Excoecaria agallocha (the milky mangrove) 海漆
[ Tung chung bay 東涌灣，Lantau island 大嶼山 5.2010 ]
Excoecaria agallocha is one of a few mangrove species found in Hong Kong.
Its leaves are green, but before they get old and fall off, they become red.
嫣 紅 一 片 。
Depending on its stage of growth, the leaf colour shows a spectrum of colour :
red, orange, yellow, green. On a sunny day, the canopy transforms itself into
into an entertaining garden. 陽光到處紅葉艷。
In this specimen shrub, practically all leaves have turned orange.
The green chlorophyll is broken down, thereby exposing the warm colour of
carotenoid and anthocyanin (?).
For this specimen, most leaves had gone.
The inflorescence (cluster of flowers) is a short spike (?) with a fanned end.
Very small inconspicuous flowers, just a few mm wide.
It has extensive roots to help stabilise the plant on a muddy substratum.
The roots radiate in all directions on the muddy surface from the centre of the plant.
These " cable roots " offer a firm grasp for the mangrove.
Lichens may be found on the tree trunk.
Excoecaria agallocha is a dominant mangrove species at Tung chung bay.
Its community is large. [A few other mangroves are also thriving well there.]
What a delightful scene with vibrant colour display ?
Can you believe that this is a Hong Kong spot ?
It looked like the beautiful Autumn coloration of temperate places, however,
the below photograph was taken in early Summer (May 2010), Hong Kong.
[ Click here to see a high resolution picture of the Excoecaria agallocha community.]
A few pioneer young mangroves have settled in front of this big colony.
As their roots grow, they will also trap thick organic mud and
contribute to coastal reclamation.
生生不息。