the story of the humble simpur prepared by: amalina f. abu bakar 1 of 33
TRANSCRIPT
The Story of the Humble
Simpur
Prepared by:
Amalina F. Abu Bakar
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Simpur (Dillenia)
Kingdom: Plantae (all plants)
Division: Angiospermae (flowering plants)
Class: Dicotyledonae (dicotyledons)
Order: Guttiferales (dipterocarps &
others)
Family: Dilleniaceae (mempelas & simpur)
Genus: Dillenia (simpur)
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What is Simpur? Flowering plants of around 100 species.
Also known as Simpoh or Simpor.
Consists of trees and shrubs which are evergreen or semi-
evergreen.
Can grow in various habitats.
Simple and spirally arranged leaves.
Insect-pollinated: Bees and beetles collect the pollen.
Leaves and flowers often eaten by deer.
Flowers: Petals are usually transparent yellow and conspicuous.
Stamens in the middle of the flower.
The appearance is similar to Magnolia flowers.
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Among the species of Simpur
D. alata
D. beccariana
D. borneensis
D. cauliflora
D. crenatifolia
D. excelsa
D. fischeri
D. grandifolia
D. indica
D. ingens
D. magnoliifolia
D. ovata
D. philippinensi
s
D. ptempoda
D. pulchella
D. reticulata
D. serrata
D. suffruticosa
D. sumatrana
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The habitat of Simpur
Native to tropical and subtropical regions
of southern Asia, Australasia and the
islands of the Indian Ocean.
Can be found on swampy areas, lowland
inland forests, wastelands, eroded soil,
white sand areas and in secondary growth.
Around 9 species can be found in Brunei.
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Maps of southern Asia, Australasia and Indian Ocean
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Southern Asia Australasia Islands of Indian
Ocean
The Species of Simpur in Brunei
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Species Common name
D. beccariana River Simpur
D. borneensis Ubah rusa
D. excelsa Simpur Ungu, Simpur Laki
D. grandifolia Simpur Daun Merah
D. indica -
D. reticulata Simpur Gajah
D. pulchella Simpur Paya
D. suffruticosa Simpur Air, Simpur Bini
D. sumatrana Simpur Laki
Distribution of Simpur in Brunei
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Species Location
D. beccarianaBorneo endemic. Common on clay slopes in lower Temburong
and Batu Apoi valleys. In Ulu Tutong and Tasek Merimbun.
D. borneensisRare in Brunei. On clay soils in mixed dipterocarp forests at
Temburong.
D. excelsa Throughout Brunei. In moist valleys and lower slopes.
D. grandifoliaUncommon in Brunei. In Ulu Ingei and Andulau Forest Reserve.
Belait, Kuala Belalong and Amo.
D. indica Not native to Brunei. Only cultivated.
D. reticulataOn sandy soils in floodplains in Andulau Forest Rerserve and Ulu
Belait
D. pulchella Mixed peat swamp forests, swampy kerangas, near the coast.
D. suffruticosa
On degraded land, river banks, open place, downriver and poor soils.
D. sumatranaCommon in Brunei. In lowland mixed dipterocarp forest, on
leached sandy, sandy soils in Belait and Tutong.
Map of Brunei
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Temburon
g
Tutong
Belait
The Flowers of Simpur
Solitary, or in terminal racemes.
Flowers have five sepals and five petals.
Numerous stamens and a cluster of 5-20 carpels.
Flowers of different species are not similar.
No scent and no nectar.
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racemes
The Flowers of Simpur
Blooms from 3-4 years of
age.
Lifespan of 50-100 years.
Flower buds face down.
Bud become swelling and
turns yellow.
Flowers open one at a time.
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The Flowers of Simpur
Flowers open at 3 am the next
day.
By 4 pm, the petals start to
drop off. The sepals fold back
on the young fruit.
Flowers stalks rotates from
pointing down to pointing up
slowly.
