Raphanus sativus (Radish) x Abelmoschus esculentus (Okra/Ladies’ Fingers) x Cucumis sativus (Cucumber) x Amaranthus spinosus (Spinach)

Raphanus sativus, commonly known as radish, is an edible root vegetable in the family Brassicaceae, domesticated in Asia before Roman times. It is believed that the origin of Raphanus sativus may be in Southeast Asia as it is the only region where wild forms have been discovered. Different forms seem to have developed in India and central China as well as Central Asia. Radishes entered historical records in the 3rd century BC. Raphanus sativus are annual or biennial crops grown for their swollen tap roots, which come in varying shapes. The root skin ranges from white to pink, red, purple, yellow and green to black, but the flesh is usually white with a pungent, peppery flavour. Although the root is eaten raw as a crunchy salad, the entire plant is edible. Raphanus sativus has a moderate amount of vitamin C. The seeds produce radish seed oil, a potential biofuel. Raphanus sativus has shown to have antidiabetic effects and is used in traditional medicine to treat many diseases such as jaundice, gallstone, liver diseases, indigestion and other gastric pains.

Abelmoschus esculentus, common names okra, okro or ladies’ finger, is a flowering plant in the mallow family Malvaceae. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with West Africa, Ethiopia and South Asia as possible origins. The plant is cultivated in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions around the world and valued for its edible green seed pods. When eaten, Abelmoschus esculentus produces a mucilaginous texture which consists of soluble fibre resulting in a gooey mouthfeel. Unripe fruits are used in many Asian cuisines, cooked, pickled, eaten raw or included in salads. The seeds can be roasted and ground to form a caffeine-free coffee substitute. High in unsaturated fats, greenish-yellow edible okra oil is pressed from the seeds and has a pleasant taste and fragrance. A 2009 study found okra oil suitable as a biofuel. Abelmoschus esculentus is a nutritious food rich in magnesium, folate, fibre, antioxidants, and vitamin C, K1, and A. The plant may benefit pregnant women, heart health and blood sugar control. It may even have anticancer properties.

Cucumis sativus, common name cucumber, is a widely-cultivated creeping vine plant in the Cucurbitaceae gourd family. Its fruits are pendulous pepos that are used as vegetables. There are three main varieties of cucumbers — slicing, pickling and burpless/seedless. Cucumis sativus is a creeping vine that roots in the ground and grows up, wrapping itself around supporting frames with thin, spiralling tendrils. Cultivated for 3,000 years, it originated from India and was possibly introduced to parts of Europe by the Greeks or Romans — Emperor Tiberius is known to have consumed it daily. The fruit varies in size and colour with a juicy yellowish flesh and flat oval seeds. The fruit is used in salads or pickled, and the young shoots are eaten raw or steamed in Southeast Asia. A 100-gram serving of raw Cucmis sativus is 95% water and contains 16% of the daily value for vitamin K. The seed produces a salad oil not dissimilar to olive oil. Medicinally, it has a number of applications including as a poultice for burns and sores and as a diuretic and emollient. 

Amaranthus spinosus, commonly known as the spiny amaranth, spiny pigweed, prickly amaranth or thorny amaranth, from the family Amaranthaceae, is an erect, many-branched annual herb growing up to 1.5 metres. Native to the tropical Americas, it is present on most continents as an introduced species. It can be a serious weed for rice cultivation. Amaranth spinosus is a valued food plant in Africa and popular in Thai cuisine, where it is called phak khom. Phat phak khom is a Thai stir-fried dish of the young shoots of the Amaranthus spinosus, stir-fried with egg and minced pork. It is also present in South Indian and Southeast Asian cuisine. The leaves and stems of Amaranthus spinosus are eaten raw or cooked as a spinach. Seeds are easy to harvest and very nutritious. In Indian traditional medicine, the ash of Amaranthus spinosus fruits is used for jaundice. Water extracts from its roots and leaves are used as a diuretic in Vietnam. In Indochina, its ash was historically used as a grey dye for textiles.

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Specifications:

Paper
100% Cotton based, 320g, Acid-free, No optical brighteners. 

Printed Area
A3, 297mm x 420mm – Approximately 246mm x 311mm

About the Collection

The Garden of Miss Joaquim Collection: Illustrated Botanical Prints

Agnes Joaquim was a Singapore-born Armenian who created what would become Singapore’s National Flower, the Vanda Miss Joaquim (scientific name: Papilionanthe Miss Joaquim), in 1893. The artificial hybrid was recognised by the first director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, botanist Henry Ridley.

Agnes, the first woman in the world to create a hybrid orchid, was a well-known and successful horticulturist, garnering 70 horticultural awards from 1881 to 1899. The Garden of Miss Joaquim Collection of botanical prints commemorates her horticultural legacy and complements her story told in the book Agnes and Her Amazing Orchid.

In presenting Agnes’s award-winning plants in the illustrated collection, we looked at the newspaper records of the times, but they were of no use because they used common name descriptions of the plants, such as ‘rose’ and ‘durian’. So we turned to the Singapore Botanic Gardens and collaborated with a botanist to identify the likely species. To complete Agnes’s story, the collection includes two additional images: of Vanda Miss Joaquim’s parents, Papilionanthe teres (pod parent) and Papilionanthe hookeriana (pollen parent) — formerly in the genus Vanda — both of which may have been present in her award-winning floral bouquets or cut flowers. Waiwai Hove, a talented and respected botanical illustrator, was chosen to produce the prints.

*Disclaimer: Representative only based on subject. Not species definitive.

About the Illustrator

Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Waiwai Hove developed a love for nature from a young age. Growing up surrounded by rich tropical flora and nurtured by her mother, a keen gardener, Waiwai has always held a special place for plants in her childhood memories. She holds a diploma in botanical illustration from the Society of Botanical Artists (UK), graduating in 2013 with a distinction and the highest marks in the history of the course. 

She has since worked for the Singapore Botanic Gardens, where highlights include illustrations for ‘30 Heritage Trees’ and more recently ‘15 Gingers’. Four of Waiwai’s ginger paintings were subsequently used for a series of stamps issued by Singapore Post in 2018. Since 2019, Waiwai has begun working on the cover illustrations of 14 volumes of The Flora of Singapore, to be published over the next few years. Her works are in numerous private collections and can also be found in publications by the National Parks Board and in the Shirley Sherwood Collection in Kew Gardens, UK.