ECO EFFORTS Fauna Flora
Plumeria rubra or as it is more commonly known among us as Frangipani, grows as a spreading shrub or a small tree to a height of 7 to 8 m (20-25 ft) and similar width. It has a thick trunk and blunt branches covered with a thin grey bark. The branches are brittle and when broken, ooze a white latex, or sap. The large green leaves can reach 30 to 50 cm (12-20 in) long and are clustered at the end of the branches. The flowers appearing at the ends of branches are strongly fragrant, have five petals and their colours range from the common pink to white with shades of yellow in the centre.
Tabernaemontana corymbosa is a species of plant in the Apocynaceae family. It is found in Brunei, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. These plants are shrubs and small trees growing to 1-15 m tall. The leaves are evergreen, 3-25 cm long, with milky sap. It is one of the diverse plant genera commonly called ‘milkwood’. The flowers are 1-5 cm in diameter, white in colour and are extremely fragrant.
Lantana Camara 'Mutablis' colonises new areas when its seeds are dispersed by birds. It has become naturalised in tropical and warm regions worldwide. In greenhouses, it is notorious for attracting the whitefly. The berries are edible when ripe, though like many fruits, they are mildly poisonous to humans and livestock if eaten while still green.
In traditional Chinese medicine, extracts from this plant is used to treat numerous diseases, including diabetes, malaria, leukemia and Hodgkin’s disease. Also used as an ornamental plant, Catharanthus cultivar thrives in dry conditions and is noted for its long flowering period. In the tropics, it flowers throughout the year while in warm temperate climates, it flowers from spring to late autumn.
This tropical plant is commonly known as the Chinese Violet, Coromandel or Creeping Foxglove. In South Africa, it is known simply as Asystasia. It is a ground creeper but can reach up to 1m if supported. The stems root easily at the nodes while the fruit explodes in green, but dries to brown after opening. The leaves are eaten as a vegetable and used as an herbal remedy for the management of asthma.
Thalia dealbata (Powdery thalia, Hardy canna, Powdery alligator-flag) is an aquatic plant in the family Marantaceae. It grows to 6 ft (1.8 m), with small violet flowers on an 8 in (20 cm) panicle held above the foliage. Its blue-green leaves ranges from being lance -shaped (long, wider in the middle) to oval or egg-shaped, with a tapering point; dusted with white powder and with purple edges.
Commonly known as West Indian Jasmine, Ixora is a common flowering shrub native to Asia. Ixora is also known as Jarum-Jarum, Jungle Flame as well as Jungle Geranium. The plants possess leathery leaves, ranging from three to six inches in length, and produce large clusters of tiny flowers in the summer. In tropical climates, this plant will flower all year round.
Also known as Torch Ginger, Ginger Flower, Red Ginger Lily or Torch Lily, the pink flowers of this plant are used in decorative arrangements while the flower buds are an important ingredient in the mouthwatering Nonya dish, Laksa.
Tridax procumbens is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family. Best known as a widespread weed and pest plant, Tridax procumbens bears daisy-like yellow-centered white or yellow flowers with three-toothed ray florets. Its fruit is covered with stiff hairs and has a feathery, plume-like white pappus at one end.
The Purple Heron is the most colourful large heron, with a distinctive snake-like neck that is usually held in a prominent kink. It has a magnificently-coloured plumage - purplish-brown, with a long black crest, white or cream with black line down the sides of its body, a yellow bill and orange-yellow legs and toes. Its colourful plumage actually provides an excellent camouflage among the reeds.
Standing at 1m tall with a wingspan of 2m, the Grey Heron is the largest bird in Singapore. Characterised by its long neck and powerful bills for a long and strong reach, this heron usually waits on the mud or at the water's edge to snatch passing aquatic prey. It's a common resident throughout the island, and North offshore islands such as Pulau Tekong and Pulau Ubin, and of course, you may spot it on our courses!
If you hear a loud bird cawing while on the greens, it might just be the Kingfisher. This species likes to make its presence known by its loud calls. You can spot it by its distinctive colouring - Its throat and breast are covered in white plumage while its head and the rest of its underparts are chocolate brown, contrasting sharply with its turquoise back and tail. It’s a common resident throughout the island.
With its extremely long legs and kinked neck, the milky-white feathered Egret cuts a distinguished figure when it makes an appearance on our courses. Mainly a fish fan when it comes to its diet, the Egret is not averse to a bit of amphibians (frogs), aquatic invertebrates (insects, crayfish), and reptiles (snakes) once in a while. It's a skilled hunter and prefers to steal food where possible.
The Blue-tailed Bee-eater breeds in Southeastern Asia and is characterised by its richly coloured plumage. This strongly migratory bird has a narrow blue patch on its face with a black eye stripe, a yellow and brown throat followed by a predominantly green body and of course, a blue tail. It is a very common winter visitor throughout the island and can often be seen near large water bodies such as those at NSRCC golf courses.
The Yellow Bittern is the smallest of the bitterns. Solitary hunters, these bitterns hunt quietly alone using their long powerful bills to grab their prey. With its yellowish-brown feathers, they are more active at dawn and dusk.