Tree planted by Senior Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee to mark the opening of the Ubin Living Lab

Scientific name: Planchonella chartacea

Family Name: Sapotaceae

Synonyms: Pouteria chartacea, Pouteria linggensis, Planchonella linggensis

Chinese name: 山榄树

Common Name: Jeliti

The Planchonella chartacea is native to Singapore and the region, growing along rocky seashores and in coastal forests of up to 400 metres altitude. This tree can grow up to 18 metres in height and has papery leaf blades and small greenish-yellow flowers which produce egg-shaped purple fruits. The flowers of this tree are pollinated by insects and its seeds are likely dispersed by birds.

The genus of this tree was named Planchonella, after Jules Émile Planchon (1823-1888), a French botanist born in Ganges, Hérault, France. The species was named after the Latin word “chartacea”, which means “parchment-like and papery”, referring to the texture of the leaves.