Inai Inai (HT 2003 52)

Reference ID
HT 2003-52

Scientific name: Erythroxylum cuneatum
Family name: Erythroxylaceae
Girth: 1.78 m @ 1.3 m height
Height: 16.1 m

Location
Changi, Leuchars Road opposite
Fairy Point Bungalow 1

The Inai Inai is an evergreen tree species that can grow as a shrub or a small tree, but is also known to reach a height of 45 m, with a fine-leafed crown. Its trunk is dark brown in colour, and narrowly ridged and fissured, and the leaves are narrowly-elliptic in shape, 4-8 cm long and 1-3 cm wide with a waxy bottom surface. The small flowers are white to yellow in colour, and its fruits are bright red, ellipsoidal in shape, up to 1.5 cm long, pulpy and containing a single stone.

In Singapore, this tree is common only in relatively undisturbed coastal areas in St. John's Island and areas around Changi. It has a very appealing shade of green under sunlight. Its fruits are small oval berries that ripen to a brilliant red. Its flowers are small, white and mildly fragrant. This tree is slow growing with dense timber, which have been used for house-posts. The leaves of E. cuneatum are reported to be used as fish poison in the Philippines (Luzon).

This Heritage Tree had a girth of 1.4m when measured in Year 2003.

For more information on this species, please refer to NParks Flora & Fauna Web profile here.

Gallery

📷: Heritage Tree Secretariat