My Simpur Story

3troductio3
Simpur or Dille3ia is the 3atio3al flower of Aegara Bru3ei
Darussalam.
Dille3ia or commo3ly k3ow3 as Simpoh or Simpor or Simpur is a
ge3us of 1 species of floweri3g pla3ts i3 the family Dille3iaceae,
3ative to tropical a3d subtropical regio3s of souther3 sia,
ustralasia, a3d the 3dia3 cea3 isla3ds.
1he ge3us is 3amed after the Cerma3 bota3ist 1oha33 1acob
Dille3ius, a3d co3sists of evergree3 or semi-evergree3 trees a3d
shrubs.
3 Bru3ei Darussalam, eight species of Simpor are k3ow3, two of
which, Dille3ia Beccaria3a (the River Simpor) a3d Dille3ia
Suffruticosa (Simpor Bi3i), are more commo3. 1he Simpor species
are usually trees, but some ca3 be rather shrubby. 1he Simpor has
yellow flowers, usually co3spicuous a3d showy.
3troductio3
Dille3ia Beccaria3a is depicted o3 the fro3t side of Bru3ei o3e-
dollar 3ote.
1o the Bru3eia3s, "the u3ique blossomi3g of the flower a3d the
gree3 colour of its leaves symbolizes the developme3t" of the
cou3try's "eco3omy i3vestme3t (from fruit) towards better
eco3omic growth (to flower)." (Dr. dris M. Said, Forestry
Departme3t - Mi3istry of 3dustry a3d Primary Resources).
Bu3ga simpur symbolises diversity of 3ature. 1he colour of the
flower itself represe3ts the mo3archy rule of the sulta3ate si3ce
yellow is a colour that symbolises royalty i3 ma3y parts of the
Southeast sia.
1he broad leaves provide shades for the you3g pla3ts growi3g
3earby helpi3g them to grow : this hi3ts the 3atio3's te3de3cy a3d
dream to protect a3d preserve her 3atural treasures.
Aegara Bru3ei Darussalam
Scie3tific Classificatio3
Vascu|ar |ants Superd|v|s|on
k|ngdom
Subk|ngdom
Seed |ants D|v|s|on
I|ower|ng |ants C|ass
D|coty|edons Subc|ass
Crder
Iam||y
Genus
abitat
Dille3ia is widespread i3 Bru3ei a3d ca3 grow i3 various
habitats.
Ce3erally, Simpur ca3 be simply fou3d o3 swampy areas,
lowla3d i3la3d forests, wastela3d a3d eve3 o3 eroded soil
t is a species that ca3 be see3 i3 the white sa3ds of Bru3ei
where it serves as the colo3izer of the sa3ds other species ca3
3ot live.
3 due time, the white sa3ds will become a 3ew rai3forest.
Distributio3 of Dille3ia species i3 Bru3ei
Dille3ia Beccaria3a (Martelli)
Bor3eo e3demic. Locally commo3 o3 the clay slopes i3 the
lower 1emburo3g a3d Batu poi valleys, i3 the Ulu
1uto3g a3d at 1asik Merimbu3.
Dille3ia Bor3ee3sis (oogla3d)
Fou3d rare i3 Bru3ei: o3 clay soils i3 mixed dipterocarp
forest at 3 m i3 1emburo3g District.
Dille3ia Excelsa (jack) Cilg
1hroughout Bru3ei: especially i3 moist valleys a3d lower
slopes.
Distributio3 of Dille3ia species i3 Bru3ei
Dille3ia Cra3difolia (Wallich)
U3commo3 i3 Bru3ei:k3ow3 from Ulu 3gei a3d 3dulau
Forest reserve, Belait, a3d Kuala Belalo3g, mo.
Dille3ia 3dica (Li33aeus)
Aot 3ative i3 Bru3ei: sometimes cultivated.
Dille3ia Reticulata (ki3g)
Locally freque3t o3 sa3dy soils i3 the floodplai3s of the
streams withi3 3dulau Forest Reserve i3 Bru3ei, a3d i3
Ulu Belait.
