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Utania racemosa (Jack ex Wall.) Sugumaran
| Family Name: | Gentianaceae |
| Synonyms: | Fagraea racemosa |
| Common Name: | False Coffee Tree, Kopi Utan, Kahwa Utan, Mengkudu Utan, Sepuleh, Sepulis, Tembusu Ayer |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Growth Form | Tree |
|---|---|
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Indochina to the Solomon Islands, northern Australia |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Critically Endangered (CR)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | Medium-sized tree, able to grow up to about 25 m tall in its natural habitat. |
|---|---|
| Trunk | Girth size can reach up to 30 cm wide, bark is pale to dark grey, surface is deeply fissured. |
| Foliage | Large dark green broadly ovate to obovate-oblong leaves, opposite arrangement, size varies and measuring about 5 - 50 cm long and 1 - 23 cm wide, petiole about 0.2 - 5 cm long, stipules joined into a sheath around the stem. |
| Flowers | White flowers borne on a drooping terminal inflorescence about 20 - 30 cm long. |
| Fruit | Fruit is round or ellipsoid-ovoid in shape and turns red when ripen. |
| Habitat | Can be found in secondary forests with swampy soil and along river banks. |
| Etymology | Genus Fagraea is named after Dr Jonas Theodorus Fagraeus (1729 - 1797), who was a Swedish physician, naturalist and botanist. Species racemosa means having racemose inflorescence. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Medicinal: The flowers and bark can be used as an antidote for snakebite. The leaves are heated and applied as a poultice to swellings and sprains. A decoction of leaves can be used to treat fever and rheumatism. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers |
|---|---|
| Landscape Uses | Parks & Gardens |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Semi-Shade, Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Little Water, Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils |
| Propagation Method | Seed |
Foliar
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
|---|---|
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Opposite |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acute, Rounded |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower Colour(s) | White |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Terminal |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Red |
|---|
References
| References | Sugumaran. M & Wong K.M. 2014. Studies in Malesian Gentianaceae, VI. A revision of Utania in the Malay Peninsula with two new species. Plant Ecology and Evolution . 147. 2. 213-223 |
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Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 1603 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 2896 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
