Back

Knema malayana Warb.

Family Name:	Myristicaceae
Synonyms:	Myristica glaucescens (Jack) Hook.f. & Thomson
Common Name:	Malayan Knema

Knema malayana or Malayan Knema is a medium-sized tree that can grow to 25 m tall. It has leathery leaves with a greyish underside and slightly raised midrib. The unisexual flowers are borne in clusters on the leaf axils or behind the leaves of older branches. Each flower is 3 - 4 lobed, light-coloured, covered with grey or rusty brown hairs. The fruit is light or dark brown coloured in short rusty-brown hairs. Upon ripening, it splits to reveal a single seed completely covered in a red aril.

Full Sun

Moderate Water

Bird-Attracting Plant

Native to Singapore

Tree

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Name Status (botanical)
Synonyms
Common Names
Comments
Species Summary

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon)
Plant Growth Form	Tree (Medium (16m-30m))
Maximum Height	25 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution	Peninsular Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore
Native Habitat	Terrestrial (Primary Rainforest, Secondary Rainforest, Freshwater Swamp Forest)
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical

Local Conservation Status

Native to Singapore (Endangered (EN))

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form	It is a medium tree that grows up to 25 m tall, exuding a watery pink or red sap when cut into the bark.
Foliage	Leaves are slightly leathery, elliptic to broad lance-shaped, measuring 7 - 21 cm long by 2 - 7 cm wide. The midrib is slightly raised above, greenish-brown above, greyish below. The leaves are held on a petiole 7 - 15 mm long.
Flowers	Flowers are dioecious, where the male and female flowers are produced on separate individuals. The flowers are borne in clusters on the leaf axils or along the older branches behind the leaves. The female inflorescence is similar to the male inflorescence but usually less branched, holding up to 6 flowers whereas the male holds between 3 - 15 flowers. Each flower is 3 - 4 lobed, light yellow outside, cream coloured inside, covered with grey or rusty brown hairs.

Fruit	The fruit is elliptic to pear-shaped woody capsule, measuring 1.2 - 1.6 cm long by 0.8 - 1 cm wide.. The woody knob is light or dark brown coloured covered in short rusty-brown fine hairs. Upon ripening, it spilts to reveal a single seed completely covered in a red seed covering known as aril.
Habitat	Occurs in lowland evergreen forest, scrub vegetation, mixed deciduous forest up to altitude of 100 - 400 m. <1,2>
Cultivation	It can be propagated by seed.
Etymology	Genus, Knema, Greek referring to the spoke of a wheel; referring to the stamens in the androecium. Species epithet, malayana, Latin malayanus referring to Malaya or present-day Peninsular Malaysia

Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal

Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna	Bird-Attracting (Fruits)

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Full Sun
Water Preference	Moderate Water
Plant Growth Rate	Slow

Rootzone Tolerance	Fertile Loamy Soils, Well-Drained Soils, Waterlogged Soils (Drains Site)
Propagation Method	Seed

Foliar

Foliage Retention	Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Foliar Type	Simple / Unifoliate

Foliar Arrangement Along Stem	Alternate
Foliar Attachment to Stem	Petiolate
Foliar Shape(s)	Non-Palm Foliage (Lanceolate, Oblong, Ovate)
Foliar Venation	Recticulate
Foliar Margin	Entire
Foliar Apex - Tip	Acuminate, Acute
Foliar Base	Cuneate, Rounded / Obtuse

Non - Foliar and Storage

Stem Type & Modification	Woody

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower & Plant Sexuality	Unisexual Flowers , Dioecious
Flower Grouping	Cluster / Inflorescence

Flower Location	Axillary, Cauliflorous
Flower Symmetry	Bilateral, Radial
Flowering Habit	Polycarpic

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Mature Fruit Colour(s)	Brown
Fruit Classification	Simple Fruit
Fruit Type	Dehiscent Dry Fruit , Capsule

References

References	<1> de Wilde, W.J.J.O. & Duyfjes, B.E.E. (2018). Knema. In: Kiew. R., Chung, R.C.K., Saw, L.G. & Soepadmo, E. (eds). Flora of Peninsular Malaysia, Ser. 2, Seed Plants, vol. 7, pp. 213 - 214. Selangor: Forest Research Institute Malaysia. <2> Lim, R.C.J. et. al. (2016). Towards a field guide to the trees of the Nee Soon Swamp Forest (III): Myristicaceae. Nature in Singapore 9: 123 - 124.

Image Repository

Images

Others

Master ID	30050
Species ID	4359
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.