Distributio3 of Dille3ia species i3 Bru3ei
Dille3ia Pulchella (1ack) Cilg
Mixed peatswamp forest a3d swampy kera3gas, i3 Bru3ei
especially 3ear the coast.
Dille3ia Suffruticosa (Criffith) Martelli
bu3da3t o3 degraded la3d, ofte3 where coveri3g from
fire; also commo3 i3 river ba3ks a3d other ope3
place, especially dow3river a3d o3 poor soils.
Dille3ia Sumatra3a (Miquel)
Commo3 i3 Bru3ei: i3 lowla3d mixed dipterocarp forest o3
leached sa3dy a3d sa3dy clay soils - Belait a3d 1uto3g
districts but far 3ot from 1emburo3g.
Fruits a3d flowers of Dille3ia
1he ope3 fruit reveal bright
red valves a3d black seeds.
Dille3ia lata
Flower
1he gree3ish-yellow fruit, which
has a thick protective coveri3g, is
edible; u3ripe fruits are cooked to
make pickle a3d chut3ey. 1he
juicy pulp is aromatic but very
acid.
Fruits a3d flowers of Dille3ia
Dille3ia 3dica, Dille3ia Speciosa Flower Fruit
Fruit
Fruits of Dille3ia
Dille3ia 3ge3s
Fruits of Dille3ia
Dille3ia vata
Fruits a3d flowers of Dille3ia
Dille3ia Philippi3e3sis
Fruit Flower
Fruits of Dille3ia
Dille3ia Serrata,
Dille3ia Elliptica
1he ripe fruit splits ope3 also at 3
am, i3to pi3kish star-shaped
segme3ts to reveal seeds covered
i3 red arils.
t takes 5 weeks for the fruit to set.
Dille3ia Suffruticosa,
Wormia Suffruticosa
Fruits a3d flowers of Dille3ia
Fruit
Flower
U3ripe fruit
U3ope3ed fruit
pe3ed fruit
Fruits a3d flowers of Dille3ia
Flower
Fruits a3d flowers of Dille3ia
U3ope3ed fruit
pe3ed fruit Flower
Ce3eral Uses
1he large leaves are used to wrap
food such as tempeh (ferme3ted
soyabea3 cakes), 3asi lemak a3d
tapai (ferme3ted rice).
Ca3 be rolled i3to shallow co3es
to co3tai3 traditio3al "fast food"
such as rojak.
1he mature or old leaves of some
species co3tai3 a deposit of silica
i3 their tissues a3d thus they were
o3ce used as sa3dpaper.
Ce3eral Uses
s a3 i3dicator of availability of
water source.
1his pla3t se3ds out very deep tap
roots to reach u3dergrou3d water
sources.
e3ce, some people use the pla3t
as a guide to decide where to dig a
well.
Ce3eral Uses
1raditio3al medici3al uses :
1he you3g shoots is used to
stau3ch bleedi3g wou3ds.
1he fruit pulp may be used to
wash the hair.
3 recipes :
ka3 tu3u dau3 simpur
Ketupat Belitu3g
Life Cycle of
Dille3ia
Parts of Dille3ia flower
Petal
Stigmas
Stame3
vary
vules
Do you k3ow that...
Bright Simpur flowers a3d
buds always face dow3ward
symbolizi3g prosperity yet
humble culture of Bru3ei
Darussalam.
1he fruits a3d buds always
face upward sta3di3g up
bravely for a better future.
But...
Someo3e has told me that
Simpur is very u3ique because
it bears fruits before flowers.
3d from what has bee3 quoted
by Dr. dris M. Said "eco3omy
i3vestme3t (from fruit) towards
better eco3omic growth (to
flower)."
t keeps me curious.....
Refere3ces
http://jcsesecu3eta.com/s3oworld/bru3ei-3atio3al-flower-
simpor
http://www.3aturia.per.sg/buloh/pla3ts/simpoh_air.htm
http://bru3eiresources.blogspot.com/29/9/bru3eis-
3atio3al-flower.html