Fagraea fragrans

Fagraea fragrans

Origin

South-east Asia

Synonyms

Willughbeia fragrans Spreng.; Fagraea ridleyi Gand.; Fagraea peregrina (Reinw.) Blume; Cyrtophyllum peregrinum Reinw.; Cyrtophyllum lanceolatum DC.; Cyrtophyllum giganteum Ridl.; Cyrtophyllum fragrans (Roxb.) DC.

Ecology

Pollination

The flowers of Fagraea fragrans open in the evening. The fragrance of the flowers is particularly strong thus in the evenings and at night, and this is when pollination is usually carried out, by butterflies and by moths (e.g. of the genus Macroglossa).

Dispersal

The fruits are dispersed by bats (Pteropus edulis and Cynopterus spp. according to Ridley) and some birds, especially starlings. They may also be eaten by fruit-eating ants (Polyrachis sp. according to Ridley).

Natural Habitat

Fagraea fragrans grows naturally in lowland (sea level to around 800 m) secondary or disturbed forest, coastal or beach forest, and even lalang fields. In Borneo, it is found in Kerangas (Sundaland heath forest). In Singapore, it is found to be associated with species such as Adinandra dumosa and Dillenia suffruticosa in the “Adinandra belukar” type of “anthropogenic heath forest”. It may be a pioneer species of areas that have been burned-over.

Fagraea fragrans is tolerant of humid, seasonally swampy conditions. It grows on poorly aerated or swampy or compact soils, and also on poor sands or podsols.

Description

Habit

Fagraea fragrans grows as a tree, sometimes as a shrub. The species can grow to a maximum height of 35m.

The tree appears to branch rather low down along the trunk. The branches grow perpendicular to the trunk for a short distance, then shoot vertically upwards, giving one the impression of an upturned palm with multiple fingers reaching for the heavens.

The crown can be conical in young trees, and is more irregular in older trees.

The trees can grow up to 2.5m in diameter, and sometimes have buttresses of up to 2.5m.

Bark

The bark of the trunk is very distinctive with its deep ridges and irregular fissures.

The colour of the bark may be dark brown, grayish or black.

Leaves

The leaves of Fagraea fragrans are simple, elliptical, entire, and sub-coriaceous. The midrib is prominent on the lower side of the leaf. There are 9-12 pairs of lateral veins, which are distinct, flat to slightly prominent on the lower side of the leaf, and flat and indistinct to obscure on the upper side of the leaves. The intercostal veins are obscure. The leaf apex is cuspidate. The leaves are 4-14 x 1.5-6cm in dimension.

The leaf base is acute and decurrent on the petiole. The petioles are 0.5-2.5cm in length, and enlarge at the base into a ring that clasps the stem.

Fagraea fragrans leaves are oppositely arranged.

Inflorescences

The flowers of Fagraea fragrans grow in a many-flowered cluster known as a cyme (a type of inflorescence). The cymeis axillary, 6.5-12cm long and 4-7cm wide, with the main axis branching 2-3 orders. The cyme can be quite dense. The peduncle is 4-6cm long.

The individual flowers are whitish-yellow and fragrant. They turn yellow when old. Each individual flower is bisexual and has 5 petals. In each flower:

The corolla-tube is narrowly funnel-shaped

The 5 stamens are exsert of the corolla-tube, with 14-17mm long filamentsinserted just above the middle of the corolla-tube, and oblong-linear anthers of about 1.5mm long

The style is 1.25-6cm long and exsert for 8-10 mm, exceeding the stamens, with a faintly 2-lobed stigma

The calyx is campanulate, 2-2.5 mm long and 2-2.5 mm in diameter

The pedicel is 5-7 mm long

Fruits

The fruits are smooth and round with a small pointed tip.

They are two-celled and 0.75-1cm in diameter. Each fruit weighs 1.2g on average.

They ripen from green to yellow to orange to red.

Seeds

There are 20-30 seeds in each fruit. They are less than 1mm in diameter, and are angular and scarbrous. The seeds are brown and have a very thin seed coat. Sterile seeds are around 4 times smaller than fertile seeds.

Uses

Ornamental

Fagraea fragrans is commonly planted as a shade tree along streets, and in parks and gardens for ornamental purpose.

Forestry

The timber of Fagraea fragrans is yellow, fine to medium-textured, hard, and very durable. The trade name is tembesu. It has various uses including agricultural implements, general boat-building and furniture. One of its notable uses in Singapore is in making chopping boards. The timber is no longer available commercially, but it is still used directly in some parts of Oceania and Southeast Asia.

Medicinal

Parts of Fagraea fragrans have been used in traditional medicine. The bark has been used in decoction as a febrifuge, for example to cure malaria. In Kedah, Malaya, a decoction of the leaves and twigs has been drunk for dysentery.

In Cambodia, the wood of Fagraea fragrans is considered to be very valuable and in such high demand that the species has become over-exploited, and the number of mature trees has declined significantly.