Silver dollar aquarium fish

This pet fish has become large! It killed its former smaller companion by simply bumping with its mouth.

Photo taken at Fairfield School with a Samsung WB150F camera, ISO 320, f/7.7, 1/20s,3008x2256.

A rare sighting of the Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker in an urban setting.

This is an unknown small white spotted bird with a long beak. I photographed today,December 30, 2012. Taken with the Samsung WB150F 18x zoom digital camera. Photo taken at Fairfield School compound.

It is strange but am happy to find it in an urban setting. According to the wiki, it is found in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests! It is currently classified as of Least Concern.

Bird	Dendrocopos maculatus
Common Name	Philippine Pygmy woodpecker, Anluage(Kapampangan)
Camera	Samsung WB150F digital camera
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto P. Adorio
Acknowledgement	B (for Identification), Daniel Adorio(contrast enhancement)
Reference	wikipedia

Variegated Resurrection Lily

Here is a nice variegated specimen of a Kusol,

Plant	Kaempferia galanga Linn.
Common name	Resurrection lily, Galanga, Dusol, Kusol,Gisol
Photographer	Al Jr. Ferrer Claud
Reference	Stuart Xchange
Album	Facebook by Al Claud : Wild

Photograph courtesy of Al Claud. Published with permission.

A cross between blackpepper and betel wrapper vine?

This photo was eye-catching. First I thought it was a princess vine, but Al, my FB friend identified this as Wandering Jew, but mentioned it was called a buyo-buyo.
On second viewing, Al think it is still a buyo but crossed bred, probably with a blackpepper vine.

For more details on "Piper abbreviatum Opiz" or buyo-buyo: Stuart Exchange.



Photograph courtesy of Al Jr. Ferrer Claud, taken with a Samsung ES-110 digital camera. Hosted on Facebook and linked with permission by the owner.

A pretty Dahlia flower

Here are front and back views of a dahlia flower, belonging to the sunflower family.

Plant/Flower	Kingdom(Plantae), unranked(Angiosperms,Eudicots,Asterids), Order(Asterales),Family(Asteraceae), Subfamily(Asteroideae), Tribe: (Coreopsideae), Genus(Dahlia Spp)
Location	Don Salvador Benedicto
Camera	Olympus VG-110
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto P. Adorio
Acknowledgement	Dr. Lynette Adorio-Arce(common name)
Reference	Wikipedia entry
Album	Facebook: Flowers and a few butterflies, October 28, 2012

Haworthia Fasciata "zebra fasciata"

This plant looks similar to Haworthia Attenuata.

Plant	Kingdom(Plantae), Clade(Angiosperms, Monocots), Order(Asparagales),Family(Xanthorrhoeaceae), Subfamily(Asphodeloideae), Genus(Haworthia Fasciata)
Location	QC Memorial Circle
Date	December 15, 2012
Camera	Samsung WB150-F
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto Adorio
Reference	Wikipedia
Album	Facebook
Acknowledgment	Ruben Antonio Clavel(identification: Haworthia fasciata"zebra haworthia")

Blushing red bromeliads: neoregelia carolinae tricolor

This block of blushing red bromeliads are composed of neorgelia carolinae tricolor.

Plant	Kingdom(Plantae,Angiosperms,Monocots,Commelinids), Order(Poales), Family(Broomeliaceae), Subfamily(Bromelioideae), Genus/Species(Neoregelia carolinae) var tricolor
Camera	Samsung WB 150F digital camera
Date	December 15, 2012
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto P. Adorio
Location	QC Memorial Circle
Acknowledgment	Prof. Hermie G. Siroy (identification)
Reference	Wikipedia

Agapanthus flower by Susan Dicker

This photo was taken by my Australian based Facebook friend Susan Dicker using a Panasonic S3 compact camera. The clarity obtained by this consumer oriented camera in macro mode is remarkable.

Plant	Agapanthus
Location	Austalia
Camera	Panasonic S3
Photographer	Susan Estrope Dicker
Gardener	Susan Estrope Dicker
Reference	Wikipedia entry
Date posted	December 9, 2012

Image owned and copyright by Susan Dicker. Published with her permission in this blog.

Facebook is not showing some of my photos anymore.

