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| mangroves > Rhizophora in general |
| Bakau
kurap Rhizophora mucronata Family Rhizophoraceae updated Aug 09 Where seen? This tree is commonly seen in our mangroves. According to Giesen, it is more tolerant of sandy and firmer substrates than Rhizophora apiculata but is seldom found far from tidal water. Grows best in deeply inundated areas on firm soils. According to Hsuan Keng, the tree was recorded in all our mangroves including Jurong, Bajau, Changi, Kranji and Pulau Brani. Another local name for the tree was 'Belukup'. 'Kurap' is the Malay name for a scaly skin disease in humans and may refer to the pimply texture of the propagules. Features: Tree up to 15m tall, but usually shorter, rarely more than 3m. Leaves eye-shaped (8-15cm long), shiny green, leathery, larger than R. stylosa, with tiny evenly distributed spots on the underside. Stipule usually pale or yellowish. Flowers appear on a long branching stalk (2-4cm) drooping down from the branch: 2-14 flowers in one inflorescence. The bract is white, hard and thick, petals are thin, delicate with dense woolly marginal hairs. The petals fall off soon after blossoming. The fruit is large relative to the sepals, when compared to R. stylosa. The hypocotyl cylindrical and is more pimply, compared to that of R. stylosa and grows very long (50-70cm). Bark dark almost black, horizontally fissured. Has aerial roots growing from the lower branches, as well as stilt roots from the trunk. Sometimes mistaken for Bakau pasir (R. stylosa) which has smaller leaves and shorter, less pimply propagules. The two species can only be distinguished with certainty by looking at the details of the flowers: R. stylosa has a longer style. Human uses: According to Wee, in Chinese and Japanese herbal medicine, a decoction of the bark is used to treat diarrhoea. The Burmese use the bark to treat blood in the urine and the Indochinese use the roots to contain bleeding. According to Giesen, the timber is difficult to work as it is very heavy and very hard and tends to shrink excessively. The bark is used for tanning and dyeing. it may be used for making fish traps. It may also be planted to protect bunds and dykes. Seedlings that have been dried in the shade for several days before planting avoid being eaten by crabs. It is believed the process causes accumulations of tannin in the tissues. |
 Pulau Ubin, Aug 09  |
 Pasir Ris, Jun 09 |
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 Pasir Ris, Jun 09 |
 Pasir Ris, Jun 09 |
 Short style, more visible without petals. |
 Petals still on the calyx. |
 Pulau Ubin, May 09  |
 Changi Creek, Apr 09  |
 Changi Creek, Apr 09 |
 Sungei Buloh, Feb 09  |
 Pasir Ris Park, Apr 10  |
 Pasir Ris Park, Apr 10 |
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Cambridge University Press. USA. 419 pp.|
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