Handkerchiefs in the air!

I came upon this tree about 15 years ago at En Esa's nursery in Sungai Buloh.  He knows the botanical names like the back of his hand. If he has to refer, he would bring out his much -loved thick tome on plants to double check some info. Sadly, he passed away more than a year ago or even longer. En Esa introduced the maniltoa or commonly known as handkerchief tree to me. A maniltoa  tree now stands in my garden. and years later, I gave a plant to my sis-in-law and it is thriving.

 Really, it is not an outstanding tree 'coz it is just leafy green. But catch it when the little 'spears' appear- light pink. They then grow longer and more prominently pinker. Look out for the unfolding and the 'handkerchiefs in the air!
 You have seen how a magician holds a kerchief with the thumb and forefinger gently grasping the cloth which falls like an inverted V before mesmerizing you with what's under it or whatever! If I 've described it nicely, then you've got the picture!!

 Day by day, the pink turns to a light yellow /green and lightly wrinkled leaves hang in the air, opening up and getting longer and longer, cascading . What appears are the leaves enclosed in the 'spear'. Day by day, Mother Nature does its wondrous work . Finally, what you'll see are green leaves. What a transformation!

When  you come across a maniltoa, it will strike you in the emergent stage. That I would say is its crowning glory.

Look skyward and you'll not fail to see a different shade 

See the 'spear' opening up - hiding  the tender leaves

No more tightly enclosed -  waiting to be set free!

Light green in contrast to the 'old' green leaves

Leaves turning to a light green

 In its glory!

Unravelling and getting longer -  the handkerchief look

The cluster of leaves (just about the middle of the picture)  is already spreading out to be like the rest

Sturdy trunk

Our street names

When I became a member of the MNS (Malaysian Nature Society) some 17 years ago, on our way to an MNS outing, my MNS friend, affectionately called Uncle Foo, pointed to a road sign Jalan Beringin. ' Do you know beringin is the name of a tree? And there's more .' He proceeded to point out more names of trees as we drove along.

Uncle Foo is never short of stories or knowledge about nature , be it about birds ( an avid bird-watcher himself) or passing on general information. He taught me how to view through a pair of binoculars and I bought my first with his help. He shares whenever he can.

He brought my attention to the roads in Bukit Bandaraya , Bangsar Baru and Damansara Heights since he used to live there. The streets in these neighbourhoods abound with examples of tree themes.

How often do we just address an envelope and not give any thought to names. In some towns, street names follow the type of activity of the area like Jalan Masjid (mosque), Jalan Makhamah (court house), Jalan Panggung (cinema) , Jalan Hospital.

Thematic street names are also quite commonly named after prominent people . For example in the suburb of Taman Tun Dr Ismail names like like Athinappan, Leong Yew Kow, Tun Mohd Fuad, Burhanuddin Helmi, Abang Hj. Openg. These personalities are honoured for the services they rendered to the country. In some neighbourhoods the streets have flowers, colours etc as their themes.

Here's my jaunt around Bukit Bandaraya and Damansara Heights to highlight some tree street names. I had some fun and game, so to speak, clicking my camera on the street names. Just when I thought all was clear on the road and safe to stand back a little for the picture, around the corner zoomed vehicles. Then I thought , if only my friends could see me now - a 'zombie' zooming from road to road and clicking on oblong road signs! At several spots I had to park and walk to the junctions where the street signs are positioned.

Beringin ( ficus benjamina) is a specie of the fig tree which is native to South and South East Asia. One can never fail to see aerial roots descend from the branches to the ground and these form secondary trunks. The beringin has an invasive root system and the bark is is pale grey with large dark green leaves. It bears round, red berries.



Keruing ( dipterocarpus sp. ) is a medium hardwood and a dominant specie of the lowland primary forest. It is widely grown in the Indo- Malaysian region. It reaches up to a height of 45 metre. The tree is grown for its timber to make furniture, flooring and decking beams. The Orang Asli make jungle torch using the resin of the keruing tree.

Tualang ( Koompassia excelsa) or colloquially known as the honey bee tree, is a majestic emergent tree of South East Asia rainforest . It is one of the tallest tropical tree species and is a member of the legume family and related to peas . Huge buttress roots support its weight. Very often, large combs of wild bees are found on the branches.





Penaga ( Calopyyhllum inophyllum) is a slow - growing, beautiful tree with fragrant flowers. It is found in non -swampy , sandy beaches and rocky shores.

The picture was taken at the MNS Headquarters, Jalan Kelantan. The jelutong tree is part of the Nature Trail.

Jelutong (Dyera costulata), a hardwood tree with an unbuttressed trunk grows to 60 -80 metre tall in the tropical rainforest. Its straight grain, low density and fine texture properties are popular with model makers. Its roots are used as a cork substitute . Previously it was an important source of chewing gum.

Here are a few more street names as you drive along Bangsar Baru/ Bukit Bandaraya .Do look out for the names. Mind the traffic though!

bangkung ( Artocarous integer)

jejawi ( Ficus microcarpa)

tempinis (Streblus elongatus)

turi ( Sesbania grandiflora)


Many a tree is found in the wood

And every tree for its use is good

Some for the strength of the gnarled root

Some for the sweetness of flowers or fruit

-Henry Van Dyke ( 'Salute The Trees')