Saturday, December 31, 2016

Alangium hirsutum: A New Record for Singapore from MacRitchie Forest

Alangium hirsutum Bloemb.
Small tree about 5m tall. Trunk sparsely thorny and bark scaly. Branches long and slender. Leaves alternate, oblanceolate, hairy throughout; leaf-base somewhat equal and tri-nerved. Flowers: borne singly, hanging downwards, bracteolate, smelling strongly of Jasmine; petals 5-merous, white, slender and strongly reflexed; filaments hairy; a pair of tiny bracts behind calyx. Fruit ellipsoid, fine hairy, ripening red with faint longitudinal lines. Ants observed to be attracted to the fruit, especially inside the persistent calyx tube. Tree flowering profusely and its fragrance detected at some distance; would make an excellent garden plant.

Extremely fragrant flowers

Cylindrical flower butt

Fruit ripens red with faint ridges


Pubescent leaves, twigs, fruits and flowers

Thorns on smooth trunk

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