Tumu-tumu Haines

Bruguiera hainesii

IUCN: CR

Tumu-tumu Haines (Bruguiera hainesii) is a mangrove of the family Rhizophoraceae recorded in the biodiversity data of PRPM Mengare.

It is one of 22 species in the group “Mangroves” recorded at the site, and one of 10 species of the family Rhizophoraceae. Critically Endangered means the species faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

How to recognise it

Form: Medium tree, 7–15 m tall, straight trunk with grey-brown bark.
Roots: Clear knee roots around the trunk base.
Leaves: Opposite, elliptic to oblong, 10–20 cm; glossy green, pointed tip, fine black dots underneath (typical of Bruguiera).
Flowers: Single flowers in the leaf axils; large red-orange flowers like B. gymnorhiza but with a longer calyx and 16–18 lobes.
Fruit & seed: Hypocotyl 20–30 cm long, straight or slightly curved; slimmer than B. gymnorhiza.

Did you know?

Bruguiera hainesii is one of the rarest mangroves in the world, listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. At PRPM Mengare it is still a seedling in the nursery.