Tooth White. Bridge and Toothbrush Tree, Streblus asper, Taman Botani Perdana, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Here's a pretty scene in a favorite garden of mine in Kuala Lumpur. The shrub on the right is the Toothbrush Tree. It was first described (1790) for the West by that indefatigable Portuguese Jesuit priest, João de Loureiro (1717-1791). He worked in Cochinchina as a missionary, of course, but primarily as a mathematician and naturalist often in the service of local royalty.
Twigs of this shrub were 'frayed' at their ends and served as instruments to clean teeth. Apparenly there's some biochemical reaction as well in that process. The tooth white of the bridge is an apt reminder of that remedy.
Tooth White. Bridge and Toothbrush Tree, Streblus asper, Taman Botani Perdana, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Here's a pretty scene in a favorite garden of mine in Kuala Lumpur. The shrub on the right is the Toothbrush Tree. It was first described (1790) for the West by that indefatigable Portuguese Jesuit priest, João de Loureiro (1717-1791). He worked in Cochinchina as a missionary, of course, but primarily as a mathematician and naturalist often in the service of local royalty.
Twigs of this shrub were 'frayed' at their ends and served as instruments to clean teeth. Apparenly there's some biochemical reaction as well in that process. The tooth white of the bridge is an apt reminder of that remedy.