Valine (symbol Val or V) is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. It contains an α-amino group (which is in the protonated −NH3+ form under biological conditions), an α-carboxylic acid group (which is in the deprotonated −COO− form under biological conditions), and a side chain isopropyl group, making it a non-polar aliphatic amino acid. It is essential in humans, meaning the body cannot synthesize it: it must be obtained from the diet. Human dietary sources are foods that contain protein, such as meats, dairy products, soy products, beans and legumes. It is encoded by all codons starting with GU (GUU, GUC, GUA, and GUG).
Cymbidium, commonly known as boat orchids, is a genus of evergreen flowering plants in the orchid family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus are epiphytic, lithophytic, terrestrial or rarely leafless saprophytic herbs usually with pseudobulbs. There are usually between three and twelve leaves arranged in two ranks on each pseudobulb or shoot and lasting for several years. From one to a large number of flowers are arranged on an unbranched flowering stem arising from the base of the pseudobulb. The sepals and petals are all free from and similar to each other. The labellum is significantly different from the other petals and the sepals and has three lobes. There are about fifty-five species and sixteen further natural hybrids occurring in the wild from tropical and subtropical Asia to Australia. Cymbidiums are well known in horticulture and many cultivars have been developed.
Gentianaceae is a family of flowering plants of 103 genera and about 1600 species.
Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea, also known as Nymphaea caerulea, and known in English as Egyptian lotus, blue lotus, blue water lily (RSA), Cape water lily (RSA), frog's pulpit (RSA), blue lotus of the Nile, blue waterlily, blue Egyptian lotus, blue Egyptian water lily (India), sacred blue lily of the Nile (India), Cape blue waterlily (USA) and sacred blue lily, is a water lily in the genus Nymphaea, a botanical variety of Nymphaea nouchali.
Theloderma, the bug-eyed frogs, mossy frogs or warty frogs, is a genus of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae, subfamily Rhacophorinae. They are found from northeastern India and southern China, through Southeast Asia, to the Greater Sunda Islands; the highest species richness is in Indochina. Some species, especially T. corticale, are sometimes kept in captivity.
Rheum officinale, the Chinese rhubarb, or Indian rhubarb is a rhubarb from the family Polygonaceae native to China. In Chinese it is called yào yòng dà huáng, literally meaning medicinal rhubarb.
Beesia is a genus of flowering plants in the buttercup family. It was named in 1915 after the plant nursery firm Bees of Chester, who financed the plant hunting trips of George Forrest and Frank Kingdon-Ward in China.
The Tonkin frog is a species of frogs in the family Ranidae. It is found in northern Vietnam and in adjacent southern China. The specific name is derived from Bac Bo, the Vietnamese name for northern Vietnam, as the species was first described from there.
Vanilla somae is a species of Vanilla native to the forests of Taiwan, northern Vietnam and Laos. The scientific names Vanilla albida and Vanilla griffithii are sometimes misapplied to this species, but they are actually three different species.
Biebersteinia is a genus containing five species, of herbs in the flowering plant order Sapindales. They occur from East Mediterranean to West Siberia and Central Asia. They are normally stemless and have tuberous rhizomes.
Kandelia candel is a species of mangrove in the family Rhizophoraceae, found around the coasts of South Asia and Southeast Asia, from western India to Borneo. Populations further east, from Vietnam to Japan were formerly included in K. candel, but are now considered a separate species, K. obovata.
Vanilla shenzhenica is a species of Vanilla native to Guangdong and Hong Kong in China.
Australaves is a recently defined clade of birds, consisting of the Eufalconimorphae as well as the Cariamiformes. They appear to be the sister group of Afroaves. As in the case of Afroaves, the most basal clades have predatory extant members, suggesting this was the ancestral lifestyle; however, some researchers like Darren Naish are skeptical of this assessment, since some extinct representatives such as the herbivorous Strigogyps led other lifestyles. Basal parrots and falcons are at any rate vaguely crow-like and probably omnivorous.
Gentianella concinna is a flowering plant species, endemic to the Auckland Islands of New Zealand.
Telluraves is a recently defined clade of birds defined by their arboreality. Based on most recent genetic studies, the clade unites a variety of bird groups, including the australavians as well as the afroavians. They appear to be the sister group of a newly defined clade centered on Aequornithes.
Gentianella cerina is a plant species in the Gentianaceae family, endemic to the Auckland Islands of New Zealand.
Melanoseris is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Asteraceae.
Himalaiella is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Asteraceae.
Sinoswertia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Gentianaceae. The only species is Sinoswertia tetraptera.
Metagentiana is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Gentianaceae.
