Flora Singapore List D

Shrubs to 2 m tall, youngest parts puberulous. Branches grayish, scattered lenticellate. Petiole 5-20 mm; leaf blade lanceolate to elliptic or suborbicular, 5-15 × 2.5-10 cm, thickly leathery, lateral veins 2-4 pairs, base cuneate or obtuse, apex acute or rounded, glabrous. Racemes solitary or 2 or 3 together, 3-10-flowered; peduncle 7-20 mm, with grayish or white stellate hairs; bracts broadly ovate, 1-1.5 mm. Pedicel ca. 2 mm. Calyx 2-2.5 mm, limb 0.5-1.5 mm, 5-denticulate. Mature bud 1.5-2 cm. Corolla orange, basal 1/2 slightly inflated, lobes lanceolate, ca. 12 mm, reflexed. Filaments 3-4 mm; anthers 3-5 mm. Berry red, 8-10 × 5-6 mm, minutely pilose or glabrous. Fl. and fr. Dec-Jun. less ↑

Dillenia alata, commonly known as red beech or golden guinea tree, is a rainforest tree found in northern Australia, New Guinea and nearby islands. It is a medium sized tree with reddish-brown papery bark. The leaves are 11-23 mm long and 6-13 mm wide and connected to the stem by a stem-clasping winged petiole. The five-petalled yellow flowers have a cluster of pink or red styles, anthers and staminoides at the centre. less ↑

Tubers cylindric, developed from short, thick rhizome; cork deciduous; transverse section white, drying light yellow. Stem twining to right, glabrous, prickly at base. Leaves alternate basally on stem, opposite distally on stem, simple; leaf blade drying blackish, usually ovate or long elliptic-ovate to lanceolate, 5--17(--24) × 0.5--10(--13) cm, glabrous, basal veins 5--9, base cordate to truncate or rounded, rarely sagittate or hastate, apex acuminate or caudate. Male spikes solitary or 2--4 together, 1--2.5 cm, usually in narrow, axillary panicles to 14 cm; rachis straight. Male flowers: outer perianth lobes orbicular, ca. 1 mm, inner ones obovate, smaller but thicker than outer; stamens 6, inflexed. Female spikes solitary or paired, to 25 cm. Capsule not reflexed, oblate, 1.5--2.5 cm; wings 1.2--2.2 cm wide. Seeds inserted near middle of capsule, winged all round. Fl. Sep--Dec, fr. Dec--Jan. less ↑

Diospyros buxifolia is a tree in the Ebenaceae family. It grows up to 30 metres (100 ft) tall. Inflorescences bear up to five flowers. The fruits are ellipsoid, up to 1.6 cm (1 in) long. The specific epithet buxifolia is from the Latin, referring to the leaves' resemblance to those of the genus Buxus. Habitat is forests from sea-level to 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) altitude.D. buxifolia is found widely from India to Indochina and in Malesia as far as New Guinea. less ↑

Diospyros lanceifolia is a tree in the Ebenaceae family. It grows up to 27 metres (90 ft) tall. Twigs are reddish brown when young, aging blackish or dark brown. Inflorescences bear up to 10 flowers. The fruits are round, up to 2.5 cm (1 in) in diameter. The specific epithet lanceifolia is from the Latin meaning "lance-shaped leaves". Habitat is lowland forests. D. lanceifolia is found in Nepal, India, Thailand, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and the Philippines. less ↑

