GREEN PAWS

BOTANY DEAPATMENT NEWSLETTER

QUIZ TIME
Here is a tree quiz. So, put on your thinking caps and
climb to the top.
1. Gods and Goddesses love to bathe in the water of
my fruits. I am a tall and stately tree. Even a full moon
day is named after me. Who am I?
2. I am a small tree, but my leaves are in big demand
during Dussehra. They are equal to gold. Who am I?
3. Lord Shiva loves my seeds, so do the sadhus and
saints, who am I?
4. Grind, grind, grind! I rub myself to death to provide
everyone with perfume. My wood is precious and you
can also smell it in soaps, oils and powder. Who am I?
5. Devi Sita spent her days in Lanka, seated in my
grove. Who am I?
6. Before the advent of paper, my leaves served as
writing material. A hint, I also give niva to drink,
nungoo to eat, wood to build and leafy fans as well.
Who am I?
7. My nuts are used on all festive occasions. I am tall.
Who am I?
8. My flowers are small, star-shaped, brown coloured
and richly perfumed. Garlands of my flowers are sought
for poojas. Im found in many temples and even mentioned in Sanskrit literature. Who am I?
9. Lord Krishna is often depicted in paintings as standing under me. When Im in full bloom, my flowers
look like golden balls. Who am I?
10. Lord Dhanvantri, the doctor among Gods, is portrayed holding my fruit in the palm of his hand. My
fruit by the way, is considered as a panacea for all human ailments. My fruits are part of the well-known
medicine triphala. Who am I?
9. Kadamba 10. Harda (Terminali chebula)
Answers:
1. Coconut (Cocos nucifera) 2. Bauhinia
tomentosa 3. Rudraksh 4. Sandal wood
5. Saraca asoca 6. Borasus palm
7. Arecanut 8. Mimusops elangi (Owli)
Compiled by: Bhargavi Bhat F.Y.B.Sc

PAGE 4

DID YOU KNOW?

1. The banana plant with
more than five hundred
varieties in different parts
of the world, is the largest plant in the world
which does not have
a stem made of wood.
2. Strawberry is the only
fruit with the seeds on the
skin. A strawberry on an
average has 200 seeds.
3. Giant bamboo plants can
grow up to 9 inches a day.
4. One out of 4 ingredients in our medicine is
from the rainforest plants.
5. Saffron is the most precious and expensive spice
in the world. It comes
from the dried stigmas
of the saffron flower,
Crocus sativus Linneaus.
6. Apple seeds contain a
small quantity of cyanide
which renders the seeds
quite bitter tasting.
Compiled
by:
Sheron Vaz,
SYBSc

EDITORIAL BOARD

Dr. Divakar K. Mesta

Miss Rizma Gomes SYBSc
Mr. Cyril SYBSc
The opinion and news appearing herein are those of the editor and not necessarily those of
the Principal or the Management.
Contact us:
greenpaws@chowgules.ac.in

GREEN PAWS..

...Adding Life to Life Sciences...

AUGUST 2010

BOTANY DEAPATMENT NEWSLETTER

ISSUE 2: VOL 3
INNOVATIVE ASSIGNMENT FOR SYBSc
CAMPUS WATER
S.Y. BSc Botany students were assessed for their SeANALYSIS
mester III, Paper V, ISA II examination in a different An activity was conductway. They were given experimental assignment in phys- ed to test the water qualiology. A group of 5-6 students designed and set up an ity of the college campus.
experiment and compiled the observation/results with Different water samples
appropriate interpretation and conclusions. According from canteen filter, tap
to Dr. Sankhalkar, teacher incharge for this assign- water, well water and
ment, the whole idea of such an exercise was to make bore well water of the
student think in an innovative manner. Plan and set an college campus were colexperiemnt, work in a team and learn about the physi- lected for the analysis of
ological concept with practical hand on experience. pH, total hardness, dissolved oxygen and carbon
dioxide. The results of the
analysis were as follows:
Maximum oxygen and
CO2was found in canteen filter sample, while
Students conducting experiments
the well water had maximum hardness. The pH of
CONTENTS
HERBAL GARDEN
1.Innovative AssignThe department has borewell was maximum.
ment...pg.1
initiated the estab- This activity was carried
2.Campus Water Analy- lishment of a herbal out under the guidance of
sis...pg.1
garden in the campus, Dr. Divakar Mesta by the
3. Herbal Garden...pg. 1 under the leadership of following SYBSc students
1)Aloisha Lobo
4.Groasis Waterboxx...
Dr. Divakar K. Mes- 2)Rizma Gomes
pg.2
ta. Presently about 3)Afshan Shaikh
5.My New Book...pg.2
80 different types of 4)Venkat Bhujle
6.The Miracle of the
By: Rizma Gomes SYBSc
plants have been colEarth...pg.2
lected and maintained near the shade house.
7.Note on Horticulture....
Regional Medical Research Centre, ICMR,
pg.3
Belgaum has given about 40 species of plants
8.Quiz Time...pg.4
free of cost. It includes some commercially im9.Did You Know...pg.4
10.Editorial board...pg.4 portant as well as redlisted medicinal plants.

