A Simpur StoryA Simple Guide to Understand Simpur.

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General Facts

❖ Simpur is of one the many species from the genus Di!enia.

❖ Named after German botanist, Johann Jacob Dillenius.

❖ There are currently 96 species in this genus.

❖ Native to tropical and subtropical regions such as Asia, Australasia and Indian Ocean Islands.

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HabitatFrom top right, Simpur growing on eroded land; bottom right, Simpur

growing near the edge of forest; le", a lone simpur tree at Jerudong Beach

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The Distribution❖ Di!enia beccariana

❖ Status: Borneo endemic

❖ Common name: Buan (Iban)

❖ Found: on disturbed clay slope in lower Temburong and Batu Apoi valleys, Ulu Tutong and Tasik

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The Distribution❖ Di!enia excelsa

❖ Status: Uncommon.

❖ Common name: Simpur laki (Brunei, Dusun), beringin (Iban)

❖ Found: on moist valley and lower slopes of forest. Some are planted near Brunei Arts and Crafts Centre.

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The Distribution

❖ Di!enia grandifolia

❖ Status: Uncommon

❖ Common name: Stilted Simpoh

❖ Found: in Ulu Ingei and Andulau Forest Reserve, Belait and Kuala Belalong.

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The Distribution❖ Di!enia reticulata

❖ Status: Critically endangered

❖ Common name: Stilted Simpoh

❖ Found: on sandy soils in the floodplains of the streams within Andulau Forest Reserve in Brunei and Ulu Belait.

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The Distribution

❖ Di!enia su#oticosa

❖ Status: Common

❖ Common name: Simpoh Air, Simpor Bini

❖ Found: on degraded land, river banks, downriver and poor soils.

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The Distribution❖ Di!enia sumatrana

❖ Status: Common

❖ Common name: Simpur laki (Brunei), peru, menterong.

❖ Found: on lowland forest on leached sandy clay soils in Belait, Tutong and Temburong Districts.

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The Distribution

❖ Di!enia borneesis

❖ Status: Rare

❖ Common name: Ubah Rusa (Iban)

❖ Found: on clay soils in forest 300 m in Temburong District.

❖ Di!enia pulche!a

❖ Common name: Simpur paya (Brunei).

❖ Found: in peat swamp forest and swampy kerangas, in Brunei especially near the coast.

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D. beccariana D. excelsa

D. su#uticosa

D. phi!ipinensisD. sumatranaD. indica

D. alata

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D. su#uticosa

D. indica

D. beccariana

D. phi!ipinensis

D. excelsaD. alata

D. ingens

D. ovata

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General Uses

❖ The leaves can be used for wrapping food.

❖ Matured leaves of some species can be used as sand paper.

❖ Fruit pulp can be used for washing hair.

❖ Young shoots can stop a wound from bleeding.

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Simpur leaves used in cookingFrom top right, the fish being wrapped in the leaf; bottom right, the finished product of

the fish with the leaf opened; le", the finished product of the fish with the leaf sti! intact.

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Sweet TapaiFrom the right, two types of tapai, the common tapai and the less common

tapai wrapped in simpur leaf; le", the less common tapai showing its content.

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Other uses

❖ It can be used to indicate water level.

❖ It sends out deep tap roots during dry season. So, people use it as a guide to dig well.

❖ It can grow on white sand.

❖ It colonises the land to provide shade for other seedlings. the seedlings will the eventually form a new forest.

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