| Alyxia of Sarimbun |
| No, Sarimbun
is not some exotic Greek island and Alyxia no elixir of youth, but
respectively, very much the legacies of our own natural seascape and
flora. While for decades, we have surrounded ourselves with Allamandas,
Oleanders, Periwinkles and Frangipanis - related plants belonging
to the same family, Apocynaceae - little did we endear ourselves to
our own Alyxia, a native coastal vine (full name: Alyxia reinwardtii
var. lucida). Except for a single clump recently discovered on Pulau Sarimbun, the vine can hardly be found eslewhere in Singapore. Hopefully, small populations still exist in the isolated pockets of coastal vegetations on the Southern Islands. However, another variety of Alyxia can be found in an isolated patch of primary forest fringing Mandai Road. Will the small but pristine island of Sarimbun survive the onslaught of physical changes taking place with our islands? The answer lies with you, stakeholders.Yes, even islands can go extinct. But for the sake of future generations and their sense of place, I hope both Alyxia and Sarimbun will endear as natural legacies to be treasured. See fossil ferns found (on Sarimbun) , flora of Sarimbun and the giant reminder of Apocynaceae |
