Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Tree |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, Singapore and Borneo |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Endangered (EN)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a large tree, up to 45m tall, with buttress, up to 4m tall. |
|---|---|
| Trunk | Bark is greyish brown, flaky and deeply fissured. |
| Foliage | Leaves are leathery, oblong to elliptic (8.5 – 34.5 cm long and 4 - 14 cm wide), and can be smooth or hairy, especially on the underside. Leaf tip is obtuse, acuminate, or sometimes slightly emarginate, while the base is cuneate, or sometimes obtuse. There are roughly 9 – 24 pairs of secondary veins. Both tertiary and secondary veins are prominent above and below. Leaves are stalked, with petiole about 2 – 6 cm long. |
| Flowers | Inflorescence is 16.5 – 33 cm long and comprises of numerous small flowers (0.4 – 0.4 cm long and 0.1 – 0.2 cm wide). Flower comprises of densely hairy white petals, 5 stamens and hairy subglobose ovary (0.15 cm diameter). Calyx is 0.3 cm long, red, and burst irregularly. |
| Fruit | Fruits are borne on an obscure centric fruiting stalk. Each fruit is oval or elliptic shaped (about 1.5 cm long and 1 cm wide) and have 5 enlarged wing-like petals (5 – 9 cm long) which turn from red to brown when ripe. |
| Habitat | It is found in peat-swamp forest and sometimes on limestone or hillsides, up to 500 m altitude. |
Landscaping Features
| Usage Hazard - Cons | Irritant - Sap |
|---|
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate to Slow |
Foliar
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
|---|
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower Colour(s) | Cream / Off-White |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Brown, Red |
|---|
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 31007 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 5394 |
| 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. |
