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Vernonia arborea Buch.-Ham.
| Family Name: | Asteraceae (Compositae) |
| Common Name: | Tree Vernonia, 树斑鸠菊 |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Growth Form | Tree |
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Biogeography
| Native Distribution | From South China and India to Southeast Asia, and Singapore |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Critically Endangered (CR)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a shrub or tree up to 30 m tall, with a conical or rounded crown. Larger individuals tends to develop short buttresses. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Its alternate, stalked leaves have leathery leaf blades that are light green to yellowish green, egg-shaped to drop-shaped, 8–25 by 3–10 cm, and often asymmetrical. |
| Flowers | It produces bisexual flowers that are white or purple and 2 mm across. 5–6 flowers will gather in a shortly-stalked flower head that is 0.6 cm across. The flower heads are in turn placed on a branching flowering stalk up to 41 by 51 cm, which is found clustered at the end of a branch. The flowers are fragrant and smell like chrysanthemums. |
| Fruit | It produces achenes (dry, indehiscent fruit) with a hairy pappus at one end. The achenes are 2–3 mm long. Their hairs are white, and 5–8 mm long. |
| Habitat | It grows in disturbed or secondary vegetation in lowland and mountains, up to 1600 m altitude. |
| Associated Fauna | Its flowers are pollinated by insects. |
| Etymology | Latin Vernonia, commemorating the English botanist, W. Vernon; Latin arborea, tree, referring to its growth form |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Others: The plant is harvested for timber to build houses or matches. The plant is also used as medicine by locals. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers, Fragrant |
|---|---|
| Landscape Uses | Parks & Gardens |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) |
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Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower Colour(s) | Purple, White |
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Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 30516 |
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| Species ID | 4825 |
| 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. |
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