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Familie: Rhizophoraceae
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Bruguiera gymnorhiza
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Large-Leafed Orange Mangrove
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Soil
mud, sand, black soil
Height
up to 36 meters
Temperature
22 bis 30°C
Propagule
viviparous
up to 40cm
Roots
knee roots
Found with
Avicennia officinalis
Avicennia rumphiana
Bruguiera cylindrica
Bruguiera parviflora
Bruguiera sexangula
Ceriops decandra
Ceriops tagal
Rhizophora apiculata
Rhizophora mucronata
Rhizophora stylosa
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Bruguiera gymnorhiza, spelled Bruguiera gymnorrhiza until the turn of the millennium, belongs to the "true mangroves" and is very common in the Orient.
The name gymnorhiza comes from two Greek words "gymno" naked and "rhiza" root, naked root which refers to the exposed knee roots of Bruguiera gymnorhiza emerging from the ground.
Bruguiera gymnorhiza has numerous names in English, the most common one is porbably Large-Leafed Orange Mangrove followed by Oriental Mangrove.
Falsely Bruguiera gymnorhiza is also called Caribbean Mangrove, presumably for marketing reasons to have a well-sounding name that supports higher sales figures. Bruguiera gymnorhiza or other species of the Bruguiera family are not represented in the Caribbean.
The main difference from other Bruguiera species is that Bruguiera gymnorhiza has the largest leaves, flowers, propagules and lenticels of all Bruguiera species. The name Large-Leafed Orange Mangrove comes from the orange flowers and the large leaves that can reach up to 25cm in length.
Bruguiera gymnorhiza was described for the first time in 1798 by avigny ex Lam. & Poiret.
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Bruguiera gymnorhiza is a robust mangrove with the ability to adapt to different growing conditions. This # characteristic enabled the spread of the Oriental Mangrove from Africa to Southeast Asia to Polynesia between the 20th north latitude and the 25th south latitude.
Countries:
West-Africa: Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania
Asien: Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Australia:
Oceania: Fiji, Guam, Micronesia, New Caledonia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu
Bruguiera gymnorhiza once grew at the coasts in the Middle East in Yemen to be precisly but the Oriental Mangroves disappeared in the 1990s.
Bruguiera gymnorhiza is often found in intertidal areas like estuarine banks or mangrove forests but the Oriental Mangrove also have been found growing in black soils outside of the intertidal zone but always along and near to the coast.
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Abstract
Bruguiera gymnorhiza can be cultivated easily under simple growing conditions.
Soil & Fertilizer
One of the most important criterium for a successfull long term cultivation of Bruguiera gymnorhiza with magnificent growth is to offer the right kind of soil substrate with a numerous amount of the right nutrients. We recommend Mangrove Mud Special with which we have excellent results in growing Bruguiera gymnorhiza. Mangrove Mud Special is a long term fertilizer that can be used pure or stretched with sand. The less stretched Mangrove Mud Special is the more effective it is and the easier it is to cultivate Bruguiera gymnorhiza.
Air temperature
Air temperature should be around 22 to 30°C. Not at any time the temperature should fall below 10°C. Short temperature drops for a few days down to 15°C are normally no problem and can be handled pretty well.
Water temperature
Water temperature should be around 20 to 28°C. Not at any time the temperature should fall below 10°C. Short temperature drops for a few days down to 15°C are normally no problem for Bruguiera gymnorhiza and can be handled very well.
Humidity
Humidity should be around a minimum of 50 percent. The higher humidity is the better it is for Bruguiera gymnorhiza and its growth. Too low humidity can be a reason for Bruguiera gymnorhiza to have shriveling shoots which then can not develop properly. In most cases a sprayer helps to increase the local humidity.
Light
Light plays an important role in keeping Bruguiera gymnorhiza successfully and is directly related to the growth. Bruguiera gymnorhiza can be grown successfully by daylight during the whole year but shows its full glory at a daily light period of 10 to 12 hours. An additional or total illumination by an artificial lighting system is recommended, especially in places outside of the thirtieth latitude.
Artifical lights should have a light spectra of about 5000 to 13000 kelvins. Experience has shown that HQI (Metal Halide) or HPS (High Pressure Sodium) lights in the just-called range achieved best results.
T5 fluorescent lamps also achieved good results in growth of Bruguiera gymnorhiza. We have no experience with LED. We do not recommend T8 fluorescent lamps or other common plant lamps for Bruguiera gymnorhiza.
Growth field
Aquarium
Bruguiera gymnorhiza perfectly can be grown in any kind of aquarium whether seawater aquarium, brackish water aquarium or freshwater aquarium. The implementation of Bruguiera gymnorhiza into your tank is generally absolutely easy. Bruguiera gymnorhiza has rapid growth and filters nirite, nitrate and phosphate pretty good.
