The next nature walk will be held at Hole 18th Old Course in the middle of May. The idea to have nature walk specifically for each hole nearest to the club was to allow each hole’s own unique story with its surrounding nature, and their presence in a sanctuary golf course area, be told, understand and share. There are 6 species of trees to be covered in this walk and they are mostly native to Malaysia, and have its own unique stories and background. The characters of each species are shared below: –
Terminalia calamansanai Mentalun, Mentalun Batu, Jelawai Mentalun or Kedah tree
Terminalia calamansanai is native to Myammar, Indo-China, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, the Philippines, Sulawesi, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. This species is normally found in lowland forest, occasionally near the sea or limestone cliffs. It is a tall type of tree, capable of growing up to 40 metres tall, with greyish to yellowish-brown bark that is shallowly fissured. The trunk is straight and cylindrical, with a diameter of up to 80 centimetres and spreading buttresses reaching up to 9 metres in height.
The leaves are leathery, elliptic to obovate shaped with pointed tip. The young leaves are hairy underside which becomes smooth as they mature. The inflorescence occurs at the axillary and contains many small flowers. It is cream or greenish yellow in colour with a strong, stuffy smell. The fruit has two broad side wings (1 to 2 centimetres long and 2 to 4 centimetres wide) and a triangular body.
Terminalia calamansanai requires a sunny position with welldrained soil. The wood’s feature is classified as moderately heavy to heavy, moderately hard, not very durable and often attacked by shot-hole beetles. It is commonly used for foundation piles, cheap or temporary construction, cheap furniture, paving blocks, tiles and mine timbers. It is seldom sawn into lumber or used for construction as it was deemed not durable.
Pterocarpus indicus Sena, Angsana, Amboyna wood, Philippine Mahogany
The Angsana tree is an impressive large tree, capable of growing up to 40 metres tall. The crown is large and has many long ascending branches but will eventually arch over and sometimes droop at the ends. The branches pendulous, is quite weak, prone to being broken during stormy days. The tree is popularly planted in the tropics for ornamental and shade purposes.
The trunk is buttressed, its bark scaly and slightly fissured especially as its age. The wood had rose like scent when cut and is colourful from light yellow to golden brown and reddish brown. It is a valuable type of wood for making cabinets, furniture and decorative veneers. The red dye obtained from the bark is used known to be used for medicinal purposes by the natives.
The leaves are in simple pinnate compound. The flowers are yellow with fragrant scent and in axillary bunches. Flowering is not intense unless pronounced drought. The flowers only last a day before they fall and carpet the ground below.
The fruits are in flattened pods with papery wigs and consist of one or more seeds. It is easy to propagate either through seeds planting or stem cuttings. It grows fast and transplants easily.
Bertholletia excelsa Brazil nut
Bertholletia excelsa is an evergreen species native to the Guianas, Venezuela, Brazil, Eastern Colombia Eastern Peru, and Eastern Bolivia. It is native to eastern Peru and eastern Bolivia and can reach a height of 30 to 45 metres.
The trunk is straight with a large emergent crown. The branches are long and high above the surrounding trees. The bark is greyish and smooth and the wood is moderately heavy, hard and moderately durable.
The leaves are oblong and alternately arranged. Leaf size is around 20 to 25 centimetres long and 10 to 15 centimetres wide. The flowers are small, greenish-white, and grow in panicles. Each flower measures about 5 to 10 centimetres in diameter and grows in clusters.
The fruit of this species is unique, taking the form of a large, roundshaped capsule measuring 10 to 15 centimetres in diameter, with a thick woody skin up to 2 centimetres thick and a weight that can reach up to 2 kilograms. The seeds are triangular and white-cream in colour.
Sterculia foetida Kelumpang Jari, Kalupat, KabuKabu, Indian Almond, Java Olive, Giant Sterculia
This is a large tree that can grow up to 30 metres tall. Locally known as Kelumpang Jari. It is a hardy tree that can withstand drought. It is normally deciduous with complete leaf shed after pronounced dry weather. Mature trees exhibit tiered branching pattern.
The trunk is long and straight, with smooth whitish-grey to brownish outer bark and fibrous inner bark. The leaves are palmately compound and clustered near the branch tips. Young leaves are pinkish in colour, and the twigs are thick and coated with sticky hairs.
The leaves have petioles measuring 125 to 230 millimetres long, and the blades are palmately compound, containing 7 to 9 leaflets.
The flowers are attractively bellshaped, with colours ranging from orange-pink to red. They appear in loose bunches, and flowering usually lasts a few weeks.
The tree produces velvety, scarlet-coloured fruit which, when opened, reveals its black, olive-like edible seeds. The fruit consists of 4 to 5 follicles, with each follicle generally containing 10 to 15 seeds.
The bright red fruits give this species its interesting look. This species is best suited for parks and open spaces with its massive size and large buttress roots.
Acacia auriculiformis Akasia, Acacia, Northern Black Wattle
Acacia auriculiformis is found naturally in Australia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. However, this species has naturalised in Asia, Africa, North America, Central America, the Caribbean, South America and Oceania. It is considered an invasive species in Malaysia.
This is a medium-sized tree that can grow up to 30 metres tall. It is a leguminous tree with irregular branching. The bark is grey and deeply fissured, especially in older specimens. The leaves are slightly curved; these curved leaves are actually flattened structures that take on the appearance of a leaf blade, known as phyllodes.
The pods of Acacia auriculiformis curl into coils when ripe. The seeds are black and hang from an orange aril. The flowers are yellow, mildly to strongly fragrant, and arranged along a spike.
This species is widely used in the pulp and paper industry, and Acacia wood is also valued for furnituremaking.
Dyera costulata Jelutong
Dyera costulata, commonly known as Jelutong, is a large deciduous tree that can grow up to 80 metres tall with a trunk diameter of up to 3 metres in its natural habitat. It produces latex when the bark is wounded. The latex was once an important source of chewing gum in earlier times. Jelutong leaves are arranged in whorls of 6 to 8. The leaves have leathery to papery blades that are drop-shaped, oblong, or oval, smooth, with round-toothed margins.
The flowers are small (about 2 millimetres), white or yellowishgreen, and arranged in whorls along long flowering shoots. The fruits are produced in pairs of massive woody pods, about 20 to 30 centimetres long, curving almost vertically upwards like a pair of horns. Once ripened, the woody pods split along one side, releasing large, flat, winged seeds.
Jelutong is also known for its lightwood, which is easy to work with. The timber has been used for many purposes, including making pencils, photo frames, and wooden handicrafts. It is a majestic tree, well-suited for planting in parks and as avenue trees along roads and highways.
This tour will include repeated visits to two tree species. I hope we will have a pleasant time unearthing more stories about these trees like we did on the last walk. Come on over and join us!
