BARRINGTONIA ACUTANGULA SSP. ACUTANGULA

The mangrove tree Barringtonia acutangula (synonym: B. spicata, Eugenia acutangula; common name: Freshwater Mangrove, Indian Oak, Itchy Tree; Family: Lecythidaceae) is a showy tree especially when it is flowering.

This single specimen planted at HortPark was in bloom recently and the ground around it was littered with all the shed flowers with extended long red filaments and cream coloured anthers.

I mentioned in an earlier post that there is a Barringtonia acutangula and a B. acutangula ssp. acutangula and I am naming this one as such because from the fruits etc, it seems this is not the native one and could be from Australia.

Just look at the pendulous strings of red floral buds and opened flowers. I must admit it was quite a spectacle to see the fully bloomed tree but it was quite a challenge to take the photos.

A few links on the plant are shown below:

1. http://skipas.wordpress.com/native-plants/plant-families-l-m/lecythidaceae/barringtonia-acutangula-freshwater-mangrove/
2. http://keys.trin.org.au:8080/key-server/data/0e0f0504-0103-430d-8004-060d07080d04/media/Html/taxon/Barringtonia_acutangula_subsp._acutangula.htm
3. http://toptropicals.com/cgi-bin/garden_catalog/cat.cgi?family=Lecythidaceae

TIONG BAHRU PARK - GUSTAVIA SUPERBA

These Gustavia superba (common name: Heaven Lotus; Family: Lecythidaceae) at the park reminded me of the ones in Malcolm Park and the ones I planted in HortPark. Whilst I don't think the pink flowers resemble a lotus, they are nevertheless rather interesting. Then again, so are the fruits.

BARRINGTONIA RACEMOSA

Like the more common Barringtonia asiatica, this more showy B. racemosa (common name: Powder-Puff Tree, Fish-Killer Tree) mangrove tree from the Lecythidaceae Family produces beautiful pendulous inflorescences of flowers, with long pink filaments, that resemble corals.

Most dicots have flowers with 3 or 5 petals, but this tree species has flowers with only 4 pinkish-white petals and 3 brownish sepals. The slightly longer and darker pink pistil remains after the flower is pollinated and the petals are shed. At the same time, the bilaterally symmetrical sepals curved inwards towards each other.

The ovary develops into a guava-like fruit with the rudimentary sepals looking like the fruit's nipple. The fragrant flowers are generally thought to be pollinated by bats or moths. Two links are attached below for reference:

1. http://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/barringtonia_racemosa.htm
2. http://sciencelinks.jp/j-east/article/200517/000020051705A0562325.php