Cratoxylum formosum (Jack) Dyer

Etymology Genus 'Strong wood' in Greek, referring to the timber
Species Beautiful in Latin, perhaps referring to its flush bloom of pink covering the canopy
Family Hypericaceae
Synonyms -
Common Names Pink Mempat
Status Native: Endangered
Form Tree
Native Distribution China, Indochina, Malesia

Diagnostics:

Cratoxylum formosum is a native tree that can be found in our rain forests, but yet cultivated extensively along the roadsides too. During the dry season, it loses all its leaves and have a flush of pink flowers covering the canopy, representing in a way, our local "Sakura" bloom. The new leaves are reddish orange.


Interesting Facts:

The durable wood is used to be build houses in Java (Rao & Wee, 1989).


Cultivated tree at Alexandra Retail Centre.

Cultivated tree in bloom with new leaves at Queenstown.

Leaves upper.

Leaves lower.

Flowers.

Fruits.

Trunk.

References

Rao AN & WC Wee (1989) Singapore Trees. Singapore Institute of Biology, Singapore. 357 pp.




Author: Siyang
Posted: 2024-08-10 / Modified: 2024-08-15


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