| |
| Syngramma
alismifolia |
7
Oct 2004 |
|
A quiet walk
on the wild side in Nee Soon Freshwater Swamp today took a surprising
turn that set me diving headlong into one of Singapore's 'unofficial'
history pages - Flora of Malaya, Vol. II: Ferns of Malaya,
published by Prof. R. E. Holttum in 1954.
Syngramma alismifolia, a shade-loving terrestrial fern, presented
itself like a 'green milestone' in my path. It caught my eyes with
its long and slender, glossy-black stipes; each stabbing the air
with a spearhead-like frond covered on
the underside with long coppery lines of sori
along its close parallel veins.
This is what Holttum wrote with reference to Singapore - 'In
Malaya, S. alismifolia has been found throughout the lowlands in
wet places in primitive forest, or on rocks by streams; it is locally
abundant in freshwater swamp forest in Singapore
and
|
 |
Johore,
often on the bases of tree-trunks. Its rather coriaceous texture seems
incongruous in such moist surrounding.... In Singapore Island, there
is much variation in the shape of the base of the fronds,... Both
narrow and wide-based fronds occur also in other parts of Malaya and
Borneo...'
Today's
experience left me with a wonderous feeling. I felt I had walked into
the realm of the Past in the Present, and returned in the company
of a fern, common then, but so preciously-rare in Singapore now. I
felt so blessed ! For this, I must share with you plant-lovers the
joy of my discovery ! |
|