| Etymology | Genus | Leather covering, referring to the tough seed pods |
|---|---|---|
| Species | Climbing or sprawling | |
| Family | Fabaceae | |
| Synonyms | Derris scandens (Roxb.) Benth., Dalbergia scandens Roxb. | |
| Common Names | Climbing Derris, Thao wan priang | |
| Status | Native: Critically Endangered | |
| Form | Climber | |
| Native Distribution | Indian subcontinent, Indochina, Malesia, Queensland, New South Wales | |
Diagnostics:
Brachypterum scandens is primarily found on offshore islands in Singapore, particularly along the coastal areas of Pulau Semakau (pers. obs.), Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Senang (Singapore Herbarium Online, n.d.). It is a woody climber with small imparipinnate leaves.
Interesting Facts:
Derris scandens was recently placed in its former genus of Brachypterum based on morphological and molecular. Brachypterum can be differentiated from Derris "in having more leaflets with stipels, a distinct tubular or lobed floral disk, 7–12 ovules, one-winged pods, obvious seed chambers, and an accumulation of 3-phenyl-coumarine". (Song, 2023).
Climber in Pulau Semakau (2011).
Compound leaves.
Leaflet underside.
Inflorescences.
References
Singapore Herbarium Online (n.d.) BRAHAMS: Singapore Herbarium Online. Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford. http://herbaria.plants.ox.ac.uk/bol/sing. Accessed on 8-Sep-2025.
Song Z (2023) Taxonomic notes on the genus Brachypterum (Fabaceae: Millettieae). Phytotaxa: 584(4)
Author: Siyang
Posted: 2025-09-07 / Modified: 2025-09-09