Flora and Fauna of Tropical Asia
The fascinating world of tropical nature
From Coral Beach to Alpine Country in Three Hours
Southern Taiwan is an extraordinary place in many ways. With a hot and humid climate, colourful coral formations, sandy beaches, and vast tropical fruit orchards, it clearly belongs to the warm regions of our planet. Nevertheless, it is sometimes easy to forget that southern Taiwan is also home to a massive mountain range covering the central areas of the island, with the highest peak reaching a whopping 3,995 metres! Yushan, as the summit is called, is 47 kilometres south of the Tropic of Cancer, so technically it still finds itself in the tropics. However, at this altitude and with alpine… Continue reading
Yellow Garden Mushroom
Leucocoprinus birnbaumii is a fairly common mushroom found in many tropical and subtropical regions, while in temperate climate it can grow indoors, alongside potted plants. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given that the English language is predominantly spoken in the climatically milder zones, it is sometimes called “plantpot dapperling”, “flowerpot parasol” or “yellow houseplant mushroom”, even though in most parts of the world it occurs outdoors. In Taiwan the mushroom is called 純黃白鬼傘, which can be literally translated as “pure white-yellow ghost umbrella”. It is mildly poisonous and it might cause severe stomach problems if consumed.
We usually get these fungi in the… Continue reading