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Memecylon oleifolium Blume
| Family Name: | Melastomataceae |
| Synonyms: | Memecylon micranthum, Memecylon luteolum, Memecylon lampongum, Memecylon horsfieldii, Memecylon oleaefolium, Memecylon ambiguum |
| Common Name: | Nipis Kulit Besar, Delek Putih, Obah, Geah Anda, Pundah |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Tree (Small (6m-15m)) |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Plant Shape | Shrubby, Open |
| Maximum Height | 12 m to 16 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Indochina, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial (Primary Rainforest, Secondary Rainforest, Monsoon Forest), Shoreline (Mangrove Forest) |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Critically Endangered (CR)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | Big shrub or small shrubby tree, up to 16 m tall. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves opposite, sub-leathery, glossy or dull, sessile (stalkless) with caudate (tail-like) tip. Lateral and marginal veins faint. Young leaves glossy purplish-red, maturing to maroon-red, brownish and then green. |
| Flowers | Small (3mm across), purplish-blue, sweetly-scented, clustered into small panicle inflorescences arising directly from twigs at leaf axils. Flower buds lavender. |
| Fruit | Small fleshy berries (6mm across) with persistent calyx at base, borne in small axillary bunches, ripening from green to blue, eaten by birds. Flowering-cum-fruiting duration generally lasts 13 weeks per episode for wild specimens in Malaysian lowland forests. |
| Habitat | Occurs in understorey of lowland primary rainforests, hill forests, alluvial sites, in sandy to rocky soils on hill ridges, in mangrove forests, or as pre-disturbance remnant in secondary forests. |
| Similar | Memecylon edule (Delek Air) has lookalike blue flowers, but can be differentiated by its blunter acute leaves. |
| Cultivation | Takes full sun to bright shade. Tolerant of waterlogging and saline soils. If grown as tree, prune periodically and remove water shoots from trunk for better form. Propagate by stem-cuttings, air-layering or seeds. |
| Etymology | Genus epithet 'Memecylon' derived from 'memaecylon' -- as used by ancient Greek philosophers Dioscorides and Pliny to describe the red fruits of Arbutus unedo (Oriental Strawberry Tree) -- alluding to the pink to reddish berries often produced by members of the 'Memecylon' genus. Species epithet 'oleifolium' means 'olive-like leaves', a reference to the leaf shape which resemble that from the Olea (Olive) genus. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Edible Plant Parts : Edible Fruits Timber & Products: Gives good-quality charcoal and fuelwood. Heavy hardwood used as poles, beams and rafters in house construction and temporary structures, also used to make boats, paddles, furniture, household utensils, tool handles and walking sticks. Wood is of good quality, but economic utilization limited by the trees' often poor form and relative scarcity. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers |
|---|---|
| Landscape Uses | Coastal, General, Parks & Gardens, Beachfront / Shoreline |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna | Bird-Attracting |
|---|---|
| Seed or Spore Dispersal | Biotic (Fauna) (Birds) |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun, Semi-Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Slow |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Well-Drained Soils |
| Maintenance Requirements | Moderate |
| Propagation Method | Seed, Stem Cutting, Air-Layering |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Smooth, Glossy / Shiny, Leathery |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Opposite |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Oval, Elliptical) |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Caudate |
| Foliar Base | Cuneate |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Trunk Type (Non Palm) | Woody |
|---|---|
| Stem Type & Modification | Woody |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Bisexual Flowers |
| Flower Colour(s) | Blue, White |
|---|---|
| Inflorescence Type | Panicle |
| Flowering Period | A Few Times Yearly |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Blue |
|---|---|
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
| Fruit Type | Fleshy Fruit , Berry |
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 29399 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 3708 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