Climbers or scandent shrubs, 3-4 m tall. Stems obtusely 4-sided, sparsely stellate pilose, later subterete and glabrescent. Petiole ca. 5 mm, densely stellate pilose, both sides setose; leaf blade oblong, broadly lanceolate, or oblong-ovate, 8-12 × 2.8-4 cm, stiffly papery to subpapery, both surfaces with stellate trichomes but glabrescent, secondary veins 2 on each side of midvein, base slightly cordate to subcordate, margin entire, apex acuminate. Inflorescences terminal, cymose paniculate, ca. 22 × 12 cm, many-flowered, with dense stellate trichomes. Pedicel 2-5 mm, with stellate trichomes. Hypanthium tubular-campanulate, 5-7 mm, with stellate trichomes. Calyx lobes inconspicuous. Petals white, broadly ovate, ca. 7 × 6 mm, apex acute. Longer stamens ca. 1.2 cm; anthers ca. 8 mm, U-curved, abaxially spurred, adaxially 2-tuberculate at base. Shorter stamens abortive, ca. 2.5 mm; anthers papery, rhomboid-ovate, ca. 1 mm, margin denticulate, abaxially with a spur ca. 2 mm, adaxially at base with 2 setae ca. 1 mm. Ovary ovoid, apex truncate. Fl. Jun or Nov, fr. Jun-Jul. less ↑

Plants treelike, 5--15 m tall. Stems branched, sometimes to 1 m thick, reddish apically; internodes much shorter than wide; bark grayish white, becoming grayish brown with age, smooth. Leaves crowded at apex of branches, sessile, sword-shaped, 30--100 × 2--5 cm, leathery, base reddish, completely covering internode. Inflorescence terminal, branched, more than 40 cm; rachis densely papillose-pubescent. Flowers in clusters of 2--5; pedicel 3--6 mm, articulate distally. Perianth milky white, 6--8 mm; tube 1.5--2 mm; lobes 5--6 mm. Filaments flat, 0.5--0.7 mm wide, reddish brown tuberculate distally. Berry orange, subglobose, 0.8--1.2 cm in diam., 1--3-seeded. Fl. Mar, fr. Jul--Aug. less ↑

Found in swamps, edges of streams and other areas that flood in the Amazon river basin in South America, they mostly eat snails by using their large, powerful jaws to crack open their shells. The name caiman lizard comes from the ridged scales on their back, similar to the scales of caimans, a relative of alligators and crocodiles.

They hatch from eggs and can grow up to four feet. less ↑

Diospyros diepenhorstii is a tree in the Ebenaceae family. It grows up to 30 metres (100 ft) tall. Twigs are brownish to blackish. The fruits are obovoid to oblong-ellipsoid, up to 10 cm (4 in) long. The tree is named for Dutch botanist H. Diepenhorst. Habitat is forests from sea-level to 1,800 metres (6,000 ft) altitude. D. diepenhorstii is found in Peninsular Thailand and from west Malesia to the Philippines. less ↑

Plants shrubby, 1--5 m tall. Stems branched; internodes longer than wide. Leaves spaced along distal part of branches, distinctly petiolate; petiole ca. 1 cm, base neither enlarged nor covering internode; leaf blade linear-lanceolate or narrowly elliptic-lanceolate, 10--15 × 2--3 cm, midvein distinct. Inflorescence terminal, branched, 7--10 cm; rachis glabrous. Flowers solitary, rarely paired; pedicel ca. 10 mm, articulate above middle. Perianth greenish, sometimes flushed red or purple, 2--2.3 cm. less ↑

Dicranopteris linearis is a common species of fern known by many common names, including Old World forked fern and uluhe (Hawaiian). It is one of the most widely distributed ferns of the wet Old World tropics and adjacent regions, including Polynesia and the Pacific. In parts of the New World tropics its niche is filled by its relative, Dicranopteris pectinatus. less ↑

Rhizome stout, woody, up to 15 mm in diameter; rhizome scales pale golden brown, peltate, narrowly lanceolate, hairpointed, up to 8 mm long with paler margins. Fronds widely spaced, arching, thinly coriaceous. Stipe up to 44 cm long, firm, wiry, glabrous at maturity, with scales similar to those on the rhizome, at the extreme base. Lamina 20-70 × 20-50 cm, 4- to 5-pinnatifid, triangular in outline. Pinnae alternate, with petiole up to 3 cm long; basal pinnae largest and developed basiscopically, others progressively smaller upwards. Ultimate segments pinnatifid, 5-7 lobed, cuneate, obtuse, glabrous, distal margins deeply toothed. Rhachis and secondary rhachis glabrous, slightly winged towards the apices. Sori up to 1 mm in diameter, solitary, terminal on segments and on vein ends, variously subtented by 1 or 2 blunt or sharp teeth, covered by a pouchlike membranous, entire indusia. less ↑

