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| coastal plants |
| Ketapang
pasir or
Beach gardenia Guettarda speciosa Family Rubiaceae updated Jan 13 Where seen? This beautiful tree with large leaves and small white flowers is sometimes seen growing on our sandy and rocky shores. It is also planted in coastal parks and other public places. In Singapore, it was found on sandy and rocky shores including Pulau Seletar. According to NParks, it is found at Pulau Semakau, Pulau Ubin, and Pulau Unum. Elsewhere, it is found on rocky and sandy sea shores and margins of mangroves. Features: A spreading shrub or tall tree (4-22m). Bark is smooth and grey-brown. Leaves resemble those of the Sea almond (Terminalia catappa). The leaves are large (10-25cm long) oval with hairs on both sides or only below. The leaves are arranged opposite one another. Flowers small (1-3cm) white tubular appearing in clusters on long stalks (6-9 cm) from leaf axils. Corners describes them as "typical moth flowers" being white, with a long corolla tube and fragrant. They open an hour after sunset and fall off the following morning. The tree flowers throughout the year. Fruits small and round (2-3cm), green and smooth at first, turning whitish or pinkish with faint ribs. They have a hard stone with 4-6 cells, each containing one seed. It is believed that the buoyant fruits are dispersed by water although some accounts suggest they are also dispersed by bats. Sometimes mistaken for the Sea almond or Ketapang (Terminalia catappa). Thus one of its Malay names is 'Ketapang pasir' which means 'Sea almond of the shore'. Here's more on how to tell apart Sea almond and other similar trees on the shores. Human uses: According to Giesen, the bark is used to treat dysentery as well as applied to wounds. The fragrant flowers were strung into garlands. The timber is used in Fiji for house blocks, although it is considered of little value elsewhere. The bark is used in traditional medicine in some places. Status and threats: This tree is listed as 'Endangered' in the Red List of threatened plants of Singapore. |
 Pulau Semakau, Apr 09  Pulau Semakau, Apr 09 |
 Pulau Semakau, Apr 09 |
 Pulau Semakau, Apr 09 |
 Pulau Semakau, Apr 09 |
 Pulau Semakau, Apr 09 |
 Pulau Semakau, Apr 04 |
 Pulau Hantu, Apr 09 |
Ketapang
pasir on Singapore shores
| Photos for free download from wildsingapore flickr |
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Links
References
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Singapore University Press. 222 pp.|
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