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Rhizophora apiculata Blume
Medium tree, upto 20 m high, deliquiscent much spreading horizontally and erect with prominant fallen leaf-scar. Trunk not conspicuous and supported by profuse stilt roots. Bark brownish to whitish gray; longutudinally fissured Stlit roots looping from lower branches and trunk bases Stilt roots, upto 3-5 m high, occasionally bending like bow or pendulous /hanging giving mechanical support to the tree in the loose tidal substratum. Stem differentiated into nodes and inter-nodes, much branched, deliquiscent, terete. Leaf opposite decussate, simple, exstipulate, petiolate 12 cm. Inflorescence cyme , ebracteate Flower ebracteate, sessile, glabrous, complete, hermophrodite, regular, erect, 0.8 - 1.2 cm long. Calyx incospicuously persistent in the fruit Sepals 4 polysepalous, superior, sepals ovate, acute, fleshy, thick, green, glabrous, valvate 0.6 - 0.8 cm long, 0.35 - 0.40 cm broad, persistent superior, Corolla white, petals 4, polypetalous, petals lanceolate, entire, acute, glabrous, white, herbaceous, decidous, alternate to sepals. Fruit capsule, 2.5 - 3.0 cm long, oval, tapering towards apex, brownish in dry condition with four persistent sepals. Seed one, covered by thick indehiscent pericarp Germination viviparous, epigeal Economic Importance : Produce high quality timber and fuel woods. Tannin contents of the bark is 33.0%
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