tHE tiDE cHAsER

Critically Endangered Plants I Have Found

2012-01-19T16:04:00.004+08:00

This blog post serves mainly as a record of the critically endangered plants I discovered during my various exploratory trips, and actions I have done to ensure that they are protected.

1. Xylocarpus rumphii at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
I spotted 2 mature and 1 young Xylocarpus rumphii at Sungei Buloh in 2009. Initially I had thought that they were common enough, until I was informed by Jean Yong that he had previously only found 1 young plant there. I managed to find this other young plant Jean spotted previously as well eventually. Unfortunately, one of the mature trees was chopped down by NParks contractors who were clearing the area to plant some other endangered species, which left me rather shocked that they did not send anyone to check for rare plants before they clear an area (or perhaps they did but no one can recognise it).

After this incident, I decided to inform NParks the locations of the critically endangered plants I came across just to ensure that they get the necessary protection. In this case, I eventually informed NParks staff, Hui Ping, the location of the remaining plants, and she had tagged the plants to ensure that they won't be removed unintentionally.

2. Merope angulata along boardwalk at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Found 2 young Merope angulata growing near the boardwalk in 2010, and have informed the NParks staff, Hui Ping, of the location.

3. Intsia bijuga near boardwalk at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Found 2 Intsia bijuga growing near the boardwalk in 2010, and have informed the NParks staff, Hui Ping, of the location.

4. Sonneratia caseolaris at Kranji
Found a huge Sonneratia caseolaris near the back mangrove at Kranji Nature Trail in late 2010, and showed it to Brandon Chia who was with me. Brandon eventually showed the plant to other nature lovers, who in turn informed NParks.

5. Merope angulata at Kranji
Found a huge patch of Merope angulata with at least 20 mature plants at Kranji Nature Trail at the back mangrove in 2011. Have taken the GPS and given it to NParks staff, Hui Ping.

6. Intsia bijuga at Kranji
Found 1 Intsia bijuga along the main trail, and several at the back mangrove in 2011. Have taken the GPS and given it to NParks staff, Hui Ping.

7. Aegiceras corniculatum at Kranji
Found several Aegiceras corniculatum at Kranji in 2011. Have brought NParks staff, Hui Ping, to search for them and got the GPS for a few. Found several more recently, and have spoken to the Assistant Director, Sharon Chan, about the find.

8. Smythea lanceata at Kranji
Found 1 Smythea lanceata at the back mangrove in 2011. Have taken the GPS and a sample, and given them to NParks staff, Hui Ping.

9. Caesalpinia bonduc at Punggol
Found 1 Caesalpinia bonduc at Punggol, which was chopped down by NParks contractors about the same time I informed NParks staff, Shufen. Fortunately, the plant was very hardy and regenerated very well. NParks had since done a few cuttings and several were planted at HortParks.

9. Xylocarpus rumphii at Semakau
Found 1 young plant in 2011 while doing a survey with Siyang and his colleagues. We have since written a paper on the flora of Semakau.

10. Cynometra ramiflora at Semakau
Found several plants in 2011 while doing a survey with Siyang and his colleagues. We have since written a paper on the flora of Semakau.

11. Smythea lanceata at Semakau
Was already recorded in previous surveys, but we found a few and now knows the location during a survey in 2011 with Siyang and his colleagues. I have no idea what it was when we spotted it. The identity was later confirmed the Botanic Gardens.

12. Tacca leontopetaloides at Semakau
Was already recorded in previous surveys, but I found a location with a huge population in 2011 and informed NParks staff, Shufen. NParks had sent a staff to collect some samples and cuttings for propagation.

13. Intsia bijuga at Seletar
Found 1 tree in 2011, and have blogged about it. Unfortunately, this area is not managed by NParks.

14. Intsia bijuga at Mandai
Found several plants there in 2009 and 2010 and have blogged about it. Unfortunately, this area is not managed by NParks. Have sent Siva the GPS in case they need the info for submissions to protect the area.

15. Merope angulata at Mandai
Found many plants there in 2009 and have blogged about it. Unfortunately, this area is not managed by NParks. Have sent Siva the GPS in case they need the info for submissions to protect the area.

16. Finlaysonia obovata at various locations
While this plant is stated to be critically endangered, I have seen too many of them at various locations, and hence I just blogged about them but did not inform the authorities.

17. Sonnertia ovata at various locations
While this plant is stated to be critically endangered, I have seen too many of them at various locations, and hence I just blogged about them but did not inform the authorities.

18. Gymnanthera oblonga at Semakau
Found 1 plant during a survey in 2008, but unfortunately the students lost the specimen and I was not able to locate the plant again.

19. Gymnanthera oblonga at Pasir Ris
Saw several plants at Pasir Ris Park in 2011, but the area is not understand the conservation division of NParks. Understand that there are a number of plant experts there, so I have only blogged about it.

20. Xylocarpus rumphii at Sentosa
Most people are aware of 2 huge trees at Tanjong Rimau, but I wonder if any are aware of a much smaller one further away. Spotted this in 2007.

21. Sonneratia caseolaris at Berlayar Creek
Spotted 1 tall tree in 2012, and had informed NParks staff, Shufen and Benjamin, about it. Will be going back to check for fireflies at night...

Sea Holly (Acanthus spp.)

2012-01-19T15:21:00.001+08:00

Singapore has 3 species of Sea Hollies (Acanthus spp.) from the family Acanthaceae in our mangrove forests -Acanthus volubilis, Acanthus ebracteatus and Acanthus ilicifolius. The former 2 have the status of "vulnerable" while A. ilicifolius is a common species.

They generally occur along tidal rivers, in the mangrove forest or nearby, especially in areas with freshwater inputs or on mud lobster mounds.

Acanthus volubilis occurs as a bush-like, sprawling herb, or when there are other taller structures around, as a climber.

It has simple opposite leaves that has pointed tips when they are growing in areas exposed to the sun, but become more rounded when they are growing in the shade. The flowers are white.

Acanthus ilicifolius and Acanthus ebracteatus occur as low, sprawling herbs and seldom climb. Young plants generally have erect stems, but lean and sprawl as they mature.

Plants growing in areas exposed to the sun tend to have spiny leaves. The 2 species can be differentiated by the colour of their flowers. Acanthus ebracteatus has white flowers.

Meanwhile, Acanthus ilicifolius has purple flowers. For both species, the leaves have smaller spines or no spines when the plants are growing in the shade.

The leaves often appear moist, especially in the morning before it got too hot, as Acanthus spp. excrete excess salt through their leaves. Sometimes, tiny salt crystals can be seen on the leaf surfaces.

The fruits are small nut-like capsules.

Leaves of Acanthus ilicifolius and Acanthus ebracteatus are used to treat rheumatism, while the fruit and roots are used to treat snake bites and as poisons for arrows. The seeds are used to treat internal worms. Seeds of Acanthus volubilis are used for blood cleansing medicine and against ulcers.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L. & N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.

Dungun Air (Brownlowia tersa)

2012-01-19T13:04:00.005+08:00

The Dungun Air (Brownlowia tersa) is a nationally endangered mangrove associate from the family Malvaceae.

This shrub can be seen at several of our mangrove forests, including Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Kranji, Mandai, Woodlands Town Garden and Lim Chu Kang.

It usually occurs in areas with sand or firm mud on the landward side of mangrove forests.

The branches are smooth and greyish brown. The simple, alternate leaves are lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate with a pointed tip. The upperside is dark greeen, while the underside is densely covered with a layer of coppery scales.

The small flowers are pink with numerous yellow stamens, usually open in the afternoon in small clusters.

The greyish-green fruits are woody capsules, and somewhat heart-shaped.

This plant is sometimes used for fencing or as firewood.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.

Barat-barat (Cassine viburnifolia)

2011-12-02T20:31:00.006+08:00

The Barat-barat (Cassine viburnifolia) is a nationally critically endangered mangrove associate from the family Celastraceae.

I have personally only seen this species at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Kranji Nature Trail's mangrove. Not sure if it can be found at our other northern mangroves. It usually occurs at the borders of mangrove forests and along tidal rivers.

It occurs as a small tree or shrub, with no obvious buttress or pneumatophores. The bark is greyish-brown in colour.

It has simple, opposite, glossy and obovate leaves. The leaf edge appears wavy due to the many notches lining it. Each notch has a gland.

The small, white flowers occur in clusters.

The petals remain even as the fruits develop, but eventually drop off as the fruits mature.

The fruits are small and corky, turning brownish with age. They are dispersed by water.

It is used for firewood, and the husk of the fruit is said to be used to stun fish.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
http://www.mangrove.my/page.php?pageid=mangrove

Identifying the True Mangrove Plants of Singapore

2011-11-29T22:55:00.016+08:00

Let me begin by saying that I am no botanist or mangrove expert, but just someone who is very interested in mangrove plants. Based on Tomlinson’s list, Singapore has 21 major mangrove species and 9 minor mangrove species. During my mangrove exploration, I have develop some kind of an ID key for these 30 species in my mind, and thought I will share it here. It probably appears amateurish to the real mangrove experts, but I guess it should be useful to the lay people like me who are interested in mangrove plants :)

There are 6 main sections in this key. To use it, just check for the characteristics in the same order listed below and narrow down to the species by elimination. So basically, Just start with asking whether the plant has: A) No Upright Stem(s); B) Compound Leaves; C) Alternate Simple Leaves; or D) Opposite Simple Leaves. If it has opposite leaves, and each leaf is longer than 2cm, then check whether the leaves has: E) Rounded Tips or F) Pointed Tips. Click on the links on the plant names for more details.

A) No Upright Stem(s)

1. Long leaflets(60-130cm) with parallel veins.

Nipah Palm (Nypa fruticans) - The only true mangrove palm in Singapore. It is a monocot, and has huge compound leaves up to 9m long. The palm lacks a trunk, but instead, has thick underground rhizomatous forking stems.

2. Mature leaf has blunt tips, sometimes with a small point.

Piai Raya (Acrostichum aureum) - This is a mangrove fern which can grow as tall as 4m. It prefers sunny sites. Like other ferns, they reproduce from spores, and large sporangia cover the undersides of fertile fronds.

3. Mature leaf has elongated pointed tips.

Piai Lasu (Acrostichum speciosum) - This mangrove fern grows up to about 1.5m, much shorter than A aureum. It prefers shady areas. Like other ferns, they reproduce from spores, with the sporangia on the undersides of fertile fronds.

B) Compound Leaves

4. Leaflets with rounded tips.

Nyireh Bunga (Xylocarpus granatum) - This tree can also be recognised by its thin and flaking barks. The fruits are round, about the size of a small coconut.

5. Leaflets with pointed tips.

Nyireh Batu (Xylocarpus moluccensis) - Unlike X. granatum, this tree has fissured bark. The fruits are round, about 10cm across.

C) Alternate Leaves

6. Leaves with silvery undersides.

Dungun (Heritiera littoralis) - When in bloom, it can be identified by its clusters of numerous tiny cup-shaped flowers. The fruits are woody with a keel on one side.

7. Leaves with pointed tips.

Buta-buta (Excoecaria agallocha) - Also called "Blind-your-eyes", it has poisonous white sap in its leaves and branches. It bears tiny flowers on catkin-like, elongated clusters. The tree is deciduous.

8. Alternate/subopposite leaves, obovate with prominent yellowish/light green veins.

Kacang-kacang (Aegiceras corniculatum) - This small tree bears white flowers with protruding anthers and a pinkish style. The fruits ranges from green to pinkish to red in colour, and are strongly curved.

9. Leaves mostly drop-shaped (broader at the tip) and red flowers.

Teruntum Merah (Lumnitzera littorea) - This tree has pretty red flowers, and even the young branches are reddish in colour. The small and somewhat corky fruits may have a reddish tinge as well.

10. Leaves mostly obovate (broadest about 2/3 towards the tip) and white flowers.

Teruntum Putih (Lumnitzera racemosa) - The leaves of this tree are usually of a fresher green compared to L. littorea. The small fruits are fibrous and compressed sideways, with a prominent persistent style.

D) Opposite Leaves

11. Small leaves not more than 2cm long.

Mentigi (Pemphis acidula) - This small shrub/tree bears pretty small white flowers. The fruits are small, turning reddish brown as they mature. The tip of the leaves may be pointed or rounded.

E) Opposite Leaves with Rounded Tips

12. Apical bud compressed and rounded.

Chengam (Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea) - This small tree/shrub may have one or multiple stems. The white flowers occur in dense clusters. The small fruits are cylindrical and green, ribbed along its length.

13. Apical bud compressed and twisted, enclosed in stipules.

Pisang-pisang (Kandelia candel) - The flowers are white and occur in clusters, dichotomously branched. The seedling's hypocotyl has a somewhat pointed tip, and is capped by the persistent sepals whose tips bend backwards towards the stalk.

14. Apical bud compressed and enclosed in stipules. Fruit with textured patterns and seedling with red collar.

Ceriops zippeliana - The seedlings of this tree generally hang in various directions. The small flowers are white and turn brown quickly.

15. Apical bud compressed and enclosed in stipules. Fruit plain and seedling with white collar.

Tengar (Ceriops tagal) - The small flowers are white and turn brown quickly, and have 5 thick and claw-like sepals. Unlike C. zippeliana, the seedlings usually occur hanging downwards.

16. Leaves dark green on top, and light brown and velvety below.

Api-api Bulu (Avicennia rumphiana) - Like other Avicennia species, it has pencil-like aerial roots (pneumatophores). The fruits are broadly ovate, covered with short hair, giving it a furry appearance. Flowers are small and yellow, occurring in clusters.

17. Leaves dark green on top and light green below.

Api-api Ludat (Avicennia officinalis) - Like other Avicennia species, it has pencil-like pneumatophores. The fruits are broadly ovate with a short beak, covered with short hair, and yellowish-brown in colour. Flowers are small and yellow, occurring in clusters.

18. Leaves broadly drop-shaped/pear-shaped.

Perepat (Sonneratia alba) - Like other Sonneratia species, it has conical pneumatophores. The flower has small and white petals, and numerous white stamens. The fruits are somewhat pear-shaped with persistent sepals whose tips bend back towards the stalk.

19. Leaves broadly ovate, oval or almost round.

Gedabu (Sonneratia ovata) - Like other Sonneratia species, it has conical pneumatophores. The flower has numerous white stamens but no petals are absent. The fruits are round, with the calyx enveloping the berry.

F) Opposite Leaves with Pointed Tips

20. Leaves glossy green on top and whitish below. Fruits the shape of elongated inverted teardrops.

Api-api Putih (Avicennia alba) - Sometimes confused with A. marina, it is best to confirm the species by looking at the fruits, which are in the shape of elongated inverted teardrops and are whitish/greyish green in colour. Like other Avicennia species, it has pencil-like pneumatophores. It has small yellow flowers, occurring in clusters.

21. Leaves green (with a yellowish tinge) on top and yellow or whitish green below. Young twigs have a squarish cross-section. Fruits the shape of fat inverted teardrops.

