil in which the worm is living.

Chemical: In addition to dead organic matter, the earthworm also ingests any other soil
particles that are small enoughincluding sand grains up to 1/20 of an inch (1.25 mm)into

its gizzard, wherein those minute fragments of grit grind everything into a fine paste which is
then digested in the intestine. When the worm excretes this in the form of casts, deposited on
the surface or deeper in the soil, minerals and plant nutrients are changed to an accessible
form for plants to use. Investigations in the United States show that fresh earthworm casts
are five times richer in available nitrogen, seven times richer in available phosphates, and 11
times richer in available potassium than the surrounding upper 6 inches (150 mm) of soil. In
conditions where humus is plentiful, the weight of casts produced may be greater than 4.5 kg
(10 lb) per worm per year.

Physical. The earthworm's burrowing creates a multitude of channels through the soil and
is of great value in maintaining the soil structure, enabling processes of aeration and
drainage. Permaculture co-founder Bill Mollison points out that by sliding in their tunnels,
earthworms "act as an innumerable army of pistons pumping air in and out of the soils on a
24-hour cycle (more rapidly at night)". Thus, the earthworm not only creates passages for air
and water to traverse the soil, but also modifies the vital organic component that makes a soil
healthy (seeBioturbation). Earthworms promote the formation of nutrient-rich casts (globules
of soil, stable in soil (mucus)) that have high soil aggregation and soil fertility and quality.

Earthworms accelerate nutrient cycling in the soil-plant system through fragmentation &
mixing of plant debris physical grinding & chemical digestion. The earthworm's existence
cannot be taken for granted. Dr. W. E. Shewell Cooper observed "tremendous numerical
differences between adjacent gardens", and worm populations are affected by a host of
environmental factors, many of which can be influenced by good management practices on the
part of the gardener or farmer.

LITTLE BLACK ANT

(Monomorium minimum)

As their common and scientific names suggest, little black ants are much smaller than
many of the other ants youll see hanging around your house and yard.
These shiny little ants are easy to spot if you know what to look for: their
Scientific classification
glossy sheen and the foraging trails they follow to and from food.
Kingdom:

Animalia

Phylum:

Arthropoda

Class:

Insecta

Order:

Hymenoptera

Family:

Formicidae

Subfamily:

Myrmicinae

Tribe:

Solenopsidini

Genus:

Monomorium

Species:

M. minimum

Binomial name
Monomorium minimum

Although theyre small, these mini-bugs are prizefighters against

other ant species and often bully ants over food resources. Their colonies
can number more than 2,000 workers, and when a group of worker ants
combine forces, their tiny stingers can pack a powerful punch to other ants.
Their best combat skills are on display when theyre protecting one of their
favorite foods: the sweet nectar produced by sap sucking insects, including
small insects called aphids.
Aphids live on plant leaves and have mouths that are shaped like
drink straws. They stab these drink straws into the leaves and suck out the
juice like its a big milkshake. They then turn that juice into a liquid called
honeydew that they excrete from their rear ends in droplets they hold high
in the air, waiting for ants to come and get it.
To reach their favorite honeydew treat, little black ants travel up
tree trunks and plant stems in a long line. They make the line by laying
down a scented trail called a pheromone trail. That way, they only have to
follow their noses to the foodor, in the case of little black ants, follow
their antennae that they use for smelling.
In addition to making delicious honeydew, the aphids are tasty
snacks for other insects like lacewings and ladybugs. Little black ants are
scrappy fighters, though, and are able to kick out other would-be diners
from their honeydew buffets even if those diners are much bigger than

they are!
When it comes to fighting, little black ants have a superpower called gaster flagging. The
gaster is the ants rear end. When little black ants are alarmed, they lift their rear ends together
and vigorously wag them around in the air. While theyre wagging, they release noxious toxins.
These poisons are repellent to would-be contenders and drive them away before they even
engage in battle.

Sometimes little black ants make an unwelcome appearance at our breakfast tables. While they
prefer to nest outdoors, their small size makes them perfect for sneaking in under windowsills,
between floorboards, and through any other tiny crevasse. Inside your house, they feast on your
dropped food and quench their thirst in your sink. That is why these miniscule marauders are
considered a pest species.

