A hard shrub, tree or tender woody vine, leaves; distinctly opposite, dense, glossy, small, possessing glands at the base or sometimes on the petioles, inflorescence; axillary seldom terminal, in a raceme, jointed pedicels, flowers; regular or irregular, petals; white, small, 5, sometimes clawed, Fruit capsular in various winged samaras. Often cultivated for topiaries throughout the Philippines distributed to the tropics.
Mimosa pudica
Spreading herb to 1 m long, with stems armed with minute prickles. The leaves are compound, the pinnae usually 4 and digitately arranged at the end of the petiole. The leaflets are narrowly oblong and inequilateral, to 1.5 cm long. The flower heads are 1cm in diameter, with minute pinkish flowers. Fruits are flat to 2 cm long. A pantropic weed. Introduced to the Philippines by America.
Mirabilis jalappa
Mirabilis jalappa is an erect often much branched, mostly glabrous annual, with tuberous tap root. Leaves are ovate, triangular, with cunate rounded truncate or slightly cordate base. It has flowers that are crowded at apices of branches of corymbs, very shortly pedicled, each inside of calyx-like involucre. Its limb is 2 ½ -3 ½ in diameter, red white or varieagated, with 5 stamens. The stem is thickened on the nodes. It probably originated in Mexico, and is often cultivated in the country.
Mussaenda flava
This shrub has many branches, to 2 m tall. Its leaves are opposite, ovate, acute and with entire margins. The calyx lobe is enlarged, to 2 cm long, and deep yellow. Flowers are small and yellow. It is native to Africa and was introduced to the Philippines in the American period. Cultivated mostly in Laguna.
Mussaendra philippica var. Dona Aurora
A very leafy shrub or tree reaching the height of 5 meters, glaborous; leaves are oblong-ovate to lanceolate, cottony, heavily veined. Flowers, yellow to orange, small and very few, cottony, in upward direction, presence of brightly colored specialized leaves surrounding it, color varies in every species. Present through out the Philippines, some are cultivated and some are hybrids. Flowers from August to December.
Musa ornata
A very fleshy, fibrous, erect tree like plant. Leaves; entire, widely spread blades, 1 to 2 meters long, arranged in spirals, simple or compound with a though base giving rise to the midrid, radiating from the center. Flowers are embracteolate, composed of multi layered though brightly colored corolla surrounded by the anthers. Stamen 5. Fruit is soft, mostly edible, presence of small, dark colored seed in some species, dehiscent capsule. Common in the tropics, this specie is cultivated for its aesthetic value not edible. Present in the tropics.