Api-api Jambu (Avicennia marina) - Easily confused with A. alba, this species is best confirmed with the fruits, which are in the shape of a fat inverted teardrops and are light green in colour. Like other Avicennia species, it has pencil-like aerial roots. It has small yellow flowers, occurring in clusters.

22. Leaves have a minute, recurved point at the tip.

Berembang (Sonneratia caseolaris) - Like other Sonneratia species, it has conical pneumatophores. The flowers have red petals and numerous stamens. The filaments are either all white, or white in the upper part and red in the lower part. The fruit is persimmon-like with a flattened calyx tube.

23. Narrowly elliptic leaves, undersides covered with small black dots. Apical buds enclosed in thin, pointed, red stipules.

Bakau Minyak (Rhizophora apiculata) - Like other Rhizophora species, prop roots and stilt roots can be seen at the lower part of the tree. The stalks of the flower heads are short, about 1cm long, and each stalk bears 2 stalkless flowers. Mature seedlings have a red collar.

24. Elliptic leaves less than 6.5-12.5cm long, undersides covered with small black dots. Green stipules. Flower has long style, 4-6 mm long.

Bakau Pasir (Rhizophora stylosa) - Like other Rhizophora species, prop roots and stilt roots can be seen at the lower part of the tree. Mature seedlings are dispersed by water and have a greenish collar. Leaves are generally shorter but proportionally broader than R. apiculata.

25. Broadly elliptic leaves more than 11-23cm long, undersides covered with small black dots. Green or red stipules. Flower has short style, 0.5-1.5 mm long.

Bakau Kurap (Rhizophora mucronata) - Like other Rhizophora species, prop roots and stilt roots can be seen at the lower part of the tree. It has red or light green stipules. Mature seedlings are dispersed by water and have a light green or whitish collar. The leaves are much bigger and proportionally broader than the other 2 Rhizophora species.

26. Small flowers with yellow petals. Short and straight calyx lobes.

Lenggadai (Bruguiera parviflora) - Like other Bruguiera species, the bark is covered with small lenticels, and the tree has knee roots.

27. Small flowers with white petals. Calyx lobes bend backwards on seedlings.

Bakau Putih (Bruguiera cylindrica) - Like other Bruguiera species, the bark is covered with small lenticels, and the tree has knee roots.

28. Flowers with white or light orange petals. Calyx lobes extend away from seedling and bend downwards perpendicularly.

Berus Mata Buaya (Bruguiera hainesii) - Like other Bruguiera species, the bark is covered with small lenticels, and the tree has knee roots.

29. Calyx ranges from pinkish to bright red. Petals have bristles at the tip.

Tumu Merah (Bruguiera gymnorhiza) - Like other Bruguiera species, the bark is covered with small lenticels, and the tree has knee roots.

30. Calyx varies from bright yellow to light green to pinkish. Petals have no bristles or at most 1 or 2 short bristles.

Tumu Putih (Bruguiera sexangula) - Like other Bruguiera species, the bark is covered with small lenticels, and the tree has knee roots.

As mentioned, only the 30 true mangrove species are covered in this key. Hopefully I can find time to put up information on the mangrove associates in future :)

Hope this will be useful for other amateur mangrove lovers like me! :P

Nipah Palm (Nypa fruticans)

2011-11-28T23:19:00.000+08:00

The Nipah Palm (Nypa fruticans) is a nationally vulnerable mangrove plant from the family Arecaceae. It is one of the most ancient flowering plants and probably the oldest species of palms.

This palm can be seen at most of our major mangrove forests, such as Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin, Pasir Ris, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Mandai, Woodlands Town Garden, Berlayar Creek, Seletar, Lim Chu Kang, Pandan, Kranji, St John's Island and Pulau Semakau, among others.

It generally occurs at the upper reaches of mangrove forests, often forming pure stands, usually on fine-grained substrates. It is often found along tidal waterways as well, especially on sites with high freshwater inputs.

The palm lacks a trunk, but instead, has thick underground rhizomatous forking stems. The stems are sometimes exposed on eroding shores.

It is a monocot, and has huge compound leaves up to 9m long. The long leaflets (60-130cm long) have parallel veins.

The female flower occurs in the form of a spherical head.

The male flowers are catkins, located below the head of the female flowers.

The fruiting body is a cluster of brown fruits. The fruits drop off from the stem as they mature, and individual fruits will be dispersed by water.

The seed is edible, and is called "attap chee" in the region. The leaves are used for thatching. A sweet syrup can be extracted from the flower stalk in large quantities and made into palm sugar, or used in the production of alcohol (including ‘toddy’), sugar and vinegar. This palm is hence planted in many areas in the region.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L. & N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.
Teo, S., Ang, W.F., Lok, A. F. S. L., Kurukulasuriya, B.R. and Tan, H. T. W. (2010) The status and distribution of the nipah palm, Nypa fruticans Wurmb (Arecaceae), in Singapore. Nature in Singapore, 3: 45–52.

Pisang-pisang (Kandelia candel)

2011-11-28T22:34:00.005+08:00

The Pisang-pisang Laut (Kandelia candel) is a nationally critically endangered mangrove tree from the family Rhizophoraceae. It occurs at the landward side of mangrove forest or along tidal rivers, usually on sandier substrates, occupying a narrow niche. The last known tree on mainland Singapore died in February 2011. A small population can be found offshore on Pulau Tekong and Pulau Unum.

The flowers are white and occur in clusters, dichotomously branched.

The leaves are narrowly oblong with a rounded tip. The tree has a thickened stem base without proper buttresses or pneumatophores. It has greyish to reddish-brown bark with lenticels for air exchange.

The new leaf buds are laterally compressed and twisted, and are protected by prominent stipules which fall off as the leaves mature.

Vivipary is observed in this plant, as with the other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae. This is a condition whereby the embryo grows and break through the seed coat and the fruit wall while still attached to the parent plant. Hence, the long and green structures seen hanging from the trees are seedlings, and only the brown structures at the top of the green structures are the fruits. The seedling's hypocotyl is narrowly cylindrical with a somewhat pointed tip, growing up to 40 cm long. It is capped by the persistent sepals whose tips bend backwards towards the stalk.

Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of the seedlings of K. candel. What I have above are the seedlings of a closely related species - Kandelia obovata. Previously it was thought that there was only one species of Kandelia - K. candel. Studies published in 2003 showed that there were actually two different species, and the ones growing in the sub-tropical areas north of the South China Sea are renamed K. obovata. The seedlings are similar though.

The wood is used as firewood, making enclosures and stakes. It is also and source of tannin.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L. & N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.
Sheue, C.-R., H.-Y. Liu & J. W. H. Yong. 2003a. Kandelia obovata (Rhizophoraceae), a new mangrove species from Eastern Asia. Taxon 52: 287- 294.

Buta-buta (Excoecaria agallocha)

2011-11-28T21:58:00.007+08:00

The Buta-buta (Excoecaria agallocha) is a common mangrove tree from the family Euphorbiaceae. It is also commonly called "Blind-your-eyes", due to its poisonous sap.

This mangrove tree can be seen at most, if not all, of our major mangrove forests, such as Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin, Pasir Ris, Mandai, Lim Chu Kang, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Kranji, Khatib Bongsu, Pandan, Woodlands Town Garden and Pulau Semakau, among others.

It usually occurs on the landward margin of mangrove forests, especially in areas with freshwater inputs. The roots run along the surface of the soil, are often knotted.

The trunk is greyish or brownish, and somewhat warty. Bark and roots are covered with lenticels for air exchange.

It has simple, alternate, elliptic leaves with a pointed tip and toothed-margin. Poisonous white latex is present in trunk, stems and leaves, and can cause blistering and (temporary) blindness.

The tree is deciduous, and leaves turn yellow, orange or even reddish before they are shed.

The tree bears either male or female flowers. The tiny flowers are spirally arranged on catkin-like, elongated clusters. Male inflorescences are longer (up to 11cm).

Female inflorescences are shorter (up to 4cm long).

The fruit is a capsule with 3 lobes and compartments, each with 1 seed.

The poisonous sap is used to stun fish. The wood is used for carving, making matchsticks and sulphate-paper pulp. It is not used for firewood due to its unpleasant smoke.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L. & N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.

Dungun (Heritiera littoralis)

2011-11-28T21:18:00.005+08:00

The Dungun (Heritiera littoralis) is a nationally endangered mangrove tree from the family Malvaceae.

This tree can be seen at several of our mangrove forests, including Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Semakau, Pasir Ris, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Kranji, Mandai and Lim Chu Kang.

The tree has a buttressed trunk and dark or grey, fissured bark.

It has simple, alternate, oblong leaves with silvery undersides, due to the presence of greyish-white scales. The leaves are stiff and leathery.

The flowers are small, hairy and occur in clusters. There are no petals. Male and female flowers occur on different trees.

Flowers have a cup-shaped calyx can be reddish or yellowish. Female flowers occur in small clusters, while male flowers are more numerous but smaller in size.

The fruits are woody with a keel on one side, much like boats. They are dispersed by water.

The wood is heavy and very durable, used for making boats, masts and houses. It is also used for firewood and making paper. The bark contains tannin. Fruits and seeds are used to treat diarrhea and dysentery.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L. & N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.
http://www.mangrove.my/page.php?pageid=mangrove

Teruntum Merah (Lumnitzera littorea)

2011-11-28T20:44:00.004+08:00

The Teruntum Merah (Lumnitzera littorea) is a nationally endangered mangrove tree from the family Combretaceae.

This tree can be seen at several of our mangrove forests, including Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Semakau, Pasir Ris, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Kranji and St John's Island.

It occurs on the landward fringe of mangrove forests. The bark is fissured and reddish-brown. It relies on its roots to exclude salt from entering the plant through a process called ultrafiltration.

Young branches are reddish in colour.

It has simple, alternate, narrowly-drop-shaped leaves with a rounded tip. There is a small notch at the tip.

The flowers are red and occur in clusters. They are strongly scented with lots of nectar.

The small and somewhat corky fruits are buoyant and dispersed by water. They often have a reddish tinge.

The wood is hard and extremely durable, and is used for the building of bridges, wharves, cart axles, flooring and sleepers. It has a rose-like scent, making it popular as a cabinet timber.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L. & N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.
http://www.mangrove.my/page.php?pageid=mangrove

Teruntum Putih (Lumnitzera racemosa)

2011-11-28T20:13:00.010+08:00

The Teruntum Putih (Lumnitzera racemosa) is a nationally endangered mangrove tree from the family Combretaceae.

This tree can be seen at several of our mangrove forests, including Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Semakau, Pasir Ris, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Kranji, Mandai and Woodlands Town Garden.

It occurs on the landward fringe of mangrove forests. The bark is fissured and reddish-brown. It relies on its roots to exclude salt from entering the plant through a process called ultrafiltration.

It has simple, alternate, obovate leaves with a rounded tip. There is a small notch at the tip.

The flowers are white and occur in clusters. They are rich in nectar with a weak scent, and are pollinated by insects.

The small fruits are fibrous and compressed sideways, with a prominent persistent style. They are buoyant and dispersed by water.

Fruits may turn brown with age.

The wood is hard and durable, and is used for the building of bridges, ships and furniture. The bark is sometimes used for tanning purposes. It is also used for firewood.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L. & N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.
http://www.mangrove.my/page.php?pageid=mangrove

Chengam (Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea)

2011-11-26T12:32:00.003+08:00

The Chengam (Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea) is a nationally common mangrove shrub from the family Rubiaceae.

This rather common mangrove tree can be seen at most of our major mangrove forests, such as Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin, Pasir Ris, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Kranji, Pandan, St John's Island and Pulau Semakau, among others.

It can occur on muddy, sandy and rocky substrates on the landward margin of mangroves forest or on the banks of tidal rivers, but usually on sites that are seldom flooded by the tide or even freshwater.

The shrub has many multiple stems with brownish bark.

It has simple, opposite, leathery, glossy and obovate leaves with rounded tips. The leaf bud consist of two flattened leaves stuck to each other, which eventually open up as they mature.

The flowers occur in dense clusters, and each flower has 4 white lobes tinged pink.

The small fruits are cylindrical and green. Every fruit is ribbed along its length and buoyant.

The wood is hard and is used to make small wooden objects, such as spoons. It is also used for fence posts and firewood. An extraction from the leaf is used to treat stomach problems.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L. & N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.

Bakau Pasir (Rhizophora stylosa)

2011-11-26T11:53:00.004+08:00

The Bakau Kurap (Rhizophora mucronata) is a nationally vulnerable mangrove tree from the family Rhizophoraceae.

This mangrove tree can be seen at Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin, St John's Island, Sentosa and Pulau Semakau and Berlayar Creek, among others.

It grows on a variety of habitats. In Singapore, it usually occurs along sandy shores as a pioneer species, as it is better at resisting the surf than the other species. It can also be found along tidal rivers and prawn ponds. The bark is dark grey or dark brown, and prop roots and stilt roots can be seen at the lower part of the tree. These roots help the plant breathe air, which is scarce in the waterlogged soil. The roots spread over a wide area to help stabilise the tree on the unstable ground. Like other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae, R. stylosa relies on its roots to exclude salt from entering the plant through a process called ultrafiltration.

It has simple, opposite, leathery leaves that are elliptic with pointed tips, clustering towards the end of the branch. The leaf buds are cover by light green stipules.

Tiny black dots can be seen on the underside of the leaves, as in the case of other Rhizophora species.

Stalks of flower heads are long and forked 2-5 times, and 4-14 flowers on long individual stalks up to 5 cm long. The flower has a long style, 4-6 mm long.

Vivipary is observed in this plant, as with the other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae. This is a condition whereby the embryo grows and break through the seed coat and the fruit wall while still attached to the parent plant. Hence, the thin and long structures seen hanging from the trees are the seedlings, not fruits. The hypocotyl can be more than 50cm long, rough and warty, with a pointed tip, though most are less than 40cm.

Mature seedlings are dispersed by water and have a greenish collar. The seedling floats horizontally for a few weeks, during which the root (lower part) will absorb water and become heavier, eventually causing the seedling to tip and float vertically. As the tide goes down, the vertically-oriented seedling will sink into the mud or other suitable substrates. Most of the seedlings, however, end up being washed ashore or eaten by animals. As the seedlings are thin and long, many of them also ended up settling directly under the parent tree, as they drop and poke into the soil below.

The wood is hard and heavy, and is used for making charcoal.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L. & N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.
http://www.mangrove.my/page.php?pageid=mangrove

Bakau Kurap (Rhizophora mucronata)

2011-11-26T11:31:00.010+08:00

The Bakau Kurap (Rhizophora mucronata) is a nationally common mangrove tree from the family Rhizophoraceae.

This rather common mangrove tree can be seen at most, if not all, of our major mangrove forests, such as Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin, Pasir Ris, Mandai, Lim Chu Kang, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Kranji, Khatib Bongsu, Seletar, Pandan, St John's Island and Pulau Semakau, among others.