Desmanthus virgatus is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by many common names, including wild tantan, prostrate bundleflower, dwarf koa, desmanto, acacia courant, acacia savane, pompon blank,adormidera, brusca prieta, frijolillo, ground tamarind, guajillo, guashillo, huarangillo, langalet, petit acacia, petit cassie, petit mimosa, virgate mimosa, and slender mimosa, as well as simply desmanthus. It is native to the Americas, including Texas in the United States, parts of Mexico, Central America, South America, and... less ↑

Perennial, Shrubs, Woody throughout, Nodules present, Stems or branches arching, spreading or decumbent, Stems greater than 2 m tall, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules conspicuous, Stipules green, triangulate to lanceolate or foliaceous, Stipules deciduous, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate, Leaves odd pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets 3, Leaves hairy on one or both surfaces, Inflorescence umbel-like or subumbellate, Inflorescence axillary, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Bracteoles present, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 4-lobed, Calyx glabrous, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals white, Petals greenish yellow, Banner petal ovoid or obovate, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblong, Keel tips obtuse or rounded, not beaked, Stamens 9-10, Stamens monadelphous, united below, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Fruit a loment, jointed, separating into articles, Fruit indehiscent, Fruit oblong or ellipsoidal, Fruit strongly curved, falcate, bent, or lunate, Fruits quadrangulate, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit compressed between seeds, Fruit hairy, Fruit 3-10 seeded, Seeds subquadrate, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black. less ↑

Dalbergia latifolia (synonym Amerimnon latifolium) is an economically important timber species native to low-elevation tropical monsoon forests of eastern India. Some common names in English include blackwood, Bombay blackwood, rosewood, Roseta rosewood, East Indian rosewood, black rosewood, Indian palisandre, and Java palisandre. Its Indian common names are beete, and sitsal. The tree grows to 40 metres in height and is evergreen, but locally deciduous in drier subpopulations. less ↑

Dalbergia oliveri is a species of legume in the Fabaceae family which grows in tree form to 15 - 30 meters in height (up to 100 ft.). The fruit is a green pod containing one to two seeds which turn brown to black when ripe. The trees are found in Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Common names throughout S.E. Asia are: Cambodian: "Neang Nuon", Thai: "Mai Ching Chan" (ไม้ชิงชัน), Laos: "Mai Kham Phii", Myanmar: "tamalan"... less ↑

Perennial, Shrubs, Herbs, Stems woody below, or from woody crown or caudex, Taproot present, Nodules present, Stems erect or ascend ing, Stems or branches arching, spreading or decumbent, Stems less than 1 m tall, Stems 1-2 m tall, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Stem hairs hispid to villous, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules inconspicuous, absent, or caducous, Stipules green, triangulate to lanceolate or foliaceous, Stipules deciduous, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate, Leaves odd pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Stipels present at base of leaflets, Leaflets 3, Leaves hairy on one or both surfaces, Leaves coriaceous, Inflorescences racemes, Inflorescence axillary, Inflorescence terminal, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Bracteoles present, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 2-lipped or 2-lobed, Calyx hairy, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals pinkish to rose, Petals red, Petals blue, lavander to purple, or violet, Banner petal ovoid or obovate, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblo ng, Wing tips obtuse or rounded, Keel tips obtuse or rounded, not beaked, Stamens 9-10, Stamens diadelphous, 9 united, 1 free, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Fruit a loment, jointed, separating into articles, Fruit unilocular, Fruit indehiscent, Fruit elongate, straight, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit compressed between seeds, Fruit hairy, Fruit 3-10 seeded, Seeds ovoid to rounded in outline, Seeds reniform, Seeds subquadrate, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black. less ↑

