VENUS'S SHOE

Paphiopedilum rothschildianum

This species is considered by many cultivators of Venus's shoe to be the most beautiful Paphiopedilum orchid ever. P. rothschildianum is a robust Venus's shoe: its thin leaves reach lengths of 16 -24 in / 40-60 cm ; the erect flower spike is up to 18 in/45 cm long and bears 3 or more sparsely arranged flowers that are up to 5.2 in /13 cm in diameter . Their decorative effect is enhanced by the fact that they all open at the same time . The white upper sepal is covered with dark -red stripes , the greenish petals point straight down and they are adorned with brown -and - purple . The species has always been among the greatest gems of any orchd collection . It should be grown in the same way as other representatives of the genus. It blooms in the fall and is still reported to grow in the foothills of Mount Kinabalu, Sabah.

BREATHING THERAPY...it helps

Left nose, right nose breathing therapy. Our nose is for inhale and exhale but actually they are different, you can feel the difference, right side represents the sun, left side represents the moon. When we are having headaches, try to close your right nose and use your left nose to do your breathing, about 5 min, headache will be gone. If you feel tired, do it the opposite round, close your left nose and breathe through your right nose. After a while, you will feel your mind is fresh again.

Right side belongs to heat, so it gets hot easily, left side belongs to cold. Most females breathe with their left nose, so their hearts gets cold easily. Most of the males will breathe with their right nose, so they'll get angry easily. Do you notice the moment we wake up, which side breathes faster? Left or right? If left is faster, you will feel tired. So, close your left nose and use your right nose for breathing, you will get refresh quickly.

This can be taught to kids, but the effect will be better if applied by adults. This is a natural therapy,unlike medicine taking for long term will get side effect. So, why not try it out.

PITCHER PLANT (MONKEY CUP)

Pitcher plants are carnivourous plants whose prey-trapping mechanism features a deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap. It has been widely assumed that the various sorts of pitfall trap evolved from rolled leaves, with selection pressure favouring more deeply cupped leaves over evolutionary time. Nepenthes, a native of Southeast Asia and Australia, forms pitchers (cups) that hang from trees. Its pitcher is similar to that of the North American pitcher plant in that it relies on a pool of water to trap its prey. It has a most unusual leaf that first looks like a normal leaf, then develops a tendril at its tip, and finally the tip of the tendril develops an amazing pitcher. It gains support by twining the tendril around another plant. The trap, like our own pitcher plant, lures its prey into the pitfall trap by a combination of decaying odors and sometimes a red coloration. As the pitcher develops, it swells and droops due to its weight.

(photo of pitcher plants were taken from Mt.Kinabalu - 4-8/Aug/2007)