Alstonia angustiloba Miq.

Etymology Genus After Dr Charles Alston, a professor of Botany
Species Having narrow lobes
Family Apocynaceae
Synonyms -
Common Names Common Pulai
Status Native: Common
Form Tree
Native Distribution Thailand, Malaya, Borneo, Sumatra, Java

Diagnostics:

The most common Alstonia tree in Malaya, it can grow up to 40m tall with tall, fluted buttresses supporting the base. It can easily be differentiated from other congeners by looking at at the number of leaves in a whorl, where it is the only species which can have more than 6 leaves (between 4-9; Middleton, 2007).


Interesting Facts:

The tallest tree in Pulau Ubin is a Common Pulai, standing about 40m.


Tree at Upper Seletar forest, 2023

Tall buttresses

A branch with a whorl of 8 leaves

Trunk

Leaf

Flowers

References

Middleton DJ. (2007) Apocynaceae (Subfamilies Rauvolfioideae and Apocynoideae). Flora Malesiana, Volume 18. 474 pp.




Author: Siyang
Posted: 2023-06-05


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