This tree often occurs in parts of the mangrove forest that are flooded by normal high tide. The bark is dark grey or dark brown, and prop roots and stilt roots can be seen at the lower part of the tree. These roots help the plant breathe air, which is scarce in the waterlogged soil. The roots spread over a wide area to help stabilise the tree on the unstable ground. Like other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae, R. mucronata relies on its roots to exclude salt from entering the plant through a process called ultrafiltration.

It has simple, opposite, leathery leaves that are broadly elliptic with pointed tips, clustering towards the end of the branch. The leaf buds are cover by red or light green stipules.

Here are the ones with light green stipules.

Tiny black dots can be seen on the underside of the leaves, as in the case of other Rhizophora species.

Stalks of flower heads are long and forked 2-3 times, and 2-14 flowers on long individual stalks up to 5 cm long. The flower has a short style, 0.5-1.5 mm long.

The dull, brownish fruit is somewhat drop shaped.

Vivipary is observed in this plant, as with the other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae. This is a condition whereby the embryo grows and break through the seed coat and the fruit wall while still attached to the parent plant. Hence, the thin and long structures seen hanging from the trees are the seedlings, not fruits. The hypocotyl can be more than 60cm long, rough and warty, with a pointed tip.

Mature seedlings are dispersed by water and have a light green or whitish collar. The seedling floats horizontally for a few weeks, during which the root (lower part) will absorb water and become heavier, eventually causing the seedling to tip and float vertically. As the tide goes down, the vertically-oriented seedling will sink into the mud or other suitable substrates. Most of the seedlings, however, end up being washed ashore or eaten by animals. As the seedlings are thin and long, many of them also ended up settling directly under the parent tree, as they drop and poke into the soil below.

The wood is hard and heavy, and is used for making charcoal. This tree is often planted along fish ponds to protect the bunds. The bark is rich in tannin, and is used for tanning and dyeing. A friend told me that the seedlings are used by some locals to cane naughty kids.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L. & N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.
http://www.mangrove.my/page.php?pageid=mangrove

Bakau Minyak (Rhizophora apiculata)

2011-11-26T10:41:00.007+08:00

The Bakau Minyak (Rhizophora apiculata) is a nationally common mangrove tree from the family Rhizophoraceae.

This rather common mangrove tree can be seen at most, if not all, of our major mangrove forests, such as Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin, Pasir Ris, Mandai, Lim Chu Kang, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Kranji, Khatib Bongsu, Seletar, Pandan, St John's Island and Pulau Semakau, among others.

This tree often occurs on muddy soil flooded by normal high tide, though I have seen it growing on sandy areas as well. The bark is dark grey or dark brown, and prop roots and stilt roots can be seen at the lower part of the tree. These roots help the plant breathe air, which is scarce in the waterlogged soil. The roots spread over a wide area to help stabilise the tree on the unstable ground. Like other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae, R. apiculata relies on its roots to exclude salt from entering the plant through a process called ultrafiltration.

It has simple, opposite, leathery leaves that are narrowly elliptic with pointed tips, clustering towards the end of the branch. The leaf buds are thinly pointed, cover by red stipules.

Tiny black dots can be seen on the underside of the leaves, as in the case of other Rhizophora species.

The stalks of the flower heads are short, about 1cm long, and each stalk bears 2 stalkless flowers.

Vivipary is observed in this plant, as with the other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae. This is a condition whereby the embryo grows and break through the seed coat and the fruit wall while still attached to the parent plant. Hence, the thin and long structures seen hanging from the trees are the seedlings, not fruits.

The hypocotyl is about 30 cm long, smooth, with a somewhat rounded tip. Mature seedlings have a red collar, and are dispersed by water. The seedling floats horizontally for a few weeks, during which the root (lower part) will absorb water and become heavier, eventually causing the seedling to tip and float vertically. As the tide goes down, the vertically-oriented seedling will sink into the mud or other suitable substrates. Most of the seedlings, however, end up being washed ashore or eaten by animals. As the seedlings are thin and long, many of them also ended up settling directly under the parent tree, as they drop and poke into the soil below.

The wood is hard and heavy, and is used for making scaffolding and furniture. It is widely used for making charcoal. This tree is often planted along fish ponds to protect the bunds.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L. & N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.
http://www.mangrove.my/page.php?pageid=mangrove

Gedabu (Sonneratia ovata)

2011-11-20T23:42:00.005+08:00

The Gedabu (Sonneratia ovata) is a nationally critically endangered mangrove tree from the family Lythraceae. As with the other Sonneratia species it is also commonly called "Mangrove Apple".

It occurs at the landward margin of mangroves in less saline areas, usually on muddy soils and along tidal creeks. In Singapore, naturally occurring ones can be found at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Kranji Nature Trail, Mandai Mangrove, Khatib Bongsu, Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong, among others.

The trunk is cream-coloured to brown. Cable roots radiating from the tree underground arise at various intervals to form conical pneumatophores. These roots help the plant breathe air, which is scarce in the waterlogged soil. The roots spread over a wide area to help stabilise the tree on the unstable ground. Like other Sonneratia species, S. ovata relies on its roots to exclude salt from entering the plant through a process called ultrafiltration.

It has simple, opposite leaves that are broadly ovate, oval or almost round.

The mature flower buds reveal the white stamens and long style about a day before it finally blooms.

The flowers bloom at night, revealing numerous stamens which are shed the next morning. Petals are absent, and the filaments are all white. The sepals are reddish on the inside and green on the outside. The flowers are pollinated by nectar-feeding bats and moths at night, and birds in the morning.

The fruits are round, with the calyx enveloping the berry.

Each fruit contains numerous seeds which has air-bearing tissues, allowing them to float and be dispersed by water.

The wood is used for firewood, and the fruit is eaten by locals, and hence the tree is often cultivated in Malay villages.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L. & N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.

Berembang (Sonneratia caseolaris)

2011-11-20T22:59:00.009+08:00

The Berembang (Sonneratia caseolaris) is a nationally critically endangered mangrove tree from the family Lythraceae. As with the other Sonneratia species it is also commonly called "Mangrove Apple".

It usually occurs at the less saline parts of mangrove forests on muddy substrates, especially those with freshwater inputs (e.g. banks of tidal rivers). In Singapore, I have seen naturally occurring trees at Woodlands Town Garden, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Kranji Nature Trail, Berlayar Creek, Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong.

The trunk is brown. Cable roots radiating from the tree underground arise at various intervals to form conical pneumatophores. These roots help the plant breathe air, which is scarce in the waterlogged soil. The roots spread over a wide area to help stabilise the tree on the unstable ground. Like other Sonneratia species, S. caseolaris relies on its roots to exclude salt from entering the plant through a process called ultrafiltration.

It has simple, opposite leaves with pointed tips. A minute, recurved point occurs at the tip. Young branches hang down like those of the weeping willow. During heavy rains the inclination of the leaves may shift from horizontal to vertical.

Flower bud that is about to open may have pinkish to dark red stamens. The sepals of the flower are green outside and yellow inside (see previous photo).

The flowers usually bloom at night, revealing numerous stamens which are shed the next morning. The filaments are either all white, or white in the upper part and red in the lower part. The petals are red. They are pollinated by nectar-feeding bats and moths at night, and birds in the morning.

The fruit is persimmon-like with a flattened calyx tube. The sepals extend horizontally from the stalk or bend down towards the fruit. Each fruit contains numerous seeds which has air-bearing tissues, allowing them to float and be dispersed by water.

The fruits are eaten by locals, while the fruit juice is used to treat cough and pmixed with other herbs for treating blood in the urine. The Pneumatophores are used to make corks and floats.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L. & N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.

Perepat (Sonneratia alba)

2011-11-20T21:33:00.007+08:00

The Perepat (Sonneratia alba) is a nationally common mangrove tree from the family Lythraceae. As with the other Sonneratia species it is also commonly called "Mangrove Apple".

It is commonly found in most, if not all, the mangrove forests of Singapore.

This is a pioneering species, usually found at the front of mangrove forest, preferring sandy substrates.

The trunk is cream-coloured to brown, with fine fissures on the bark. The cable roots radiating from the tree underground arise at various intervals to form conical pneumatophores. These roots help the plant breathe air, which is scarce in the waterlogged soil. The roots spread over a wide area to help stabilise the tree on the unstable ground. Like other Sonneratia species, S. alba relies on its roots to exclude salt from entering the plant through a process called ultrafiltration.

It has simple, opposite leaves that are broadly drop-shaped with rounded tips.

The sepals of the flower are red inside and green outside. Petals are small and white, and are shed quickly.

The flowers usually bloom at night, revealing numerous white stamens which are shed the next morning. They are pollinated by nectar-feeding bats and moths at night, and birds in the morning.

The fruits are somewhat pear-shaped with persistent sepals whose tips bend back towards the stalk. Each fruit contains numerous seeds which has air-bearing tissues, allowing them to float and be dispersed by water.

The fruits and leaves are edible, while the wood is used for various construction purposes, such as the construction of buildings, bridges, boats, wooden tools and furniture.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L. & N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.

Tumu Putih (Bruguiera sexangula)

2011-11-20T01:41:00.006+08:00

The Tumu Putih (Bruguiera sexangula) is a nationally critically endangered mangrove tree from the family Rhizophoraceae.

It usually occurs at areas that are infrequently submerged, such as along tidal rivers or coastal fish ponds. In Singapore, naturally occurring ones can be found in Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, and on Pulau Tekong and Pulau Ubin. NParks have also planted them at Pasir Ris and Pulau Ubin.

The bark is grey or brown with a lenticels for gas exchange. Trees often have flanged stem base. The roots radiating from the tree somewhat loop above and below ground, forming knee roots. These roots help the plant breathe air, which is scarce in the waterlogged soil. The roots spread over a wide area to help stabilise the tree on the unstable ground. Like other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae, B. sexangula relies on its roots to exclude salt from entering the plant through a process called ultrafiltration.

It has simple, opposite leathery leaves that are elliptic with pointed tips, clustering towards the end of the branch.

The large flowers come with white petals but rapidly turns brown.

Depending on the environmental conditions such as the amount of sunlight, the calyx varies from bright yellow to light green to even pinkish.

The blunt tips of the petals have no bristles or at most 1 or 2 short bristles.

Vivipary is observed in this plant, as with the other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae. This is a condition whereby the embryo grows and break through the seed coat and the fruit wall while still attached to the parent plant. Hence, the thick and cylindrical to angular structures seen hanging/protruding from the trees are seedlings, not fruits.

The seedling is dispersed by water. It floats horizontally for a few weeks, during which the root (lower part) will absorb water and become heavier, eventually causing the seedling to tip and float vertically. As the tide goes down, the vertically-oriented seedling will sink into the mud or other suitable substrates. Most of the seedlings, however, end up being washed ashore or eaten by animals.

The wood is used for firewood, poles and making charcoal. The fruit is boiled and eaten as a vegetable. The root and leaves are used to treat burns.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
http://www.mangrove.my/page.php?pageid=mangrove

Lenggadai (Bruguiera parviflora)

2011-11-19T23:54:00.009+08:00

The Lenggadai (Bruguiera parviflora) is a nationally endangered mangrove tree from the family Rhizophoraceae.

This species typically occurs in areas that are infrequently inundated, often in the interior of mangroves on firm mud flats. Pure stands are often seen in the region, but I have not seen it in Singapore, though it is possible they may be found on Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong or the Western Catchment. Personally I have only seen individuals or a few trees together at Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong and Pasir Ris Mangrove Forest. The population at Pasir Ris is very healthy, and fallen seedlings can sometimes be found on the boardwalk. One individual previously found at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is dead.

The base of the tree is slightly flanged, and the bark is greyish or brownish. The roots radiating from the tree somewhat loop above and below ground, forming knee roots. These roots help the plant breathe air, which is scarce in the waterlogged soil. The roots spread over a wide area to help stabilise the tree on the unstable ground. Like other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae, B. parviflora relies on its roots to exclude salt from entering the plant through a process called ultrafiltration.

It has simple, opposite leaves that are elliptic with pointed tips, clustering towards the end of the branch.

The small flowers have yellow petals, and three bristles on each lobe. The calyx tube is a lot longer than the lobes, usually light green or whitish in colour.

The petals quickly turn brown.

Vivipary is observed in this plant, as with the other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae. This is a condition whereby the embryo grows and break through the seed coat and the fruit wall while still attached to the parent plant. Hence, the thin and long structures seen hanging from the trees are the seedlings, not fruits.

The short calyx lobes are straight, extending downwards instead of at an angle away from the seedling. The seedlings may turn slightly reddish as they mature.

The seedling is dispersed by water. It floats horizontally for a few weeks, during which the root (lower part) will absorb water and become heavier, eventually causing the seedling to tip and float vertically. As the tide goes down, the vertically-oriented seedling will sink into the mud or other suitable substrates. Most of the seedlings, however, end up being washed ashore or eaten by animals. As the seedlings are thin and long, many of them also ended up settling directly under the parent tree, as they drop and poke into the soil below.

A mangrove forest ranger from Malaysia once told me that if I see a nice ring of short seedlings surrounding a plant, there is a good chance that it could be a B. parviflora. Apparently this species has a short lifespan, and hence the young could replace the parent as they mature. Indeed, when I saw the above scene at Pasir Ris, I zoomed in with my long lens and indeed, the big tree in the middle was a B. parviflora! This is not always true though.

The wood from this tree produces good charcoal and pulp. It is usually used as firewood or for mining and making fishing-stakes. The germinating seedling is sometimes eaten as a vegetable.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L. & N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.

Berus Mata Buaya (Bruguiera hainesii)

2011-11-19T22:56:00.006+08:00

The Berus Mata Buaya (Bruguiera hainesii) is a nationally and internationally critically endangered mangrove tree from the family Rhizophoraceae.

Personally, I only know of 2 trees on Pulau Ubin, 1 at Pasir Ris and 1 at Kranji. It was previously seen in the western catchment, and may possibly be found still there, and I have previously also seen 1 propagule on Pulau Tekong, but did not see any existing tree.

Mature plants may have buttress roots at the base of the trunk. The roots radiating from the tree somewhat loop above and below ground, forming knee roots. These roots help the plant breathe air, which is scarce in the waterlogged soil. The roots spread over a wide area to help stabilise the tree on the unstable ground. Like other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae, B. hainesii relies on its roots to exclude salt from entering the plant through a process called ultrafiltration.

The trunk is dark grey or brown in colour with numerous lenticels for gas exchange.

It has simple, opposite leaves that are elliptic with pointed tips, clustering towards the end of the branch.

The flowers are white or light orange, and the petal lobes have 2-4 bristles at the tip, while the calyx (with 10 lobes) ranges from whitish, light green/orange (shady conditions) to red (sunny conditions).

The petals turn brown quickly.

