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Archidendron contortum (Mart.) I.C.Nielsen
| Family Name: | Fabaceae (Leguminosae) |
| Common Name: | Lesser grasshopper tree, Petai belalang |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Tree, Shrub |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
Biogeography
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
|---|---|
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Endangered (EN)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a shrub or small tree up to 10 m tall. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Its spirally arranged, stalked, bipinnate leaves have about 5 pairs of primary leaflets (pinnae) that are up to 15 cm long, and each bears 10–22 pairs of opposite secondary leaflets (pinnules). Its papery pinnule blades are somewhat trapezoid, drying to brown or brown-green, with cup-shaped glands just above the base of the secondary leaflet stalk, covered with fine hair above, are densely fine hairy below, and 0.5–3.5 by 0.5–1.2 cm. |
| Flowers | Its flowers grow in clusters of 1–3 on flowering shoots that are up to 50 cm long. The flowers are greenish-white to yellowish, bell-shaped, and about 2.5 mm long. |
| Fruit | Its fruits are papery, coiled into a circle, spirally twisted after splitting open, ripening from dark green to orange, and 3.5–10 by 1.5–2.5 cm. Each fruit contain 8–10 bluish-black seeds that are egg-shaped or round, somewhat flattened, and about 8 mm across. |
| Habitat | It grows in primary and secondary lowland forests, and on ridges, up to 1100 m altitude. |
| Associated Fauna | Its flowers are insect-pollinated. |
| Etymology | Greek Archi, beginning, original, primitive; Greek dendron, tree; Latin contortum, twisted or bent, the reference to which is unknown |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) |
|---|
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun, Semi-Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
Foliar
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Papery |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower Colour(s) | Green, Yellow / Golden |
|---|
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Orange |
|---|
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 33116 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 7530 |
| 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. |