Scientific

classification

King

Animalia

dom:

Phyl

um:

Clas

Arthropo
da

Insecta

Hymeno

s:

Orde
r:

Famil

ptera

y:

Subf

Formicid
ae

amily

Myrmicin
ae

FIRE ANT

(Solenopsis mandibularis)

Fire ant is the common name for several species of ants in

the genus Solenopsis. They are however only a minority in the genus, which
includes
over
200
species
of Solenopsis worldwide. Solenopsis are stinging ants and most of their
common names reflect this, for example, ginger ants and tropical fire ants.
Many species also are called red ants because of their light brown colour,
though species of ants in many other genera are similarly named for similar
reasons

The bodies of mature fire ants, like the bodies of all

typical mature insects, are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax,
and the abdomen, with three pairs of legs and a pair ofantennae. Fire ants of
those species invasive in the United States can be distinguished from other
ants locally present, by their copper brown head and body with a darker
abdomen. The worker ants are blackish to reddish, and their size varies from
2 mm to 6 mm (0.08 in to 0.24 in). In an established nest these different sizes

Tribe

Solenop

of ants all are present at the same time.[3]

sidini

Genu

s:

Solenop

a pedicel with two nodes, an unarmed propodeum, and antennae with 10

sis

segments plus a two-segmented club.[4] Many ants bite, and formicine ants

Westwood,
1840

Type species

Solenopsis
mandibularis

Solenopsis spp. ants can be identified by three body features

can cause irritation by spraying formic acid; myrmecine ants like fire ants
have a dedicated venom-injecting sting, which injects an alkaloid venom, as
well asmandibles for biting.[5]

The bodies of mature fire ants, like the bodies of all typical mature insects, are

divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen, with three pairs of legs and a
pair ofantennae. Fire ants of those species invasive in the United States can be distinguished from
other ants locally present, by their copper brown head and body with a darker abdomen. The worker
ants are blackish to reddish, and their size varies from 2 mm to 6 mm (0.08 in to 0.24 in). In an
established nest these different sizes of ants all are present at the same time. [3]

Solenopsis spp. ants can be identified by three body featuresa pedicel with two

nodes, an unarmed propodeum, and antennae with 10 segments plus a two-segmented club. [4] Many
ants bite, and formicine ants can cause irritation by spraying formic acid; myrmecine ants like fire
ants have a dedicated venom-injecting sting, which injects an alkaloid venom, as well
asmandibles for biting.[5]

PHILIPPINE MAHOGANY
(Shorea Negrosensis)

Mahogany is a deciduous, erect tree growing to a height of 10 meters, with a

heavy, dark-green, and dense crown. The trunk is more or less buttressed. Bark is dark gray and
ridged. Young leaves when in the flush are pink, soon turning green. Leaves are alternate,
smooth, compound, about 15 centimeters long, in 3 to 6 pairs, most often 5 pairs, of leaflets.
Leaflets are inequilateral, ovate to oblong-ovate, 5 to 8 centimeters long and half as wide,
pointed at the tip, broadly obtuse or rounded at the base. Flowers are greenish yellow, about 8
millimeters wide, borne in axillary panicles shorter than the foliage. Calyx is rim-like and the
petals are oblong, less than 5 millimeters in length. Staminal tube is slightly reddish, thick, and
nearly as long as the corolla. Fruit is large, cylindrical, barrel-shaped, woody, grayish-brown,
rough and less than 12 centimeters long. Body of the fruit splits into five thick outer valves and
five thinner inside valves. The outer valves fall off when ripe exposing closely packed seeds
attached by the tips of their wings. Seeds are brownish, 5 to 7 centimeters long, with a broad and
thin wing and a corky,
thickened
part containing the embryo.

Distribution
- Recently introduction in the Philippines.
- Cultivated for the commerce of its wood.
- Native of the West Indies.
Constituents
The bark contains tannin; leaves contain seven phragmalin limonoids.

 Two new tetranortriterpenoids, mahonin and secomahoganin were isolated from the cotyledons
of SM.
Study yields 6-Desoxyswietenine, a tetranortriterpenoid from Swietenia mahogani.
Study on the acidic polysaccharide isolated from the gum exudate yielded residues of Dgalactose, L-arabinose, L-rhamnose and D-galacturonic acid.

Properties
Considered astringent, antipyretic, abortifacient, depurative.

