Dillenia triquetra is a species of flowering plant in the family Dilleniaceae, endemic to the island of Sri Lanka. The species is commonly known locally as දියපර (diyapara).
Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Clade: Tracheophytes → Angiosperms → Eudicots
- Order: Dilleniales
- Family: Dilleniaceae
- Genus: Dillenia
- Species: D. triquetra (Rottb.) Gilg
Description
- Leaves: Broadly oblong‑oval, with obtuse to blunt‑pointed apices and coarsely serrated margins. The petiole is channelled above in mature leaves and bears a prominent fleshy horseshoe‑shaped cushion on the upper side of young leaves.
- Trunk and Twigs: Twigs are smooth and brown, marked with large leaf scars.
- Flowers: White, relatively few but large; sepals are fleshy and persistent. Flowers are arranged in small racemes opposite the leaves.
- Fruits: Small, globular, enclosed by enlarged sepals.
Habitat and Ecology
Dillenia triquetra occurs in secondary forest, scrub, and disturbed areas throughout Sri Lanka. It thrives in tropical wet zones and is adapted to a range of light conditions from forest understory to open scrub.
Conservation Status
The species is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment 1998), indicating that it does not currently face a significant risk of extinction in its native range.
Uses
- Wood: Employed in light construction and furniture making.
- Fruit: Utilized in traditional medicine.
References
- World Conservation Monitoring Centre (1998). “Dillenia triquetra”. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
- Kew Science, Plants of the World Online.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).
External Links
- Wikimedia Commons media related to Dillenia triquetra.
- Taxonomic databases: IPNI, NCBI Taxonomy, Tropicos, World Flora Online.