Mangrove Basin
Cultivation of Bruguiera gymnorhiza in a mangrove basin is very easy. Socialization with other mangrove species is no problem.
Vivarium
Due to the increased humidity in a vivarium Bruguiera gymnorhiza can be grown perfectly in a vivarium. Keep in mind cutting shoots right on time before the plants get too big.
Terrarium
Generally a tropical terrarium offers very good growing conditions for the Oriental Mangrove. Bruguiera gymnorhiza is a great appearance in such a tropical terrarium, especially near or in the water part of the terrarium. The animals of the terrarium will love the variety. Keep in mind cutting shoots right on time before the plants get too big.
Indoor plant / Conservatory
Due the robustness of the Oriental Mangrove, Bruguiera gymnorhiza is one of the few mangrove species that can be grown as an indoor plant on the window sill or in a conservatory. It is important that the Bruguiera gymnorhiza is grown from a propagule to make sure that the Oriental Mangrove can adapt to the individual conditions like fluctuating temperatures or daylight hours from first day on. To support the growth during the whole year the temperature can be supported by a heating system and the daylight hours by artificial lights to make sure that the Bruguiera gymnorhiza receives 10 to 12 hours light daily.
Further details about keeping mangroves are shown detailed and clearly here
Salt
We recommend brackish water with a salinity of 10 to 25 grams not iodized sea salt per liter.
Plants
Bruguiera gymnorhiza plants are available on our webshop.
Propagules
Bruguiera gymnorhiza seeds are available on our webshop.
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Bruguiera gymnorhiza develops the for Bruguiera species typical knee roots. Knee roots emerge as a root loop from the underground root system and allow the exchange of gases in oxygen-poor sediments.
The knee roots of an adult Bruguiera gymnorhiza extend in a radius of approximately 10 meters around the trunk and can reach a heigt of up to 60cm.
Each underground horizontally growing root develops several knee roots at regular intervals.
The knee roots of the different Bruguiera species differ in size, shape and frequency and can vary depending on the location and growth conditions.
Surprisely Bruguiera gymnorhiza can also develop pneumatophores that look like stilt roots which grow directly from the trunk into the ground similar to the stilt roots of Rhizophora species. These prop roots serve primarily as a support and to secure the plants location. Most of the time Bruguiera gymnorhiza trees that grow along rivers develop prop roots.
In areas where Bruguiera gymnorhiza is rooted solidly into the ground and no sediments are removed by rivers or the like Bruguiera gymnorhiza normally does not develop stilt roots.
The knee roots as well as the stilt roots of Bruguiera gymnorhiza always have numerous lenticels which serve the gas exchange.
Young plants generally develop the first air roots within the first 2 years.
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No other Mangrove species of the Bruguiera family develops as large leaves as the Bruguiera gymnorhiza does therefore the name Large-Leafed Orange Mangrove.
Bruguiera gymnorhiza grows about 20 to 25 degrees north and south of the equator in an area with subtropical to tropical climate during the whole year. These conditions enable Bruguiera gymnorhiza to be an evergreen tree producing leaves and shoots during the whole year.
The leaves are generally oppsosite and have an elliptic shape, the upper side is smooth and dark green the bottom is waxy and light green. Occasionally three or four leaves are formed simultaneously.
The Oriental Mangrove develops leaves with a size of up to 25cm but generally between 12 to 20cm and about 3 to 9cm in width.
The two stipules of each leaf are reddish and the stem is greenish to reddish.
Different than Rhizophora species Bruguiera gymnorhiza does not concentrate much salts in its leaves. Rhizophora species do that to get rid of the salt within the plant which explains the clustered growth of leaves at each branch. This allows Bruguiera gymnorhiza to grow bushy.
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The flowers of Brugruiera gymnorhiza belong to the most beautiful flowers among all mangroves. The colours of the blossoms vary from light orange to dark pink and dark red.
Brugruiera gymnorhiza always develops single axillary flowers.
Numerous axillary Flowers with a size between 3 to 5cm can be found at each end of the branches of the tree.
Flowering time of Bruguiera gymnorhiza varies by locality. Especially in countries along the equator such as the Philippines or Indonesia the Large-Leafed Orange Mangrove has flowers and propagules during the whole year.
Young Bruguiera gymnorhiza plants develop their first flowers with an age of about five years.
One flower has 9 to 14 orange, notched and hairy petals, 9 to 14 pink to red, fused sepals and 9 to 14 pairs of stamens.
The colour of the flowers are often still visible at the top of fresh propagules.
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Unlike other members of the Rhizophoraceae the propagule of a Bruguiera gymnorhiza is its fruit. It grows within the calyx tube and is slightly grooved.