GREEN PAWS

BOTANY DEAPATMENT NEWSLETTER

GROASIS WATERBOXX
Groasis Waterboxx is a device which captures rainwater and condensation in the air and
helps the plant to grow in even the most arid
region like deserts. It has been discovered and
developed by a Dutch inventor Pieter Hoff
through his company 'AquaPro' from Holland.
It is a round container or device 20 inches in
diameter and 10 inches in height, crafted from
polypropylene. An
opening at
the center
of the box
provides a
space for
http://www.groasis.com
a plant or
tree to gerGroasis Waterboxx
minate and
grow. Top of the box is pitted with a water collection sheets that makes the rain water and
condensation to percolate into the collection
tank. Rainwater and condensation collect in the
boxs chamber, where water gets trapped avoiding loss by evaporation. From this tank, through
a small hole beneath the box, a wick goes into
the ground, slowly dripping water to the plants
root system every day. As the plant grows, its
roots reach deeper and deeper in the ground,
eventually finding their
own water source.
Once this happens, the
box can be removed
and used again to grow
another plant or tree.
-Sneya Luis TYBSc

PAGE 2

MY NEW BOOK
There once was a tree
Much smaller than me
It's now much older than me
That once little tree
There it goes reaching above me
Up to the sky
There once was a tree
Much taller than me
It's cut down now you see
''Poor old tree'', ''poor old tree''
What have they done to you?
I'm gonna have a look
Oops oh dear I'm writing on you
''Youre now my new book''
Compiled by:
Sneya Fernandes
SYBSc

(Source:www.poemhunter.com)

THE MIRACLE
OF THE EARTH
Hi! Friends do you know what
is the miracle of the earth? Yes,
its the plant. We know that there
are number of plants on our earth.
Each plant has a unique character. In our ancient science i.e.
Ayurvedic plants are being used
for medicinal purpose. Like neem
(Azadirachta indica) used for
blood purifying so also in skin diseases and in healing wounds. Amla
(Emblica officinalis) is also a very,

...Continued on page 3

GREEN PAWS

BOTANY DEAPATMENT NEWSLETTER

PAGE 3

NOTE ON HORTICULTURE
The miracle...
AND FLORISTRY COURSE
popular medicinal plant
Have you heard anything about Add-on being used as a blood
course in Horticulture and Floristry? It is be- purifier in diabetes,
ing offered by Botany Department of our Col- jaundice etc. We use
lege and I would like to tell you more about it. plants for making furDr. Uma Masur introduced us to this course niture, building houses.
which excited me and I was more curi- Even the dry leaves are
ous to know about it. So I joined the course. also being put up in
It was a one year course which was taught by our ex- use. These are the very
perienced teachers like Dr.Uma Masur, Dr. Thangam common uses of plants.
(ICAR), Dr. Priya Devi (ICAR), Miss. Amisha ShiWhy I said that it is a
rodkar, Dr. Divakar Mesta, Dr. Soniya Fernandes, Dr. miracle of the earth beSanjay Gaikwad and Mrs. Ratna Naik (Lily and lilac). cause plants maintain the
The course taught us a lot of facts about landscaping, global climate. They not
gardening, maintaining the plants and about different only keep the atmosphere
types of plants used in gardening. Lots of emphasis cool, but also help in
was given on practical sessions wherein we got to de- generating clouds. Plants
velop our skills in grafting procedures and flower ar- hold large amount of carrangement. We had special classes on Auto-cad and bon dioxide and release
Communication skills wherein we were taught to use oxygen. By breaking the
computer technology in garden layout, planning and speed of water and wind,
improving our communication skills. We also had an plants prevent soil eroopportunity to visit Bondla and see the different pat- sion. Economically rubtern of the garden, lawn maintenance and we also did ber, gum, resin, latex,
identification of different plants that could be used for camphor can be obtained
different type of gardenfrom the plants Each and
ing. I learnt a lot from this every beauty of earth is the plant. It provides food, difcourse what about you? ferent types of fruits to animal and human beings. It
By: Afshan SYBSc
bears different coloured flowers
which makes the world beautiful. So we can now say that the
plant is a miracle of the earth.
Insectivorus
Plant

Drosera
burmannii Vahl.

Family: Droseraceae

By: Amarja P. Naik FYBSc