The Story of the Humble Simpur Prepared by: Amalina F. Abu Bakar 1 of 33

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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