Flora
The mangrove forest at Sungei Buloh is divided into three main zones that run paraellel to the sea. There is the sandbar zone that faces the sea and has the most salt-tolerant species. This group is composed mainly of Sonneratia ovata and Avicennia alba. The main forest canopy zone is behind the sandbars and is dominated by A. rumphiana, A. officials, Bruguiera cylindrica, Bruguiera gymnorhiza and Rhizophora apiculata. At the rear of the forest, on the edge of the surrounding uplands, is the mud lobster mound and pool complex. The first two zones are where the majority of mangrove vegetation is found. There are 19 major species (from six families), and nine minor species (from seven families) of mangrove trees in the Sungei Buloh Preserve. There are also 34  species (from 21 families) of  mangrove-associated plant  species.

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(from mangrove.nus.edu)
This map shows the geographical distribution of these zones in the Sungei Buloh wetland.
           Sandbar Zone                                                                                                                       
The sandbar zone is where the ocean meets the forest. This area is dominated by Sonneratia ovata and Avicennia alba.
*Avicennia alba:  This species ranges from Western India to Southeast Asia and Western Pacific. It can grow up to 20 meters high and has smooth, dark-grey bark. This species secretes salt from glands onto the leaves.

(Avicennia alba)

(pencil-like Pneumatophores)   

(fruiting branch)

*Sonneratia ovata:  This is the other dominant species on the seaward edge. It also grows to 20 meters and ranges from East Africa to Southeast Asia and Australia. Its bark is cracked and lighter-grey. It is probably the most common species in the forest and is used for lumber and firewood.

(Sonneratia ovata)    

   (leaves and flowers)            

(flowering branch)     

                                                                                          
     Canopy Zone                                                                                                                         
This is the main area of the mangrove forest that is not on an edge with a different ecosystem. It is dominated by A. rumphiana, A. officials, Bruguiera cylindrica, Bruguiera gymnorhiza and Rhizophora apiculata.
*A. rumphiana:This tree is found from peninsular Malaysia and thePhilippines to New Guinea. It has dark brown, warty bark and grows up to 20 meters as well. The pneumatophores of this species are large, 20-30 cm tall. It is now a rare find, but is traditionally used as firewood to smoke fish.

(roots and trunk) 

(bark)  

(flowering branch)
*A. officials:  Ranging from Western India to Philippines and New Guinea, this tree grows to around 20 meters and commonly has low, aerial roots. The bark is reddish-brown and smooth when young and grey-brown when mature. This is a rare species and the fuit is eaten.

(butressed base, aerial roots, and Pneumatophores)  

  (flowers) 

(fruiting branch)
*Bruguiera cylindrica:  Its range is from Southeast Asia to Australia. It grows up to 20 m tall with buttressing and kneed pneumatophores. The bark is grey and smooth.  It grows on clay soils behind Avicennia near the seaface. This species can grow on new soils which are unsuitable to other mangrove trees. 

(sapling) 

   (kneed pneumatophores)    

(fruiting branch)
*Rhizophora apiculata: Found in Southeast Asia and Micronesia. This is yet another tree that grows to around 20 meters in height. It does best in the deep soft mud of estuaries flooded by high tides and has large prop-roots. The seedlings grow right on the tree (viviparous). The seedlings are smooth with somewhat rounded tips and a long hypocotyl. This is a rare species and is used for timber.

(Rhizophora apiculata)  

(viviparous seedlings) 

(prop roots)

                                                                                                              


                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                           


          Other Plants                                                                                                                                                                      
There are other plants in the wetland that occupy niches not dominated by the mangrove trees. these are mostly in edge zones. The mangroves go right up to the sea, but there are freshwater pools and edges near the back of the estuary that offer room for different plants. There is also a set of plants that live in the edge between mangrove and upland.
Fresh Open-Water plants:



(water lily)  

(pond weed) 

(sacred lotus)

(water lettuce)
Fresh-water edge plants:




(cattail) 

(Ceratopteris thalictroides - aquatic fern) 

Mangrove-upland edge plants:  



(bird nest fern)

(dragon's scales) 

(Singapore Rhododendron) 

(Barringtonia asiatica) 

 
Climate
 Flora Wildlife
Location
 Ecological Functions
 Geology
 Hydrology
 Human Interactions About the Author
 References

References:
http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/index.htm
http://mangrove.nus.edu.sg/guidebooks/text/1019.htm
http://www.pbase.com/dbehrens/sungei_buloh
http://images.google.com