lekowala!

samara
Originally uploaded by lekowala.

Here are the samaras of the Kempas tree, Koompassia malaccensis strewn along a part of the HSBC Nature Trail at Macritichie. I guess its part of the mast fruiting that’s going on right now. Picture taken yesterday on the 11 June 2005.

The timber was once rated as Malaya’s 3rd most abindant timber tree. On a herbarium specimen that I chanced across once, I read that the Macaques eat the seed of the fruit and access it by bending the samara. The samara is twisted at the base, which enables the fruit to spin in the wind. The flowers are tiny, just 0.5 cm in diameter.

Matthew sees Hopea
Originally uploaded by lekowala.

Matt contemplates a Chengal Pasir fruit in Sentosa.

Dipterocarp in Sentosa
Originally uploaded by lekowala.

Unbeknownst to the throngs of tourist that may have passed by Burger King’s,on their way towards the giant Merlion, its mast fruiting for this dipterocarp in Sentosa. The two-winged fruits were on the ground and Joshua and Matthew had a good time throwing them up in the air and watching them spin down. This is probably Hopea odorata. There were about 6 tall mature trees there planted just before the walkway that leads to the musical fountain.

Francis and the dipterocarp
Originally uploaded by lekowala.

The forest was busy this year. When I visited the TreeTop Walk in Macritchie, there were flowers everywhere. I guessed it was mast flowering (synchronised mass flowering) in our forest. the local botanist mentioned that the last time this happend was several years ago (6 yrs I think) . The Baccaurea parviflora trees were doing their thing and they looked beautiful with skirts of inflorescences around the base of their trunks (pictures forthcoming), flowers were strewn along some parts of the trails - all very productive of the forest. Here’s a picture of little Francis holding a keruing fruit that we saw yesterday.