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The Life-cycle of Simpur
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Flower
Fruit bud
Ripe fruit
Plant
Flower
bud
The Flowers of Simpur
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D. alata D. albifos
The Flowers of Simpur
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D. excelsa
The Flowers of Simpur
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D. indica D. beccariana
The Flowers of Simpur
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D. philippinesis D. reticulata
The Flowers of Simpur
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D. suffruticosa D. sumatrana
The Fruits of Simpur
Fruit buds face upwards.
Unopened fruits: Surrounded by red
sepals which are thick.
Fruits: Take five weeks to set.
Ripe fruits open at 3 am.
Fruit: Star-shaped when splits open,
exposing the seeds.
Empty husk of the fruits falls off at 8 am
the next day.
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The Fruits of Simpur
Almost all of the dehiscent
fruits are covered by the red
aril (soft red membrane).
D. indica have soft white
membrane covering its seeds.
D. ovata and D. reticulata has
ex-arillate seeds.
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The Fruits of Simpur
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D. alata
D. indica
The Fruits of Simpur
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D. beccariana (fruit bud) D. beccariana (ripe fruit)
The Fruits of Simpur
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D. excelsa
The Fruits of Simpur
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D. ingens D. ovata
The Fruits of Simpur
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D. philippinensis D. serrata
The Fruits of Simpur
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D. suffruticosa
Evergreen shrubs.
Can grow up to 10
meters.
Leaves: Broad and
oval with slight
toothed edge.
The Uses of Simpur Leaves are used to wrap food such as tempeh (fermented
soya bean cakes), nasi lemak and tapai (fermented rice).
Rolled into shallow cones to contain traditional food rojak.
Mature and old leaves contain deposit of silica – used as
sandpaper.
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Tapai
The Uses of Simpur
As an indicator of water source (D.
suffruticosa) – the tap roots can reach
underground water source.
As traditional medicine to staunch
bleeding wounds (young shoots).
Fruit pulp use to wash hair.
Leaves are used by birds as nest.
D. suffuticosa provides shades for
young plants.
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Additional Information about Simpur
National flower of Brunei.
Drawn in Brunei art as ‘Ayer Muleh’.
Used as the logo of APEC 2000 held in Brunei.
Depicted on the front side of Brunei one-dollar note.
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Brunei one-dollar
note
APEC 2000 logo “Ayer Muleh’
design
References Dr. S Idris M. Said. (2000). Bunga Simpor. Available at:
http://www.apec2000.gov.bn/simpor.html
(Retrieved on 5th September 2011)
Earl of Cranbrook, Edwards, D.S. (1994). Belalong: A Tropical Rainforest. The
Royal Geographical Society, United Kingdom and Sun Tree Publishing, Singapore.
Tan, R., (2001). Simpoh Air. Available at:
http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/plants/simpoh_air.html
(Retrieved on 5th September 2011)
The Total Vascular Flora of Singapore Online (2010). Dillenia suffruticosa.
Available at:
http://floraofsingapore.wordpress.com/2010/08/21/dillenia-suffruticosa
(Retrieved on 5th September 2011)
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References Wikipedia, (2011). Dillenia. Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dillenia
(Retrieved on 5th September 2011)
Wikipedia, (2011). Dilleni suffruticosa. Available at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dillenia_suffruticosa
(Retrieved on 5th September 2011)
Wild Singapore, (2008). Simpoh Air. Available at: http://
www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/others/dillenia/suffruticosa.html
(Retrieved on 5th September 2011)
Yunos, R. (2009). Brunei’s National Flower? Available at:
http://bruneiresources.blogspot.com/2009/09/bruneis-national-flower.html
(Retrieved on 5th September 2011)
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Acknowledgement
This project is done under the guidance of Dr.
Leong YP of UBD.
Photos are taken at Kampong Rimba in Brunei-
Muara, Kampong Danau and Kampong Kiudang in
Tutong.
Special thanks to Lee KH for some of the photos.
And for those who involved directly or indirectly.
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Prepared by:
Amalina Fadilah Hj. Abu Bakar
B. Ed. General Science
Universiti Brunei Darussalam
2011
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