The “banana tree” of the forest
Alphonsea maingayi is a member of Annonaceae. This species is endemic to Peninsular Malaysia with known localities in Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang southwards. Locally, the species might be known as pisang-pisang batu, pepisang bukit, mengkudang or terbak. This species is a tree of moderate size with black bark and spreading branches. The crushed twigs and cut bark produce strong cucumber smell. It has been observed that three of the trees near the entrance of FRIM began flowering from December 2011 to January 2012 and the fruits starts appearing in February. A sight to see up close, the ripen yellow fruits are edible with sweet and sour taste. This tree is also attractive for landscaping.