- Dillenia or commonly known as Simpoh or Simpor or Simpur is a genus of 100 species of flowering plants in the family Dilleniaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of southern Asia, Australasia, and the Indian Ocean islands.
- The genus is named after the German botanish Johann Jacob Dillenius, and consists of evergreen or semi-evergreen trees and shrubs.
- Dillenia is widespread in Brunei and can grow in various habitats.
- It is a species that can be seen in the white sands of Brunei where it serves as the colonizer of the sands other species can not live.
- In due time, the white sands will become a new rainforest.
Scientific Classification
Dillenia in Brunei Darussalam
Where can Simpur be found?
- Generally Simpur can be simply found on swampy areas, lowland inland forests, wasteland and even on eroded soil.
Simpur can be found at the following regions:
- Asia
- Australasia
- Indian Ocean Islands
Distribution of Dillenia species in Brunei:
- Dillenia Beccariana (Martelli)
- Borneo endemic. Locally common on the clay slopes in the lower Temburong and Batu Apoi Valleys, in the Ulu Tutong and at Tasik Merimbun.
2. Dillenia Borneensis (Hoogland)
- Found rare in Brunei: on clay soils in mixed dipterocarp forest at 300m in Temburong District.
3. Dillenia excelsa (Jack) Gilg
- Throughout Brunei: especially in moist valleys and lower slopes.
4. Dillenia Grandifolia (Wallich)
- Uncommon in Brunei: known from Ulu Ingei and Andulau Forest reserve, Belait, and Kuala Belalong, Amo.
5. Dillenia Indica (Linnaeus)
- Not native in Brunei: Sometimes cultivated.
6. Dillenia reticulata (king)
- locacally frequent on sandy soils in the floodplains of the streams within Andulau Forest Reserve in Brunei, and in Ulu Belati.
7. Dillenia Pulchella (Jack) Gilg
- Mixed peatswamp forest and swampy kerangas, in Brunei expecially near the coast.
8. Dillenia suffruticosa (Griffith) martelli
- Abundant on degraded land, often where covering from fire; also common in river banks and other open place. especially downriver and on poor soils.
9. Dillenia sumatrana (miquel)
- Common in Brunei: in lowland mixed dipterocarp forest on leached sandy and sandy clay soils-Belait and Tutong Districts but far not form Temburong.
Other Dillenia species:
Fruit of Dillenia:
 |
| Dillenia Indica, Dillenia Speciosa |
 |
| Dillenia Ingens |
 |
| Dillenia Ovata |
 |
| Dillenia Philippinensis |
 |
| Dillenia Serrata, Dillenia Elliptica |
 |
| Dillenia Suffruticosa, Wormia Suffruticosa |
 |
| Dillenia Beccariana |
 |
| Dillenia excelsa |
 |
Dillenia Alata
|
 |
| The leaf |
 |
| First bud stage |
 |
| Secondary bud stage |
 |
| The bud as it began to blossom |
 |
| The sepal begin to split |
 |
| Flower stamen can be seen to emerge from the sepal |
 |
| The simpur fruit ; female part (split seed pod) - found on the same tree as the male part |
 |
| The seeds inside the simpur fruit are exposed for animal dispersal |
 |
| This shows after the seeds has been consumed |
 |
| male part of simpur |
 |
| Simpur flower |
 |
| A dead simpur |
General Use of SIMPUR:
- The large leaves are used to wrap food such as tempeh (fermented soyabean cakes), nasi lemak and tapai (fermented rice)
- Can be rolled into shallow cones to contain traditional 'fast food' such as rojak
- The mature or old leaves of some species contain a deposit of silica in their tissues and thus they were once used as sandpaper
- As an indicator of availability of water source because:
- This plant sends out very deep tap roots to reach underground water sources
- Hence some people use the plant as a guide to dcide where to dig a well
- Traditional medicial uses: the young shoots is used to staunch bleeding wounds
- The fruit pulp may be used to wash the hair
