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Aporosa benthamiana

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Aporosa benthamiana Hook.f.

Family Name: Phyllanthaceae
Common Name: Crescent Tree

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Common Names
Comments

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants)
Plant Growth Form Tree
Lifespan (in Singapore) Perennial
Mode of Nutrition Autotrophic
Maximum Height 30 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Borneo
Native Habitat Terrestrial
Preferred Climate Zone Tropical
Local Conservation Status Native to Singapore (Vulnerable (VU))

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form It is a tree up to 30 m tall.
Foliage Its alternate, stalked leaves have leathery leaf blades that are narrowly elliptic to narrowly drop-shaped, brownish or sometimes bluish above, greenish-brown when dried, and 1450 by 412 cm. Its midrib is prominent to flat above, prominent below, and covered with fine hair below.
Flowers Its male flowering shoots bear 610 flowers and are 1235 mm long, while its female flowering shoots bear 35 flowers and are 611 mm long. Its male flowers are 1.52 mm long, while its female flowers are 24 mm long. Its yellowish flowers are 1 mm across.
Fruit Its fruits are egg-shaped, orange-red, and 1318 by 1118 mm. Its seeds are ellipsoid or cylindrical, covered with orange pulp, and 811 by 58 by 34 mm.
Habitat It grows on flat sites, hills or ridges, in primary, disturbed and secondary forests, up to 1300 m altitude. It occurs locally in the vicinity of MacRitchie, Upper Peirce and Lower Peirce reservoirs, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, and Pulau Tekong.
Etymology Greek apo, away from; Greek oros, mountain; benthamiana, commemorating George Bentham (1800-1884), an English botanist. 
Ethnobotanical Uses Others: It is a source of timber and used for beams.

Plant Care and Propagation

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

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Master ID 33442
Species ID 7856
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.
Species record last updated on: 22 November 2022.

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