We will have to do something about Facebook not displaying photos I uploaded to their photo site. I do not believe I broke any policy since Facebook advertises that you can share photos and that it is FREE for use all the time.

Here is a nasty example about a kataka-taka plant. I am still looking what date the photo posted up.

"https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/306583_3832814673190_596592817_n.jpg"

and I hope I had a backup. It is about Kataka-taka. If Facebook was situated in the Philippines, I can complain real LOUD, but at the moment, the best strategy for me is to simply use other photo hosting services.

Spathoglottis plicata., philippine ground orchid

Here is unusual orchid from the Philippines, which can grow on a plot, rather than as an epiphyte in tree trunks or branches.

Plant, Flower	Kingdom(Plantae), Unranked(Angiosperms, Monocots, Order(Asparagales), Family(Orchidaceae),Sub(Epidendroideae), Tribe(Epidendreae), subtribe( Laeliinae), Genus(Spathoglottis plicata)
Common Name	Philippine ground orchid, Large purple orchid
Location	Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
Camera	Olympus VG-110
Photographer	Ernesto Adorio, PhD.
Reference	Wikipedia
Acknowledgment	Al Claud (common name)
Plant owner	Rebecca Adorio

Pretty Aglaonema fiolage plants, Aglaonema Sp.

I easily mistook this as a colorful calathea, but it is in its own family.

Plant	Angiosperms|Monocots/Alismatales/Araceae|Aroideae|Aglaonemateae/Aglaonema Sp.
Location	Philcoa Bliss Diliman Quezon City
Camera	Samsung WB150F
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto P. Adorio
Acknowledgement	Ella Bernales Jacildo(species name)
Reference	Wiki entry

Forget me not flowers, plumbago auriculata

It is now a habit for me to visit my sister's school on Sunday for a cup of coffee. Along the way, I pass through teacher's village where home owners have planted near the sidewalks beautiful flowers. Here is one flower which attracted me along my Sunday walk.

Here is a new photo taken at QC Memorial Circle.


It shares the common name (in the Philippines), "Forget-me-not", with other flower plants, a problem with using common names for flowers! This flower is native to South Africa.

Plant/Flower	Eudicots|Core eudicots/Caryophyllales/Plumbaginaceae/Plumbago Auriculata
Common Name	Forget me not, Plumbago capensis, Blue plumbago, Cape plumbago or Cape leadwort
Location	Teacher's Village, Diliman, Quezon City Camera Samsung WB150F digital camera(1st photo),Fujifilm HS25ER(2nd photo)
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto P. Adorio
Reference	Wikipedia entry, butterflyhouse.com
Acknowledgement	Al Claud (common name), Dr. Romana de los Reyes(scientific name)

Click this for a wikipedia entry for Forget-me-not flower (Mysotis family)

Amazon lily with crown

I thought these were sweet scented camia, but they are actually Amazon Lilies, with white flowers and a crown with a subtle greenish tinge. They grow in Australia, Metro Manila and Bago City, Negros Occidental. The plant produces four plowers in a long flower stem or umbel and each flower has six petals.

Amazingly, they are not closely related to the true lily family!

Plant/Flower	Angiosperms/Monocots/Asparagales/Amaryllidaceae|Amaryllidoideae/Eucharis grandiflora
Common Name	Amazon Lily
Location	Philcoa, QC, Metro Manila
Camera	Samsung WB 150F Digital Camera
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto P. Adorio
References	wikipedia entry

Camera Price listings for November 2012

The prices are the ones currently displayed (November) in SM malls. Shop wisely around, you may get better bargains online, but you can test cameras in these shops.

Model	Features	MSRP
Canon EOS M	EF-M 22mm STM+ EF-M18-55mm STM + 90EX;	P47,998
Canon EOS M	EF-M 22mm STM+ EF Mount Adaptor	P40, 998
Canon EOS M	EF-M18-55mm STM BLACK	P35,998
Canon EOS 1D Mark IV	16.1 Megapixels, APS-H CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 Image processor (free 156GbCF card	P249,950 (body only)
Canon EOS 1DX	18.1 Megapixels, Full Frame CMOS sensor, DIGIC 5+ Image processor (free 156GbCF card	P319, 998(body only)

Canon EOS M Kits have 18 Megapixel APS_C CMOS Sensor; Digic 5 Image Processor; 3.0" Touch Screen LCD; Full HD Video Recording and Playback; Hybrid CMOS AF; EOS System compatible; and ISO range 100-6400 (H: 356000)

This post subject to frequent future editing!