Vivipary is observed in this plant, as with the other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae. This is a condition whereby the embryo grows and break through the seed coat and the fruit wall while still attached to the parent plant. Hence, the long structures seen hanging from the trees are seedlings, not fruits. The calyx lobes extend away from the seedling and bend downwards perpendicularly, and the seedling itself is cylindrical and sometimes curved.

The seedling is dispersed by water. It floats horizontally for a few weeks, during which the root (lower part) will absorb water and become heavier, eventually causing the seedling to tip and float vertically. As the tide goes down, the vertically-oriented seedling will sink into the mud or other suitable substrates. Most of the seedlings, however, end up being washed ashore or eaten by animals.

The wood is used for firewood and construction.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.

Tumu Merah (Bruguiera gymnorhiza)

2011-11-19T22:03:00.009+08:00

The Tumu (Bruguiera gymnorhiza) is a nationally common mangrove tree from the family Rhizophoraceae.

It is commonly found in most, if not all, the mangrove forests of Singapore. It is usually found nearer to the landward side of mangrove forests, and grows best on well-aerated soil, though it can also be found growing in muddy areas.

The trunk is dark grey or brown in colour with numerous lenticels for gas exchange. Mature plants may have buttress roots at the base of the trunk. The roots radiating from the tree somewhat loop above and below ground, forming knee roots. These roots help the plant breathe air, which is scarce in the waterlogged soil. The roots spread over a wide area to help stabilise the tree on the unstable ground. Like other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae, B. gymnorhiza relies on its roots to exclude salt from entering the plant through a process called ultrafiltration.

It has simple, opposite leathery leaves that are elliptic with pointed tips, clustering towards the end of the branch. The stipules are often reddish in colour.

The flowers are large, and the calyx ranges from pinkish (or even whitish sometimes) to bright red (especially under sunny conditions). The petals are white but turn brown very quickly. The big flowers with the bright colours attract birds for pollination.

The petals have 2-3 white bristles at the tip of each petal lobe, and one conspicuous bristle in the notch.

Vivipary is observed in this plant, as with the other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae. This is a condition whereby the embryo grows and break through the seed coat and the fruit wall while still attached to the parent plant. Hence, the thick and cylindrical structures seen hanging from the trees are the seedlings, not fruits. The calyx usually remains pink or red.

However, in shady areas and depending on the other environmental conditions, the calyx may be greenish, yellowish or even brownish. The seedling is dispersed by water. It floats horizontally for a few weeks, during which the root (lower part) will absorb water and become heavier, eventually causing the seedling to tip and float vertically. As the tide goes down, the vertically-oriented seedling will sink into the mud or other suitable substrates. Most of the seedlings, however, end up being washed ashore or eaten by animals.

Albino seedlings may occur when there is pollution. These seedlings can be yellowish or pinkish instead of the usual greenish colour. Similar conditions can be observed in the other species from the family Rhizophoraceae.

The hypocotyl is peeled and boiled before they are eaten. The hard, red wood is used for making charcoal and building house posts, furniture and rafters.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L. & N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.
http://www.mangrove.my/page.php?pageid=mangrove

Bakau Putih (Bruguiera cylindrica)

2011-11-19T21:16:00.013+08:00

The Bakau Putih (Bruguiera cylindrica) is a nationally common mangrove tree from the family Rhizophoraceae. This is, in fact, probably the most common mangrove tree in Singapore.

It is commonly found in most, if not all, the mangrove forests of Singapore. It usually occurs on firm clay at the seaward side of mangrove forests, usually behind the the more salt tolerant species.

The trunk is greyish brown in colour with small lenticels for gas exchange. Mature plants may have small buttress roots at the base of the trunk. The roots radiating from the tree somewhat loop above and below ground, forming knee roots. These roots help the plant breathe air, which is scarce in the waterlogged soil. The roots spread over a wide area to help stabilise the tree on the unstable ground. Like other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae, B. cylindrica relies on its roots to exclude salt from entering the plant through a process called ultrafiltration.

It has simple, opposite leaves that are elliptic with pointed tips, clustering towards the end of the branch.

The small flowers are white and turn brown quickly, and each petal lobe has 2-3 bristles. The calyx is claw-like.

Vivipary is observed in this plant, as with the other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae. This is a condition whereby the embryo grows and break through the seed coat and the fruit wall while still attached to the parent plant. Hence, the long structures seen hanging from the trees are seedlings, not fruits. The calyx lobes bend upwards as the seedling matures, and the seedling itself is cylindrical and often curved.

The seedling is dispersed by water. It floats horizontally for a few weeks, during which the root (lower part) will absorb water and become heavier, eventually causing the seedling to tip and float vertically. As the tide goes down, the vertically-oriented seedling will sink into the mud or other suitable substrates. Most of the seedlings, however, end up being washed ashore or eaten by animals.

The wood is said to have an odour which repels fish, and hence is not used for making fish traps. It is used as firewood.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L. & N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.

Ceriops zippeliana

2011-11-16T12:24:00.009+08:00

Ceriops zippeliana is a nationally endangered species of mangrove tree from the family Rhizophoraceae. It was previously believed to be a synonym of C. decandra, but recent studies shown that they were 2 different species.

Personally, I have seen them occurring more inland in the mangrove forest compared to C. tagal, though there were many occasions which I found both species in the same area. Many were seen on the banks of tidal rivers. Personally, I have seen good populations of this species at various mangrove forests, such as Pulau Semakau, Pulau Ubin, Pasir Ris and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

The trunk is grey or brown in colour, and mature plants may have small stilt roots at the base of the trunk. The roots radiating from the tree somewhat loop above and below ground, forming knee roots. These roots help the plant breathe air, which is scarce in the waterlogged soil. The roots spread over a wide area to help stabilise the tree on the unstable ground. Like other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae, C. zippeliana relies on its roots to exclude salt from entering the plant through a process called ultrafiltration.

It has simple, opposite leaves with rounded tips. The new leaf buds are laterally compressed, appearing like a blade, and are protected by prominent stipules which fall off as the leaves mature.

The small flowers are white and turn brown quickly, and have 5 thick and claw-like sepals.

C. zippeliana fruits have a textured pattern, unlike C. tagal fruits which are plain.

Vivipary is observed in this plant, as with the other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae. This is a condition whereby the embryo grows and break through the seed coat and the fruit wall while still attached to the parent plant. Hence, the long and green structures seen hanging from the trees are seedlings, and only the brown structures at the top of the green structures are the fruits. The seedlings generally hang in various directions, unlike C. tagal seedlings which usually hang downwards.

C zippeliana seedling has a red collar, unlike, C. tagal, which has a white/yellow collar. The hypocotyl is warty and angular.

The seedling is dispersed by water. It floats horizontally for a few weeks, during which the root (lower part) will absorb water and become heavier, eventually causing the seedling to tip and float vertically. As the tide goes down, the vertically-oriented seedling will sink into the mud or other suitable substrates. Most of the seedlings, however, end up being washed ashore or eaten by animals.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L., and N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.
Sheue, C.-R., H.-Y. Liu, C.-C. Tsai, S. M. A. Rashid, J. W. H. Yong, and Y.-P. Yang. 2009. On the morphology and molecular basis of segregation of two species Ceriops zippeliana Blume and C. decandra (Griff.) Ding Hou (Rhizophoraceae) from southeastern Asia. Blumea 54: 220-227.
Sheue, C.-R., S. M. A. Rashid, J. W. H. Yong, and Y.-P. Yang. 2010. Ceriops zippeliana Blume (Rhizophoraceae), a New Record of a Mangrove Species in Singapore. Taiwania, 55(1): 72-77.

Tengar (Ceriops tagal)

2011-11-16T11:56:00.012+08:00

The Tengar (Ceriops tagal) is a nationally vulnerable species of mangrove tree from the family Rhizophoraceae. I do not quite agree with the current conservation status though, as I have noticed that it is a lot less common than the endangered C. zippeliana.

This species is usually found on the landward edge of mangrove forests, especially in areas inundated by spring tides with well-drained soils. Personally, I have seen it at various mangrove forests, such as Pulau Semakau, Pulau Ubin, Lim Chu Kang and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

Interestingly, on Semakau it can also be found towards the seaward side.

The trunk is grey or brown in colour, and mature plants may have small stilt roots at the base of the trunk. The roots radiating from the tree somewhat loop above and below ground, forming knee roots. These roots help the plant breathe air, which is scarce in the waterlogged soil. The roots spread over a wide area to help stabilise the tree on the unstable ground. Like other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae, C. zippeliana relies on its roots to exclude salt from entering the plant through a process called ultrafiltration.

It has simple, opposite leaves with rounded tips. The new leaf buds are laterally compressed, appearing like a blade, and are protected by prominent stipules which fall off as the leaves mature.

The small flowers are white and turn brown quickly, and have 5 thick and claw-like sepals.

Vivipary is observed in this plant, as with the other mangrove species from the family Rhizophoraceae. This is a condition whereby the embryo grows and break through the seed coat and the fruit wall while still attached to the parent plant. Hence, the long and green structures seen hanging from the trees are seedlings, and only the brown structures at the top of the green structures are the fruits. C. tagal fruit is smooth and plain, unlike C. zippeliana fruit which has a textured pattern. The seedling has a white/yellow collar, unlike the latter which has a red collar. The seedlings usually occur hanging downwards, unlike the latter extending is various directions, possibly due to the longer fruit stalk. The hypocotyl is warty and angular.

The seedling is dispersed by water. It floats horizontally for a few weeks, during which the root (lower part) will absorb water and become heavier, eventually causing the seedling to tip and float vertically. As the tide goes down, the vertically-oriented seedling will sink into the mud or other suitable substrates. Most of the seedlings, however, end up being washed ashore or eaten by animals.

The wood is very hard, strong, durable, and salt-resistant, and is good for house construction and other heavy usage. When I visited one of the Malaysian mangrove forests, I was also told that it makes good firewood, and is also used to make charcoal. A dye from the wood and bark is used to dye batik.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L., and N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.

Api-api Bulu (Avicennia rumphiana)

2011-11-13T23:01:00.009+08:00

The Api-api Bulu (Avicennia rumphiana) is a nationally common mangrove tree from the family Acanthaceae. It is also commonly called Avicennia lanata. "Api-api" means "fire-fire" or "firefly" in Malay, as some Avicennia species are noted to attract fireflies.

It is commonly found in most, if not all, the mangrove forests of Singapore, and usually occurs on the seaward side of mangrove forests at sheltered shores or estuaries. This is the largest Avicennia species, and huge trees up to 20m tall can be found in many areas, including easily accessible areas like the mangrove boardwalk at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

The bark is dark grey or brown. Like other Avicennia species, it has pencil-like aerial roots (pneumatophores) to help the plant breathes air, which is scarce in the waterlogged soil. The roots spread over a wide area to help stabilise the tree on the unstable ground. These roots reportedly also trap sediments and hence reclaim land naturally.

Research indicated that roots of Avicennia species also exclude salt from entering the plant. For some species, salt filtration by the roots is by far the most important salt-rejecting mechanism, excluding up to 80% of the salt carried towards the root surface by the transpiration stream.

It has simple, opposite leaves with rounded tips. They are dark green on the top side.

The underside is light-brown, covered with fine hair that conserve water by trapping a layer of insulating air and thus reduce water loss through evaporation. Salt glands on the underside of the leaves excrete part of the remaining quantity of salt which was not excluded at the roots.

Like the other Avicennia species, it has small yellow flowers, occurring in clusters.

The fruits are broadly ovate, covered with short hair, giving it a furry appearance and hence the Malay name "bulu", which means "fur". The plant exhibits cryptovivipary - the embryo grows to break through the seed coat but not the fruit wall before it splits open. Occasionally, vivipary is also observed, where the embryo grows and break through the seed coat and the fruit wall while still attached to the parent plant.

The wood is used for construction and as firewood. The seeds are cook and eaten in some places.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Drennan, P., & N. W. Pammenter. 1982. Physiology of salt excretion in the mangrove Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. New Phytol. 91:597-606.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L., and N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.
Scholander, P. F., H. T. Hammel, E. Hemmingsen, & W. Garey. 1962. Salt balance in mangroves. Plant Physiology. 37:722-729.
Waisel, Y., A. Eshel and M. Agami. 1986. Salt balance of leaves of the mangrove Avicennia marina. Physiologia Plantaruma. 67:67--72.

Api-api Ludat (Avicennia officinalis)

2011-11-13T22:23:00.009+08:00

The Api-api Ludat (Avicennia officinalis) is a nationally common mangrove tree from the family Acanthaceae. "Api-api" means "fire-fire" or "firefly" in Malay, as some Avicennia species are noted to attract fireflies.

It is commonly found in most, if not all, the mangrove forests of Singapore.

It usually occurs on the landward side of mangrove forests, and sometimes, along tidal rivers and at their estuaries. The trunk is yellowish-green to brownish-grey.

Like other Avicennia species, it has pencil-like aerial roots (pneumatophores) to help the plant breathes air, which is scarce in the waterlogged soil. The roots spread over a wide area to help stabilise the tree on the unstable ground. These roots reportedly also trap sediments and hence reclaim land naturally.

Research indicated that roots of Avicennia species also exclude salt from entering the plant. For some species, salt filtration by the roots is by far the most important salt-rejecting mechanism, excluding up to 80% of the salt carried towards the root surface by the transpiration stream.

It has simple, opposite leaves with rounded tips. They are bright to dark green on the top side, and light green on the underside. Unlike the other native Avicennia species, the salt glands are on the topsides of the leaves. They excrete part of the remaining quantity of salt which was not excluded at the roots.

Like the other Avicennia species, it has small yellow flowers, occurring in clusters.

The fruits are broadly ovate with a short beak, covered with short hair, and yellowish-brown in colour. The plant exhibits cryptovivipary - the embryo grows to break through the seed coat but not the fruit wall before it splits open. Occasionally, vivipary is also observed, where the embryo grows and break through the seed coat and the fruit wall while still attached to the parent plant.

The wood is used as firewood, and the fruits are edible.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Drennan, P., & N. W. Pammenter. 1982. Physiology of salt excretion in the mangrove Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. New Phytol. 91:597-606.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L., and N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.
Scholander, P. F., H. T. Hammel, E. Hemmingsen, & W. Garey. 1962. Salt balance in mangroves. Plant Physiology. 37:722-729.
Waisel, Y., A. Eshel and M. Agami. 1986. Salt balance of leaves of the mangrove Avicennia marina. Physiologia Plantaruma. 67:67--72.

Api-api Jambu (Avicennia marina)

2011-11-13T21:28:00.013+08:00

The Api-api Jambu (Avicennia marina) is a nationally critically endangered mangrove tree from the family Acanthaceae. Interestingly, despite it being so rare in Singapore, it is possibly the most abundant and widespread Avicennia species in the world. "Api-api" means "fire-fire" or "firefly" in Malay, as some Avicennia species are noted to attract fireflies. Personally, I have seen fireflies congregating on Api-api Jambu in Sarawak.

