Macaranga and Me
Do you recall the walks that you took in the Nature Reserves of Singapore and at times along the roadsides, you will find ‘Ribena Berry’-shaped leaves? This is actually the Macaranga plant! If you already know about this plant, many of you would be surprised to find out that what we’ve always thought to be Macaranga triloba, is in actual fact the widespread Macaranga bancana!
The true triloba is really rare in Singapore! They differ in a number of characteristics. Of which, the most obvious is that the stem of the triloba is NOT hollow. In addition to the solid stems, the triloba has thick, erect stipules* and long horns on the fruits, which the bancana doesn’t have.
Stipules* are structures clasping the stem below the leaf stalk
Macarangas usually have leaves dissected into 3-7 lobes. The simple features in my list below might be just the thing you need to aid you in identifying the correct type of Macarangas in Singapore.
How to identify different species of Macarangas
- Solid twigs, not inhabited by ants - M. triloba
- Hollow twigs, inhabited by ants, leaves intensely white beneath - M. hypoleuca
- Hollow twigs, inhabited by ants, leaves slightly waxy white/not white beneath - M. griffithiana
- Stipules red-brown when fresh - M. bancana
- Stipules light green/yellow-brown when fresh - M. hullettii
- Stipules green, very large (about 1.5″) and erect - M. gigantea
Photo added on 21 August 07
Black ants on the Macarangas plant
- by Serena Lee
katherina said,
August 16, 2007 @ 4:45 pm
Could you please let me know the colour of the ants of ths plant - doing a conert/project with kids on this plant and ants.
Thanks. Asap please!
Regards
Serena said,
August 21, 2007 @ 1:22 pm
Ants can be dark red or black and are about 0.7cm in length.
Hope this helps.
Cheerios!
SL
danushka wickramarathna said,
September 5, 2007 @ 12:46 pm
I am a srilanken . and doing a reaserch about forest restoration in grassland by using macaranga indika plant. so if it possible send me some information about macaranga indika plant
thank you.
Simon Longman said,
September 10, 2007 @ 6:37 pm
Hi Danushka Wickramarathna,
We do not have Macaranga indica in Singapore, but do have about 5-6 other Macaranga spp., commonly M. gigantea and M. triloba. We have introduced Maduca indica from your country into Singapore. It is a truly magnificent tree, & I would recommend it to anyone to plant as forest restoration. Was that the one you had in mind?
Serena said,
September 12, 2007 @ 11:08 am
Dear Danushka,
Macaranga indica if that’s what you’re really looking for, is not native to Singapore. It’s nearest locality is in Malaysia. You can read more about this plant in the book Tree Flora of Malaya ( Vol 2), edited by T.C. Whitmore at the Public Reference Library, Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Good luck with your research!
Kevin Burns said,
November 3, 2009 @ 6:29 am
Hi Serena,
Are the leaves of Macaranga bancana seedlings coloured strangely (i.e. purplish-brown) before they are colonised by ants?
Thanks!