Perennial, Herbs, Stems woody below, or from woody crown or caudex, Taproot present, Nodules present, Stems prostrate, trailing, or mat forming, Stems less than 1 m tall, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Stems hairs pilose or spreading, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules inconspicuous, absent, or caducous, Stipules conspicuous, Stipules green, triangulate to lanceolate or foliaceous, Stipules deciduous, Stipul es free, Leaves compound, Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate, Leaves odd pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Stipels present at base of leaflets, Leaflets 3, Leaves hairy on one or both surfaces, Inflorescences racemes, Inflorescence axillary, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Bracteoles present, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 2-lipped or 2-lobed, Calyx hairy, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals pinkish to rose, Banner petal ovoid or obovate, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblong, Wing tips obtuse or rounded, Keel tips obtuse or rounded, not beaked, Stamens 9-10, Stamens diadelphous, 9 united, 1 free, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Fruit a loment, jointed, separating into articles, Fruit unilocular, Fruit tardily or weakly dehiscent, Fruit indehiscent, Fruit elongate, straight, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit compressed between seeds, Fruit hairy, Fruit 3-10 seeded, Seeds ovoid to rounded in outline, Seeds reniform, See d surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black. less ↑

Desmodium triflorum is an ornamental plant in the Fabaceae family. It is native to Florida, Hawaii, and some small areas of other southern states of the United States. It is a creeper, a vine that grows along the ground as opposed to growing up trees or buildings. It has three leaves with smooth edges and a white stripe up the middle, ranging from a bright white to a barely visible grey stripe, depending on the nutrients... less ↑

Diospyros is a genus of about 450–500 species of deciduous and evergreen trees, shrubs and small bushes. The majority are native to the tropics, with only a few species extending into temperate regions. Depending on their nature, individual species commonly are known as ebony or persimmon trees. Some are valued for their hard, heavy, dark timber, and some for their fruit. Some are useful as ornamentals and many are of local ecological importance. less ↑

Kamagong, Mabolo (both in Philippines), Butter fruit (Singapore) or Velvet Apple (scientific name: Diospyros blancoi) is a plant of the genus of ebony trees and persimmons, Diospyros. Its edible fruit has a skin covered in a fine, velvety fur which is usually reddish-brown, and soft, creamy, pink flesh, with a taste and aroma comparable to fruit cream cheese (the aroma of the fruit itself, however, is unpleasant, comparable to rotten cheese or cat feces; inspiring names... less ↑

Dischidia is a genus of plants in the Milkweed family, Asclepiadaceae. It comprises about 80 known species which all grow as epiphytes and are native to tropical areas of China, India and most areas of Indo-China. Dischidia are closely aligned with the sister genus Hoya. Unlike Hoya, the genus Dischidia, is poorly known and has not been studied as closely. less ↑

Dischidia major or Malayan Urn Vine is an unusual plant first encountered in 1772 as a specimen sent from Madras to Nathaniel Wallich, the curator of the Calcutta Botanical Garden. He published a description in the second volume of Plantae Asiaticae rariores and named it Dischidia rafflesiana in honour of his late friend Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore. The honorific did not survive the test of time, but the peculiar morphology of the plant persists. 'Dischidia' is derived from the Greek, meaning "cleft in two" and refers to the apically bifid staminal corona. less ↑

Herbs glabrous except for flowers. Stems slender, twining to 1.5 m; internodes longer than leaves. Petiole 1-2 mm; leaf blade orbicular, 7-10 mm in diam.; lateral veins obsolete. Pseudumbels subsessile. Sepals ovate. Corolla white or yellowish white; lobes ovate-triangular, ca. 1 × 0.5 mm, thickened at middle. Corona lobes anchor-shaped, shorter than gynostegium, stalked, apex 2-cleft, widely divergent, lateral arms oblong, pendulous. Apical membrane of anthers ovate-triangular; pollinia oblong. Stigma head discoid, mucronate at apex. Follicles lanceolate, ca. 4 cm × 5 mm. Fl. Mar-Jun, fr. Jun-Sep. less ↑