Dwarf pineapple bromeliad, ananas nanus

Plant/bromeliad Ananas Nanus
Common name Dwarf pineapple

Location Fairfield School,Bgy. Central,Quezon City
Camera Samsung WB150F
Photographer Dr. Ernesto Adorio>/td>
Acknowledgment Ella Bernales Jacildo (common name)
Reference Wikipedia entry

Image courtesy of Dr. Ernesto Adorio

Passiflora Vitifolia, a beautiful Perfumed Passion flower!

I saw this vine flower growing near my sister's school in Mabuhay Street. I immediately guessed that it is a relative of the passion flower but I cannot find similar images in the net. Finally a friend recognized it as a passion flower variety a native to Central and South America. The fruit of the plant is also edible!

Plant/Flower	Angiosperms|Eudicots|Rosids/Malpighiales/Passifloraceae/Passiflora vitifolia
Common Names	Perfumed Passionflower, Grape-leaved Passion Fruit, Vine-Leaf Passion Flower, Crimson Passionflower
Location	Bgy. Central, Quezon City
Camera	Samsung WB150F
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto P. Adorio
Acknowledgment	Dinah Canada (species name)
Reference	Wikipedia entry

Image courtesy of Dr. Ernesto Adorio.

Fairy tale photo of Houston, Texas

Here is a photo from my sister arist Ces of a Texas city under a foggy day. The scene looks like it comes out from a fairy tale!

Image courtesy of Cecila Court. Published with permission.


Taken with a cellphone camera. Most probably an Iphone.


November 21, 2012-Ces wrote it is the city of Houston not Austin. Thanks for the correction!

Finally, a spare battery for my Olympus VG-110 camera.

As luck would have it, I finally was able to get a spare lithium battery for my reliable VG-110 camera at SM ANNEX in SM City, Q.C. today! The price was a stunning P610, way below the official battery sold at P1,960 pesos in other camera shops!

You may be able to get one, I wanted to buy two at Battery channel, 5th floor. I will visit it again to see if there is another one available. The Battery Channel even gives a three months warranty for the sold battery.


I am satisfied with the quality so far.

A blood red periwinkle. cataranthus roseus

I thought it was a new flower, because of its bloody red color. but it is our familiar vinca (madagascar periwinkle flower!).

Please visit our periwinkle post: Pink catharanthus roseus


Photographed by Dr. Ernesto P. Adorio with an Olympus VG-110 camera in Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental, Philippines.

Plant: tillandsia cyanea, air plant

Here is an attractive bromeliad, member of the genus tillandsia, or airplants. It has an attractive pink or red inflorescence with blue-violet flowers. It can be grown on the ground or planted hanging. This specimen was photographed in the mountains of Salvador Benedicto.

Salvador Benedicto, Neg. Occ., Philippines

Plant	Angiosperms|Monocots|Commelinids/Poales/Bromeliaceae-Tillandsioideae/ Tillandsia-Phytarrhiza/Tillandsia cyanea
Common names	Pink quill
Location
Camera	Olympus VG-110
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto P. Adorio
Reference	wikipedia

Here is a canna lily with relatively small flowers. I think the green balls make it up for the small flowers.

Photographed with a VG-110 Olympus Camera.

Trees: Madre de cacao, gliricidia sepium

Unfortunate that the soil in DSB in my sister's farm is acidic! But madre de cacao is a legume tree which thrives in acidic soild and is useful to prevent soil erosion!


The following photos of flowering madre-de-cacaos are from Patag,Silay.



The following photos were taken at Salvador Benedicto.

I havent seen them (Salvador Benedicto specimens) flower, but I hope to photograph that when that happens.

Plant	Plantae/Angiosperms|Eudicots|Rosids/Fabales/Fabaceae/Gliricidia sepium
Common name	Kakawate, madre de cacao,St. Vincent plum
Location	Negros Occidental, Philippines
Camera	Nokia C3 camera phone
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto P. Adorio
Reference	wikipedia,

Impatiens, a lucky orange-white hybrid

Here is a nice impatience flower, white with a orange splash. It probably is a a crossbred and the result is very nice to look at!

