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Mempari
Pongamia pinnata
Family Fabaceae
updated
Nov 10
Where seen? This beautiful tree was formerly common on
the coast including Changi, Siglap, Jurong and Pulau Ubin. Elsewhere,
the tree is found in non-swampy beaches and occasionally on the landward
side of mangroves. It is also found in sandy or rocky coasts of Malaya.
It is now planted in some of our beach parks and as a roadside tree.
Features: The tree grows to 6-15m
tall. The compound leaves appear in two rows, each heart-shaped leaflet
is shiny, dark green and thinly leathery. The flowers look like those
of bean plants, and are lilac, appearing in bunches on a stalk. Tiny
insects seem attracted to the flowers. Fruits are flat bean-like pods
that are somewhat oval with a little beak at the tip, appearing in
bunches. Each pod contains one seed.
Human uses: The leaves are fed to livestock. The bark is
used to make string and rope. Although the seeds are poisonous, an
oil extracted from them (called Pongamol or hongay oil) is used for
lighting, to manufacture soap and candles, and in medicinal uses.
The roots and seeds are used as a fish poison in Australia and Indonesia.
Various parts of the trees are also used in traditional medicine..
According to Tomlinson and Giesen, the tree is often planted as a
shade tree along roads, but Corners says it is rarely planted in Malaya.
Status and threats: This tree
is listed as 'Endangered' in the Red List of threatened plants of
Singapore.
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Tree planted in a park.
Changi, Apr 09
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Changi, Apr 09
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Changi, Apr 09
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Changi, Apr 09
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Changi, Apr 09
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Changi, Apr 09
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Changi, Apr 09
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Changi, May 09
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Changi, May 09
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Wild tree on coastal cliff.
Changi, May 09
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Chek Jawa, Aug 09
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Chek Jawa, Aug 09
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Possibly planted, not sure.
Chek Jawa, Aug 09
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Planted tree.
East Coast Park, Jul 10
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Flowers.
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Flowers.
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Mempari on Singapore shores |
Links
- Pongamia
pinnata on Total Vascular Flora of Singapore Online: photos
and fact sheet.
- Giesen, Wim
and Stephan Wulffraat, Max Zieren and Liesbeth Scholten. 2006.
Mangrove
Guidebook for Southeast Asia (PDF online downloadable).
RAP publication 2006/07 Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok.
References
- Hsuan Keng,
S.C. Chin and H. T. W. Tan. 1990, The
Concise Flora of Singapore: Gymnosperms and Dicotyledons.
Singapore University Press. 222 pp.
- Wee Yeow
Chin. 1992. A
Guide to Medicinal Plants. The Singapore Science Centre.
160pp
- Tee Swee
Ping and Wee Mei Lynn (eds). 2001. Trees of our Garden City.
National Parks Board. 202 pp.
- Corners,
E. J. H., 1997. Wayside
Trees of Malaya: in two volumes<.
Fourth edition, Malayan Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur. Volume 1:
1-476 pp, plates 1-38; volume 2: 477-861 pp., plates 139-236.
- Davison,
G.W. H. and P. K. L. Ng and Ho Hua Chew, 2008. The Singapore
Red Data Book: Threatened plants and animals of Singapore.
Nature Society (Singapore). 285 pp.
- Burkill,
I. H., 1993. A
Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula.
3rd printing. Publication Unit, Ministry of Agriculture, Malaysia,
Kuala Lumpur. Volume 1: 1-1240; volume 2: 1241-2444.
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