On mainland Singapore, I have only seen a few tall trees (more than 5m) at Pandan Mangrove. It is more common on the islands though, with a good population on Pulau Tekong and Pulau Semakau, and a few trees on St John's Island. It is likely that this species may also be found on some of the more remote islands.

It is a pioneer species and usually occurs on sheltered shores.

The trunk is greenish/yellowish grey. Like other Avicennia species, it has pencil-like aerial roots (pneumatophores) to help the plant breathes air, which is scarce in the waterlogged soil. The roots spread over a wide area to help stabilise the tree on the unstable ground. These roots reportedly also trap sediments and hence reclaim land naturally.

Research indicated that roots of Avicennia marina also exclude salt from entering the plants, and salt filtration by the roots is by far its most important salt-rejecting mechanism, excluding some 80% of the salt carried towards the root surface by the transpiration stream.

It has simple, opposite leaves with pointed tips. They are green on the top side (with more yellow compared to A. alba), and yellow or whitish green on the underside. Salt glands on their undersides excrete up to 40% of the remaining quantity of salt which was not excluded at the roots.

Like the other Avicennia species, it has small yellow flowers, occurring in clusters. Young twigs have a squarish cross-section.

The fruits are in the shape of a fat inverted teardrops and are light green in colour. The plant exhibits cryptovivipary - the embryo grows to break through the seed coat but not the fruit wall before it splits open. Occasionally, vivipary is also observed, where the embryo grows and break through the seed coat and the fruit wall while still attached to the parent plant.

The wood from this tree are used to make paper in some countries, while the fruit is edible. Resins from the seeds are used to treat burns.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Drennan, P., & N. W. Pammenter. 1982. Physiology of salt excretion in the mangrove Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. New Phytol. 91:597-606.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L., and N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.
Scholander, P. F., H. T. Hammel, E. Hemmingsen, & W. Garey. 1962. Salt balance in mangroves. Plant Physiology. 37:722-729.
Waisel, Y., A. Eshel and M. Agami. 1986. Salt balance of leaves of the mangrove Avicennia marina. Physiologia Plantaruma. 67:67--72.

Api-api Putih (Avicennia alba)

2011-11-12T11:52:00.013+08:00

The Api-api Putih (Avicennia alba) is a locally common mangrove tree from the family Acanthaceae. "Api-api" means "fire-fire" or "firefly" in Malay, as some Avicennia species are noted to attract fireflies.

It can be commonly found at most, if not all, of our mangrove forests, such as Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong, Mandai, Pasir Ris, Pulau Semakau, St John's Island, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Pandan Mangrove.

It is a pioneering species, occurring in mangrove swamps, along seashores and tidal rivers.

The trunk is usually greyish brown in colour. Like other Avicennia species, it has pencil-like aerial roots (pneumatophores) to help the plant breathes air, which is scarce in the waterlogged soil. The roots spread over a wide area to help stabilise the tree on the unstable ground. These roots reportedly also trap sediments and hence reclaim land naturally.

Research indicated that roots of Avicennia species also exclude salt from entering the plant. For some species, salt filtration by the roots is by far the most important salt-rejecting mechanism, excluding up to 80% of the salt carried towards the root surface by the transpiration stream.

It has simple, opposite leaves with pointed tips. Leaves are glossy green on the top side, and whitish on the underside, hence the Malay name "Putih", which means "white". Salt glands on their undersides excrete part of the remaining quantity of salt which was not excluded at the roots.

Like the other Avicennia species, it has small yellow flowers, occurring in clusters.

The fruits are in the shape of elongated inverted teardrops and are whitish/greyish green in colour. The plant exhibits cryptovivipary - the embryo grows to break through the seed coat but not the fruit wall before it splits open. Occasionally, vivipary is also observed, where the embryo grows and break through the seed coat and the fruit wall while still attached to the parent plant.

The wood of this plant is used as firewood and construction timber. The fruits are cooked and eaten, while resins from the seeds are used to treat skin diseases and wounds.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Drennan, P., & N. W. Pammenter. 1982. Physiology of salt excretion in the mangrove Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. New Phytol. 91:597-606.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L., and N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.
Scholander, P. F., H. T. Hammel, E. Hemmingsen, & W. Garey. 1962. Salt balance in mangroves. Plant Physiology. 37:722-729.
Waisel, Y., A. Eshel and M. Agami. 1986. Salt balance of leaves of the mangrove Avicennia marina. Physiologia Plantaruma. 67:67--72.

Mentigi (Pemphis acidula)

2011-11-12T11:13:00.008+08:00

The Mentigi (Pemphis acidula) is a locally critically endangered mangrove plant from the family Lythraceae.

The Mentigi is usually found on rocky or sandy areas on the landward side, often above the high tide level. In Singapore, it occurs on some of the southern islands and a few reclaimed beaches, though the ones at Changi and Marina East have died and it is not known if it can still be found on other reclaimed beaches. A few were planted on Pulau Ubin and HortPark.

The species occur in the form of spreading shrubs, such as the ones above...

...or trees with a main trunk, depending on the habitat.

The simple opposite leaves, covered with fine hair, are the smallest among the local mangrove species - between 4-8mm wide and usually less than 20mm long. The flowers are small (not more than 20mm wide) with six white petals.

The fruits are small about 5mm across, turning reddish brown as they mature.

The wood is very hard and durable, and is used to make hand tools, walking sticks and other hardy wooden artifacts. It was often grown for ornamentation purpose and as a bonsai, due to its pretty flowers and small leaves.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett. 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.

Kacang-kacang (Aegiceras corniculatum)

2011-11-11T21:32:00.002+08:00

This is certainly my favourite mangrove plant! The Kacang-kacang (Aegiceras corniculatum) is a nationally endangered mangrove tree from the family Myrsinaceae.

It is a true mangrove plant, and can hence survive partially submerged in brackish water during high tide. It is considered a minor mangrove species, and prefers sandy substrates, and normally occurs at the landward of mangrove forests or at the sides of mangrove rivers. The common name "Kacang-kacang" means "beans" in Malay.

This short tree has alternative/sub-opposite leaves arranged in a somewhat spiral manner. The leaves are rounded, and often appear wet, as they excrete salt through glands on the top side. As a result, they can sometimes be mistaken for the Api-api Ludat (Avicennia officinalis), which has similar features, but has opposite leaves instead.

The flowers form clusters, as shown in the young flower buds above.

The flowers are white with protruding anthers and a pinkish style. It exudes a sweet scent and has rich innectar.

Withered flowers reveal the pinkish styles, next to a cluster of flower buds on the right.

The young fruits appeared like a bunch of chillies.

The fruits ranges from green to pinkish to red in colour, and are strongly curved. This plant exhibits cryptovivipary, meaning that the embryo grows and breaks through the seed coat but not the fruit wall before it splits open.

The Kacang-kacang is a very useful plant - the bark contains saponin and is used to stun fish; the pretty and sweet-smelling flowers are used for ornamentation purposes and are also worn by local women; the wood is used for timber and charcoal production; and the young leaves are eaten by locals.

So far, I have only seen this plant on Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong, and in the mangrove forest next to Kranji Nature Trail. I understand that they were previously found at Mandai Mangrove also, but I had not seen it during my last few trips there. It was said to be present at Khatib Bongsu as well.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L., and N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.

Piai Lasu (Acrostichum speciosum)

2011-11-11T00:45:00.009+08:00

The Piai Lasu (Acrostichum speciosum) is a common species of mangrove fern, often found at seaward side of mangroves and in areas with mud lobster mounds.

The ferns form clumps up to 1.5m tall, and generally prefer shady areas.

The fronds have elongated pointed tips.

The other mangrove fern, Piai Raya (Acrostichum aureum), is much larger (up to 4m tall) and leaf tips are usually blunt.

Like other ferns, they reproduce from spores, and large sporangia cover the undersides of fertile fronds.

The leaves are used for thatching.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L., and N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.

Piai Raya (Acrostichum aureum)

2011-11-11T00:04:00.008+08:00

The Piai Raya (Acrostichum aureum) is a large clump-forming mangrove fern commonly found at the inland side of mangroves and freshwater marshes.

The fern can grow as tall as 4m, sometimes forming dense stands at sunny areas.

The leaf tips are generally blunt, sometimes with a small point.

The other mangrove fern, Piai Lasu (Acrostichum speciosum), is much smaller (up to 1.5m tall) and the leaves have elongated pointed tips.

Like other ferns, they reproduce from spores, and large sporangia cover the undersides of fertile fronds.

The fern's young leaves are eaten by the locals in some areas, and dried leaves are used for thatching. The rhizomes are used to treat wounds.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L., and N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.

Nyireh Bunga (Xylocarpus granatum)

2011-11-08T19:30:00.009+08:00

The Nyireh Bunga (Xylocarpus granatum) is a nationally common mangrove plant from the family Meliaceae. The various Xylocarpus species are usually called Mangrove Cannonball for their round fruits.

It can be commonly found at most, if not all, of our mangrove forests, such as Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong, Mandai, Pasir Ris, Pulau Semakau, St John's Island, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Pandan Mangrove. It usually occurs at the landward side of mangroves.

The tree has "plank-like" buttress roots.

The trunk has thin and flaking barks, usually light brown in colour. The other 2 Xylocarpus species, Nyireh Batu (Xylocarpus moluccensis) and Nyireh (Xylocarpus rumphii), have fissured barks.

It has pinnately compound leaves with 1 to 2 pairs of leaflets that are round or egg-shaped with rounded tips. The other 2 Xylocarpus species have more leaflets with pointed tips.

The flowers form clusters with whitish petals.

The fruits are round, about the size of a small coconut - larger than the other The other 2 Xylocarpus species.

Like other Xylocarpus species, it has woody seeds. The fruit breaks upon drying or when it hits the ground, and the seeds are dispersed by water.

The wood is used for constructing boats and handles of small tools. The bark is used for tanning and dying cloth, while the seeds are used to treat stomach problems.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L., and N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.

Nyireh Batu (Xylocarpus moluccensis)

2011-11-08T18:57:00.008+08:00

The Nyireh Batu (Xylocarpus moluccensis) is a nationally endangered mangrove plant from the family Meliaceae. The various Xylocarpus species are usually called Mangrove Cannonball for their round fruits.

Personally, I have seen good populations on Pulau Ubin and in Pasir Ris, and several trees in Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and on Pulau Tekong and Pulau Semakau. They are usually found in tidal forests, on banks of tidal creeks, usually nearer to the back of the mangroves.

The bark on the main trunk is deeply fissured, although the branches are usually smooth, compared to the Nyireh Bunga (Xylocarpus granatum) with flaking bark.

It has pinnately compound leaves, and the leaflets are oval to egg-shaped with pointed tips, compared to the Nyireh (Xylocarpus rumphii) with ovate to heart shaped leaflets, and the Nyireh Bunga (Xylocarpus granatum) with rounded leaflets. It usually has three or more pairs of leaflets.

The plant is deciduous, and hence sometimes all the leaves will turn yellow or orange, and eventually fall off, turning the tree bare.

The flowers form clusters with whitish petals.

The fruits are round, about 10cm wide.

The wood is used for house and boat constructions, making handles for small tools and firewood. The fruits, seeds and bark are used for stomach problems.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett. 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.

Nyireh (Xylocarpus rumphii)

2011-11-07T18:21:00.000+08:00

The Nyireh (Xylocarpus rumphii) is a critically endangered seashore plant from the family Meliaceae. The various Xylocarpus species are usually called Mangrove Cannonball for their round fruits.

Personally, I have only seen a few trees at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, St John's Island and Sentosa, and one young sapling on Pulau Semakau. There's supposed to be a few trees at Pandan Mangrove, but not sure if they are still there.

The Niyireh is usually found on rocky shores and cliffs, and sometimes on upper shores above the high water mark at the back mangrove.

The bark is fissured and greyish in colour, unlike the Nyireh Bunga (Xylocarpus granatum) with flaking bark.

It has pinnately compound leaves, and the leaflets are ovate to heart shaped with pointed tips, unlike the Nyireh Batu (Xylocarpus moluccensis) with oval to egg-shaped leaflets, and the Nyireh Bunga (Xylocarpus granatum) with rounded leaflets.

The flowers form hanging clusters with whitish petals.

The fruits are round, about the size of a large apple.

The wood is used for making boats and wooden handicraft, such as traditional knife handles, while the bark is used for tanning and dying cloth. The seeds are used for treating stomachache.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett. 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.

Ipil (Intsia bijuga)

2011-11-07T00:23:00.001+08:00

I could still remember the first time I saw the Ipil tree along a tidal river on Pulau Tioman. At that time, I had no idea what tree it was, but it's such a tall and majestic tree, that I decided to take a photo of it. It's only after I came back to Singapore and did some research that I knew that this was an Ipil tree. Since then, I always kept a lookout for this tree when I visited our mangrove forests.

The Ipil (Intsia bijuga), also known as Moluccan Ironwood, is a mangrove associate from the legume family, Fabaceae. It's usually found at the drier areas of the mangrove forests or sandy beaches. This coastal/back mangrove tree is critically endangered in Singapore, and hence it's no surprise that I did not see many of them growing wild.

The tree has pinnately compound leaves, with 2-6 leaflets, though usually I see 4 leaflets only. It is deciduous, which explains why the ones near the Sungei Buloh Mangrove Boardwalk appear rather bare sometimes. This tree can grow to more than 40 m tall!

The flowers occur in dense clusters, and each flower has 4 sepals but only one petal, which starts off white in colour, but eventually turns to dark purple.

The fruit is a flat pod that turns brown as it matures - not quite sure how long it takes to mature though, but definitely more than a month from my observation.

The timber from this tree and other related Intsia species is known as "merbau" commercially, and is a high-end luxury wood, particularly popular for hardwood flooring but also used to produce furniture and musical instruments. The reddish-brown timber contains yellow specks, making it appears to be ""gold-flecked", and making it very popular with the Chinese. The locals use the wood to build houses, bridges, and boats, as it is very durable and resistant to insects and weather.

Rather unfortunately, the high demand for the timber has led to over-logging, both legally and illegally, and only small pockets of Ipil remain in Southeast Asia. It is believed that the only commercially viable population is found on the island New Guinea. Apparently, the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species 2006 has categorised merbau as "facing a high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future".

Apart from being an important source of the merbau timber, the bark and leaves of the Ipil is also used as medicine to treat diarrhoea. The seeds are also edible. They are usually fried, soaked for a few days, then boiled and eaten.

On mainland Singapore, the biggest population of Ipil that I had seen so far occurs in the mangrove forest near Kranji Nature Trail - there were at least 2 mature trees, and perhaps more than 10 young ones. I had also seen a few trees at Mandai Mangrove, Sungei Buloh, Admiralty Park and Seletar Mangrove. Would assume it could probably be found at Khatib Bongsu and Lim Chu Kang as well, though I hadn't properly explored these areas yet.

