Plant Families and Species Lecture

180 question-and-answer flashcards covering scientific names, common names, and family affiliations from the lecture notes.

Pachystachys lutea

Commonly called the lollipop plant, an ornamental species in the Acanthaceae family.

Ruellia simplex

Known as purple showers, a hardy ornamental shrub in the Acanthaceae family.

Thunbergia alata

The black-eyed Susan vine, a fast-growing climber with yellow to orange flowers.

Justicia gendarussa

Referred to as the candle plant, an Acanthaceae shrub used ornamentally and medicinally.

Pseuderanthemum reticulatum

Called moradong dilaw, a foliage plant prized for its yellow-veined leaves.

Allium cepa

The common onion, an edible bulb widely used as a vegetable and seasoning.

Eucharis grandiflora

The Madonna lily or Amazon lily, a fragrant white-flowered houseplant.

Crinum asiaticum

The poison bulb, a large bulbous plant with strap-like leaves and white flowers.

Scadoxus multiflorus

Known as the blood lily for its bright red spherical inflorescences.

Zephyranthes candida

The white rain lily, a bulb that blooms after rainfall with starry white flowers.

Hymenocallis littoralis

The spider lily, recognizable by its long, ribbon-like white petals.

Hippeastrum reticulatum

A species of Hippeastrum (amaryllis) valued for its striped pink flowers.

Allamanda cathartica

Called yellow bell, an evergreen vine with bright yellow trumpet flowers.

Adenium obesum

The Bangkok kalachuchi or desert rose, a succulent shrub with showy blooms.

Catharanthus roseus

Commonly called chichirica or Madagascar periwinkle, an ornamental and medicinal plant.

Nerium oleander

The adelfa or oleander, an evergreen shrub with toxic but beautiful flowers.

Thevetia peruviana

Known as kampanero or yellow oleander, a poisonous ornamental tree.

Hoya cumingiana

The wax vine, a Philippine Hoya species with starry fragrant flowers.

Plumeria obtusa

Kalachuchi, a frangipani tree with thick leaves and strongly scented blooms.

Caladium bicolor

Caladium, a tuberous plant famed for its multicolored ornamental leaves.

Colocasia esculenta

Gabi or taro, a root crop and ornamental with large heart-shaped leaves.

Dieffenbachia maculata

The bakya plant, a Dieffenbachia grown for its variegated foliage.

Philodendron lacerum

A philodendron species with deeply incised leaves, grown indoors and in gardens.

Syngonium hoffmannii

A Syngonium species with arrow-shaped leaves used as an indoor foliage plant.

Xanthosoma atrovirens

The ‘Albo marginatum’ Xanthosoma, a tropical aroid with white-edged leaves.

Anthurium andraeanum

The anthurium or flamingo flower, known for its colorful spathes and spadices.

Arenga pinnata

Kaong or sugar palm, tapped for sweet sap and used for palm sugar and jelly.

Nypa fruticans

The nipa palm, a mangrove species whose leaves are used for thatching.

Phoenix dactylifera

The date palm, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit called dates.

Hyophorbe lagenicaulis

The champagne palm, noted for its bottle-shaped trunk.

Livistona rotundifolia

The anahaw or fan palm, the Philippines’ national leaf.

Corypha elata

Buri or cabbage palm, a large fan-leaved palm used for weaving fibers.

Cocos nucifera

The coconut palm, producer of coconuts for food, oil, and fiber.

Agave americana

Maguey or century plant, a succulent used for fibers and beverages like pulque.

Asparagus densiflorus

The ornamental asparagus fern with feathery foliage, not a true fern.

Cordyline fruticosa

The good-luck plant or ti plant, valued for its colorful leaves.

Dracaena fragrans

The fortune plant or corn plant, a popular indoor air-purifying shrub.

Sansevieria cylindrica

African spear plant, a cylindrical-leaf snake plant.

Sansevieria trifasciata

The snake plant or mother-in-law’s tongue, a hardy air-purifying succulent.

Artemisia vulgaris

Damong Maria or mugwort, an aromatic herb used traditionally for medicine.

Dahlia imperialis

Tree dahlia, a tall species bearing large purple or white flowers.

Helichrysum bracteatum

The everlasting or strawflower, prized for its papery blooms used in dried arrangements.

Tithonia diversifolia

Wild sunflower or Mexican sunflower, a tall ornamental with bright orange daisies.

Wedelia trilobata

Wedelia, a creeping groundcover with yellow daisy-like flowers.

Zinnia elegans

Garden zinnia, an annual bedding plant with brightly colored blooms.

Helianthus annuus

The common sunflower, grown for its edible seeds and oil.

Dahlia cv.

Cultivated dahlia varieties bred for diverse flower forms and colors.

Begonia alba

A white-flowered begonia species grown as an ornamental.

