Flowers of the Swamp

Take time and smell the flowers
as James Gan reveals the flower power
of the mangrove swamp that attracts us like bees to nectar

The tropics and especially the mangroves are not especially noted for their abundance and variety of conspicuous flowers. A hurried walk through the Sungei Buloh Nature Park may lead you to agree with me. However, the same walk taken at a slower pace coupled with a keen eye for details will reveal flowers of all shapes, colours and sizes.

One of the most conspicuous flower is that of the Sea Hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliaceaus). The Sea Hibiscus is a beach forest tree. The flowers are bright yellow, large and showy. Though flowering occurs all year round, the flowers only last a day. You can see the flowers when they open in the morning. By evening, the flowers would have closed and the petals may have dropped off. Sungei Buloh has plenty of Sea Hibiscus trees. Look out for them as you walk along any of the routes and trails.

Another beautiful flower of a plant usually found on the landward edge of the mangroves is the Crinum Lily (Crinum asiaticum). The white flowers are large and spectacular. They span about 20 cm across and are lightly and sweetly scented. They grow in a bunch at the end of a long stalk. There is a large plant outside the Theatrette and a few others located around the Visitors Centre for those of you who are interested to admire the beauty of the Crinum Lily.

The Alexandrian Laurel (Calophyllum inophyllum), a coastal tree, also produces beautiful white flowers. The trees flower twice a year from April to June and October to December, apparently after an appreciable period of dry weather. The flowers open in the early morning around 3 to 4 am and wither the following day. Some luck would be needed to see them in bloom. Take a breather if you have a chance to see them and you may agree with me that the sweet scent of the flowers is better than any perfume. There are a number of trees in the Park reserve but the easiest tree to find is the one slightly to the left of the Main Hide.

You may notice among the trees and plants in the Park that a number of them are covered with vines. These vines are part and parcel of the mangrove community and they are found predominantly in the back mangrove areas. One such vine is the Three-leaved Derris (Derris trifoliata), a legume that is closely related to the groundnut, pea and bean plants. It has white or pinkish white flowers. The inflorescence can grow to 20cm in length and each individual flower is about 1cm in diameter.

A plant in the Park reminiscent of the Christmas Holly because of the spiny leaf margin is the Sea Holly (Acanthus ilicifolius). This plant can be found along the Mangrove Boardwalk. It has purplish white or light blue flowers and the pollinators of the flowers are believed to be birds and bees. As these flowers bloom for only two to three days, enjoy them while they last.

The Tumu (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza) flowers are strikingly red, a colour that attracts birds. Hence the pollinators of these flowers are believed to be birds. The deep floral cup contains an abundant reservoir of nectar which serves as a reward for the birds that visit the flowers. Each of these flowers also possesses an interesting explosive pollen discharge mechanism. A bird pollinator attracted by the nectar and whose beak touches the base of each petal activates the mechanism. Pollen discharged onto the bird may then find their way to the stigma as the bird goes from flower to flower.

The Excoecaria agallocha, also known as Blind-your-Eyes because of the effects of the tree's noxious white latex on exposed eyes, has male and female flowers that are borne on separate trees. The sex of the flowers is difficult to distinguish to the untrained eye. The male inflorescence is longer than the female inflorescence. Male and female trees are best identified by the production of 3-lobed fruits. Only female trees produce fruits. The fruits are less than 1cm in diameter. The flowers are believed to be pollinated by bees as the pollen is sticky.

Attap chee, a key ingredient in the local dessert ice kacang, is obtained from the fruit of the Nipah Palm (Nipah fruiticans). The palm is found in various locations of the Park but is best viewed at Hide 1C. The inflorescence is unmistakable and encloses female flowers at the terminal end and male flowers on the lateral branches. Small flies are believed to be the main pollinators. Sugars tapped from the inflorescence can be distilled into industrial alcohol after fermentation.

It is not difficult to find the trees and plants described in this article. The Park has recently placed 200 plant signs beside and on the trees for your easy identification and enjoyment.

Good luck on your mangrove flower hunt in Sungei Buloh Nature Park!