Dillenia suffruticosa

Simpoh Ayer
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Core eudicots
Order: unplaced
Family: Dilleniaceae
Genus: Dillenia
Species: D. suffruticosa
Binomial name
Dillenia suffruticosa
(Griff ex Hook.f. & Thomson) Martelli
Synonyms
  • Dillenia burbidgei (Hook.f.) Martelli
  • Dillenia suffruticosa var. borneensis (Ridl.) Ridl.
  • Wormia burbidgei Hook.f. (Unresolved)
  • Wormia suffruticosa Griff.

Dillenia suffruticosa (Simpoh Ayer) is a species of Dillenia found in tropical South East Asia in secondary forest and swampy ground. It is a large, evergreen shrub to 6 metres high. It flowers continuously with yellow flowers 10 to 12 cm wide.[1]

Dillenia suffruticosa is national flower of Brunei, and can be found everywhere across the country. In Singapore, the large oval-shaped leaves of this plant are commonly nicknamed as "CB (a Hokkien slang for the vagina) leaves", especially so by many Singaporean men who served in the army as part of the country's National Service (NS), as the base of the leaf (near the stalk) splits apart like the female reproductive organ.

It is a highly invasive weed in Sri Lanka.[2][3]

References

  1. E. J. H. Corner, "Wayside Trees of Malaya: Vol I", Malayan Nature Society, 4th ed., 1997
  2. S. Ranwala, B. Marambe, S. Wijesundara, P. Silva, D. Weerakoon, N. Atapattu, J. Gunawardena, L. Manawadu, G. Gamage, Post-entry risk assessment of invasive alien flora in Sri Lanka-present status, GAP analysis, and the most troublesome alien invaders, Pakistan Journal of Weed Science Research, Special Issue, October, 2012: 863-871.
  3. B.A.K. Wickramathilake, T.K. Weerasinghe and S.M.W. Ranwala, “Impacts of Woody Invader Dillenia suffruticosa (Griff.) Martelli on Physiochemical Properties of Soil and, Below and Above Ground Flora”, Journal of Tropical Forestry and Environment Vol. 3, No. 02 (2013) 66-75.
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