Begonia titoevangelistae

A Philippine begonia species valued for its patterned foliage.

Begonia chloroneura

A begonia with distinctive green-veined leaves.

Begonia mansoniana

Ornamental begonia known for its large, textured leaves.

Begonia heracleifolia

A begonia species with palmate leaves resembling those of Heracleum.

Begonia coccinea

Angel wing begonia, noted for its pendent red flowers.

Cordia lutea

Yellow cordia, a shrub with bright yellow funnel-shaped blooms.

Cordia sebestena

Geiger tree, an ornamental tree with clusters of orange flowers.

Ehretia microphylla

Tsaang gubat, a medicinal shrub used as an herbal tea.

Heliotropium indicum

Trompa ng elepante or Indian heliotrope, a medicinal herb with coiled inflorescences.

Symphytum officinale

Comfrey, an herb valued for its healing properties and soil improvement.

Trigonotis apoensis

Salimbangade, a Philippine Boraginaceae herb from Mt. Apo.

Cryptanthus zonatus

Earth star, a small rosette bromeliad with banded leaves.

Tillandsia usneoides

Spanish moss, an epiphytic bromeliad that drapes from tree branches.

Guzmania musaica

Mosaic bromeliad, prized for its patterned leaves and red inflorescence.

Neoregelia carolinae

Blushing bromeliad, its center blushes red at flowering.

Ananas nanus

Dwarf pineapple, a small ornamental pineapple species.

Ananas sp.

Pineapple, tropical bromeliad cultivated for its edible fruit.

Nopalea cochenillifera

Dilang-baka or cochineal cactus, used as fodder and for cochineal insects.

Opuntia dillenii

Prickly pear cactus with edible fruit and pads.

Echinocactus grusonii

Golden barrel cactus, a spherical cactus with golden spines.

Epiphyllum oxypetalum

Queen of the night, a cactus that blooms fragrant white flowers at night.

Notocactus mammulosus

Lemon ball cactus, a small globular cactus with yellowish spines.

Hylocereus undatus

Dragon fruit cactus, cultivated for its vibrant pink fruit.

Vasconcellea sp.

A genus related to papaya, producing edible or ornamental fruit.

Jacaratia sp.

A papaya relative, tree with edible fruit or trunk pith.

Carica papaya

Papaya, a fast-growing tree producing sweet orange flesh fruit.

Ipomoea aquatica

Kangkong or water spinach, a semi-aquatic vegetable.

Ipomoea batatas

Sweet potato, a root crop with edible tubers and leaves.

Ipomoea purpurea

Morning glory vine with funnel-shaped purple to blue flowers.

Merremia tuberosa

Wood rose vine producing hard, rose-like dried seed pods.

Ipomoea pes-caprae

Beach morning glory, a creeping vine stabilizing sand dunes.

Codiaeum variegatum

San Francisco or croton, a foliage plant with vividly variegated leaves.

Euphorbia milii

Crown of thorns, a spiny succulent shrub with colorful bracts.

Euphorbia pulcherrima

Poinsettia, famed for its red and green holiday foliage.

Euphorbia tirucalli

Pencil cactus, a milky-sap succulent with pencil-thin branches.

Jatropha curcas

Physic nut or tubang-bakod, a potential biofuel shrub with toxic seeds.

Manihot esculenta

Cassava, a staple root crop source of tapioca.

Acalypha hispida

Chenille plant, noted for its long red catkin inflorescences.

Caesalpinia pulcherrima

Caballero or peacock flower, a showy ornamental shrub with red-orange blossoms.

Clitorea ternatea

Butterfly pea vine, producing deep blue edible flowers.

Erythrina variegata

Dapdap or Indian coral tree, with bright red flowers and thorny stems.

Leucaena leucocephala

Ipil-ipil, a fast-growing nitrogen-fixing tree used for fodder and firewood.

Pithecellobium dulce

Kamatsili or Manila tamarind, a tree with sweet edible pulp.

Pterocarpus indicus

Narra, the national tree of the Philippines, valued for its hardwood.

Sesbania grandiflora

Katuray or vegetable hummingbird, eaten flowers and leaves.

Strongylodon macrobotrys

Jade vine, known for its spectacular turquoise hanging flowers.

Tamarindus indica

Sampalok or tamarind, a tree bearing sour pods used in cuisine.

Cassia fistula

Golden shower tree, with long cascades of yellow flowers.

Aeschynanthus pulcher

Lipstick plant, a trailing epiphyte with red tubular flowers.

Episcia cupreata

Flame violet, a gesneriad with metallic foliage and red flowers.

Saintpaulia ionantha

African violet, a popular indoor flowering plant.

Chrysothemis pulchella

Chrysothemis, a tuberous gesneriad with orange-yellow flowers.