Offshore, the biggest Ipil population could be found on Pulau Tekong, and I had also seen a few trees on Pulau Ubin. I certainly hope to encounter more of them as I explore more of our mangrove forests :)

The Ipil was also planted in several parks and gardens, and I had seen a few mature trees in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, and a few young ones along Sentosa Boardwalk and in Labrador Park

References

Cheung, S. P., C. Tiy & T. Stark. 2007. Merbau’s last stand: how industrial logging is driving the destruction of the paradise forests of Asia Pacific. Greenpeace International. Amsterdam. 34 pp.
Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L., and N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.

Sea Rubber Vine (Gymnanthera oblonga)

2011-11-06T16:53:00.005+08:00

The Sea Rubber Vine (Gymnanthera oblonga) is a nationally critically endangered mangrove climber found only in a few localities in Singapore.

Personally, I have only seen this rare mangrove associate on Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Semakau and at Pasir Ris Mangrove, I understand it can be found at Seletar as well. Populations on the northern islands were good and widespread, but I have not been able to find the one I saw on Pulau Semakau recently. The Chinese calls it 海岛藤, or Sea Island Vine.

The leaves of Gymnanthera oblonga are opposite, and exhibit two different morphs - the young plants generally have thin leaves.

As the plant matures and climbs onto other pants, the leaves eventually become more rounded.

The flowers form small clusters, and can be rather attractive dangling off other trees.

Here's a closer look at the flower and a flower bud, both located between the stalks of a pair of leaves.

The fruits are thin and long. They come in pairs, much like most of the other members of the family Apocynaceae.

As they mature, they split to reveal fluffy seeds dispersed by wind.

I was searching through the Net but couldn't seem to find any uses of Gymnanthera oblonga, except that the fruits are eaten in Papua New Guinea. Do they eat the fluffy seeds in the fruits, I wonder?

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett. 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
French, B. R, 2006. Food Composition Tables for Food Plants in Papua New Guinea. Tasmania. 72 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.

Kalak Kambing (Finlaysonia obovata)

2011-11-06T10:56:00.002+08:00

Kalak Kambing (Finlaysonia obovata) is a rather rare mangrove associate from the family Apocynaceae. The genus was named after the famous naturalist George Finlayson, while the species name "obovata" means "reversed egg" in Latin. It is considered nationally critically endangered as it was estimated that there are less than 50 mature individuals left in the wild, with some evidence of decline or fragmentation in its habitat. I don't exactly agree with this though, as personally I have seen way too many Kalak Kambing growing in the wild.

The tidal canal at Sungei Kadut possibly has one of the largest population of Kalak Kambing in Singapore. This plant exhibits various growth forms - some may occur as climbers climbing on tall trees.

Others may creep and climb over each other, forming thick and extensive bush-like growths. It may sometimes be mistaken with Acanthus volubilis - another climber with opposite rounded leaves. To differentiate them, just break a leaf. The broken leaf that exudes a white sap belongs to the Kalak Kambing. The young leaves of this plant are apparently eaten by some as a vegetable.

Yet others may occur as small and low bush-like clumps. Apart from Sungei Kadut, I have seen a huge population of Kalak Kambing at Mandai Mangrove and Kranji Nature Trail Mangrove. I have also encountered several of this plant at Seletar Mangrove, Khatib Bongsu, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Pulau Ubin, Pasir Ris Park, Lim Chu Kang and Woodlands Town Garden. Understand that it can be found at a number of other mangroves, so I really don't think it's critically endangered.

The flowers can come in two colours - the more common one being the purplish one above.

Light-greenish ones can also be found in Singapore. In fact, I have seen flowers of both colours at Sungei Kadut, and sometimes different climbers with different coloured flowers can be climbing over the same tree.

The flowers form loose clusters, and do not bloom together. A small fruit can be seen in the above photo to the right.

Young fruits appear like a pair of horns.

The more mature fruits appear more bloated.

The fruits eventually dry up and burst to reveal the flat seeds inside.

References

Ang, W. F., P. X. Ng, S. Teo, A. F. S. L. Lok & H. T. W. Tan, 2010. The status and distribution in Singapore of Finlaysonia obovata Wall. (Apocynaceae). Nature in Singapore, 3: 7–11.
Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett. 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.

Mangrove Lime (Merope angulata)

2011-11-04T14:23:00.000+08:00

The Mangrove Lime (Merope angulata) is a critically endangered mangrove associate in Singapore.

Personally, I have seen the biggest population of this plant at the back mangrove along Kranji Nature Trail, with more than 15 plants in one of the patches. Mandai Mangrove also has a good population, while at Sungei Buloh, I have seen 2 young plants. Not sure if they can be found else where in Singapore, though I would assume they should be present in the other northern mangroves.

The plant typically occurs as a a shrub in Singapore, and the tallest that I have seen is about 2m. It is found to the landward edge of mangrove forests and along river banks, and generally in areas with firm substrate.

It has alternate leaves, as seen on this young plant found at Sungei Buloh. The leaves, especially the more mature ones, tend to be thick and leathery, and aromatic (lime like fragrance) when broken.

The leaves are dotted with tiny glands, as shown on the leaf to the lower-right of the above photo, which also has a flower and a young fruit.

Here's a look at the flower bud.

The flowers, which occur in leaf axils, are fragrant with 5 white petals and 10 stamens. They usually occur in pairs or small clusters.

The fruit is triangular in cross-section with 3 flattened sides.

The fruits turn yellow as they mature.

Like other plants from the family Rutaceae, the branches come with woody thorns. Interestingly, the Malay name for the plant, Limau Lelang, means "lime" (limau) and "hawk's talons" (lelang, refering to the thorns. The tree appears to be deciduous to me, as on several occasions I had seen all the leaves on a plant turning yellow and dropping off, but yet during subsequent visits, they were all green again.

The roots are said to be used to treat abdominal complaints and assist womb contract after childbirth. Locals sometimes preserve the fruits and boil them to make a citrus drink.

References

Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. Singapore. 273 pp.
Giesen, W., S. Wulffraat, M. Zieren & L. Scholten. 2006. Mangrove guidebook for Southeast Asia. RAP Publication 2006/07. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific & Wetlands International. Bangkok. 769 pp.
Ng, P. K. L., and N. Sivasothi. 1999. A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem & plant diversity. Singapore Science Centre. Singapore. 168 pp.

Langkawi with NParks Friends

2011-10-30T14:40:00.005+08:00

In colloquial Malay, "lang" (short for "helang") means "eagle", and "kawi" is the colour reddish brown. And if you take a boat ride down the mangrove rivers of Pulau Langkawi, you will know why the island is named after a reddish brown eagle, or what is commonly called the Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus) - a raptor with a reddish brown plumage and a white head and breast.

On 7 October 2011, a group of NParks staff and volunteers arrived on this island of the Brahminy kite for a four-day field study trip. Such field trips to various nature spots in the region are organised once a year to foster better relationships between staff and volunteers, and at the some time expose them to the various tropical ecosystems. The experiences gained from these field trips can also be applied back at the local scene, when volunteers participate in field work or nature guiding.

We flew into the island using a budget airline - the first time that an annual field study trip for volunteers required air travel! Greeting us at the airport was the field trip coordinator from Malaysia, Gary, who had organised some of the previous field trips. We checked in at our hotel at Kuah Town for lunch and had a short rest before heading out to our first destination, the Seven Wells Waterfall.

Locally known as Telaga Tujuh, which means "seven wells", the Seven Wells Waterfall is a picturesque waterfall, so named because its flowing water is broken by a series of seven natural pools. It was a short, but steep, and hence tiring climb to reach the pools, but we were rewarded with beautiful scenery and refreshingly cool water, which some of us dipped our feet in.

We then went to Gunung Raya, the tallest mountain on Pulau Langkawi, where we had a very misty experience as the clouds were hanging around the summit. We concluded the day with a nice dinner by the beach.

Day Two started off with the main highlight of the trip - a boat ride through the mangroves of the Kilim Karst Geoforest Park! We lost count of the number of Brahminy kites we saw during the boat ride, as there were so many of them!

And this was my favourite photo of the Brahminy Kite.

There were several White-bellied Sea Eagles (Haliaeetus leucogaster) as well, but I did not manage to get a good shot. The above was the best I managed to capture.

We saw this Common Sandpiper, (Actitis hypoleucos) along the river.

Like our mangroves in Singapore, the Malayan Water Monitor (Varanus salvator) was a common sight.

Several troupes of Long-tailed Macaques (Macaca fascicularis) were seen, and some of them were totally not shy about getting passionate in the open :P

We saw many Dusky Leaf Monkeys (Trachypithecus obscurus) too, and some of the luckier ones even saw dolphins!

There were plenty of plants for the plant-lovers too, including species that were rare in Singapore, such as the Kacang-kacang (Aegiceras corniculatum), Api-api Jambu (Avicennia marina).

Many of the plants were not even found in Singapore, such as this cliff cycad (Cycas clivicola). We also visited a few limestone formations and caves, before we proceed to a fish farm for lunch.

After lunch, we went to Oriental Village to take the cable car up Gunung Mat Cincang. We had a few minutes at the summit for some photograph-taking before it starting pouring, and hence we did not managed to visit the famous Hanging Bridge - it was closed for safety reasons due to the bad weather. The rain stopped as we were leaving Oriental Village, and we had a steamboat dinner at a restaurant near our hotel.

Day Three was free-and-easy, and most of us went bird-watching in the morning at Gunung Raya. It was really foggy though, and hence we only saw a few birds. There were other interesting organisms though.

We found this unidentified Tractor Millipede (Order Polydesmida) on the road.

We also saw what looked like a flatworm feeding on an earthworm.

I was unlucky enough to get attacked by 3 leeches...

And Andy found this Siamese Peninsula Pit Viper (Trimeresurus fucatus).

In the afternoon, it was own-time-own-target. A few people rented a car to drive around the island. Others either revisited Gunung Mat Cincang, or walked around Kuah Town and Eagle's Square, or just rested and relaxed in the vicinity of the hotel. I went to Eagle's Square, and saw several shore organisms.

The sandy shore had lots of little crabs. The above looked like some species of Ghost Crab with its burrowing behaviour and fat eye-stalks.

The Sally-light-foot Crab (Grapsus albolineatus) was quite abundant on the sea wall.

But what really amazed me was the many Giant Chitons. Not sure if they were the same species as the one found in Singapore though, but huge chitons were so uncommon in Singapore.

After visiting the shore, we went for a walk in a nearby park, and that turned out to be a good decision, as we saw a number of animals there too!

There were a pair of Red-wattled Lapwings (Vanellus indicus) by a pond.

And we saw several Dusky Leaf Monkeys!

We also saw 7 juvenile Oriental Pied Hornbills (Anthracoceros albirostris) in the same park, and lots of other birds!

We flew back to Singapore in the morning of the fourth day.

While we did not get to experience everything in the itinerary due to the bad weather, it was still a very fun and enriching trip, and certainly a good opportunity for volunteers and staff from various NParks branches to get together to foster better relationships and learn from each other!

Changi Beach on 29 Oct 2011

2011-10-29T23:53:00.002+08:00

I was back on Changi Beach with a few friends today. Was rather worried that we may not see much stuff due to the rainy weather, but fortunately, there were still plenty to see! Here's a quick listing of some of the highlights:

A Sea Moth (Pegasus volitans) was found in a little tidal pool.

Several Transparent Sea Cucumbers (Paracaudina australis) were seen, and this one was in the process of burrowing into the sand.

There were many little Black Sea Urchins (Temnopleurus sp.), though instead of clustering around the same area like what I saw last time, they were rather spread out.

I only saw one Salmacis Sea Urchin (Salmacis sp.).

The Swimming Anemones (Boloceroides mcmurrichii) were definitely in season, as they were every where!

Again, I saw a pair of Tiger Moon Snails (Natica tigrina). Not sure if they were mating or trying to eat each other.

This tiny little Snapping Shrimp (Alpheus sp.) had very pretty blue claws.

Some Snapping Shrimps live commensally in other animals, such as the one above which lives in a soft coral colony.

There were quite a few small Haddon's Carpet Anemones (Stichodactyla haddoni), but I did not see any big ones.

Flower Crabs (Portunus pelagicus) were still common among the seagrass.

There were much fewer sea stars though. I saw a few small- and medium-sized Biscuit Sea Stars (Goniodiscaster scaber), but no huge ones.

There were a few small Cake Sea Stars (Anthenea aspera) too.

The Sand Stars (Astropecten sp.) starting appearing only after it turned dark.

There were still lots of Asian Date Mussels (Musculista senhousia) and their nests.

I found a sea pen, and saw many little brittle stars on it.

The sea pen also had a few commensal Porcelain Crabs (Porcellanella picta).

The resident Sea Apple (Pseudocolochirus axiologus) was still around! Can you see a little butterflyfish just above it in the photo to the left?

On the Sea Apple. I also saw this little crustacean - not too sure what it was though. Some isopod?

I spotted this Diamond Tuskfish (Halichoeres dussumieri) as it turned dark.

This Mantis shrimp (Harpiosquilla sp.). kept stirring up the sediment as I was trying to get a photo of it.

Under a rock, I found an Ovum Cowrie (Cypraea ovum), a Rock Star (Asterina coronata) and a little porcelain crab, among the other sessile organisms.

There's also a peanut worm. Previously from the phylum Sipuncula, recent studies shown that it's actually an annelid (phylum Annelida) which has lost its segments through evolution.

Tube Anemones were surprisingly abundant today.

And lastly, a pretty colony of sea pen.

As usual, Changi had lots to offer :)

Quick Look at Sisters Island on 26 Oct 2011

2011-10-27T00:34:00.007+08:00

I was back on Big Sisters Island today for a picnic organised by a friend. As the main focus wasn't on the shore life, I only managed to sneak out to check out the shore for like an hour or so. Tide wasn't that low by then, but fortunately I still managed to find a number of stuff :)

I was most excited to find this Fluted Giant Clam (Tridacna squamosa) in the lagoon - had not been able to find it for my past few trips here! The metal stick on the right probably indicated that Mei Ling, who worked on giant clams, was studying it. This one is about 30cm wide.

Most of the people on the island were more excited about the Long-tailed Macaques (Macaca fascicularis) though. There were more than 10 of them and they were really rather daring. We were kept busy for quite a while keeping them away from the food.

The smaller lagoon, as usual, had many Sand-sifting Sea Stars (Archaster typicus). These sea stars sift among the sand for tiny decaying matter (detritus) to feed on.

There were quite a few moon snail trails. I dug one out and it was a Pear-shaped Moon Snail (Polinices mammilla).

At the mouth of the small lagoon, there were a few Haddon's Carpet Anemone (Stichodactyla haddoni), and I found some Anemone Shrimps (Periclimenes brevicarpalis) on them! These shrimps had a layer of mucus on their body to prevent the anemone from stinging them, while being protected from predators by the stinging tentacles.

