Dillenia suffruticosa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Dilleniales
Family: Dilleniaceae
Genus: Dillenia
Species:
D. suffruticosa
Binomial name
Dillenia suffruticosa
Synonyms[1][2]
  • Dillenia burbidgei (Hook.f.) Martelli
  • Dillenia suffruticosa var. borneensis (Ridl.) Ridl.
  • Wormia burbidgei Hook.f. (Unresolved)
  • Wormia subsessilis var. borneensis Ridl
  • Wormia suffruticosa[3] Griff.

Dillenia suffruticosa, also known as simpoh air,[4][5]: 163  simpor,[5]: 163  or CB leaf,[6] is a species of Dillenia found in tropical South East Asia in secondary forest and swampy ground.[3] It is a highly invasive weed in Sri Lanka.[7][8]

The simpor is the national flower of Brunei, and can be found everywhere across the country. Claire Waight Keller included the plant to represent the country in Meghan Markle's wedding veil, which included the distinctive flora of each Commonwealth country.[9]

Description

The simpor tree is a large, evergreen shrub that grows to 6–10 metres (20–33 ft) metres high. It has a stout trunk and forms thickets.[3]: 207 

Its leaves are simple and arranged alternatively like cabbage. Each leaf blade is 12–40 centimetres (4.7–15.7 in) long and 6–12 cm (2.4–4.7 in) wide on 2–6 centimetres (0.79–2.36 in) long petioles. Its young leaves are fuzzy underneath.[3][4][5]: 163 

The tree flowers after 3 or 4 years.[3]: 207 

Flowers and fruit

An ant pollinating a D. suffruticosa flower.

The flowers bloom on long peduncles facing downwards, 8–13 cm (3.1–5.1 in) wide, and yellow in colour. They have no scent and no nectar. The flower blooms daily at around 3 am and opening flowers are fully opened one hour before sunrise.[2] They are pollinated by bees, small beetles as well as flies that scramble over them. They point up when they produce and develop fruit after they are pollinated, the fruits take up to 5 weeks to fully develop.[4]

The developed fruit is a star-shaped capsule with 7 or 8 rays, it is pink with white borders. It has scarlet pulp with purple or pale brown seeds that have fleshy, bright red arils. The fruits are eaten by birds and even by monkeys.[3][2]

Distribution and habitat

The plant is found in tropical South East Asia in secondary forest and swampy grounds that are undisturbed forest such as riversides up to 700 m altitude. They can also be found on alluvial places such as swamps, mangroves, riversides, but sometimes also present on hillsides and ridges, which have clayey to sandy soil texture. Dillenia suffruticosa is also found in Sri Lanka, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo and in the tropical regions of Singapore,[10] and Hawaii (where it is an introduced species).[11]

Uses

Dillenia suffruticosa has other uses, these include medicine and storage. The medicinal properties include the leaves and roots being used against inflammations, itch, stomach ache, and recovery after delivery.[12] The storage properties consist of large leaves of the plant being used to wrap food (tempeh or fermented soy bean cake) instead of using a plastic bag and/or the leaves can be shaped into a cone to contain or hold food (rojak). They can be used to attract birds in urban areas and are planted as an ornamental plant.[4]


References

  1. ↑ "Dillenia suffruticosa (Griff. ex Hook.f. & Thomson)". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Silk, J.W.F. (2009). "Dillenia suffruticosa". Plants of Southeast Asia. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Corner, E. J. H. (1997). "Wayside Trees of Malaya" (PDF). I (4th ed.). Malayan Nature Society: 207–208 – via The Figs of Borneo. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. 1 2 3 4 Tan, Ria. "Simpoh air (Dillenia suffruticosa)". Wild Singapore. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 Hoogland, R.G. (1972). "Dilleniaceae". Flora Malesiana. 4 (1): 141–174 – via Naturalis Institutional Repository.
  6. ↑ "Dillenia suffruticosa". Urban Forest: Flora of Singapore and Southeast Asia. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  7. ↑ S. Ranwala, B. Marambe, S. Wijesundara, P. Silva, D. Weerakoon, N. Atapattu, J. Gunawardena, L. Manawadu, G. Gamage, Post-entry risk assessment of invasive alien flora in Sri Lanka-present status, GAP analysis, and the most troublesome alien invaders, Pakistan Journal of Weed Science Research, Special Issue, October, 2012: 863-871.
  8. ↑ Wickramathilake, B.A.K.; Weerasinghe, T.K.; Ranwala, S.M.W. (2013). "Impacts of Woody Invader Dillenia suffruticosa (Griff.) Martelli on Physiochemical Properties of Soil and, Below and Above Ground Flora". Journal of Tropical Forestry and Environment. 3 (2): 66–75.
  9. ↑ "The Wedding Dress, Bridesmaids' Dresses and Page Boys' Uniforms". The Royal Family. 19 May 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  10. ↑ Ibrahim, Hassan. "Saving A Prehistoric Fern From Extinction". nparks.gov.sg. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  11. ↑ "Hawaii's Most Invasive Horticultural Plants". Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  12. ↑ Uses Of Dillenia Flower Flower Chimp Singapore
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