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Timonius finlaysonianus (Wall. ex G.Don) Hook.f.
| Family Name: | Rubiaceae |
| Synonyms: | Timonius compressicaulis (Miq.) Boerl., Timonius jambosella Thwaites var. finlaysonianus (Wall. ex G.Don) Hook.f. |
| Common Name: | Mengkudu Laut |
Timonius finlaysonianus or Mengkudu Laut is a shrub to tree native to Singapore. Growing to 7 m tall, it produce leaves with triangular stipules found on opposite sides of the axils. Flowers are dioecious, white, tubular, 5 - 8 lobed, measuring 3 - 3.5 mm long. Male flowers are clustered in groups of 7 or more while the female flowers are produced singly. The fruit is round, 10-14 lobed consist of many pyrenes (pits).
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Shrub, Tree (Small (6m-15m)) |
| Maximum Height | 7 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Peninsular Malaysia and adjacent islands, Sumatra, Java and the Philippines and Singapore |
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| Native Habitat | Terrestrial, Shoreline (Coastal Cliff, Mangrove Forest) |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Critically Endangered (CR)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a shrub to small tree with smooth, grey-brown bark, growing to 7 m tall. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves are slightly leathery, elliptic to spoon-shaped measuring 4 - 18 cm long, 2-8 cm wide. Scattered short hairs can be found along the main veins below. The leaves are held on a short petiole of 2 - 5 mm long. Stipules can be found at the axils, on opposite sides of each pair of leaves. |
| Flowers | Flowers are dioecious where the female and male flowers are produced on separate individuals, found along the axils. They are white, tubular, 3-3.5 mm long, petals are densely covered in white short-hairs on the outside. Male flowers are 5-lobed, borne in clusters of 7 or more. Female flowers have 6-8 lobes, produced singly, sitting on a bulbous floral cup of 2mm wide. |
| Fruit | The fruit is round, with 10 - 14 lobes measuring 7 - 10 mm wide, consist of 20 - 60 elliptic pyrenes (pits), each pyrene with 1 seed. |
| Habitat | Occurs commonly at sea-shores, strand forest, also on rocky cliffs and back mangroves. <1> |
| Cultivation | It can be propagated by seed. The plant thrives under full sun to semi shade. Despite its distribution within sea-shores habitats, it does not show much tolerance to salt spray. |
| Etymology | Latin Timonius, from an Amboina plant name, Timor; Latin finlaysonianus, commemorating Dr. Geroge Finlayson (1790–1823), a surgeon and ardent naturalist |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna | Bird-Attracting |
|---|
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun, Semi-Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Well-Drained Soils |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Foliar Modification | Stipule |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Opposite |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Elliptical, Obovate) |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acute |
| Foliar Base | Cuneate |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Stem Type & Modification | Woody |
|---|---|
| Root Type | Underground |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Unisexual Flowers , Dioecious |
| Flower Colour(s) | White |
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| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence, Solitary |
| Flower Location | Axillary |
| Flower Symmetry | Radial |
| Flowering Habit | Polycarpic |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
|---|---|
| Fruit Type | Fleshy Fruit , Pome (hypanthium) |
References
| References | <1> Wong, K.M. et al. (2019). Rubiaceae. Flora of Singapore, vol 13. pp. 312-313. Singapore: Singapore Botanic Gardens, National Parks Board. |
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Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 33009 |
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| Species ID | 7423 |
| 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. |