I found a few tiny Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) in some of the Giant Carpet Anemones (Stichodactyla gigantea) near the mouth of the lagoon too!

Branched Sea Anemones (Phymanthus sp.) were as abundant as ever. They looked like little flowers of the sea...

Leaf Slugs (Elysia ornata) were in season, and I saw many of them among the seaweed. These sea slugs sucked the sap of the seaweed and retained the chloroplast in their body for photosynthesis. And so they were somewhat "solar-powered", like plants!

At the rocky areas, I saw many Black Sea Cucumbers (Holothuria leucospilota) among the rocks and coral rubble.

There were many snails on the sea wall, but the limpets caught my eye, as I suddenly remembered a friend who was studying them for her honours project.

I only saw one nudibranch, a Discodoris boholiensis. "Nudibranch" means "naked gills", refering to the flower-like gills on the back of most species.

Fanworms (Sabellastarte sp.) were also rather common at the coral rubble area.

The Red Maiden's Fan (Oceanapia sagittaria) is probably my favourite sea sponge - the bulk of the sponge is actually hidden in the ground.

Sisters Island has a very nice and dense intertidal coral reef. All the brown boulders above were hard corals! They are mostly brown due to this golden-brown algae (called zooxanthellae) that live inside them. The algae photosynthesize and provide nutrients for the corals, while getting shelter in return.

Some corals, such as the Turban Coral (Turbinaria peltata) above, have their own colour pigments that act as sun block, and hence they may appear greenish, bluish or even purplish.

Coral reefs can get rather colourful sometimes - the above shows some corallimorphs among some sponges.

Algae, like the red algae above, can be brightly coloured too!

So are the colonial ascidians.

Some of the areas had lots of Zoanthids (Palythoa mutuki), which looked like little flowers carpeting the area.

Even smaller are the tiny polyps of the Toadstool Leather Coral (Sarcophyton sp.).

The tide came back rather quickly, and I had to stop my exploration. As we were leaving the island, I noticed that the trash bin were really not very monkey-proof... Hopefully Sentosa will do something about this, since they are managing the island!

Kusu Island on Children's Day 2011

2011-10-01T23:51:00.002+08:00

Finally, I was back to explore Kusu Island! Was really glad that I managed to round up a small gang to visit this island during the pilgrimage season! I always like to visit Kusu Island during this period just to enjoy the festive mood.

Unfortunately, possibly because of the rain in the morning, there were not many that people on the island. Most of the pasar malam and food stalls were also closed. When I was here last year, it was a lot more fun with all the stalls and enthusiastic devotees shouting "huat ah!"

We only saw one Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the lagoon today, unlike my last trip which I saw 3 of them. Not sure where did the other two go.

As the tide got lower, we entered the sandy lagoon and the first animal that I saw was this Sand-sifting Sea Star (Archaster typicus). Also called the Common Sea Star by some, this is one of the most commonly seen sea stars in Singapore. It's often sold under the wrong name of Astropecten sp. in the aquarium trade, but more unfortunately, these sea stars feed on tiny organic particles in the sand, and hence usually cannot survive in home marine tanks.

Nearer the sea wall, several colonies of soft corals can be seen. The above is a Lobophytum sp., which has vertical outgrowths on the top surface of the colony.

There were a few Tube Anemones (Order Ceriantharia) too.

On some of the loose rocks from the sea wall, several huge patches of Corallimorphs (Order Corallimorpharia) can be seen. They are closely related to the hard corals, but do not secrete a hard skeleton like the latter.

There was a really extensive population of Branching Monitpora Corals (Montipora sp.) in the lagoon, and lots of little crabs and shrimps can be found hiding among them.

Several pretty luminous green Favid Corals (Family Faviidae) were also spotted. The bright colour comes from the coral's colour pigments, which act as sun screen to block harmful rays.

The were lots of huge Magnificent Anemones (Heteractis magnifica), many of them clustering on the same rock. These anemones can reproduce asexually by fission, and hence the various individuals found on the same rock could have originated from just one of them.

There were several Gigantic Carpet Anemones (Stichodactyla gigantea) too. And in some of the sea anemones, we saw the Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)!

Talking about fish, the Silverside (Atherinomorus duodecimalis) was definitely one of the most abundant fishes in the lagoon.

There were quite a few halfbeaks and needlefish too. The above needle fish was quite huge, possible about 50cm long.

I saw a young Fringe-eyed Flathead (Cymbacephalus nematophthalmus), probably about 10cm long. Just see how well-camouflaged it was!

But an even better master of camouflage would be Mr Stonefish (Synanceia horrida), when you can even find encrusting ascidians, sponges and algae growing on it. Fortunately, nobody stepped onto it, as it's very venomous and the spine on its back can easily poke through shoes! And unfortunately, Syalabi who came with us got stung by something! We didn't see what stung him, but from the position on his foot, I would suspect it to be a stingray. It was a very seriously sting though, being protected by his booties, and though it was very painful initially, it got a lot better after a while. And that's why it's always very important to wear covered shoes while exploring our shores!

We also saw a Stonefish Sea Cucumber (Actinopyga lecanora), which was not venomous at all, but got it's commercial name from the fact that it's very smooth and often found stuck among rocks and coral rubble, just like another stone! Next to the sea cucumber was a Red Swimming Crab (Thalamita spinimana).

There were many Purple Climber Crabs (Metopograpsus sp.) on the sea wall, but they can be be shy and hard to photograph sometimes. I was lucky to encounter a no-so-shy one here.

Related to the purple climber was this Sally-light-foot (Grapsus albolineatus), which unfortunately had lost one of its claws! It should be able to replace it when it next moult though.

Red Egg Crabs (Atergatis integerrimus) were quite plentiful too. These brightly coloured crabs are mildly poisonous.

A few Smooth Spooner Crabs (Etisus laevimanus) were seen in the lagoon too. The tips of its claws were spoon-like to enable it to scrape algae to feed on.

As we were heading out of the lagoon, we encounter a few of these fast runners - Ghost Crabs (Ocypode ceratophthalmus).

There were also a few Land Hermit Crabs (Coenobita sp.). Didn't have time to examine one closely to confirm the species though.

One of the prettier shrimp that can be found in Singapore waters must be this brightly coloured Red Shrimp (Processa sp.)!

Yet another very pretty shrimp would be this Anemone Shrimp (Periclimenes brevicarpalis), which lives among the stinging tentacles of huge anemones for protection.

We also saw a few octopuses, which changed their colours as they moved around!

I found this Arabian Cowrie (Cypraea arabica) under a rock. It's one of the bigger cowries that can be found in Singapore.

This was another huge cowrie I found under a rock, about the size of an Arabian Cowrie. Not sure if it could be a juvenile Arabian cowrie, but the patterns on the shell were just not right.

From the underside, it did look like a juvenile cowrie as the shell still appeared incomplete.

Another cowrie highlight for me would be this Four-spotted Cowrie (Cypraea quadrimaculata), which previously I had only seen dead ones at Semakau.

We found a few flatworms, but this was the only one that I managed to take a photo - an Orsak's Flatworm (Maiazoon orsaki).

There were quite a number of feather stars near the reef edge, including these 3 Red Feather Stars (Himerometra robustipinna) on a Barrel Sponge (Xestospongia testudinaria).

And I was especially happy to see a Yellow-lipped Sea Krait (Laticauda colubrina), which I had not seen for a while! In case you are wondering why it is called a sea krait, the kraits are a group of venomous snakes from the the genus Bungarus, and they come with bold striped patterns of alternating black and light-colored areas. As Laticauda colubrina also come with striped patterns, and it lives in coastal areas, it is hence commonly called "sea krait".

It was great to be out exploring our shores with friends, and I was relieved to hear from Syalabi that he's feeling ok from his injury now. While I enjoyed guiding people on nature walks, it's always nice to be able to take my own time to explore our shores, especially these days I often conduct walks without hunter-seekers, which can be super stressful when you try to find things on your own. Haha..

Bukit Brown Cemetery on 16 Sep 2011

2011-09-19T18:04:00.006+08:00

Last Friday, we went to Bukit Brown Cemetery, hoping to spot the sambar deers as there were many reports of sightings there. We did not encounter any of them, unfortunately, though I just heard recently that there was a road kill nearby like a week ago! We still managed to see a number of interesting stuff though :)

This was the first time I saw such a huge whip spider in Singapore - the previous ones I saw were probably at most half the size! Despite the name, it is actually not a spider (order Araneae), but a related group of arachnids from the order Amblypygi.

This is a true spider, a tarantula! We saw several of them in their respective burrows.

There was also a scorpion on one of the trees.

And on the same tree, a few assassin bugs.

We saw several frogs around, though I only took photos of this cute banded bullfrog.

There were quite a few scops owls too, but they were quite shy and I only got a few photos.

The most abundant night bird here should be the nightjars - they were everywhere!

A few fruit bats were spotted.

I was really surprised to find a colugo here, as the vegetation was rather patchy with not many tall trees.

It was out on the news that this area will be developed soon. Wonder what will happen to the wildlife when that happen...

International Coastal Cleanup at Semakau on 17 Sep 2011

2011-09-18T21:16:00.009+08:00

It was great to be back on Pulau Semakau, and this time, for a coastal cleanup! I was helping International Coastal Cleanup Singapore (ICCS) to coordinate the cleanup effort on Semakau, and this year we had 85 volunteers from HSBC, and 21 from Renesas Electronics Singapore.

I met up with the group from HSBC at 7am to follow the boat they chartered to go to Semakau. As this was the second time HSBC participated in ICCS, administrative work at the jetty progressed a lot smoother and faster compared to the previous one.

We reached the island about 8.30am and met up with the volunteers from Renesas. After convincing everyone (almost) to visit the toilet (out at the cleanup site there are no toilets), I conducted a briefing at the Semakau Visitor Centre to go through the work procedures and safety issues that the volunteers should take note of.

Special thanks to NEA which kindly provided 2 buses to take the volunteers to the entrance to the cleanup site. The HSBC volunteers arrived at the cleanup site first, as their assigned location was further away (i.e. they had to walk further to reach the lcoation).

The volunteers from Renesas had with them various interesting rubbish-picking tools!

To reach the shore, we had to walk for about 5 min to cut through a mosquito-infested secondary forest. It so happened that the deciduous Sea Almond (Terminalia catappa) had just shed their leaves, covering the forest trail with a layer of pretty yellow and red leaves!

Out on the shore, the Renesas volunteers were assigned to clean up the southern portion of the shore, and the site was about 500m long.

The HSBC volunteers werre assigned to do the northern portion of the shore.

The first few groups from HSBC had to walk about 1km before they reach their cleanup site. The shore here was full of debris from the sea.

Some of the rubbish could only be retrieved with a stick and going on all fours!

The amount of trash on the shore was so bad, that I seriously thought we did not even managed to clear 30 percent of them by the time we were done and the tide was rising.

The groups did a quick check on the headcounts before heading back into the forest.

Out of the forest and back on the road, it's time to weigh the rubbish collected!

Couldn't resist taking a photo of Amitha in her brightly coloured pants as she was weighing the rubbish.

For the heavier bags, it's easier to weigh with a stick so that two volunteers could share the load.

And here are the Renesas with the rubbish they collected - a total of 13 trash bags and 96.5kg worth of rubbish.

While the HSBC group collected 72 trash bags of rubbish weighing a total of 337kg.

And here are all the collected trash. Compared to the last coastal cleanup, we certainly collected a lot more rubbish in terms of volume, but a lot less (about half) if we look at the total weight. This was probably because we have already cleared most of the heavier trash left by the villagers who used to live on the island (including things like furniture parts etc) during the last clean up near the forest trail.

Since there are no regular recreational beach goers on the island, and the shore is only visited by those participating in nature walks or research work, most of the new trash come from the sea, and these are usually not as heavy as the ones left by the previous islanders. And rather unfortunately, we could only clear the heavier trash nearer to the forest tail, as it's just not feasible for the volunteers to lug along the heavy trash and walk for like 1km to reach the main road, when they could spend more time collect the smaller and lighter rubbish.

Due to the limited transport available on the island, and there was another major event conducted concurrently on the island, we had to wait for quite a while (either under the hot sun or in the shady but mosquito-infested forest) before we could proceed for the post-cleanup activities. But anything was better than having to walk under the hot sun for a few km to reach the activity sites! :P

The HSBC volunteers proceeded to the southern-most point for the island for a picnic and kite-flying, while Renesas went for a educational tour of the landfill. Both activities took about an hour, and we left Semakau about 12.45pm, slightly delayed due to the transportation issues.

Both groups collected a total of 85 trash bags of rubbish weighing 433.5kg, but there were still so much rubbish left on the shore! We certainly need more volunteers to clean up this shore on a more regular basis, and also, more strong volunteers to carry out the heavy trash that got left behind when the islanders were relocated to mainland Singapore!

Detailed results of the cleanup had been posted here. Thanks Siva for the update!

Otters and Other Animals at Sungei Buloh on 2 Sep 2011

2011-09-05T13:10:00.005+08:00

It's been a long while since I had a good walk at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, and hence I decided to pay it a visit with Peiting last Saturday.

We decided to head to the main bridge first, and I was glad we made this decision as a pair of Smooth Otters (Lutrogale perspicillata) in the river! The tide was rather low, and hence the otters had no problem catching the fish that they love to eat.

After the meal, they headed back to shore.

One of them got onto the river bank and started rolling on the black sand, probably to dry itself.

The other soon it, and both otters spent about 5 min rolling before they moved up the river bank.

They rested for a while by the freshwater pond, before heading back into the river.

There were several Plantain Squirrels (Callosciurus notatus) among the trees, and this one was feeding on a Sea Almond (Terminalia catappa) fruit.

We saw a lot of jumping fish in the disused prawn ponds. Still not exactly sure why they were doing that - but I would think it's not likely to be due to predators in the water, as these fish were quite huge.

We only saw a few migratory birds - suspect they have properly flown out of the reserve to nearby mudflats since the tide was low. Managed to catch a shot of these Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta) in flight though.

Peiting was commenting that she hadn't seen the Oriental Pied-hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris) at Sungei Buloh, and not too long later, we saw a pair of them on a figging Ficus superba!

They were feeding on the figs, but did not appear to be too successful as this male one kept dropping the figs it was handling.

At the river, we also saw this Stork-billed Kingfisher (Pelargopsis capensis) catching a fish!

Just as we were leaving the reserve, we encountered two fighting Malayan Water Monitors (Varanus salvator). The one on the right (back-facing) eventually lost and ran away. But what a fight they had! Lots of twisting, grabbing, wrestling, splashing, clawing... as a smaller female watched nearby...

CCNR on an Early Evening (2 Sep 2011)

2011-09-03T22:04:00.012+08:00

Decided to check out the fringes of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR) with Kok Sheng in the early evening. There was a huge bunch of photographers ahead of us, and we had thought that the noise they made would have driven all the animals away. Surprisingly though, we still spotted quite a number of stuff!

