Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Tree |
| Maximum Height | 30 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Myanmar, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, and Borneo |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Critically Endangered (CR)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a tree up to 30 m tall. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Its alternate, pinnate leaves bear 1–3 pairs of leaflets, with leaf stalks swollen at the base. The leaf stalk and main axis are hairless to densely covered with brownish or yellow hair. Its stalked leaflets have papery to leathery leaf blades that are oval, up to 30 by 50 cm, and with few to many glands. |
| Flowers | Its male flowering shoot is up to 25 cm long when found singly, and shorter if tufted. The female flowering shoot is tufted. Its short-stalked flowers are white-yellow, with joined or free sepals. |
| Fruit | Its fruits are red to dark brown, 3.5–7 mm wide, and with swollen stalks. They also have one to two lobes that are ellipsoid, almost round to obovoid, and 1.8–5 by 1.3–5 cm. |
| Habitat | It grows in primary and secondary rainforests, peat swamp forests, and kerangas forests up to 1,500 m altitude on well-drained to water-logged soil. It occurs locally in the vicinity of MacRitchie Reservoir, the Mandai Road area, and along Chestnut Avenue. |
| Etymology | Greek xeros, dry; Greek spermum, seed, referring to the seed that is without arillode; Latin noronhianum, commemorating Fernando Noronha, a 18th century Spanish biologist |
Landscaping Features
| Landscape Uses | Suitable for Roadsides, Parks & Gardens |
|---|
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Semi-Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
Foliar
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Papery, Leathery |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower Colour(s) | Cream / Off-White, White |
|---|
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Brown, Red |
|---|
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 31041 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 5428 |
| 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. |