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Horsfieldia crassifolia (Hook.f. & Thoms.) Warb.
| Family Name: | Myristicaceae |
| Synonyms: | Myristica crassifolia Hook.f. & Thomson |
Name
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Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
| Plant Growth Form | Tree (Medium (16m-30m)) |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Plant Shape | Irregular |
| Maximum Height | 25 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Southern Thailand, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, and Borneo |
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial (Primary Rainforest, Freshwater Swamp Forest) |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Critically Endangered (CR)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a tree up to 25 m tall. |
| Foliage | Its alternate, stalked leaves possess leathery leaf blades that are oval to oblong, green above, rusty or cinnamon-brown below, and 10–28 by 3.5–10 cm. Its leaves’ undersides are also covered with hairs that are 0.1 mm long, or turn hairless with age to show distinct hair scars, and scattered dark dots and dashes. |
| Flowers | The species is dioecious as each individual produces only male or female flowers. Its flowers are in flowering shoots (inflorescences) that have hairs of 0.2–0.5 mm long. Its male flowering shoots are branched clusters of flowers, and are 6–20 by 4–15 cm. Its female flowering shoots are 3–14 cm long. Its flowers are yellow, and its male flowers are smaller than its female flowers. |
| Fruits | Its fruiting clusters (infructescences) contain 1–10 fruits each. Its fruits are egg-shaped to drop-shaped, hairless, and 1.5–2.5 by 1.2–1.8 cm. The fruit wall is 1.5–2 mm thick. Its seed is egg-shaped, and has a orange, fleshy covering (aril). |
| Habitat | It grows in marshy forests, freshwater and peatswamp forests, up to 200 m altitude. It occurs locally in Central Catchment Nature Reserve ( Nee Soon Swamp Forest). |
| Associated Fauna | Its flowers are insect-pollinated. The seeds are covered with an orange aril which are eaten by hornbills and mammals. |
| Cultivation | It can be cultivated by seed. |
| Etymology | Horsfieldia, named after Dr. Thomas Horsfield (1773–1859), an American botanist who explored in the Malesian islands; Latin crassus, thick; Latin folium, –leafed, referring to the species’ thick leaf blades |
Landscaping Features
| Landscaping | It can be grown along roadsides and in parks for its attractive inflorescences and orange coloured fruits. It can also be planted as a food source to attract hornbills. |
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers, Ornamental Fruits |
| Plant & Rootzone Preference - Tolerance | Moist Soils, Fertile Loamy Soils |
| Landscape Uses | General, Roadside Tree / Palm, Parks & Gardens, Small Gardens, Riverine |
| Thematic Landscaping | Naturalistic Garden |