The jelutong (Dyera costulata, syn. D. laxiflora) is a species of tree in the oleander subfamily. It grows to approximately 60 metres (200 ft) tall with diameters of 2 metres (5 to 6 ft), or even to 80 m (260 ft) tall with diameters to 3 m (10 ft), and boles clear and straight for 30 m (90 ft). It grows in Malaysia, Borneo, Sumatra and southern Thailand. Its natural distribution is scattered locales in low-elevation tropical evergreen forest. less ↑

Dianthus is a genus of about 300 species of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae, native mainly to Europe and Asia, with a few species extending south to north Africa, and one species (D. repens) in arctic North America. Common names include carnation (D. caryophyllus), pink (D. plumarius and related species) and sweet william (D. barbatus). less ↑

Dianthus barbatus (sweet william) is a species of Dianthus native to southern Europe and parts of Asia which has become a popular ornamental garden plant. It is a herbaceous biennial or short-lived perennial plant growing to 30–75 cm tall, with flowers in a dense cluster of up to 30 at the top of the stems. Each flower is 2–3 cm diameter with five petals displaying serrated edges. Wild plants produce red flowers with a white base, but colours... less ↑

Dianthus gratianopolitanus (cheddar pink) is a species belonging to the Caryophyllaceae family. It is a herbaceous perennial, hardy to zones 4-8. It grows to a height of 0.5 to 1 feet, blooming from May to June. Flowers are fragrant and rose pink. Grows best in full sun, and has medium water requirements. Overwatering or poor drainage leads to crown rot, and they do not tolerate wet winter soil conditions. less ↑

Trees, medium to tall, 30[-40] m tall, glabrous. Leaves rigid, distichous; petiole to 1.2 cm; leaf blade abaxially pale green, adaxially dark green, ovate to oblong, broad, 12-15 × 5-7 cm, abaxially glaucous, lateral veins [12-]20-24 pairs, base cordate, apex shortly acuminate. Corymbs 3-20-flowered, drooping at ends of branches; pedicels 3-4 cm, stout. Floral tube broadly campanulate, 1.6-2.5 × 1.8-3 cm; sepals (5 or)6, green, thick, enlarged in fruit. Petals 6, white, obovate, 2.5-3 × 1.5-2 cm. Stamens numerous, ca. 50 or more, white, surpassing petals. Capsules subglobose, 3-4 × [3-]4-4.5 cm, 6-9-valved. Seeds 4-6 mm. Fl. spring. 2n = 48. less ↑

Duranta erecta is a species of flowering shrub in the verbena family Verbenaceae, native from Mexico to South America and the Caribbean. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in tropical and subtropical gardens throughout the world, and has become naturalized in many places. It is considered an invasive species in Australia, China, South Africa and on several Pacific Islands. Common names include golden dewdrop, pigeon berry, and skyflower. In Mexico, the native Nahuatl name... less ↑

Dipterocarpus sublamellatus grows as a large tree up to 70 metres (230 ft) tall, with a trunk diameter of up to 3 metres (10 ft). Bark is orange-brown. The fruits are round, up to 3 cm (1 in) in diameter. It is found in a variety of now vulnerable habitats from sea-level to 400 metres (1,300 ft) altitude. D. sublamellatus is native to Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo. less ↑

Dryobalanops aromatica, commonly known as Borneo Camphor, Camphor Tree, Malay Camphor, or Sumatran Camphor, is a species of plant in the Dipterocarpaceae family. The species name aromatica is derived from Latin (aromaticus = spice-like) and refers to the smell of the dammar (resin). This species was one of the main sources of camphor and attracted early Arab traders to Borneo, at that time being worth more than gold, and used for incense and perfumes. less ↑