The Taiwan crape myrtle 九芎 Lagerstroemia subcostata Koehne is a deciduous tree native to Taiwan, Japan, China and the Philippines found in the sub-tropical broadleaf forests below 500 meters. Their smooth tan-brown splotched bark renders them distinctive in the open braodleaf forest. They change their bark annually revealing a new slightly red, extremely thin and slippery bark, hence the name: 猴不爬 "monkey can't climb". Lagerstroemia subcostata flowers are circular cone shaped inflorescent panicles, wrinkled petals with varying length filaments. They have an oval-shaped capsule fruit containing small, winged seeds. The wood is hard, suitable for making tops, construction work, burning fuel, or making handles for farm tools. Subcostate Crape Myrtle 九芎 is also known as 小果紫薇 ("little fruit crape myrtle"), 拘那花, 苞飯花 ("rice-wrapping flower") and 猴不爬 ("monkey can't climb").
We turn around short of the final ascent as it starts to rain.
Night-scented lily or giant upright elephant ear 姑婆芋 Alocasia odora (Lodd.) Spach. is a flowering plant native to Asia. Its stems are used as a green vegetable in the cuisines of Southeast Asia, often used to flavor soups or in stir fried dishes. It should not be consumed raw, but peeled and boiled and is sold either frozen, bagged in its own liquids, or canned. The plant is inedible raw ecause of needle-shaped raphides (calcium oxalate crystals) in the plant cells. Typical of leaf vegetables, taro stem leaves are rich in vitamins and minerals. They are a good source of thiamin, riboflavin, iron, phosphorus, and zinc, and an excellent source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, niacin, potassium, copper, and manganese. Taro corms are very high in starch, and are a good source of dietary fiber. Oxalic acid may be present in the corm and especially in the leaf. The plant is a member of the genus Alocasia, and is thus related to taro.