Plant	Ericales/Balsaminaceae/Impatiens wallerana
Common name	Impatiens
Location	Negros Occidental, Philippines
Camera	Nokia C3, 2 Meg phone camera
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto Adorio
Reference	Wikipedia

plant: calanus cajan, kadyos or pigeon pea

Plant	Fabales/Fabaceae/Cajanus cajan
Common name	Kadyos, kalios, pigeon pea
Location	Negros Occidental, Philippines
camera	Olympus VG-110
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto P. Adorio
Reference	wikipedia, stuartxchange

Canlaon City's famous Lunok Millenium tree

We visited Canlaon City pride: a very old fig or Lunok (balete) tree located in OISCA farms. The tree has no aerial roots.

The Millenium tree has been dated by Silliman University botanists to be 1328 years old!

I need to rotate the photo: the ground is not horizontal! Will fix this later.

August 12, 2013. Here is a result obtained from Shotwell straighten tool.

Hair plant, Moses beard, Spanish moss, tillandsia usnoedis

Plant	Poales/Bromeliaceae/Tillandsia(Diaphoranthema) usneoides
Common name	Moses beard, long moss, Spanish moss, hair or air plant, Old Man's beard, Moses beard, buhok ni Ester
Location	Australia
Camera	Panasonic Lumix S3
Photographer	Susan Estrope Dicker
Reference	Wikipedia, Stuartxchange

Image owned by Susan Estrope Dicker. Published with permission in this blog.

Two loving Australian Galah birds.

From our australian friend, here is an "amusing" and "touching" photo caught by Susan near her house with her Panasonic camera.

Bird	Psittaciformes/Cacatuoidea-Cacatuidae-Cacatuinae-Cacatuini/Eolophus roseicapilla
Common Name	Rose breasted Australian Cockatoo
Location	Australia
Camera	Panasonic Lumix S3
Photographer	Susan Estrope Dicker
Reference	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galah
Album	Facebook

Image owned by Susan Estrope Dicker. Published with persmission.

Plant: Chinese croton, Excoecaria Cochinchinensi

This is an attractive plant for its fiolage, the undersides of the leaves being deep maroon colored with topsides of the leaves a dark green color or variegated.

Plant	Excoecaria Cochinchinensi
Common Name	Blindness tree, Chinese croton
Camera	Olympus VG-110
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto Adorio
Reference	Wikipedia

Plant : firestorm hedge, acalypha godseffiana

Above is a cropped image of S.E. Dicker's original photo.

The name above is my best guess, the second choice is a variety of Excoecaria Cochinchinensi.

Name	acalypha godseffiana
Common name	firestorm, copperleaf, beefsteak, Fire dragon, Jacobs coat,
Location	Australia
Camera	Panasonic Lumix S3
Photographer	Susan E. Dicker
Reference	toptropicals.com

Image owned and copyright by Susan Estrope Dicker, published with permission.

Plant: Equisitum Arvense, horse tail, scouring rush, snake grass

I call this false bamboo immediately, but my gardener sis calls it snake grass.

Name	Equisitum Arvense
Common Name	horse tail, scouring rush, snake grass
Camera	Olympus VG-110
Location	Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto Adorio
Gardener	Rebecca Adorio
Acknowledgement	Rebecca Adorio(snake grass common name)
Reference	Stuart Xchange, Wikipedia
Album	Facebook

I am surprised the photos in Wikipedia and Stuart Xchange do not match! I wonder if there is a misidentification, but we choose Stuartxhange since it is Philippine based reference.

white-peach camia, Hedychium philippinense var.

This camia variety differs from the common white Hedychium coronarium in its peach color. The flower scent is subtle, not as strong as the white variety. I photographed this fine camia specimen in my sister's decorative garden.

Name	Zingiberales/Zingiberaceae/Hedychium coronarium|philipense
Common Name	Camia, philippine garland
Camera	Olympus VG-110
Location	Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto Adorio
Acknowledgment	Rebecca Adorio(garden), Dr. Romana de los Reyes(common name)
Reference	http://www.stuartxchange.org/Kamia.html
Album	Facebook

Flower: Clerondendrum incisum, "musical note" flower

I saw this plant at my sister's decorative garden. The flowers are shaped like musical notes and that is the common name. It was heartwarming for me to hear that my sis told me that our late mother has this planted long time ago.

