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Jackiopsis ornata (Wall.) Ridsdale
| Family Name: | Rubiaceae |
| Common Name: | Selumar, Selimbar |
Jackiopsis ornata or Selumar is a large sized tree native to Singapore. Growing to 35 m tall, it produce long, spoon-shaped leaves covered in short hairs. The stipule adjacent to the axil is cup-like with many linear lobes. Flowers are fragrant, rose-pink, 5-lobed, funnel-shaped, held on a pendulous inflorescence along the axils. The fruit is a single-seeded, dry winged nutlet with 3 elliptic lobes.
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Tree (Big (>30m)) |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Plant Shape | Irregular |
| Maximum Height | 35 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, Singapore |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial (Primary Rainforest, Freshwater Swamp Forest, Riverine) |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Critically Endangered (CR)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a large-sized tree up to 35 m tall with steep buttresses to 1 m high. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves are spoon-shaped (obovate) measuring from 9 - 40 cm long, 5 - 16 cm wide. Short hairs may be present below, along the midrib above. The stipule is cup-like, with many linear lobes of 5 - 30 mm long. |
| Flowers | Flowers are fragrant, rose-pink coloured, held on a multi-branched inflorescence arranged along both sides of the ultimate branches. The inflorescence is pendulous, found along the axils measuring 10 - 50 cm long. Flowers are 5-lobed, funnel-shaped of 8 - 10 mm in length, hairs on both surfaces. Each flower has 3 dull-pink calyx lobes covered in soft pale hairs, measuring 3 - 4 mm long, 1 - 1.5 mm wide. |
| Fruit | The fruit consist of a single-seeded, dry, winged, obconical nutlet and 3 elliptic lobes covered in soft pale pink hairs. The nutlet measures 3 - 4 mm long, about 1 mm wide, the lobes are 10 - 12 mm long, 2 - 5 mm wide. Seed is oval, measuring 2 - 3 mm long. |
| Habitat | Occurs in lowlands, swamp forest and riverine forests. |
| Cultivation | It can be propagated by seed <1 & 2>. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Timber & Products: The hard, heavy, reddish-brown timber is reported to be useful for constructing houses, and making carrying-poles, fences, furniture, paddles and rice pounders. |
Landscaping Features
| Landscaping | It has attractive rose pink flower clusters. When a tree is in bloom, the crowns are distinctive because of these clusters. It is a tree suitable for planting near water features or damp ground. |
|---|---|
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers, Fragrant (Flowers), Ornamental Foliage |
| Landscape Uses | Parks & Gardens, Riverine, Pond / Lake / River, Marsh / Bog |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun, Semi-Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Lots of Water, Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Moist Soils, Waterlogged Soils (Drains Site), Well-Drained Soils, Fertile Loamy Soils, Alkaline high pH Soils |
| Propagation Method | Seed |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Hairy / Hirsute, Leathery |
| Foliar Modification | Stipule |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Opposite |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Obovate) |
| Foliar Venation | Reticulate |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Cuspidate, Rounded |
| Foliar Base | Attenuate |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Stem Type & Modification | Woody |
|---|
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Bisexual Flowers , Bisexual Flowers |
| Flower Colour(s) | Pink |
|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Axillary |
| Flower Symmetry | Radial |
| Flowering Habit | Polycarpic |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Brown |
|---|---|
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
| Fruit Type | Indehiscent Dry Fruit , Nut / Nutlet |
| Seed Quantity Per Fruit | Few (1-5) |
References
| References | <1> Wong, K.M. (1989). Tree Flora of Malaya, vol. 4, Selangor: Longman Malaysia. pp. 364 - 366. <2> Wong, K.M. et. al. (2019). Jackiopsis. Flora of Singapore, vol. 13, pp. 148-151. Singapore: Singapore Botanic Gardens, National Parks Board. |
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Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 2006 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 3298 |
| 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. |