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Arytera litoralis Blume
| Family Name: | Sapindaceae |
| Synonyms: | Arytera litoralis Blume var. major King |
| Common Name: | Gerik, Rerak Busa, Bidara Emping, 滨木患 |
Arytera litoralis or Gerik is a large-sized tree native to Singapore. Growing to 40 m in height, it produce leaves with up to 3 pairs of elliptic or egg-shaped leaflets, a sac-like cavity (domatia) can also be found at the base of the leaflet stalk. Flowers are white, small, fragrant, borne on an inflorescence. The fruit is a orange coloured capsule, 1-2 lobed, either smooth, wrinkled or warty, inflated to slightly flattened.
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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 |
| Maximum Height | 40 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Northeast India, Southeast Asia (including Singapore) to South China |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial (Primary Rainforest, Secondary Rainforest, Coastal Forest) |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Critically Endangered (CR)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a large-sized tree that can grow to 40 m in height. It has smooth greyish green to reddish or almost black coloured bark. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves are paripinnate, up to 3 pairs of leaflets each. They are leathery to papery, egg-shaped to elliptic, sometimes pear-shaped, 4.2 - 31 cm long by 1.4 - 12 cm wide. Veins and veinlets are raised on the underside. At the base of a leaflet, the stalk is swollen and a sac-like cavity (domatia) can be found at the axil. |
| Flowers | Flowers are borne on an inflorescence, produced on the axils and near the end of branches. They are white, fragrant, often 5-lobed, measuring 1 - 3.5 mm in diameter, hairy outside, smooth on the inside. Each have both male and female parts present however it is presumed that the flowers could be dioecious where only the male or female part is functional in each flower. |
| Fruit | The fruit is a 1 to 2-lobed, orange coloured capsule that may be smooth, wrinkled, warty, measuring 0.7 - 3.6 cm long by 0.5 - 2.3 cm wide. The lobes are thick, inflated to slightly flattened. Upon maturity, the fruit splits open to reveal a single, elliptic or round seed in each lobe, partially or fully covered by a seed covering. |
| Habitat | Occurs in primary and secondary forest, altitude up to 1500 m. <1&2> |
| Cultivation | It can be propagated by seed. |
| Etymology | Its species epithet, litoralis, Latin litoris refers to coastal in reference to one of its habitat. |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna | Bee-Attracting Plant |
|---|---|
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) (Insects (Bee)) |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Fertile Loamy Soils, Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Spiral |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Elliptical, Ovate) |
| Foliar Venation | Reticulate |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acuminate, Cuspidate |
| Foliar Base | Cuneate, Attenuate, Rounded / Obtuse |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Stem Type & Modification | Woody |
|---|
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Unisexual Flowers , Dioecious |
| Flower Colour(s) | White |
|---|
| Flower Texture(s) | Hairy / Hirsute |
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Axillary, Terminal |
| Flower Symmetry | Radial |
| Flowering Habit | Polycarpic |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Orange |
|---|---|
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
| Fruit Type | Dehiscent Dry Fruit , Capsule |
References
| References | <1> Turner, H. (1994). Arytea. In: Adema, F., Leenhouts, P.W.C, van Welzen, P.C. (eds). Flora Malesiana, ser. 1, Seed Plants, vol. 11, pt. 3, pp. 473-474. Leiden: Rijksherbarium. <2> van Welzen, P.C. (2017). Arytea. In: Kiew, R. Chung, R.C.K., Saw, L.G., Soepadmo, E. (eds). Flora of Peninsular Malaysia, ser. 2, vol. 6, pp. 80-82. Selangor: Forest Research Institute Malaysia. |
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Others
| Master ID | 29270 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 3579 |
| 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. |