An introduction to common plants in S'pore

Singapore, consisting of a small lying island with a number of smaller islands and islets, lies off the southern tip of West Malaysia just north of the Equator. It is thus located in the Sundaland region, where one can find the richest variety of flora. However, due to the urban development of Singapore, much of the natural landscape was destroyed, which had to give way to tall commercial buildings and other activities. Even though much of the vegetation was altered, the Singapore government also put in much effort to preserve the natural landscape in the city. Several nature reserves as well as sanctuaries have been earmarked all over the island just for nature lovers. These reserves also help to preserve the natural environment.

During the process of urbanisation and industrialisation, human activities have eliminated many natural habitats; they have also created new habitats. As a result, many original plants in Singapore have become rare, or have been locally exterminated. Others, favoured by human activities, have become much more common than they were previously. By chance or by design, several local plants were also introduced to other tropical countries. A brief introduction on the common plant species in Singapore will be presented to you in the following pages.

The above plants are arranged according to their scientific botanical names in alphabetical order.

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