Name	Verbenaceae/Clerondendrum Incisum, Rotheca incisa | Family: Lamiaceae |Clerodendrum macrosiphon/td>
Common name	Do-Re-Mi Flower, Musical Note Plant, Morning Kiss, Witches Tongue, Macrosiphon
Camera	Olympus VG-110
Location	Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto Adorio
Album	Facebook
Acknowledgement	Rebecca Adorio(common name)

Zinnia

Here is one photo from my album taken before I went home to Bacolod for needed rest and recreation.

Plant	Asterales/Asteraceae-Asteroideae/(tribe)Heliantheae/Zinnia
Location	U.P. College of Mass Communication, Diliman, Quezon City.
Camera	Samsung WB150F
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto Adorio
Reference	wikipedia
Album	Facebook

climbing dayflower vine, Commelina difusa

These "weedlike" plants have beautiful blue colored flowers!

I read this plant is fed to pigs in the Philippines. In China it is used as a dye for painting, but in New Guinea, the young leaf tips are eaten!(See wikipedia).

Plant	Commelinales/Commelinaceae-Commelinoideae/Commelina difusa
Common Name	pig weed, climbing or creeping dayflower
Location	Australia
Camera	Panasonic Lumix S3
Photographer	Susan Estrope Dicker
Reference	Stuart Xchange, Wikipedia

Photo owned and copyright by Susan E. Dicker, published in this blog with permission.

Rangoon creeper , quisqualis indica

Plant	Myrtales/Combretaceae/Quisqualis Indica
Common Names	niyog-niyogan, Rangoon creeper,(yesterday, today and tomorrow), Chinese honeysuckle.
Location	Australia
camera	Panasonic Lumix S3
Photographer	Susan Estrope Dicker
Reference	sturtxchange wikipedia

Photograph owned and copyright by Susan Estrope Dicker, published with permission in this blog.

Annato, achuete: a source of natural food colors!

I remember my late mother and my sisters used to pry open the fruits and pry the seeds of this plant back home in Sum-ag, Bacolod in the olden times, and she used the seeds in cooking. So I was puzzed by the familiarity of the fruits, but seeing the flowers felt the first time again.

Here is a specimen from Diliman, Quezon City. When I came back to Bacolod, I saw more than one annato shrub along the highway to DSB town, in Negros Occidental high up in the mountains.

Plant	Biloxi Orellana
Common name	Annato, achuete
Location	Besides CHED, CP Garcia St, Diliman, Quezon City
Camera	Samsung WB150F
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto Adorio
Reference	Wikipedia, Stuart Exchange
Album	Facebook album by Dr. Ernesto Adorio

Tree, Acacia Auriculiformis

I dont exactly know what species of acacia is this, but I love the flowers and wanted to post this photo to remind me of the scientific name someday. Someone gave the initial guess as Acacia melanoxylon, but I am guessing now it is a Acacia holocericea by comparing the leaves in the second reference. Will revise this post later.

This tree has found plenty of uses: tanning, source tree for wood and charcoal, and as a medicinal analgesic.

Plant, Tree	Angiosperms|Eudicots|Rosids/Fabales/Fabaceae/Acacia Auriculiformis
Common Name	Acacia
Location	Philcoa
Camera	Samsung WB150F
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto Adorio
Reference	Wikipedia:Acacia fairhill.com.au: Acacias
Acknowledgment	gcy of PNPCI(identification as an acacia.)

Note: November 28, 2012. We have revised the ID of this acacia. The photo at Wikipedia Acacia Auriculiformis is the best match so far.

Scadoxus(Haemanthus) multiflorus, blood lily

It seems like an alien plant to first timers who see it and they look like corals transferred to land. This plant is native to Africa and belongs to the Amaryllis family.









Our specimen plant has late stage bloom flowers. I can see the green seeds forming already.

Plant	Asparagales/Amaryllidaceae-Amaryllidoideae/Scadoxus Multiflorus
Common Name	Blood lily, powder-puff lily, African blood lily, fire-ball lily, and football lily
Location	Bacolod City, Negros Occdental
Camera	Olympus VG-110
Photographer	Dr. Ernesto Adorio
Reference	csmonitor.com