Uses

Folkloric
- Bark is antipyretic, tonic and astringent.
- Decoction of seeds used as abortifacient.
- Used for hypertension, amoebiasis, chest pains, parasitism, cancer.
- Used by Ifugao migrants for malaria, cough and miscarriage.
- In India, bark extracts used as astringent for wounds.
- Used for malaria, anemia, diarrhea, fever and dysentery.
- In Africa, bark decoction used as febrifuge

Others
Wood: This is the true mahogany of commerce, yielding the highly prized reddish-brown
wood. Because of its fast growth, it is much desired in Manila as a shade tree. In India,
wood is a popular material for making of furniture, musical instruments, boats, caskets.
Studies
Anti-Ulcer / Anti-H. Pylori: The Effect of Swietenia Mahogani (Mahogany) Seed
Extract On Unidimensionalities Gastric Ulcers in Female Sprague-Dawley Rats: Study
found a potential effect on the healing of gastric ulcers, attributed to the phospholipid and
long chain unsaturated fatty acid content of mahogany seeds, with a healing effect similar
to that of misoprostol. Results provide an attractive possibility for H. pylori therapy.
Hypoglycemic / Hypolipidemic: Study on streptozotocin and nicotinamide-induced
type 2 diabetes in rats concludes that the ME of seeds of Swietenia macrophylla has
hypoglycemic as well as hypolipidemic effect.
Antioxidant / Xanthine Oxidase Inhibition: Study of the methanol extract of Swietania
mahogani exhibited both high free radical scavenging and xanthine oxidase inhibition
activities.
Cytotoxic: Study on the cytotoxic activities of the crude ethanolic extracts of seed, bark
and leaf of Sm and their various fractions showed promising results with the seed extract
and some fractions showing the most significant cytotoxic properties.
Hepatoprotective: Study of an aqueous leaf extract of S. mahogani in chronic alcohol-

induced liver injury in rats exhibited hepatoprotective activity.

Anti-Protozoal: In a study of 10 lectins screened for cytotoxic activity against
Acanthamoeba sp. (a keratitis-causing amoeba) and Tetrahymena pyriformis, lectins from
Schefflera odorata and Swietenia macrophylla were found to possess high cytotoxic
activity against the test organisms.
Anti-Diabetic / Seeds: An ethanolic extract of sees produced significant reduction of
blood glucose level. Histological examination of the pancreas showed retaining of islets
and few degranulations of beta cells.
Hypoglycemic / Bark Extracts: Bark extract of mahogany was evaluated for invivo
hypoglycemic activity against alloxan-induced diabetic rats. A hot water extract showed
significant dose-dependent hypoglycemic effect compared to standard drug. Histopath
study showed significant -cell count.
Antiulcer Activity / Ethanol-Induced Injury / Leaf Extract / Acute Toxicity Study: Study
of an ethanol extract of leaves showed antiulcer activity against ethanol-induced gastric
ulcer in rats. Pretreatment resulted in significant protection of gastric mucosa and
increase in mucus production. Acute toxicity study did not show any toxicological signs
in rats.
Gastroprotective / Seed Extract / Ethanol-Induced Injury: An ethanol extract of seed
showed anti-ulcerogenic activity against ethanol induced gastric mucosal injury in rats,
ascertained grossly and histologically.

Scientific
classification

King
dom:

Clad
e:

Angiosp
erms

Clad
e:

Monoco
ts

Orde
r:

Asparag
ales

Fami
ly:

Subf
amil
y:

Nolinoi
deae

Genu
s:

Sansevi
eria

Speci
es:

Binomial name

Sansevieria
trifasciata

Plantae

Asparag
aceae

S.
trifascia
ta

SNAKE PLANT

(Sansevieria trifasciata)

Appearance
Its most popular use is as an indoor, decorative plant. Its leaves are
variegated with light-colored blotches, and are often bordered with
a yellow trim.

Care
Can be neglected for extended periods without any adverse effects.
It thrives in sun or shade, but should not be kept in an environment
below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Characteristics
Removes contaminants from air and produces large amounts of
oxygen.

The entire plant is toxic. It contains saponins and other

toxins that can cause the tongue to swell and burn, and can also cause
irritation of the mouth. If the tongue swells to the point that the airways are
blocked, the results can be fatal. This plant can also cause nausea,
vomiting
and
diarrhea
if
ingested
by
dogs
or
cats.
The Snake Plant, or Mother-in-Law's Tongue, is one of the
most recommended plants for improving air quality. The optimal place to
keep this relatively inexpensive and low-maintenance plant is the
bedroom, because it converts CO2 into oxygen at night.