Eden

Penang Botanic Gardens Plant Collection

Gymnostoma sumatranum (Jungh. ex de Vriese) L.A.S.Johnson (CASUARINACEAE)

Posted at — Nov 13, 2019
Hill Rhu, Rhu Bukit

Description

Evergreen tree to 20 m tall, conical crown when young becoming roundish. Leaves in whorls of 4 at intervals 0.5-1 cm. Flowers minute, unisexual with male and female in different clusters. Male flowers in simple terminal spikes; female flowers in terminal heads. Fruits in cone-like heads, ellipsoid, c. 2.5 cm across.


Ecology

Confined to hill, ridge and lower montane forests on ultramafic soils and heath vegetation on sandstone.

Distribution

Sumatra and Borneo.

Uses

As an ornamental in streets and gardens.