Loop-root mangrove (Rhizophora mucronata)

Loop-root mangrove (Rhizophora mucronata) is a species of plant in the Rhizophoraceae, evergreen, 10-27 meters high, up to 70 cm in diameter, dark to black bark, cracked bark, horizontal, many large stilt roots with a height of up to 2 meters above mud and woody.

R. mucronata has leaves that sit opposite each other, collected at the ends of the twigs, the buds are covered in supporting leaves that are rolled up and pointed and are white or red in color, fall off quickly and leave scars similar to bulging rings. The leaves are elliptical, thick, smooth, green or yellowish, with a pointed tip, have a stalk, 12-24 cm long, 4-13 cm wide.

Flowers are grouped in additional umbrellas, stalked, forked in axils and 4-8 florets. The crown is white, with long hairs up to 9 mm. Flowers all year round. The fruit is egg-shaped, green-brown, 5-7 cm and viviparous. Cylindrical hypocotyl, large, rough, nodules and 36-70 cm long. The cotyledon neck is yellow when ripe.

This species tolerates hard and sandy substrates. More abundant in deeply flooded and humus-rich substrates in estuaries, tidal rivers, flat beaches which are exposed to tidal flooding every day. Sometimes it occurs as a pure stand or may grow with other species.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Rhizophoraceae
Genus: Rhizophora
Species: Rhizophora mucronata

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