Simpur is a genus of plants native to tropical regions of Asia, Australasia, and islands in the Indian Ocean. There are 96 known Simpur species. The document discusses several Simpur species found in Brunei, including their habitat, distribution, physical descriptions, and some traditional uses. Leaves of some Simpur plants are used for wrapping food, as sandpaper, and washing hair. Fruits can indicate water levels, and the plants help colonize land and provide shade for new forests.

1. A Simpur Story
A Simple Guide to Understand Simpur.
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2. General Facts
❖ Simpur is of one the many species from the genus Di!enia.
❖ Named after German botanist, Johann Jacob Dillenius.
❖ There are currently 96 species in this genus.
❖ Native to tropical and subtropical regions such as Asia,
Australasia and Indian Ocean Islands.
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3. Habitat
From top right, Simpur growing on eroded land; bottom right, Simpur
growing near the edge of forest; le", a lone simpur tree at Jerudong Beach
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4. The Distribution
❖ Di!enia beccariana
❖ Status: Borneo endemic
❖ Common name: Buan
(Iban)
❖ Found: on disturbed
clay slope in lower
Temburong and Batu
Apoi valleys, Ulu
Tutong and Tasik
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5. The Distribution
❖ Di!enia excelsa
❖ Status: Uncommon.
❖ Common name: Simpur
laki (Brunei, Dusun),
beringin (Iban)
❖ Found: on moist valley
and lower slopes of forest.
Some are planted near
Brunei Arts and Crafts
Centre.
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6. The Distribution
❖ Di!enia grandifolia
❖ Status: Uncommon
❖ Common name: Stilted
Simpoh
❖ Found: in Ulu Ingei and
Andulau Forest Reserve,
Belait and Kuala
Belalong.
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7. The Distribution
❖ Di!enia reticulata
❖ Status: Critically
endangered
❖ Common name: Stilted
Simpoh
❖ Found: on sandy soils in
the floodplains of the
streams within Andulau
Forest Reserve in Brunei
and Ulu Belait.
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8. The Distribution
❖ Di!enia su#oticosa
❖ Status: Common
❖ Common name: Simpoh
Air, Simpor Bini
❖ Found: on degraded
land, river banks,
downriver and poor
soils.
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9. The Distribution
❖ Di!enia sumatrana
❖ Status: Common
❖ Common name: Simpur
laki (Brunei), peru,
menterong.
❖ Found: on lowland forest
on leached sandy clay
soils in Belait, Tutong
and Temburong Districts.
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10. The Distribution
❖ Di!enia borneesis ❖ Di!enia pulche!a
❖ Status: Rare ❖ Common name: Simpur
paya (Brunei).
❖ Common name: Ubah
Rusa (Iban) ❖ Found: in peat swamp
forest and swampy
❖ Found: on clay soils in kerangas, in Brunei
forest 300 m in especially near the
Temburong District. coast.
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11. D. beccariana D. excelsa
D. su#uticosa
D. alata
D. indica D. sumatrana D. phi!ipinensis
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12. D. alata D. excelsa
D. su#uticosa
D. ingens
D. indica D. ovata D. phi!ipinensis
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13. General Uses
❖ The leaves can be used for wrapping food.
❖ Matured leaves of some species can be used as sand paper.
❖ Fruit pulp can be used for washing hair.
❖ Young shoots can stop a wound from bleeding.
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14. Simpur leaves used in cooking
From top right, the fish being wrapped in the leaf; bottom right, the finished product of
the fish with the leaf opened; le", the finished product of the fish with the leaf sti! intact.
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15. Sweet Tapai
From the right, two types of tapai, the common tapai and the less common
tapai wrapped in simpur leaf; le", the less common tapai showing its content.
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16. Other uses
❖ It can be used to indicate water level.
❖ It sends out deep tap roots during dry season. So, people
use it as a guide to dig well.
❖ It can grow on white sand.
❖ It colonises the land to provide shade for other seedlings.
the seedlings will the eventually form a new forest.
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