Tall-stilt mangrove | |
---|---|
Flower | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Malpighiales |
Family: | Rhizophoraceae |
Genus: | Rhizophora |
Species: | R. apiculata
|
Binomial name | |
Rhizophora apiculata |
The tall-stilt mangrove (Rhizophora apiculata) belongs to the Plantae kingdom under the Rhizophoraceae family. R. apiculata is distributed throughout Southeast Asia and the western Pacific islands.
It is located exclusively in the mangrove ecosystem due to an affinity to wet, muddy and silty sediments. Due to the high salt concentrations of the soils in these environments, it has mechanisms (ultrafiltration) in place to reduce the likely impacts associated with increased salt in plant physiology (drying plant material down causing increased evapotranspiration). Rhizophora apiculata and R. mucronata are used to make charcoal in the charcoal kilns of Kuala Sepetang in Perak, Malaysia. Rhizophora apiculata is used within mangrove plantation specifically for wood, and charcoal production in many parts of Thailand.[2]
There are alternative uses for R. apiculata, such as to reinforce nets, ropes and fishing lines, transform into charcoal or trade for income.