Possibly less than 50m away from where I started, I spotted a Lesser Mouse Deer (Tragulus kanchil) resting among the undergrowth - and to think that the noisy bunch of photographers was less than 50m away from me!

It stood up after a while...

And started licking some of the nearby leaves. Not sure what it was trying to, since it did not munch on any of the leaves, but just licked.

We saw a total of 4 Lesser Mouse Deers - two of them were together!

And right above our heads when I spotted the first mouse deer, there was a Horsfield's Flying Squirrel (Iomys horsfieldi)!

Later, 2 more appeared! Here's another one!

They were just chasing each other on the tree (there were two of them above) - not sure if it's some kind of courtship behaviour?

There were the usual Malayan Colugos (Cynocephalus variegatus), which we saw 4 of them.

It's amazing that despite our forest being so fragmented, there're still many interesting wild life living in them.

Unfortunately, I have encountered several poachers in our forest as well - for their own selfish reasons, they trap and remove these wonderful wildlife from our forest, and it's no wonder that many of our native mammals are now rare and endangered. If you see any poachers in our forest, do contact the National Parks Board, so that they can take the necessary actions against them!

Tanah Merah on 29 Aug 2011

2011-08-29T22:36:00.010+08:00

This morning, I visited Tanah Merah with Kok Sheng and Alyce. It's been a really long time since I last visited this shore - in fact the last time I visited here was more than a year ago after the old spill.

Tanah Merah was always a great place to spot fishes, and today's special fish was this juvenile angelfish, which I think should be a Bluering Angelfish (Pomacanthus annularis). We saw a mature one as well in the same area, but it was hiding among the rock crevices and simply impossible to get a shot of! The last time I saw this fish was at Chek Jawa, and it was a huge adult! Interestingly, the juveniles and adults look very different, and even more interestingly, the juveniles of several angelfish species actually appear somewhat similar, but they can usually be differentiated by the patterns on the body.

Kok Sheng had said that a trip to Tanah Merah is never complete seeing a Hollow-cheeked Stonefish (Synanceia horrida). I couldn't help but agreed, as I had seen at least one on almost every trip here! This very venomous fish was very well-camouflaged, and any unlucky ones who stepped on its venomous spines on its back by accident could end up in the hospital for many days!

Another commonly seen fish would be the Brown-spotted Moray (Gymnothorax reevesii), and this one was quietly stalking a smaller Cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus sp.).

I spotted this Yelloweye Pufferfish (Arothron immaculatus) in shallow water.

Kok Sheng found this juvenile Batfish (probably Platax sp.).

Several of this Hairy Filefish (Chaetodermis penicilligerus) were also spotted.

This looks like a juvenile Longfin Grouper (Epinephelus quoyanus) to me. It's yet another of the commonly seen fish here.

Have seen this halfbeak many times, but still don't know the exact species.

Apart from the stonefish, the Scorpionfish (Parascorpaena picta) is another master of camouflage.

The juvenile Yellow-banded Damsel (Dischistodus fasciatus) looked really cute as it darted around in the water.

As we were wading in the water, I noticed thousands of these little jelly-like animals in the water. They were Comb Jellies (Phylum Ctenophora). Appeared like there's a population bloom here! Correction: Took a closer look at the photos, and think they could be salp (a kind of pelagic tunicate) instead.

They were so tiny (about 1cm long) and transparent, that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to get good photos of them.

We also found this sea anemone-like animal, which was possibly a corallimorph.

Saron shrimps (Saron sp.) were rather common here among the rocks, but could be rather hard to take photos of sometimes as they were usually rather shy.

There were lots of other shrimps here, which I had no idea of the species.

Here's more of them.

I also saw several Red Shrimps (Processa sp.), and one of them actually burrowed into the sand on seeing us.

Penaeid prawns (Family Penaeidae) were rather abundant, but they were very fast moving and burrowed quickly into the sand as well.

We found a few White-spotted Reef Hermit Crabs (Dardanus megistos). Somehow we could always see them at Tanah Merah as well.

The Red Stone Crab (Menippe rumphii) was somehow not as commonly seen as its relative, the thunder crab, in Singapore.

Purple Climber Crabs (Metopograpsus sp.) were among the most common crabs here.

This Ghost Crab (Ocypode ceratophthalma) was surprisingly friendly and stayed in the same position for quite a while as I took photos of it.

In the shallow water, there were many Spotted Moon Crabs (Ashtoret lunaris), but once again, I had a hard time getting good photos of them as they were so fast and burrowed quickly too.

This Elbow Crab (Family Parthenopidae) was extremely well-camouflaged, and I almost did not missed it even though it was near me.

The Velcro Crab (Camposcia retusa) actively camouflaged itself but attaching sponges and ascidians on its exoskeleton, but unfortunately it will at the wrong place, and hence was rather easily spotted.

There was a patch with many Sand-sifting Sea Stars (Archaster typicus). The population was definitely no where near to that before the oil spill though, when one could easily see thousands of them.

Kok Sheng found this little Sandfish Sea Cucumber (Holothuria scabra) - the only sea cucumber we saw today.

This little squid, looks like a juvenile Bigfin Reef Squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana) to me, kept blocking the things that I wanted to photograph, and inevitably I had a few shots of it as well.

While searching for the Saron Shrimp, I found this Arabian Cowrie (Cypraea arabica) under a rock.

Yet another cowrie I found was this Miliaris Cowrie (Cypraea miliaris). With its mantle fully extended, it appeared just like a slug, but it's in fact a snail!

Talking about slugs, we saw 2 species today - the above looks like an Atagema intecta to me. Part of its mantle appeared to be missing though. Not sure if it had been attacked by some predators before this.

There was also a pair of Bohol's Nudibranch (Discodoris boholiensis), which looks like they were mating.

This animal looks somewhat like the Bohol's Nudibranch, but is actually a Flatworm (Acanthozoon sp.).

While the diversity and abundance were certainly not as high as last time before the oil spill, it was still very heartening to see that this shore appeared to be recovering well!

Exploring Seletar Mangrove on 9 Aug 2011

2011-08-09T21:52:00.010+08:00

Today is Singapore's National Day, and I decided to celebrate by going to a mangrove that I had never been to.

Looking at the photo above, many people might think that it's taken on Pulau Ubin. I was rather surprised to see this on mainland Singapore as well. I had always wanted to visit the mangrove forest at Seletar, but I didn't really expect to see stilt houses there! Reminded me of the good old days when my grandma was still living in Punggol!

There was some kind of a bridge leading from mainland to the stilt houses in the middle of the mangrove forest, and I decided to try it out.

It certainly didn't look too sturdy, but looks could be deceiving - I saw an old (and fat) uncle carry a huge box of fish walking on it. So guess it shouldn't have problem taking my weight.

And I was certainly glad that I visited this little kampong!

Finally, I found a fruiting Ipil (Intsia bijuga) with fruits low enough for me to take nice photos with my camera! This plant is critically endangered in Singapore.

And here are more fruits! I have seen the Ipil in various places, such as Mandai, Sungei Buloh, Pulau Ubin, Admiralty, Singapore Botanic Gardens etc, but this was the first time the fruits were nice and low! The one at Mandai didn't really count, as the fruit was somewhat deformed with a hole...

There were several Kalak Kambing (Finlaysonia obovata), also critically endangered in Singapore, and I saw this pair of fruits rather high up - it's a climber after all.

And there were 2 Nyireh Batu (Xylocarpus moluccensis) trees right next to each other. This plant is also critically endangered in Singapore.

Closely related to the Nyireh Batu but more common was the Nyireh Bunga (Xylocarpus granatum), and it was fruiting! Both species were called Mangrove Cannonball Trees, and it's not hard to see why from the shape of the fruits!

The other usual suspects of our mangrove forest could also be found here, such as the 3 more common Api-api species (Avicennia spp.). The above is Avicennia alba, with its sharply pointed fruits.

And this is Avicennia rumphiana, with its somewhat crumpled-looking fruits. I also saw many Avicennia officinalis, but unfortunately there were hardly any fruits, and the few photos I took didn't turn out well.

Two Bruguiera species could be found here, including the very common Bakau Putih (Bruguiera cylindrica).

The Tumu (Bruguiera gymnorhiza) was another common Bruguiera species found in most of our mangrove forests, and hence I wasn't surprise to find it here too.

The Bakau Minyak (Rhizophora apiculata) is another common mangrove plant. It has many long seedlings hanging from the branches. The seeds germinated while the fruits were still attached to the tree, and hence the long and green stuff were actually seedlings.

This Bakau Kurap (Rhizophora mucronata) seedling had a really strange shape. I wondered what happened to it...

Nearer to the back mangrove, I saw several patches of Nipah Palm (Nypa fruticans). There were a few Blind-your-eyes (Excoecaria agallocha) too.

I saw a Portia Tree (Thespesia populnea) too, and many Sea Hibiscus (Talipariti tiliaceum).

I didn't really spend much time looking for animals, but still managed to spot a few along the way. The above looks like a Straited Heron (Butorides striata).

There were many Orange Signaller Crabs (Metaplax elegans) on the mudflat.

And many different types of mudskippers too, including the Blue-spotted mudskipper (Boleophthalmus boddarti) above, which feeds on algae on the mud surface.

While taking photos of the Ipil, I also saw this Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis) on a nearby branch.

I was already rather tired after exploring for about 3 hours under the hot sun, but still decided to check out another patch of mangrove forest on the other side of the old Sungei Seletar. Since I was alone and this area looked a lot more deserted, I only explored a small area nearest to Lower Seletar Reservoir. And even during this short 20 min walk, I found this Gedabu (Sonneratia ovata). Guess I should go back again another day to check it out more thoroughly :)

Changi Beach on 31 July 2011

2011-08-04T18:59:00.006+08:00

Last Sunday, I was back at Changi Beach to check out the intertidal life. Not sure if it's because of the hot weather over the previous few days, there were much fewer organisms compared to what we saw on our previous trips. The diversity was still quite good though.

There were several octopuses out and about today! This one appeared to have caught something and was holding it in its tentacles.

Have seen this many times at Changi, but still not sure exactly what it is.

The were a few clumps of Green Mussels (Perna viridis), sticking on to harder substrates.

Interestingly, we saw several pairs of moon snails, including the Tiger Moon Snails (Natica tigrina) above. Are they mating?

There were also a few pairs of Calf Moon Snails (Natica vitellus), and one lonely one shown above.

Here's a look at its underside.

Several crabs were spotted, but the most abundant one should be the Flower Crab (Portunus pelagicus).

Among the sea pens, a few commensal Porcelain Crabs (Porcellanella picta) were found.

The little Black Sea Urchins (Temnopleurus sp.) were not as abundant compared to my previous trip here last month, though I suspect they were probably in deeper water.

We only saw one Salmacis Sea Urchin (Salmacis sp.), and it was really well camouflaged!

There were also a few Sand Stars (Astropecten sp.).

We can usually see two different colorations among the Sand Stars. Not sure if they were of different species.

There were a few Biscuit Stars (Goniodiscaster scaber), but definitely not as abundant as our previous trips.

I only saw one Cake Sea Star (Anthenea aspera).

One of the main highlights for the other friends who came with me must be this Sea Apple (Pseudocolochirus axiologus). This poor animal was washed up onto higher shore when we saw it. We quickly put it into a pool of water, and were glad to see it moving a while later.

The Pink Thorny Sea Cucumbers (Colochirus quadrangularis) were still very abundant.

And once in a while, the Pink Warty Sea Cucumbers (Cercodemas anceps) are spotted.

This is one sea cucumber which we still have not managed to identify...

There appeared to be a lot more tube anemones than usual though.

And as usual, several of these sea anemones with red spots on its body column were found.

I was rather pleasantly surprised to see this dark red sea anemone, Bunodosoma goanensis, which was kindly identified by Dr Daphne during her recent trip here. Previously I have seen only seen it at Punggol.

While there were fewer things seen during this trip, Changi still had many nice surprises!

Caesalpinia bonduc at Punggol on 24 July 2011

2011-07-24T21:32:00.004+08:00

Today, I went back to Punggol Beach to check on the Grey Nicker (Caesalpinia bonduc) that was previously cut down by NParks contractors earlier this year.

It was good to see that it appeared to be regrowing well! There are only 3 known wild Grey Nicker in Singapore, one of which was this one at Punggol Beach, which I spotted earlier this year. I have informed the NParks Conservation Division people of its location, and hopefully the contractors won't mistake this rare plant for some common weed and cut it down again...

The two other plants can be found at Lazarus Island and Pulau Semakau.

The one at Lazarus was rather huge and healthy-looking. It's supposed to be a male plant.

So was the one at Semakau, which was a female plant. In fact, it was flowering the last time I visited it!

Semakau Walk on 16 July 2011

2011-07-16T23:50:00.001+08:00

It was nice to be back again for a guided walk at Semakau! The tide was really early for this trip, and hence instead of starting the guided walk from the mangrove, we did it in the reversed manner - starting with the coral reef at the reef edge and ended at the forest edge.

And so, the first organism that I shared with the participants (from HCI) was this:

This is the fluted giant clam (Tridacna squamosa) near the reef edge. On most trips, this clam would be submerged underwater, but as the tide was so low this time round, it was fully exposed.

We only saw one species of nudibranch, which was this funeral nudibranch (Jorunna funebris). There were three of them at different locations.

There was also a tigertail seahorse (Hippocampus comes). It was a pregnant male. We wondered where was the female though. Interestingly, it is the male seahorse that carries the eggs until they are hatched. The female seahorse will deposit the eggs into a pouch on the male's belly via an ovipositor.

We found this eel-like fish, but had no idea what exactly it was.

These two spider conches (Lambis lambis) were found trapped in a drift net.

So was this mosaic crab (Lophozozymus pictor), which was the most poisonous crab in Singapore.

A few years ago, a cushion star (Culcita novaeguineae) was an uncommon sight during an intertidal walk on Semakau, but since the launch of Project Semakau when we started sighting juveniles, they were now a common sight during our walks.

As usual the knobbly sea stars (Protoreaster nodosus) were the highlight of the trip! Most of our participants did not expect to see this big and pretty sea star in Singapore at all!

Here's the traditional group shot with the stars! For the HCI students, just click on this image to get the hi-res version!

A slightly more "crazy" shot, which really wasn't all that crazy. Haha...

It's an early morning walk, which means a good chance of seeing octopuses!

As usual, there were lots of hairy crabs (Pilumnus vespertilio), but as they were so well-camouflaged, we probably missed most of them :P

I saw a trail on the sand, and managed to dig out a moon snail (Polinices mammilla). This snail preys on other small snails and clams.

We also saw several species of sea cucumber, including the stonefish sea cucumber (Actinopyga lecanora).

Here's a shot of the group on the way back, crossing the seagrass meadow.

Once again, another slightly crazier shot.

We took time to take a look at the many sponges at the edge of the seagrass meadow, before we finally head back to dry land.

Lucky that although it rained earlier, we still managed to see so many interesting things! :)