In countries like the Philippines and Indonesia Bruguiera gymnorhiza develops flowers and fruits during the whole year.
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Propagules of Bruguiera gymnorhiza are cigar-shaped. As most mangrove propagules also the propagules of Bruguiera gymnorhiza are viviparous and already develop a shoot on the mother tree.
In most areas where Bruguiera gymnorhiza grows it develops seeds during the whole year.
Fresh propagules are generally dark green with a light green and yellowish top and a dark red colouration around the shoot. After removing the propagule from the mother tree the colouration fades within the next weeks and months.
Very ripe propagules which have not yet fallen off the tree fade into burgundy to brown, the typically red colouration around the shoot stays.
The viviparous propagules can reach a length of more than 40cm but generally do not exceed 20 to 25cm.
The diameter of the propagule is between 1 to 2.5 cm. The largest propagules of Bruguiera gymnorhiza have been found in Indonesia.
The propagule of Bruguiera gymnorhiza grows within the calyx tube vertically to the ground and is held by the flower as long as the propagule is fully developed then the propagule falls from the tree and drills into the ground. Without wasting time for germination the viviparous propagule immediately starts developing 2 to 4 anchor roots to protect and save its position in the roughly intertidal zone.
Only after the anchor roots connected the propagule with the ground firmly the existing shoot starts to develop.
In case the propagule is not able to secure its position and is carried away by the tides or the mother tree grows in the tides so that the seed directly falls into the ocean the propagule has enough nutrients to be able to survive for 1 year floating in the ocean. When washed ashore the propagule will start to develop anchor roots and its shoot to try its luck at a strange place.
This characteristic allowed Bruguiera gymnorhiza to spread out of Malaysia all over Southeast Asia and even up to Africa, Madagascar and Australia.
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Typically Bruguiera gymnorhiza develops a one columnar stem ore is multi-stemmed. The wood of the trunk has a high densite which makes it very attractive for industrial, more details about the usage of Bruguiera gymnorhiza can be found at "usage".
The stem of Bruguiera gymnorhiza has a dark brown, dark grey to black, rough and checkered fissuring bark.
Colour and other details of the bark can vary from location and country. While the trunk of Bruguiera gymnorhiza is almost always dark grey to black in Australia the colour of the bark is often dark brown to dark grey in Southeast Asia as for example in the Philippines.
Bruguiera gymnorhiza develops almost no lenticels in oxygen-rich soils but in oxygen-poor sediments the trunk and pneumatophores are fully covered by big corky lenticels.
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Bruguiera gymnorhiza is tolerant to the substrate in which it grows as long as it is very nutritious and does not have much humus.
Bruguiera gymnorhiza prefers brackish muddy, oxygen-poor soils along estuarine banks or in the rear area of mangrove forests. These muddy soils are flooded daily by the tides and are mostly inhabited by numerous crustaceans which decompose biomass such as falling leaves and blossoms quickly.
The Oriental Mangrove has also been found in sandy and stony soils as well as black soils.
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Bruguiera gymnorhiza grows along the coast, mostly in areas where rivers flow into the ocean, very nutritious soils and where humidity is between 60 to 80 percent and the air temperature is between 25 to 30°C. Under these conditions Bruguiera gymnorhiza is able to reach a height of up to 36 meters but usually stops between 10 to 20 meters.
The height and growth of the Oriental Mangrove stands in direct relation with the location where it grows and the existing growth conditions. Other mangrove species in the immediate growth environment of Bruguiera gymnorhiza play a secondary role, as Bruguiera gymnorhiza grows faster than many other mangrove species and therefore easily can secure its location.
Young plants develop the first branches already after a few pair of leaves and immediately grow in width. This is another feature of Bruguiera gymnorhiza to defend its position.
The propagule developed to a respectable litte tree withina a few years.
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The wood of Bruguiera gymnorhiza has very high density and therefore very heavy wood which made it very attractive as timber for the use of saltwater and foundation pilings, house posts, flooring, cabinetwork and furniture.
Bruguiera gymnorhiza was also used as source of dyes for fishnets, ropes, sails and clothing.
Powdered bark was used for the preparation of tuba, a very popular, alcoholic drink in the Philippines made from coconut sap.
Nowadays charcoal and firewood is made of Bruguiera gymnorhiza in the Philippines while the knee roots are utilized in planting rituals so cultivated tubers will grow big.
Tiwi people use the timber of Bruguiera gymnorhiza to make throwing sticks for hunting magpie gees.
Macassar, the biggest port in the south of Indonesia was the main trade center for sea cucumbers in the 18th century. The sea cucumbers have been catched on surrounding small islands and been shipped to China, in that time the most important export product of Macassar to China. People produced a red dye of Bruguiera gymnorhiza which was used to treat trepang.
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