beach tulip-oak
Heritiera littoralis Aiton
Heritiera littoralis is a mangrove tree in the Malvaceae family, found in coastal regions of eastern Africa, Asia, Melanesia, and northern Australia. It is known for the silvery underside of its leaves, which gives it a mirror-like appearance. The tree produces strong timber suitable for marine and other applications.
Description
Heritiera littoralis, also known as beach tulip-oak, is a species native to coastal areas across a wide geographic range, including eastern Africa, Asia, Melanesia, and northern Australia. It is characterized by the reflective, silvery underside of its leaves, which has earned it the common name looking-glass mangrove. The wood of this tree is valued for its strength and is used in marine and other construction purposes. It was first described in 1789 by Aiton and belongs to the genus Heritiera within the Malvaceae family.
Other common names
looking-glass mangrovelooking-glass-treered mangrovetulip mangrovebeach tulip-oakSundari tree
Distribution
TW · Global · Andaman Is. · Assam · Bangladesh · Bismarck Archipelago · Borneo · Cambodia · Caroline Is. · China Southeast · Christmas I. · Comoros · Cook Is. · Fiji · Hainan · Hawaii · India · Jawa · Kenya · Lesser Sunda Is. · Madagascar · Malaya · Maluku · Marianas · Mozambique · Myanmar · Nansei-shoto · New Caledonia · New Guinea · Nicobar Is.
Synonyms
Samadera littoralisSutherlandia littoralisSystemon fischeriAmygdalus litoralisBalanopteris minorBalanopteris tothilaHeritiera fischeriHeritiera tothilaHeritiera littoralis subsp. littoralisHeritiera littoralis subsp. ralima